Lose Weight By Walking

Posted on August 2nd, 2010, by admin

When we were approaching our first birthday walking was exciting and we were very proud of our achievements regarding walking. Somehow as we aged walking and other forms of exercise became a dirty word to those of us who are in need of losing a few pounds. complete2 The truth is that if you need to lose weight walking just may be an easy and entertaining way to lose weight. Yes, there is such as thing as walking your way to losing weight.

Here are a few tips that may help you if you decide to walk your way to weight loss:

When it comes to losing weight by walking, distance is more important than time. It is more important that you walked a mile versus not walking at all and not at all how long it took you to achieve the feat. You do need to understand how many calories you burn while walking if you have a particular weight loss goal in mind. If you want to burn off two pounds a week, you will need to walk long enough to burn off 3500 calories in a week if you are a person who weighs 160 pounds and you walk at a rate of two miles per hour, you will burn 105 calories in that hour. A good goal is to walk about 6 hours a week. If you carry weights while you walk, you will burn more calories. You can carry a backpack with weight in it to make this easier on you. Walking will not only help you to lose weight you can also tone leg muscles and feel happier too.

Outdoor walking is not the only way to lose weight you can also walk indoors on a treadmill at a gym or around an indoor track. Outdoor walking is more entertaining because as you walk you can look at neighborhood houses and lawn, greet neighbors, explore community parks and hiking and bike trails and really get to know your neighborhood. A treadmill has advantages too like not having to deal with inclement weather, stray dogs or bikes. The other advantage of a treadmill is that you can keep track of the number of miles you walk, and your speed.

Knowing this information may be helpful when it comes to tracking your weight loss progress and setting new goals (how many more miles would you need to walk for an additional pound a week etc.)

Walking does not require special equipment and just about any physically able person can do this exercise and lose weight as long as they walk consistently. Walking can become a habit that is enjoyable if you allow yourself to form that habit (usually two weeks). You may find that after two weeks you actually look forward to your walks.

If you walk in the morning you can elevate your metabolism throughout your day, which will benefit your weight loss goal the most. Walking at night will not raise your daily metabolism so it does not have the same weight loss benefit. So, if weight loss is why you walk, then it is best to plan to walk in the morning.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pilates: Exercise Made Easy

Posted on February 17th, 2010, by admin

Do you want to exercise but are scared of getting stuck doing the same old boring routine over and over but don’t want to go extremes either?complete2 Perhaps you’re apprehensive about putting on too much muscle after spending so much of your time and effort getting your size down to what’s healthy and perfect for you? And are you too busy to go to the gym? These are all very valid concerns and fortunately, there is a way to address them.
Pilates is an exercise that has gained quite a devoted following in the recent years. First developed by a nurse named Joseph H. Pilates for immobilized and injured patients to help them regain mobility and train their muscles to support them once again it is now being utilized in gyms and health spas all over the globe by fitness buffs and celebrities alike. The benefits are numerous, as with any aerobic exercise, and include: an improvement of physical and mental well-being; increased flexibility, stamina and endurance; and improved muscle strength.
Since many gyms and fitness centers offer Pilates as one of the classes in their programs, it will be quite easy for people to take time out of their busy schedules and arrange to attend classes. For those who prefer exercising in the comfort of their own home or those do not have time to go to gyms, there are qualified trainers who have undergone rigorous training with certified Pilates training groups or centers. Or there are instructional video cds that you can follow in the comfort of your own home. Whatever works for you and your lifestyle, grab the chance to try out this amazing new exercise.
Pilates is based on seven principles: breathing, centering, concentration, control, precision, efficiency of movement and flexibility.
Joseph Pilates believed that of all these principles, proper breathing should be the most prominent and focused upon principle. It is true that good breathing practices affect posture in a positive manner. It also improves blood circulation and the ox focused upon principle. It is true that good breathing practices affect posture in a positive manner. It also improves blood circulation and increases the amount of oxygen being supplied to the various parts of the body.
Pilates is an exercise that focuses on doing several routines with fewer repetitions. This means that for those of us with self-diagnosed chronic ADD things, will be interesting and varied enough to keep our attention focused for more than 2 seconds. No more fear of monotony because you’ll be too focused on thinking about how your body is reacting to notice the time that goes by.
Pilates also increases muscle strength without putting on too much of a muscle bulk. It tones rather than builds a body and this is one reason why it has gained so many followers throughout its decades of being practiced, and promotes overall wellbeing that’s perfect enough to keep you fit and strong for the busy life you live.

Tags: , , , , ,

How do you fit exercise into your schedule?

Posted on November 19th, 2009, by admin

Okay, so you’ve committed to exercising at least thirty minutes per day. complete2You’ve figured out how to make it so your boss won’t think of it as slacking and you’ve even got some of your co-workers getting into the idea of exercising together on a regular basis. You’re excited about finally losing some weight and fitting into that shirt you wanted to wear to the last office party but couldn’t fit into.
Come Monday morning, you wake up and feel so refreshed and hopeful that you go into work all smiles and a whistle on your lips. It is then that you see the pile of work on your desk and the whistling abruptly stops. You end up working all day and even lunch is spent trying to negotiate with other people who are just as loaded as you are and have no time for exercise nonsense. One day goes by like this… and then the next day is just as bad.
How do you fit exercise into your routine?
How do you juggle the mounds of paperwork that need to get done with the need to stretch your arms and let out a rebel yell declaring your need to exercise or all hell will break loose?
The thing is, you don’t have to, not if you’re creative enough to see what office tasks will help you achieve your exercise goals without sacrificing your time and precious company resources (i.e. yourself and your coworkers).
• You managed to get to the building twenty minutes before schedule. You’re waiting in line for the elevator. What do you do? Go find the stairs. Chances are, unless the occupants of the elevator are all working on the same floor, you’ll end up getting there faster because of all the floor layovers. Although a word of advice, it is highly recommended that you start slow. Unless you are on the second to fourth floors, it would be better to pace yourself. Climb to fourth for example and take the elevator from there. Increase your stamina and endurance over time. Don’t expect miracles on the first day.
• The watering hole rush. Instead of slowly making your way to the water dispenser or pantry like the sloth you used to be, try doing stepping exercises designed to strengthen your leg and lower back muscles. Sure you might look like a funny military parade fan, but at the next company outing your glutes will be buns of steel.
• Instead of using an online messaging service to send messages to your office mates, try getting up and walking to them. this not only promotes social interaction, something that helps keep workers from feeling isolated in the workplace, but it also creates an opportunity for you to exercise your legs and improve your posture.
Try to think of the different ways that you can plug in a few minutes of exercise into a hectic work day. Maybe you are already doing something that you would have never thought of as exercise before but could actually be tweaked to fit your varying exercise needs.
Be creative and don’t be afraid to explore new things. The perfect exercise plan for you is out there.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Insomnia, Stress and Exercise

Posted on September 11th, 2009, by admin

Are you having trouble sleeping? Is the stress you experiencecomplete2 each day starting to be a constant fixture in your dreams?
Before you reach for the prescription pills, stop a moment and think about what other options are available to you. Maybe the answer to your sleep troubles lies with exercise.
All that excess energy that people have can be channeled into a strenuous exercise routine and your body as well as your sleep patterns would be greatly benefited by this.
Of course, you don’t have to start doing it just before sleeping. The endorphin high would make sleeping even more difficult to attain… but if, for example, you could walk for a few minutes before getting ready for bed or play a round or two of Wii with the kids you could see and measure for yourself the value of a brief moment of activity versus a whole night spent tossing and turning in your bed.
Busy schedules during the day means that you spend a lot of your time thinking about the things that you need to accomplish for that particular day. All that constant brain activity could get you in trouble since instead of focusing on the task at hand your brain is jumping to the next thing that you need to accomplish. This is another thing that engaging in sports activities and exercise can help you with. When people engage in sports their bodies and minds are taught how to focus. You can’t exactly throw a ball at someone and expect it to hit the target when you aren’t paying full attention… except of course if you’re holding a really big ball.
What is the key to hand-eye coordination? Focus. What do you need in order to accomplish each task in front of you to the best of your ability? Focus. Get the picture?
Have you ever wondered why stretching exercises like relaxation exercises have gained in popularity over the past years? It’s because these exercises teach people how to find their center and the movements are designed to help a person focus their energy and channel their inner conflicts and feelings into positive output.
So instead of turning to sleeping pills and other sleep aids that could turn out badly for you in the end, as many high-profile celebrities have shown, why not take a crack at exercise and see whether your busy schedule can handle a few minutes of physical activity wedged in. Although ultimately we do hope you’ll be too busy sleeping soundly to notice. Just don’t forget to set that alarm!

Tags: , , , , , ,