You are here: Home / Weight Loss Articles / Exercises

A Good Workout Routine: When To Work Out And How To Prepare

January 23, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

If you’ve been putting together a good workout routine that’ll help you to lose weight in the new year, it’s also important that you learn how to do everything the right way. If you’re not used to exercising then here are a few tips on how you should prepare.

When To Work Out

A good workout routine can be performed at just about any time of day, though it does depend on how you feel. You should also fit it in around when you eat – try to wait a few hours after heavy meals, as exercising too soon after eating could lead to discomfort and other unpleasant symptoms. However, you can have a small snack before you get started, such as fruit, to give you a boost in energy.

Warming Up

It’s important to warm up before you start to ensure you get the most out of any good workout routine. It helps to make your muscles more supple if you warm up for around 10 minutes before you begin.

When You’ve Finished Working Out

Once you’ve finished exercising, give your body time to recover by cooling down slowly. Simply lower the intensity of your current workout or walk to gradually lower your heart rate. You should also stretch slowly to the point at which you feel a slight resistance from your muscle. This is the best time to stretch since your muscles are already warmed up. Hold each stretch for around 10 to 20 seconds without bouncing. While you’re stretching make sure you keep breathing.

The foods you eat after a workout can also have an impact on your health and fitness. For those who do a good workout routine a few days a week, you probably don’t need to worry to much about the food you’re eating afterwards – just stick to a balanced diet. However, if you’re really going for it then it’s well worth investing in some advice from a nutritionist.

Other Tips To Help You Make The Most Out Of Your Workout

When working out it’s important to keep your fluid levels up. Drink plenty of water – especially if the exercise lasts more than 30 minutes – and start drinking sports drinks if you’ll be exercising for longer.

When it comes to resting, you can continue to do moderate intensity exercises every day of the week. If your exercise is high intensity then give yourself a rest between workouts to give your body proper time to recover.

A good workout routine doesn’t just rely on the exercise you do at the time – it’s also affected by what you do before and afterward. Make sure to follow these tips and you’ll be getting the very most from your workout.

Filed Under: Exercises Tagged With: ,

Choosing The Best Workout Program For Losing Weight

January 9, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

When it comes to setting new year weight loss goals, many people want to know what the best workout program for losing weight really is. The truth is that there is no single best workout program – whatever you do, you need to make sure that you push yourself if you’re going to change your body for the better.

Which Exercises Should You Do To Lose Weight?

The best workout program for losing weight could include almost all types of exercise. However, in order to lose weight you’ll need to understand the fundamentals. Ultimately your aim should be to take in fewer calories than you burn off each day. This can be done through a combination of diet and exercise.

Most people start with cardio exercises to help them lose weight. These are the kind of exercises that get your heart rate going and leave you feeling puffed out at the end of it. This could be as simple as going for a walk every day – as long as you stick to a pace that leaves you feeling puffed out.

It really is essential that you make sure that you get the right intensity in your workouts. This may mean making sure that you walk a little faster, rather than at your standard slow pace, until you can really feel your heart pumping. Because the unfortunate truth is that you do need to push yourself in order to burn calories.

Learning How To Challenge Your Body

The most important thing is that you learn how to effectively challenge your body. Even the best workout program could eventually become easy for your body, so you’ll constantly need to look at what you’re doing to make sure that your body is forced into adapting to the challenges you set it.

How Much Exercise Do You Need?

Leading health organizations recommend that you get 5 cardio workouts in every week, for periods of 30 minutes or more. If you’re finding it hard, then you can break this up into periods of 10 minutes at a time. When you’re just starting out then you may need start slow and gradually push yourself further and further.

The best workout program should also include some muscle work on top of cardio activity. This helps to make sure you’re building your muscles which will, in turn, increase your metabolism and help you to burn calories quicker.

Filed Under: Exercises Tagged With: ,

Tips For Running For Weight Loss Safely

August 15, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Are you interested in learning more about running for weight loss? The concept is actually simple: Running is good for you, and can help you lose weight. But most people are not in ideal shape to simply go out there and begin running. If you want to implement running for weight loss into your weight loss and exercise program, here is an excellent way to get it done:

Begin by creating a walking and running schedule that you are comfortable with. Break it into a six week program, a twelve week program or even an eighteen week program as needed. Once you know how long your walk / run program is going to last, the next step is to design a plan that you will be comfortable with. Here is an example of a walking and running program for weight loss -

Week 1: Walk / Run 3 times a week, such as on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for example.

Trip 1 – Alternate between walking for 1 minute and running for 30 seconds.
Trip 2 – Alternate between walking for 1 minute and running for 30 seconds.
Trip 3 – Alternate between walking for 1 minute and running for 30 seconds.

Week 2: Walk / Run 4 times a week, such as on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday for example.

Trip 1 – Alternate between walking for 2 minutes and running for 1 minute.
Trip 2 – Alternate between walking for 3 minutes and running for 2 minutes.
Trip 3 – Alternate between walking for 2 minutes and running for 1 minute.
Trip 4 – Alternate between walking for 3 minutes and running for 2 minutes.


Week 3: Walk / Run 4 times a week, such as on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday for example.

Trip 1 – Alternate between walking for 5 minutes and running for 3 minutes.
Trip 2 – Alternate between walking for 8 minutes and running for 4 minutes.
Trip 3 – Alternate between walking for 5 minutes and running for 3 minutes.
Trip 4 – Alternate between walking for 8 minutes and running for 4 minutes.

This process would continue with logical progressions based on how much time you spend walking and how much time you spend running, until you end up at the desired results. An example of your final week of your plan may look something like this -

Week 12: Walk / Run 4 times a week, such as on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday for example.

Trip 1 – Alternate between walking for 10 minutes and running for 10 minutes.
Trip 2 – Alternate between walking for 12 minutes and running for 12 minutes.
Trip 3 – Alternate between walking for 10 minutes and running for 12 minutes.
Trip 4 – Alternate between walking for 10 minutes and running for 12 minutes.

By now, you are running or jogging quite a bit, meaning that you are in much better shape than when you began. Because a walked mile is approximately 15 minutes and a mile you run is 10-12 minutes or less, you can expect to be doing several miles per week following this schedule, and losing plenty of weight in the process as you get into better shape!

Filed Under: Exercises Tagged With: ,

8 Simple Exercise Routines to Fit into Your Busy Life

August 8, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Are you thinking that you don’t have time to fit exercise into your busy lifestyle? Well, think again! Here are 8 simple routines that are easy to do and – best of all – they don’t take much time. Just spend 10 minutes or less on these easy activities and a new, healthier lifestyle will be yours!

As always, be sure to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine.

Surely you can fit these fun, healthy activities into your busy life:

1. Jump rope. If you haven’t tried jumping rope lately, now is the time to give this fun and invigorating exercise a try. Purchase a jump rope or fashion your own from any sturdy piece of rope. Start slowly and gradually increase both your speed and intensity. This heart-healthy exercise can be performed a few times a day for maximum exercise benefits.

2. Climb stairs. Did you know that staircase in your home or workplace is actually a mini-gym in disguise? Take advantage of this exercise opportunity whenever you have a few extra minutes to spare. Climbing stairs builds strength and gets your heart pumping.

• Listen to music or an audio book while going up and down the stairs. Before you know it, you’ll be looking forward to your climbing sessions!

3. Dance to the music. Don’t be shy! Turn up your favorite music and dance with abandon! Dancing is not only fun, but it’s also a terrific form of exercise. Professional dancers are more fit than many professional athletes!

4. Bounce on a mini-trampoline. No doubt about it. Trampolines are just plain fun! Mini-trampolines can be purchased at many chain stores, sporting goods stores, or online. Pull out your trampoline and spend just five minutes jumping away. You may enjoy this exercise so much that you’ll increase the amount of time you have available for your exercise routine.

5. Quick calisthenics. Everyone has, at one time or another, practiced calisthenics. Now is the time to remember those lunges, knee bends and jumping jacks of days gone by! Finding just five minutes in your hectic day to practice one or more these calisthenics exercise routines can make a big difference in your health.

6. Lift weights. Many exercise routines neglect that all-important need to increase upper body strength. Lifting weights solves that problem. Depending on your size and fitness level, choose the amount of weight appropriate for you. Start with lighter weights, and as you spend time on a daily routine, gradually increase the amount of weight you can handle.

7. Walk faster. Will you be walking the dog later today? Or perhaps walking from your car into the shopping mall? Picking up your walking speed will also increase your fitness level. Walking of any kind is always a good thing, but walking faster enhances the exercise benefits you receive from it.

8. Practice balance. Part of any healthy lifestyle is having good balance. The more you practice, the easier it is to maintain balance not only in your exercise routine, but also in your daily life. Practicing balance requires only a few minutes a day and best of all, can be practiced anywhere with no special equipment.

• Stand a few feet from a wall or other supporting structure and raise one foot off the ground, placing that foot gently on your other ankle or calf. Maintain balance as long as you can. Repeat with the other foot.

• With daily practice, you’ll notice a gradual increase in the amount of time you can keep your balance.

By following just a few of these simple and quick exercise routines, you’ll be on your way to healthier and happy lifestyle. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Start now!

Filed Under: Exercises, Featured Content Tagged With: ,

Summer Workout Strategies to Get the Body You Want

July 11, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Do you want to get in shape this summer? Would you like to look better in a swimsuit? Imagine what it would feel like to walk along the beach with the confidence that comes with a well-toned body!

This summer, try different workout strategies to achieve your fitness goals. A balanced approach that combines strategies can help you to get your body into the best shape ever this summer.

Burn Fat

Losing fat is the goal of many of us as each summer season approaches. How would you like to fit into your favorite jeans again or turn heads at the beach? Fortunately, shedding a few pounds is easier than you might think.

The simplest way to shed pounds quickly is with cardio workouts. A brisk walk, jog, or hike at least 3 to 4 times a week will do the trick. If you have access to a gym, the stationary bikes are an excellent choice as well. With an MP3 player, you can take your favorite music with you to enjoy your workout more and make the time pass quickly.

Build Tone

Cardiovascular fitness is important, but it’s only one component of a summer workout strategy that will deliver the body you want. If you’re overweight, focus on building muscle to ensure that your body burns fat more efficiently. Even if you’re already in shape, building and toning your muscles are vital for maintaining optimum health.

The best way to tone your body is with weight lifting. It’s important to start small to avoid injuries. Start with less weight than you think you can handle. As your muscles grow stronger, you can add heavier weights or more difficult weight lifting routines to challenge your body to new heights of fitness.

Some find a gym intimidating because they think that the gym is only for people who are already in shape. But for the most part, people at the gym mind their own business. They’re too focused on their own bodies and routines to worry about what you look like. So instead of feeling embarrassed, step out of your comfort zone and into the fit body you deserve.

For maximum results in the shortest possible time, use less weight and more repetitions. As you grow stronger, you’ll need to add challenges to your workouts to avoid a plateau. Instead of adding more weight, add more repetitions. This will build endurance and tone your muscles most effectively.

Build Muscle

Once you’re in good physical shape, you may want to add more muscle to bulk up. If you’re able to maintain a healthy weight with great muscle tone, you can take your training to the next level and build the muscular physique you’ve always dreamed about.

To build muscle, change your workout routine. While lower weight and higher repetitions is optimal for toning, muscle building is exactly the opposite. You want to challenge your muscles with lower repetitions at higher weights. As you gain strength, add more weight to challenge your muscles to grow bigger and stronger.

Keep your workout plan simple and easy to follow. Instead of applying a complicated formula, do what feels right to you. Generally, 8 to 12 repetitions at the appropriate weight for your goals is a good rule of thumb. If possible, consult a personal trainer to develop a personalized workout routine that takes into account the goals you have for your body.

Starting a workout plan can be overwhelming. But as long as you continue to visualize what you want your body to look like and keep it simple, you’ll find success with your workout goals. Combine cardiovascular workouts with weight training for a fat burning, muscle-toning plan to attain the body you desire – and deserve!

Filed Under: Exercises Tagged With:

Exercises To Help You Burn Fat In 2010

January 17, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Obesity is a condition that is considered very dangerous for your health. Over 40% of the US population is afflicted with obesity, and this issue is now rapidly spreading throughout the world. Unfortunately, this is because our society provides little time for us to exercise, and to make matters worse, many of us have high calorie diets with a lifestyle of no exercise whatsoever. Obesity is a condition where your body is taking in more fat than it actually needs. Your BMI – or body mass index – is used to determine if one is considered obese or not, by measuring your height in relation to your weight. If you have a BMI of 25 or over, you are considered to be overweight. While many people do not think obesity is a big deal, it actually kills nearly 500,000 people in the US alone. The good news is, many people have set out a goal to lose excess pounds and attain the ideal body they want in 2010. The common question is: Which exercises should one do in order to burn fat?

Perhaps the best exercise to burn fat is by simply walking. You don’t necessarily have to join a gym to exercise. You can walk around your neighborhood, or choose to walk short distances in the place of driving. If you live in the country, this is also an excellent opportunity for you to meditate and appreciate the nature around you. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Exercises Tagged With: ,