Regular exercise is associated with a whole host of psychological, physical, and emotional benefits, and can have a tremendous impact on one’s overall wellbeing. Many times, however, we can struggle with incorporating enough exercise into our lives. Here are some practical tips.
To stay fit it’s important to break bad food habits. While a healthy diet contributes greatly to overall fitness, it can be one of the hardest goals to achieve. Most people enter a fitness program accustomed to eating unhealthy foods. This is a habit that can be broken. The quicker the fitness enthusiast acclimates to a healthy diet the faster cravings for junk food will disappear.
A great way to get fit is to perform reps in the ten to twelve range when you are lifting weights. You might not be able to lift as much weight, but your muscles will become more toned. The amount of reps you do is very important in getting fit.
A really good way to get fit is to join a boxing gym. Boxers are some of the most fit athletes in the world and by joining a boxing gym, you’ll have access to all of the resources they have. Hitting a speed bag is just one of the things you can do.
Look for support all around you. It’s a lot easier to do a workout program when you are working with others. Check at your work, your neighborhood, even your monthly book club and see if anyone is interested in joining you on your fitness program. Having a partner makes the work even easier.
Using a treadmill can be the way to go for those who want to improve their aerobic fitness while being able to stay in the same room safely at home and not out jogging or running on a sidewalk somewhere. The treadmill gives one an always available always ready to use option for maintaining fitness.
If you are unable to exercise due to time constraints or whatever the reason, try to squeeze in at least 20 minutes of either cardio or strength training, two times a week. Research has shown that those who worked out minimally, used less sick days than those who did not exercise at all.
Reach your fitness goals by planning backwards. Pick when you plan to complete your goals and then work back from there by listing what short-term goals you plan to achieve along the way. This method of thinking, causes you to want to achieve those short-term goals because you are no longer viewing them as goals, but as deadlines.
When weather is dampening your normal outdoor exercise routine, try a good indoor venue. Many malls have nice wide opened spaces that you can walk in. Most encourage walkers to enjoy their space. They provide a good change in scenery and allow you to keep your fitness goals on track.
Motivate yourself in your own fitness goals by motivating others. You can have a huge impact on your own well being when you encourage someone else. It does not matter if it is a friend, or family member, you chose to build up. Improvement will breed improvement and you will both win.
Try not to do any weight training that lasts more than an hour. This is because after that time your body starts to produce a lot more cortisol, which is a stress hormone that has been known to block the production of testosterone and have a muscle-wasting effect.
Some exercise is better than no exercise. In a recent study, women walked up flights of stairs, starting with once a day in the first week, and going up to six times a day in the sixth week. At the end of this exercise program, the women were more fit. They had better oxygen uptake, heart rate, and their good cholesterol level increased.
When you get injured from working out the best thing you can do for your body is to rest it. Use the acronym RICE: rest, ice, compression and elevation. Many sports medicine therapists advocate RICE when it comes to sprained ankles or other damage portions of the body. These instructions will help the injuries heal and also relieve some of the pain generated by the damaged muscles.
Increase your fitness levels by increasing your optimism. When you look for the good in every event, you will soon find yourself more energetic and eager to face your workout routine. Give yourself positive credit for all of your improvements as you strive to attain the best in fitness. Being positive is a great way to avoid fatigue.
Runners would be wise to cut down their workout intensity at least once every six weeks. Your body needs time to rest and repair itself so every now and then, think about cutting your workout in half. This is a great way to prevent injury as they often occur when your muscles are weak or overworked.
A good tip for fitness people who want to try to work out before work, is to wake up 20 minutes earlier for the first week, and just go for a brisk walk. This gets your body acclimatized to working out first thing in the morning and it will make it easier to make the transition.
A great piece of exercise equipment to burn calories fast while working your entire body is a rowing machine. It’s an all in one machine that works your arms, both your upper and lower back, the muscles in your chest, abdominal muscles and legs. The rowing machine is a great piece of fitness equipment.
If you have a hard time getting motivated before you work out, establish a schedule and make exercising your priority. You have to be determined to get into shape, this means you have to make time to exercise no matter what. Many times, your excuse was just that, an excuse.
People who exercise on a regular basis often notice a dramatic improvement in their mood, energy level, and stamina. The health benefits of regular exercise are well documented. We hope this article has been of use to you as you seek to make physical fitness a priority in your life!