Tag: fitness

Get up and get moving

Young Woman Exercising On Mat In Front Of Television
Pain and stiffness are often the result of not getting up and moving around enough. Then when we do try to move, our body has become frozen in habitual postures such as sitting at our desk or in front of the TV.

The best way to stay fit and supple is to get up and get moving, even if it is only for a few minutes a day, several times a day. Try these methods and see how well you start to feel.

Stand and stretch
This gets the blood flowing and muscles moving.

Get 10,000 steps per day
This can all add up as you go through your daily routine. Use a pedometer to keep track. Enjoy a walk after dinner and look for chances to walk up and down the stairs rather than use an elevator or escalator.

Marching in place
This is a more cost-effective option than the standing desk or treadmill desk and can be done anywhere. It works well when when you are talking on the phone so long as you aren’t distracting the other people in the office and are not breathing heavily down the phone at your clients and customers. Wear a pedometer so it counts towards your 10,000 steps per day.

Try yoga
There are many poses to choose from, all of which use the weight of your body to keep you toned and trim.

Ballet
The whole point of ballet is to make smooth and controlled movements that strengthen your arms and legs in particular. Do simple exercises in the office or use your desk or chair as a ballet barre.

There’s no need to pump iron
Use ordinary things around the house as your workout gear. Try bottles of water or cans as light weights. You can also invest in a set of resistance bands, which you can take with you anywhere and use as needed.

Belly dancing
It is fun and good exercise, and gives you a solid core and strong back. It can also help you bring out your inner goddess.

Try these methods in rotation throughout the week and you should never get bored while you get fit.

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Getting More Done and Staying Healthier

We all have a busy schedule. The trick is to learn how to get more done and still stay healthy. Here are some top tips.

1. Use a timer
I use a timer for everything in my house. I’ll set the timer for 25 minutes of work, a 5 minute break, then another 25 minutes. I do the 25 minutes 3 times and then give myself a 30 minute break. Then I repeat throughout the day. I try to work 9 to 5 so I don’t get burned out.

2. Wear comfortable shoes
They give good support to help keep you going throughout the day. Give up the high heels and if you are working from home, don’t loll around barefoot.

3. Avoid letting chores pile up for weekends
You deserve some time off with friends and family. There’s no sense in letting laundry, shopping and so on ruin your day off. Get them done during the week. As soon as your machine is full, or your hamper, do the wash. Shop during off times at the supermarket to cut down on crowd and queues.

4. Outsource as needed
You can’t do it all yourself. Outsource a task to someone on fiverr if you can’t do it yourself, you take a long time to do it, or it does not add significantly to your income.

5. Master Make and Freeze Cooking
This method of cooking save time, money and effort. It ensures you will always have something healthy to eat as well, if you choose your recipes wisely. Cook a meal,and freeze the leftovers. Cook one day, and you could have a month’s worth of recipes depending on the size of your family. Not everything freezes well, though, so be sure to get some good books on the subject. Check out the Make and Freeze Spotlight for some suggestions.

6. Work 10,000 steps into your day
This should be pretty easy. Get a pedometer. It will track you throughout the day.

7. Have an Accountability partner
If you set a weight loss goal, for example, have someone like your doctor hold you accountable. It’s one of the main reasons Weight Watchers works.

Try these time saving and fitness tips and see what a difference they make to your health and productivity.

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What to do if you are struggling to lose weight

Feet on a bathroom scale – Isolated[/caption]There a number of reasons why people become overweight, but few of them have to do with being ‘greedy.’ In many cases, weight gain is actually the result of confusing information about what to eat and not eat, and what exercise routines work best.

Here’s the secret: The best workout routine? The one you stick to.
The best diet? The one you can live with long term without feeling miserable and starved.

Your starting point should be where you are right now. When is the last time you got on the scale, and what did it say? If the answer is ‘way too much’ and shocked you, it is time to set a target weight goal and start working towards it. Of, if you have a special occasion on your calendar you want to look great for, like a wedding or class reunion, set a target weight or clothing size to reach by the time the event rolls around, and see how great you will look and feel when you achieve your goal.

Yes, it will take work, and losing weight is only part of the process. Adding activity to your day will help you burn the calories you do eat. Lean, toned muscle will burn calories more efficiently than flabby ones. Even if you hate to break a sweat, there are many different activities you can enjoy that will help you firm up your body as you drop the pounds.

You deserve to be your best self. So dust off the scale, get out a little notebook to keep track of it and your target weight and goals, and start adding more activity to your daily routine, even if it is just a walk around the block to start with.

You CAN do it. And here are a couple of suggestions that can help:

The 3-Week Diet

Old School, New Body

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Working Out Without Working Up Too Much of a Sweat

Summer is here, and with it the hot, sticky weather. Unless you are heading for the beach or pool for a swim to cool down, it can be hard to stay motivated to work out in the warm weather.

Fortunately, there are some workouts that you can do which can help you tone, trim and burn calories without getting soaked in sweat. One of them is bellydancing. It can be fast and fun, and help you feel sexy and feminine too, instead of too macho.

Shimmy: The Complete First Season

and

Shimmy: The Complete Second Season

can help you stay fit and bring out your inner goddess.

Another idea is yoga. It can keep you fit and also aids in developing lean muscle. For any woman who wants to be strong but not too bulked up, these DVDs are ideal.
Namaste Yoga: The Complete First Season

Namaste Yoga: The Complete Second Season

Namaste: The Five Elements in Yoga

For a harder yoga workout, you might consider trying Kundalini Yoga. It emphasizes transformation through a series of poses, and there are therefore no levels in Kundalini as there are with other forms of yoga.

Kundalini Yoga With Gurmukh

Kundalini Yoga for Beginners & Beyond

Kundalini is particularly good for losing weight:
Fat Free Yoga – Lose Weight & Feel Great w/ Ana Brett & Ravi Singh NOW W/THE **MATRIX**

Weight Loss with Kundalini Yoga DVD

Yoga for Weight Loss (Deluxe 3 DVD set with over 30 routines))

So if you are looking for some great ways to stay fit during the summer, or all year round, without getting too hot and sweaty, pop in a DVD and start to shimmy or strike a [yoga] pose.

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You Are Never Too Busy to Keep Fit

Many people claim that they do not work out because they have no time in their busy day. One of the main reasons for this is because a lot of people think that exercise is something which only takes place in a gym for hours at time and involves a great deal of agony.

The good news is that studies have shown that any physical activity can count when it comes to keeping fit. Even a simple walk will help you improve your fitness. But other things can all add up as well, from cleaning the house to cycling with the kids or even a round of golf.

So now that you know these all count, you need to do more of them. But if you say that you have no time, you need to thing again. How are your hours really passing by? You might work 9 to 5 like a lot of people, or go to school, but there have to be at least a few ten-minute breaks in your day for you to work in some fitness activities.

Yes, that’s right, even as little as 10 minutes, 4 times a day, has been proven to be as effective as a single 40-minute burst of activity.

So, to sum up, all activity counts, and no matter how busy you are, even a short session can all add up to big results. That being the case, you should now start to look at ways you can work in fitness during your daily routine.

Start as soon as you get up with a few minutes of stretches, yoga, calisthenics, Pilates or tai chi. You don’t even have to get out of bed for some of these activities.

Look for ways to work movement into all of your daily activities. For example, when you are on your way to the office, walk or take your bike. If it is too far, and you take public transport, get off a stop earlier, or a stop later, and walk from there. You will not only get in more exercise, you will get a whole new change of scenery as well.

If you are doing the housework, turn up the music and pick up your speed. Go up and down the stairs several times as your own free stair-climber.

Are you stuck in the office with barely a break? You don’t have to be. Take a walk at lunch time, get a little pedal cycle to put under your desk, or try desk yoga. Talking on the phone? If you are in a cubicle, jog in place, do knee to chest lifts, and more. If you have your own office, put them on speakerphone and do yoga, toe touches, and more while you work.

Heading home from work? Park the car but don’t go inside. Walk around the block a few times, and get the family to come with you.

At the end of the day, when you are watching TV, don’t just sit there. Get up and walk around, stretch, sit ups, crunches, jog or dance in place, use hand weights, do yoga. Try your kids’ Wii system and do Dance Central, and more.

Don’t exercise too close to bed time, as it can be very stimulating and boost your energy level, but a walk before bed, using some light weights, or doing some yoga can be an excellent way to end the day.
Fitness has been proven to give many health benefits, especially if you do a combination of cardiovascular exercise and strength training. It’s a new year, and time for a new you. Why not grab your iPod and a water bottle, and get moving for better health.
FURTHER READING
Fitness Basics: How to Add Exercise Easily to Your Day, Every Day (Health Matters)

Outdoor Fitness Fun for the Whole Family (Health Matters)

New Year, New You (Health Matters)

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