Exercise is a scary word to many people. Most people think of a fitness program of something boring and painful and avoid it at all costs. However, exercise is very important for your body and it can be fun, too! Read on for some tips on staying fit and having fun!
If you want to get exercise to lose weight, but are lacking a workout friend, get a dog that loves to walk. Dogs are usually raring to go for a walk and don’t complain when they are tired (though they might slow down or lay down to give you a hint). So buy or borrow a dog – now you have a built in work-out buddy!
A great way to help you get fit is to start running. Compared to other exercises like the stationary bike or the elliptical, running tends to burn far more calories. You can run on a treadmill or on a track if you can find one. Avoid running on concrete though.
Pack a pair of comfortable shoes and a change of clothes in your car or briefcase. You’ll always have the ability to switch out your dress clothes for clothes suitable for walking or perhaps even running. That way you can take the time to walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator, walk to lunch instead of driving, and maybe even take a quick run.
If you want to have bigger calf muscles, you should do both seated and standing calf raises because you will achieve better results. This is because the calves are made of two different muscles. You have to do both straight-leg and bent-leg raises in order to hit both of these muscles.
You can build up your physical strength through the use of lighter weights. Your muscles will have just as much force as when you lift heavier weights, except you will be going much slower. These are especially great for bench-presses. Go with about 40-60% of what you usually lift and do 8 sets of 12 repetitions pushing the weight up quickly. Have a 30 second rest period between sets.
Believe it or not, your body needs sugar after a workout not just something full of protein. Try to get at least 20 grams along with your supply of protein. Protein travels by way of sugar to the muscles you just worked in your routine. Just make sure to limit the rest of your sugar for the day as to not undo what you have done.
If you want to run or walk your way to fitness, be sure to take safety precautions to keep yourself and others safe. Try running in the opposite direction of traffic so you can see oncoming cars in busy traffic. It is also safer to run or walk during the day so you can be seen more easily. Having a partner also adds to safety. But, try moving in a single-file line to avoid large groups that could endanger members.
If you are going to be running uphill, your posture greatly effects how well you can do it. You should always try to keep your head up and be looking at the top of the hill whenever you run uphill. Using this posture, it will make it easier to breathe. It becomes harder to breathe when your are hunched forward.
If you have a desk job and are concerned about staying fit, consider storing a mini-stepper under your desk and use it for a few minutes of every hour. Even five minutes of fitness per hour will make a big difference. This will also help prevent the soreness and stiffness associated with prolonged periods of inactivity.
If you want to improve your tennis game, you must train your eyes to focus quicker. When you are able to change your focus on a continual basis, you will be able to hit more winners. When you are riding in a vehicle, try focusing on an object in the distance. Then, immediately shift your focus to a closer object. Do this repeatedly, and you will begin to notice an improvement in your tennis game.
While you may expect a longer workout to be beneficial, you should keep it to an hour tops. Once you reach the 60 minute point, this is when your body will begin to produce cortisol, a stress hormone. This hormone can block testosterone and waste your efforts to grow muscle. Keep it shorter and make it worth more.
Put it in reverse. If you typically work out on a treadmill or elliptical machine, try reversing your stride to enhance your muscles. Because your body is not accustomed to the reverse motion, it works different muscles and causes you to work harder. Gradually add a few minutes of reverse motion into each workout to really feel the burn and see results.
If you have severe asthma or cigarette smoke allergies, make sure that you speak to your future landlord about whether there are non-smoking units available or how many people on average, smoke nearby. Many apartments suffer from this problem because they do not separate the apartments by smoking and non-smoking.
Commit 10 minutes of your day to fitness. Whether it is at the start or end of the day, it will be easy to set aside a small amount of time to stay fit. This will help you to get into the habit of exercising, and you will feel better after having done some fitness activity rather than none.
A simple way to increase your overall fitness is to walk 2 minutes out of every 30 minutes in a day. Keep an eye on the clock – stand up and move around – for 2 minutes every half hour. It is easy to carve out 2 minutes at a time, whether it is at your workplace or your home. After all, the increased exercise will add-up over time!
Staying fit isn’t so hard when you know what you can do to be fit and enjoy yourself while you do it! Now that you know how fun fitness can be, why not start now? Make an exercise program that suits you and soon you’ll be looking and feeling better.