Exercise

Regular exercise is vital to help maintain good health. Exercise burns up extra calories in food and reduces the likelihood of these being converted into fat. Regular exercise makes you fit, gives a general sense of well-being, improves appetite and sleep and makes the heart and circulation, lungs and respiration work more efficiently. Exercise carried out for about 20 minutes three times a week is beneficial for the body.

Physical Fitness can be measured in various aspects such as your balance, stamina, strength and flexibility. It is often assessed by measuring heart rate after exercise. Fitness can also be measured in terms of the strength of specific muscles required to perform a task such as lifting weights. optimal Physical fitness requires both aerobic exercise and muscle - strengthening exercises.

There are three main types of exercises that can be included in your exercise program. These are- flexibility, strengthening, and fitness.

 

Flexibility exercises involves stretching, loosening up and bending. These exercise helps muscles and joints to perform their full range of movement with suppleness and ease and help to reduce stiffness and keep your joints flexible. Strengthening exercises include both flexibility and fitness exercises as well as the use of weights and specially designed equipments in a gym. These exercises help maintain or increase muscle strength, leading to firming up of the body and an improvement in posture. Fitness exercises help increase your endurance and stamina. Vigorous activities (Aerobic activities) such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, dancing, swimming along with many sports like football, tennis, badminton etc. improve fitness. The improvement can be seen after a few weeks of regular, fairly, hard exercise i.e. 30 minutes of aerobic activity every day. However, the level of fitness soon declines if the exercise regime is abandoned. Walking: Walking is the best form of moderate exercise. Brisk walking help circulation of blood throughout the body. Walking can help people avoid a heart attack, peel off pounds and even develop a hard body.

 

An ideal walking schedule for beginners is 20 minutes 6 or 7days a week. As you develop endurance and loose weight increase your walking time gradually. If you don’t need to lose body fat, you can stay fit by walking 20 to 30 minutes 3 days a week. Research has shown that brisk walking regularly 3 days a week gives a 15 percent boost in mental functioning

Running or Jogging : Running improves cardiovascular fitness, promotes endurance and stamina and gives complexion a super fit glow. However, over exertion can cause fatigue, insomnia and rapid heart beat after the exercise.

Cycling : Cycling strengthens legs and thighs, heart and lungs and improve circulation. Fresh air, speed and sense of freedom allow the mind to soar. Ride at an even speed, instead of exhausting the energy by pedalling hard. The continual pumping action benefits the heart.

Aerobics : This vigorous form of exercising which is generally accompanied with music, will slim you down and improve the efficiency of your heart, lungs and circulatory system.

Swimming : It tones all parts of the body symmetrically. The crawl, butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, all of them firm buttocks and thighs, broaden shoulders, slim torso and lift *******. Swimming also gives a beautiful back and pressure tones the skin to a smooth polish.

Tennis , Badminton and squash : These sports help develop strong buttocks and leg muscles, strengthen wrists, reflexes, eye hand co-ordination and foot work ability. Warm up before you play. Drink plenty of liquids after play.

Other daily activities like climbing stairs, gardening, carrying groceries etc all count towards moderate exercises which help in burning calories.

 



By: Dr. Ripudaman Singh

About the Author:

exercise fitness

The decision to get fit is a great goal to set for yourself, but it can be hard knowing where to start. A Fitness Trainer can assist you by discussing what you want to accomplish from your efforts. Some people want to lose weight, some what to tone their body, and others want to build their muscles. There are specific exercise programs that a Fitness Trainer can recommend to help you in the area you choose to work on. They can also show you the correct way to do each of the exercises so that you get the maximum benefit from your workout.

Finding the right Fitness Trainer for you is easier than you think. If you belong to a gym or fitness center, ask about a personal Fitness Trainer program. For those of you who want to work out on your own or who don’t have a gym in your area, you will have to search a little bit harder for a Fitness Trainer. Ask your doctor, friends, and family members if they can recommend anyone to you. The internet is a great place to locate any in your area as well as give you some basic information on what a Fitness Trainer can do for you.

Fitness trainers are going to vary in their methods. You will want to talk openly with a Fitness Trainer regarding their philosophy, training, and consulting methods. You will also want to discuss their educational background and certification as a Fitness Trainer. Of course, the cost of their service is going to be an important factor to discuss as well.

Ask them why they became a Fitness Trainer. Ask for references who you can contact regarding their experiences with the Fitness Trainer. Since you are going to be exercising in your free time, you are going to have to discuss a schedule that works well for both of you. Make sure you share your fitness fears with the personal trainer and see how they react. They should also be made aware of your fitness level and any health concerns that are going to need to be considered while getting fit.

After talking, you should feel comfortable with the Fitness Trainer. If you don’t feel like you are compatible then keep looking. You need the time and money you spend with a Fitness Trainer to be well spent, not stressful. Trust your instincts when it comes to being around this particular individual. It is a good idea to talk with at least three potential Fitness Trainers before you make a final decision based on what each has to offer you.

Getting fit is easier when you have the expertise of a Fitness Trainer behind you. They are great for motivating you as well as giving you personal attention to meet your fitness goals. Make sure the Fitness Trainer you choose to work with has your best interests in mind as you work together to devise a challenging yet rewarding fitness program that are going to give you the results you having been hoping for.



By: Ramone Stevenson

About the Author:

fitness trainer

If your are fitness buff that drives everyone around them crazy with there endless chatter about fitness then now would be a good time to consider becoming a fitness trainer. Here’s how to do just that.

1. Do you have what it takes? As a fitness trainer there are plenty of skills you need besides enthusiasm. You need to be able analyze situations, be patient, be persistent but nurturing, be organized, be a good listener, and be a good motivator. You need to love to work with people of all ages and all backgrounds that share the common goal of wanting to become fit. And of course you should practice what you preach and be fully involved in fitness and a healthy lifestyle.

2. Get Certified - There are all kinds of fitness certification programs that you can branch into. It also depends where you want to work. The common fitness trainer certifications are ISSA, NEPT, NCSF, ACSM, and ACE. Length of program for each certification varies.

3. Specialize - There is no requirement for to specialize however when you do you open up other employment opportunities. You can also charge more when you have specialized. You can decide to take it right away when you get certified as a fitness trainer or you can go back and get it later.

4. Work It At The Club - Grab your telephone book and have a look at clubs that are listed in the area you are willing to work. Then contact them to see if they are looking for a fitness trainer. If they indicate they might be then it’ a good idea to go drop off a resume.

5. Open Up Your Own Fitness Trainer Service - When you run your own business you get back what you put into it. You’ll need to check with your local area to see what type of licensing you require.

6. Sell Yourself - Once you get your business set up and running then it’s time to get out there and market your business and in order to market your business you need to first sell yourself. If you aren’t sure how to do this have a look online about marketing your business.

7. Continuing Education - Leaves you with refreshed with new skills and very smart accomplishments that will certainly help you keep the job you have or get a new one.

Become Indispensable - When you finally land that job make sure that you become indispensable to the person who has hired you. Be better than the rest. When your client feels they can’t live without your help you’ve got yourself a long term client.

Being a fitness trainer will be very rewarding. You’ve got all thee excellent skills that you can use to help others become fit, loose weight, tone up, and just become more comfortable with their body’s.

As a fitness trainer you have the training and knowledge to help someone rethink their position on fitness. You can give them the fitness bug with all your enthusiasm. If you have special interests in fitness why not share it with others?



By: Steve Johnson

About the Author:

fitness trainer

Aerobic training exercises are any activities which increase your heart rate by movement of the body. This includes walking, running, cycling, cross-country skiing, swimming, and interval training with weights. Aerobic exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system which is the heart, arteries, and veins.

Aerobic exercise also increases the efficiency of the respiratory system by improving the oxygen / CO2 exchange ability of the lungs. As a result, an aerobically fit individual can work longer, more vigorously, and achieve a quicker recovery. By working out longer and at a higher intensity, you will burn more calories for a longer period. This type of training leads to more weight loss in a shorter length of time.

What factors affect aerobic training? Frequency, duration and intensity directly influence an aerobic workout. Frequency refers to how often you perform aerobic activity. Duration refers to the time spent at each session. Intensity refers to the percentage of your maximum heart rate at which you work.

How often should I train? How hard? For how long? Most experts believe that 3-5 times per week for a period of 20-60 minutes at 60-90% of your age-specific maximal heart rate.

How do I determine my target heart rate? The general formula for the average person is to start with 220 minus your age, then multiply that number X 60% to get the lower-end of the target range and multiply it X 90% to get the maximum. For example, a 30-year-old would calculate his target zone using the above formula: 220-30=190. 190 x .6 = 114 and 190 x .9 = 171. This person would try to keep his or her heart rate between 114 (low end) and 171 (high end) beats per minute.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a Heart Rate Monitor, the Borg scale of Perceived Exertion is another way of determining how hard you are working. Using your own subjective Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) on a scale of 6-20 or a scale of 0-10, you determine how hard you “feel” you are working.

Original Borg Scale

6

7- Very, very light

8

9 - Very light

10

11 - Fairly light

12

13 - Somewhat hard

14

15 - Hard

16

17 - Very hard

18

19 - Very, very hard

20 -* Maximal

Revised Borg Scale

0 - Nothing at all

0.5 - Very, very weak

1 - Very weak

2 - Weak

3 - Moderate

4 - Somewhat strong

5 - Strong

6

7 - Very strong

8

9 - Very, very strong

10 - * Maximal

The “Talk Test” is another good way of establishing how hard you are working, if you find it difficult to say a few words, you are probably working out anaerobically. For a good indication of aerobic exercise, you should be able to say a few words, catch your breath, and then carry on talking. If you are talking all the way through your workout, it’s a good bet that you’re not working hard enough.

Add aerobic exercise to your training regimen and watch the pounds drop off quickly. These tips are just a portion of an eight-week class that I teach online called ‘The Answer’s Right Under Your Nose’. To find out more about it, go to the ‘Personal Coaching’ on my website.



By: Jerry Ryan, Ph.D.

About the Author:

aerobics fitness

There are at least 2 great reasons for making fitness a priority. First, it improves the quality of your life. Second, it improves the quantity of your life. If we can convincingly argue that fitness actually achieves these goals, it seems obvious it should be a priority. Many articles and magazines discuss how physical activity can minimize health risks and describe other benefits of physical fitness. However, knowing exercise is good may not be enough for us to make the time we need.

Fitness can mean different things. In order to enumerate the benefits we need to be specific about the definition. Fitness is often defined to include strength, endurance, flexibility, and aerobic ability. Each of these has somewhat different effects on quality and quantity of life.

Strength

Besides making you strong, strength training can build and maintain bones, muscles, and joints. Strength exercises create muscle mass and that muscle mass pulls more calories making it easier for you to lose weight. Strength also makes it possible to participate in activities that are not possible otherwise especially performing physical tasks that require lifting (Football, basketball, picking up and swinging your children/grandchildren …). Another advantage of strength training for women is that it helps prevent osteoporosis. More choices mean more opportunities for enjoying your life.

Endurance

Endurance allows you to participate in activities for an extended period of time. How about enjoying a walk along the beach or kicking a ball back and forth with your children or grandchildren. No one wants to worry about the long walk across the parking lot at the shopping mall during the holiday season. Like strength, endurance also extends your opportunities for enjoying your life.

Flexibility

Flexibility allows you to move your body comfortably within the normal range of movement. Without flexibility, many common activities become uncomfortable and un-enjoyable. Reasonable flexibility is required for, pulling a sweater over your head, washing your hair, wrestling with children, and tying your shoes. Pulling on a pair of pants requires flexibility. Without flexibility, many of the everyday tasks we take for granted become arduous.

Aerobic fitness

Obviously, your heart and lungs are vital to both the quality of your life and the quantity. Heart attack is a leading killer in North America. Also, it is difficult to enjoy your life if walking up the stairs is a major ordeal. Everything about life is better if you are not constantly fighting for a good breath of air. It is well documented how exercise helps prevent heart attacks. It is also well documented how exercise helps with respiratory problems and obesity. Without a healthy heart and strong lungs, you are expected to have less life, not to mention less quality of life.

I think that most people would have no problem agreeing that all the components of fitness described here are important. The problem is whether they are important enough to do something about. At every moment of every day we all have competing priorities. “Do I walk to the corner store to get a paper in order to get a little exercise, or do I drive so that I can get back and help Junior with his homework?” Everyone one has to deal with the fire of the moment which stops us from achieving our longer term goals, but we should not have to decide between our children and exercise. The point here is that we need to remember that fitness is fundamental to our happiness and we need to integrate it into our lives. All this is intended to answer the question: “Why is physical fitness so important?”



By: Jeffrey Cahoon

About the Author:

In the past few years, the fitness industry has seen an increase in military style workout programs called fitness boot camps. These programs are short in duration and usually last about 4 weeks with 3 sessions per week.

The main goal is to get you in the best shape possible in the least amount of time. Most of the programs are offered to everyone, while others cater exclusively to women only. A fitness boot camp for women can be a great way to get back into shape while having fun at the same time.

Here are 10 great reasons and benefits to join a fitness boot camp for women:

1). Avoid the unwanted stares and attention from men during your workouts. Most women do not like to be “checked out” while they go about their workouts. It can be intimidating and uncomfortable for many women who are only interested in their fitness boot camp workouts.

2). Some women are self-conscious of their body image prior to joining. Weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are important, but just as important is finding a comfortable environment to workout.

3). They provide women with the time to bond and share common interests that they may not experience with unisex workout classes. Women can feel comfortable joining solo or with their friends.

4). Women tend to be less competitive than men; therefore, the atmosphere in the boot camp workouts while serious tend to be more relaxed.

5). The nature of program is very focused and goal-oriented. Making a boot camp into a routine with the same group of people over time means that everyone is motivated to attain their fitness goals..

6). Fitness boot camps for women tend to be more welcoming and less intimidating for women of all shapes and sizes.

7). You can have fun getting into shape and work towards your goal of either being healthier or losing weight. They can be held indoors or outdoors for maximum workout benefits.

8). If you don’t exercise regularly, jump start your fitness by getting into a routine and making it a regular part of your lifestyle. Women have busy lives and it’s difficult to make time for themselves. Making a regular fitness class over time will help you achieve a more balanced lifestyle in the long-term.

9). It’s a great way to make new friends and network with one another.

10). Aspire to the next level. Once you achieve success with your first workout, you’ll want to take your newly found fitness level and try a more advanced workout. This prevents your body from plateauing and ensures that you continue to push your body to get even more results. Once you start, don’t stop!

In the end, my advice is to first check out the camp you are interested in to find out if the class program and environment is suitable for you. Find out what certifications and experience the instructor has before joining. Make sure your instructors also have current CPR and first aid certifications. Above all, you should look for an instructor who makes you feel motivated, encouraged, and energized. For some, this may mean a military type style workout. For others, it may be something less overwhelming. Find something that suits your comfort zone, get started, and train safe!



By: Raz Chan

About the Author:

If you’ve decided this is the year to get serious about your fitness congratulations are in order. Just making the decision is a great start. But between family, work, and other pressing engagements in an all too busy day when the heck will you ever get to the gym? Have you considered investing in one of the many fitness gyms for the home?

It’s really the answer. With just a little help from us we’ll show you how to find the perfect fitness equipment for your home. With so many fitness gyms on the market it can be a bit overwhelming trying to figure out which gym is the right one for you. Heck if you do it right you will choose equipment that your entire family could use. Of course if you have a medical condition always check with your doctor first before undergoing a new fitness program.

Just like different commercial fitness gyms have different equipment to offer their members different home gyms also have different equipment to offer. It’s a lot easier to stay on track with your fitness program if you know what it is you want out of your work out. You should also figure out what your current fitness level is.

You have treadmills, rowing machines, stationary bikes, cross country ski machines, free weights, and even multi machines to choose from. Home fitness gyms can be as simple or as complex as you want. The only other thing limiting you is your budget.

There’s nothing cheap about home fitness gyms. At least not the quality ones and you should never compromise poor quality for a cheap price. A treadmill is always a great buy if you have the room. You can vary your workout, increase the intensity, burn calories and get your cardio workout. Choose a belt driven model that has a safety shut off and that the treadmill itself is wide enough. Make sure you also know what the warranty is.

Home fitness gyms also do well with rowing machines and they offer an all over work out that has minimal impact on joints. Once you get the hang of the rowing machine it is an excellent piece of fitness equipment to have in your repertoire. Stationary bikes have been on the market for ages. The newer ones have a few more bells and whistles but at the end of the day they still do the same basic thing they did back then. Stationary bikes are a great start if you have had a sedentary lifestyle.

Home fitness gyms should always include a set of free weights. They are perfect for sculpting the body. They are affordable, easy to store, and a must for anyone that’s serious about their fitness program. You don’t burn a lot of calories with free rates but you do get some very nice definition by combining the two types of fitness training.

Knowing what it is you want makes it much easier to look at all the home fitness gyms on the market and then choose what’s best for you. You’re going to look great!



By: Steve Johnson

About the Author:

fitness gyms

If you are like many people, you want to start a diet fitness program but don’t have a clue on how to get started. You aren’t alone. Each year, millions of overweight people make the decision to get in shape but don’t ever accomplish those goals because they don’t understand the best place to begin.

All is not lost, however. If you do want to get in shape there are some very effective methods that will help you get fit as quickly as possible and without sacrificing your overall quality of life. Here are some tips to get you started in the right direction today.

First of all, drink more water throughout the course of the day. Drinking water helps you feel fuller throughout the day, causing you to eat less. There is nothing better for you to drink than water. Believe it or not, store bought juice and milk is far inferior to water in overall nutritional value.

Instead of eating large meals 2 or 3 times a day, try eating smaller amounts throughout the day. When you eat this way, your metabolism works faster as opposed to when it has to absorb a huge meal all at once. By consuming smaller amounts, your body has less food to digest, causing it to have to work less and resulting in more energy for you.

Make sure you do at least three 30 minute cardiovascular workouts each week. I know it’s been said often, but it’s very true-exercise is essential to keeping that unwanted body fat off.

There is no magic pill that will help you lose weight without doing any work. If you really want to improve your health and feel better at the same time, you need to bite the bullet and begin working out.

If the thought of embarking on an exercise program sounds daunting to you, try to break it down into manageable chunks. Instead of trying to jog 5 miles a day your first week, try to run 1 or 2 mailboxes down the road. The next day, run another mailbox.

The secret to achieving your fitness goals (or any goal for that matter) is to underwhelm yourself so that you are always looking forward to the workout. Most people make the mistake of believing that they need to achieve all their fitness goals within a one day or one week period.

For instance, they might have an ultimate goal of losing 35 pounds in a year’s time. That sounds pretty intimidating, doesn’t it? Most people would quit before they even started because this sounds impossible to accomplish.

However, when you break it down into easy to complete workouts, you will find it much easier to achieve your goals. Consider this: 35 pounds comes out to losing just under 3 pounds a month. This is further reduced to 1.10th of a pound per day. Sound a little more doable?

Finally, try eating more fruits and vegetables, and less meat and dairy products. Fruits and vegetables are very easy for your body to digest and give it a quick energy rush.

Meat and dairy products are very difficult for your body to assimilate and absorb, which is why you feel tired after eating them at a meal. When you eat more fruit and vegetable products, not only will you lose weight, but you will have more energy than you ever imagined possible.



By: Josh Neumann

About the Author:

fitness program

What does it mean to live a health fitness lifestyle? Generally it means you eat healthily, you engage in a moderate exercise program, you don’t smoke, you limit alcohol consumption, and you maintain a normal weight. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Not really? For most people, trying to balance an active lifestyle with a healthful lifestyle may seem impossible due to time constraints, job and family commitments or just simply lack of motivation. Maintaining your health does not mean living miserably.

Eating right does not have to be a chore. Simple changes you can make while on your next visit to the grocery store can get you on the right path to eating better. Small substitutions like eating more fruit and veggies and eating less refined and processed foods over time saves calories and adds nutrients to your diet.

Don’t force yourself to shelve your entire diet and start with something restrictive. Feeling deprived leads to failure. Go slow and enjoy each new item you add to your diet.

Exercise does not have to be a dirty word. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, start slow and increase your activity level as you reach small goals you set for yourself.

It may be just using the stairs at work instead of using the elevator. Over time, you might decide to walk for part of your lunch break. Eventually you may want to join a fitness center to increase your progress. Go at a pace you are comfortable with and enjoy.

If you smoke, consider a smoking cessation program. There are medications in pill, patch and gum form that can assist you in stopping. Talking to a counselor or adopting a quit-smoking buddy has been shown to help smokers quit smoking at higher rate than trying to go it alone. Side effects of smoking include rapid heartbeat, decreased circulation, and shortness of breath and more serious problems like cancer, emphysema and heart disease can eventually develop.

Drinking alcohol in moderation has actually been shown to benefit the cardiovascular system. However, consuming more than a glass or two a day can cause liver damage. The liver acts as a giant filter system of the body.

When the filter is clogged, the body does not function properly. Jaundice, gallstones, blood clotting difficulties, organ failure and death can result when the liver is compromised.

Knowing your body mass index (BMI) can help you calculate what a healthy weight is for your body type. You can calculate your BMI by dividing your weight by the square of your height or go online and use a BMI calculating tool. Regulating your diet and adding health fitness weekly can help stabilize your weight.

So you’ve let yourself go. You don’t feel fit. You lack energy. Serious health issues may run in your family. What to do? It is never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Integrate more healthful food choices into your life.

Add health fitness to your routine. Quit smoking and have a glass of red wine with dinner. Eating better and increasing your activity level helps you maintain a normal weight. Each little change gets you closer to the lifestyle goals you set for yourself.



By: MIKE SELVON

About the Author:

Fitness is a commonly new buzz word all over the country, in media and in conversation. Everyone wants to talk about getting into fitness. Unfortunately, not many people follow through on the talk and actually step into action. There are many contributing factors to people procrastinating fitness workouts. The most common reasons are: they are too busy; the fitness workouts are too hard; or they just do not have the will power to stick to a fitness program. For all of these people, there is yet hope.

If you think that you are too busy to commit to a fitness workout, try walking. You can get one of those step counters that attaches to your ankle fairly cheaply. Try to see how many steps you take in one day. Then, try to double it. If you can, walk the two blocks to the convenience store rather than hopping in the car to drive. There are many ways that you can fit walking into a busy schedule as a fitness program.

You can also try breaking up your fitness workout into manageable sections. Create a fitness program that gives you thirty minutes of fitness in three ten minute sessions throughout your busy day. Use five minutes for warm up and cool down, and five minutes of hard cardio activity. This is another great way to squeeze a fitness program into your busy schedule.

Finally, if you are really busy during the day but have time at night, check around your community for a twenty four hour fitness center. There are many gyms and fitness centers available these days that are open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, excepting holidays. These fitness centers are great for the person who is too busy during the day to go to the gym.

If you think that fitness workouts are too hard you are looking at the wrong fitness workouts. Your fitness program should suit your fitness level. If you have not exercised much in several months (or even years) as is the case with most people starting a fitness program, you will want to start out with a lower level cardio workout. If you are not sure what constitutes a lower level fitness workout, ask a professional trainer or your personal physician for guidance.

Will power is quite another issue. There is no sure-fire way to promote will power for everyone. However, one method seems to work for most women, and some men. Go through some magazines, newspapers, and catalogs to find pictures of people that look the way that you look. Cut them out and tape them on your fridge, your full length mirror, and over your scales. This will, hopefully, promote will power and help you stick to a fitness program.



By: Mario R. Churchill

About the Author:

fitness workouts