Most of us would definitely exercise if we only had the (extra) time, but since we don’t. Well, according to experts your “valid” excuse is in reality a “poor” one. Despite what you’ve been conditioned to believe, like the need to join a group, gym, etc and devote a designated amount of time per day to your workout routine, experts assert it’s actually a lot easier than that. In fact, they note that a few minutes, a few times a day (of physical activity) adds up. And, you don’t have to engage in anything “strenuous” or “fancy” as long as: · You feel your heart pumping and beating faster (without racing). · You are breathing faster and “heavier” than usual, but you are still able to carry on a conversation even while exercising. · You are definitely getting heated and working up a sweat, but not dripping with perspiration. Plus it can be as easy as conducting daily routines and activities including: · Walking to work or to the bus or train station. And, if you drive, it may be as simple as parking on a higher level (in a parking garage) or simply parking further away. · Skip the elevator or escalator and use the stairs. · Walk around the office a few times a day. Also think about walking around the block or up and down the parking area during lunch. · Do your house cleaning to the tune of your favorite tunes and really move and groove. · Exercise back and stomach muscles right at your desk by tensing and releasing them. · When shopping (in a grocery or in a mall), pick up the pace and strut your stuff a little faster. Experts also suggest keeping track of the exercise you manage to fit into your day as a constant reminder of just how well you did (and how little effort it really required). And, they also suggest giving up a sitcom a night for some additional exercise, maybe even a walk, swim or bike ride after dinner. Or consider a getaway that offers plenty of activity such as skiing, surfing, etc. Not only will you have fun (in the sun) but can build your muscles, stamina and skills too.
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Do you know that many people who successfully lose large amounts of weight and are also successful at keeping it off use a diary? This is no ordinary diary though. It is a food loss diary and using it can ensure total success no matter what your weight loss goal may be. Never underestimated the power of a food diary. Using it daily will ensure you become much more conscious of your current bad eating habits. Through its use you can identify the cause of your weight problems. So what is a food diary? Well it is simply a small book you carry with you everywhere you go for at least two weeks. After this you can store it some place safe and refer to it three times a day. So here is a quick explanation of a food diary: Week 1. In your diary on the first page note your current weight. Now for the rest of the week you must make a note of everything you eat during the day. This is why it is so important to carry the small book with you at all times. You must be disciplined in this. Every time you eat anything, even a small piece of meat or a nibble you must enter exactly what you ate and the time at which it was eaten. Then describe your motivations for eating it. Where you really hungry? Was the temptation of it being there too much? Where you feeling lonely or stressed? Take a note of all the feelings that lead you to eat the food. At breakfast, lunch and dinner list all the foods you ate, why you ate them and how you felt before, during and after you ate them. Also note every bit of exercise to take during the day. It doesn’t matter how small it is just jot it down anyway. Also note when you went to the shops or to pick up the kids or just to get a message. Did you take the car or bus? Describe how you were feeling prior to taking the car or bus. Why didn’t you walk? Was it too far? Did you not have enough time? Week 2. Write down your current weight and follow the plan outlined for week 1. In addition, you can now start to analyse your diary. Look over your entries for the previous week and the amount of food you ate. What type of food where you eating. Why were you eating it? For example you may have noted that you ate a chocolate bar at 1pm because you were feeling bored. You notice that this is a recurring theme almost everyday. So, go to your empty diary entries for week three and pencil in at the same time of day an activity that will relieve your boredom. If you can’t think of one then pencil in that you will go for a walk or start to do that odd job you have been putting off for months! Perhaps you ate the chocolate because it gave you a certain feeling you enjoyed. Look at the feeling. Is there anything else you could do that would make you feel the same or a similar way? There are always alternatives. Jot one down in your diary! Maybe you notice that the temptation to eat the chocolate was too strong to resist because it was just there. Pencil into your diary, on your shopping day, that you are to buy no chocolate! Now look at your exercise activities for the previous week. When did you take the car when you could have walked? Could you pencil in an extra 15 minutes walking a day. Divide the 15 minutes into three 5 minute exercises, this way it will not seem like that much of a change. Park the car 5 minutes away from the shop. Walk to a bus stop that is 5 minutes further away. Did you not have enough time? Structure your diary to compensate, even if it means getting up 15 minutes earlier. In this way you can use your diary to set out a plan for the coming week. Be strict with yourself and follow your plan. Tick off the things on your diary one by one as you complete them. Pencil in activities that you have always wanted to do. You will find that organising your food intake and exercise routine in this way will have a major knock-on effect on the rest of your life. You are getting organised! Your food diary is a also great way of tracking your progress. Make sure you note in it all your accomplishments and list all your weight loss achievements. When you reach week 3 you can begin using your diary only 3 times a day – once in the morning to check your schedule for the day. Once after dinner to note your activities during the day and once at night to review your progress that day and structure the same day for the following week. It is important to reward yourself every time you succeed at a task that you have put in your diary. Pencil in that at the end of a certain week you will buy yourself new clothes. Constantly review your achievements and give yourself credit for having done so well. This will keep you motivated and ensure you keep to your plan, continue using your diary and of course keep your weight healthy.
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The best exercise for weight loss? There’s no such thing, but no surprise there, right? Someone with leg problems can’t run to lose weight, and swimming won’t work without access to a pool. There is no one-size-fits-all prescription here. You just have to work out which exercises are best for you. A Few Of The Best Exercises For Weight Loss Raising your heart and breathing rate for a time at least three times a week is the general idea, and there are many ways to do that. Any activity will burn calories, though, so don’t feel you have to start heavy workouts to get some benefit. A few possibilities and ideas follow, but talk to your doctor before starting any of the more athletic activities. – Do things you enjoy doing, which also involve moving your body. You’re more likely to persevere in your efforts if you enjoy yourself. – Swimming can be a great weight loss exercise, because it is easy on the joints. Swimming in cool water also means your body burns calories heating itself. – Walking is perhaps a better alternative to running or jogging. It’s easier on the body, and delivers about the same benefits for the same distance traveled. It’s also more enjoyable for many of us. Walking also can be done in large malls when the weather is bad outside. – Climbing up and down stairs is a very aerobic exercise. It burns almost as many calories as jogging, without the problems of weather. In the right place, it can be more private too. – Stationary bicycles are tough to use regularly because of the boredom factor. If you only allow yourself to watch your favorite television show while pedaling, however, you may feel more motivated. – Parking the car far away from every place you visit can mean a lot of extra walking. Once you do it enough, it will become an almost unconscious habit. – Walking the dog can be great exercise for you and the dog. It’s also a good way to meet new people. – Getting a job that requires physical activity can be a way to guarantee you’ll get enough exercise. Just be sure it’s something you can handle and enjoy. – Gardening helps a lot of people burn calories while doing something enjoyable. It also can produce the healthy foods that help with weight loss. What’s available to you will determine what exercises you can use. You may also have some personal physical limitations. What you enjoy doing may be the most important consideration, however, because the best exercise for weight loss is the one you’ll actually do.
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Want to know the secret of six pack abs? The truth is that there is no secret. Here’s how to get six pack abs in six simple steps. 1 – Diet Right 2 – Exercise Right 3 – Cardio Workout 4 – Lower Appetite 5 – Eat Right 6 – Abs Exercise Diet Right Trust me, you already have abdominal muscles. They’re just hidden under a layer of fat. Your first step to getting that sexy, ripped look is to eat less. Concentrate first on reducing snacking and when you do snack, eat high-fiber crunchy foods such as carrots or protein bars. By eating fewer calories each day than your body needs, you force your system to start metabolizing stored energy sources, one of which is fat. However, your body defaults to burning easier energy sources first such as glucose (sugar) and simple proteins. That’s where Steps 2 and 3 come in. Exercise Right You have to exercise the right way to get your body to burn stored fat. That’s the only way you’ll get rid of that layer of stubborn abdominal fat. Start with a good all-around exercise program designed to strengthen your major muscle groups. You can do simple exercises at home without any special equipment. Remember gym class where pushups, sit-ups, squats, toe touches and running in place were part of the regular routine? Establish a regular routine of these every morning. Even 15 minutes will be a big help. Don’t overdo it in the beginning. Gradually increase the intensity of your workout and you are much more likely to stick with it. Cardio Workout To kick your body into the fat burning zone, you’ve got to include a variety of cardio workouts. Once you’re in reasonably good shape, start doing things that increase your heart rate for a 10 to 15 minute period. Avoid doing things with a steady rhythm like walking on a treadmill or jogging. Your body quickly learns to ignore these as requiring fat burning and uses other stored energy sources instead. Instead, do things like jumping rope, play in pickup basketball games, jump on a stair climber, or use a rowing machine that varies the pace and strength required in different segments of the workout. Running wind sprints burns way more fat than jogging, so don’t be lazy with your cardio workouts. Lower Appetite The best way to lose weight is to reduce your appetite. You have to be careful with appetite suppressants though, as some place unusual stress on your body. Avoid supplements that include stimulants like ephedra or ephedrine as these can cause rapid heartbeat and other unpleasant side effects. Stick with natural products like Hoodia that curb your desire for food without stressing out your body. Eat Right Eating right is critical to burning fat. The best foods to eat are high-fiber products like oatmeal, steamed vegetables, fruits, and raw vegetables. These negative calorie foods often require more energy to process than they provide. Plus, their high-fiber content cleanses your body and inhibits absorption of fat and cholesterol. Since your body relentlessly cycles fluids, always drink plenty of water to maintain proper hydration levels. Abs Exercise Once you’ve gotten your diet and exercise program well underway, then add some exercises specific to your abs. Start with leg lifts for overall slimming, then add oblique crunches to sharply define the rib cage transition area. Doing these while resting your lower back on an exercise ball intensifies the workout and involves additional core muscle groups. Avoid overstressing these muscles in the beginning. Instead, work to gradually include using weights to increase the intensity of your abs workout over time. Summary As with any other diet and exercise regimen, there are no overnight results. You spent years building up that layer of abdominal fat. Getting rid of it will take some time and effort. Make a commitment to reach your desired goal and follow these six simple steps. And that’s how to get six pack abs!
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Whether your next season is Spring or Autumn, a change in season is a great time to renew your commitment to weight management and shape up and have fun doing so! Who said losing weight needs to be boring! No so. Here are three fantastic calorie consuming activities that are most enjoyable in the cooler seasons, but somewhat impractical for most people in the height of winter and summer months. Spring is the perfect time to get into the garden before the hot days of summer. If you are just finishing your summer, now is the perfect time to do all those last minute pruning and weeding that was just too hot to do a few weeks ago. There’s nothing like gardening to help tone muscles and burn up additional calories. Weekend Rambling – forget sleepy Sundays, get out and about on a walk with family and friends. Find an opening and play some lively games like football, frisbee or cricket! Walking Holiday – if you normally take ‘lazy beach breaks’ it’s time for a change. There are so many beautiful places to visit that you may never have considered before. Get out and explore….and your legs will get a terrific tone-up! Why Not…. Participate in vigorous voluntary work. Give a few hours a week to a good cause. There are plenty of charities that need help with gardening and odd jobs such as painting, handiwork and maintenance. Spend more time playing with the kids in the garden. Forego hotel niceties and enjoy weekends away camping. Take up action cricket or soccer and meet new people in the process. Get the bikes out for a regular leisurely ride or if you feel more energetic, join a cycling club. Start today! If you focus on having energetic fun, you’ll lose weight effortlessly!