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The Top 15 Most Helpful Fitness Blogs

 

August 2, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

A woman doing a pressup on a beach.

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Hadley Jolley who is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on distance education for Guide to Online Schools.

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Keeping fit and healthy is a lifelong process. Unfortunately, not everybody does so or even knows how—and those who do often struggle to maintain the motivation to put in the energy to remain fit.

However, blogs can help, both by providing general tips and tricks for exercising and time management, and also by providing inspiration for continued effort. The blogs listed below provide a wide range of help, including inspiration, tips, and the latest scientific findings about fitness.

1) Sussex Boot Camps Blog:- Run by two British personal trainers, this blog dovetails with the real-world boot camps the two writers run. It mostly focuses on general exercise and motivation tips.

2) Trying Fitness:- This blog’s tagline is “Because you’ve tried everything else”, and provides general tips about fitness, particularly for people who are not hard-core athletes. However, it also has interviews with pro athletes and links to free ebooks on fitness.

3) Weak Fitness:- Most posts on the Weak Fitness blog are Fitness tips—short ideas and facts about getting fit, especially for people who are just starting out. Their tips include what kinds of clothing to wear and the differences between different types of home exercise equipment.

4) Savvy Fitness:- Savvy Fitness is another blog that posts tips about exercise, like ways to add exercise to daily life. However, it posts advice about diet as well as about exercise.

5) Black Fitness Blog:- Written by Mike, this blog focuses on fitness and exercise as well from a black perspective. It often includes spotlights on black athletes and bodybuilders as well as general diet and exercise advice.

6) Obesity Panacea:- Obesity Panacea posts on fitness from a scientific perspective, including the latest finding about diet and exercise and their effects on health. As well, they dissect claims about diet and fitness products. They have recently moved blog sites; the large archives can be found here.

7) Beeble’s Fitness Blog:- Written by a personal trainer with periodic postings by other people, Beeble’s Fitness Blog is another blog with general fitness tips. It also has a series about the health benefits for various nutrients, like lactose.

8) Body and Fitness Blog:- Body and Fitness Blog is a blog devoted to supplements to help people become more fit, including acai berry—which the author is currently not finding to be particularly effective at weight loss. It also has general fitness tips.

9) Melinda’s Fitness Blog:- This blog is focused on nutrition and weight training specifically for women. Most of the posts are focused on nutrition, including a post a about local farmer’s markets.

10) Fatman Unleashed:- Fatman Unleash is both a blog and a “support community” where people trying to lose weight can gain inspiration and support from each other. The blog posts are organized into four sections: the personal fitness journey of the founder, nutrition, fitness, and mental health.

11) Well:- Well, run by Tara Parker-Pope, is a blog about health run by the New York Times. While its fitness content is only a part of what this blog covers, it does have many posts on fitness. The posts tend to be on recent news in health and fitness and not on general tips.

12) Workout Mommy:- Workout Mommy is a fitness blog with an emphasis on combining fitness with motherhood, and so has a focus on how to stay fit with a busy life and other commitments. It also periodically posts about other topics that interest the author, Lisa, a former personal trainer and “fitness junkie”.

13) Home Fitness Body:- Home Fitness Body is another website that focuses on tips for people who are just trying to get fit. It has a focus on diet, while it does promote exercise.

14) Gord’s Fitness Blog:- Gord’s Fitness Blog chronicles the fitness routine of Gords as he trains. He is mostly interested in biking and swimming. This blog is a good blog to go to for inspiration, not just tips.

15) Hot Exercise:- This blog’s tagline is “Fit for Life”, and it includes tips about how to exercise, including different workouts for different goals and tips on exercise for people with disabilities.  It has tabs to sort out the content, which include “anti-aging”, “exercise equipment”, and “the effects of exercise”.

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Hadley Jolley is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on distance education for Guide to Online Schools.

Filed Under: Guest Posts Tagged With: , , , ,

 

Make Exercise Fun and Eliminate Stress

 

July 18, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

A woman on a pink exercise ball in an empty field.

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Jim Rollince.  Jim currently oversees all creative writing at http://www.gymsource.com/ and is an expert in home gym equipment.

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For years now it’s been the same routine- get up; go to work; drive straight to the gym and follow simple, mundane weight lifting instructions on a notepad. This was up until about a year ago, when I discovered that this habitual practice was demoralizing and ultimately making me miserable. Sure, life can be routine, but it’s in that routine that we can exercise our creativity to conjure up new ways to make fitness exciting.

For some people, this could mean simple tweaks in their written/routine free-weight exercises, starting with chest and ending the week with arms. For others, it’s about hopping on that bike and/or treadmill and running that extra five miles a day. It’s my strong recommendation that you immerse yourself in a solid mix of cardio and free weight exercises as not to create boredom, or lack of will. BUT, don’t make your schedule the same each week; spontaneity is key! Sure, there are those who say they’ve come to learn to love what they do, charming the same weight-lifting regimen weekly while avoiding anything irregular as not to “tarnish” their workout. Learning to love however, is different from naturally engaging in something that’s enjoyable.

Routines can be easy, and not very strenuous; but after all, they are just routines. So it’s with my dear advice that as practitioners of exercise and fitness we teach ourselves new things, while also teaching our body the same. This is inherently true with things like dance. More specifically, Zumba is an excellent example of something different, fun, and unique. The ability to genuinely enhance cardiovascular function and endurance, while practicing muscle memory routines effectively exercises the whole body. And simply put, it’s fun.

The most practical and enjoyable way to stay in shape undoubtedly is by playing sports. Joining a soccer league on Sundays or perhaps playing something as simple as intramural dodge ball or kickball can successfully burn thousands of calories in just one day. The sheer competitive nature of these athletic activities drives the body further and beyond, and although strenuous at times, people crave the struggle and willingness to become better. There comes a certain rush that comes with fast paced activities, which brings me to my next point.

These could include anything from dance to karate and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Again, most of these practices are very difficult to mimic at an ordinary gym.  You can certainly find out more from top trainers/classes at pristine establishments like MMA Industries.

Things like mountain climbing, biking, quad-racing, fishing, golfing, etc… – These are all great ways to actively stay in shape, and they’re quite enjoyable as well! A sudden increase in endorphins will surely make anybody’s day brighter. Also, almost all of these activities take place outdoors, which captures much needed vitamins from the sun, further enhancing the overall experience. Keep in mind however, it is important to get your heart rate up every now and then, so switching on and off amongst these and cardiovascular exercises (i.e. – treadmills) will keep your body guessing while enhancing overall fitness.

Sports and Dance are both a leisurely and/or competitive practice, but can also be the most effective way to exercise. Treadmills and ellipticals will shed weight and enhance muscle strength/endurance, but will never capture the soul and rhythm that dance makes so enjoyable. Meanwhile, the competitive nature and drive that comes with playing sports will always be an important part of everybody’s lives.  But again, it’s important to diversify your fitness, and be able to incorporate pleasure and strain. Attempt to pull one’s self away from everyday fitness equipment and home gyms; pick up a class of Zumba and/or sign up for an intramural softball league and you’ll be on your way to a healthier, more enjoyable lifestyle.

Jim Rollince is a representative from the web relations department of Gym Source. He currently oversees all creative writing efforts and is an expert in home gym equipment.

Filed Under: Fitness Training, Guest Posts Tagged With: , , , ,

 

Stamina: Eat Your Way To More Energy

 

May 17, 2010 By Tom 1 Comment

A cup of green tea on a saucer with a green leaf.

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Melissa Tamura who writes for http://www.zencollegelife.com/.  This website is an excellent source of online college information and I highly recommend you check it out after reading Melissa’s post.

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As with money, stamina is something that everyone wants to get more of. Being able to achieve greater stamina could be as easy as changing your diet. As we all know by now, what you eat effects how your body reacts, or doesn’t react. Your body relies on the vitamins and nutrients in the food you eat to keep it running properly.

Stamina is your energy level, basically it’s your endurance, how long you can mentally and physically endure activities. You can increase your stamina just by making a few minor adjustments in what you eat. These are not bizarre foods that you have never heard of, or that you can’t even pronounce. Some of these foods you already may have in your kitchen cabinets at home.

1) Peanut Butter- Peanut Butter is a food that there is a lot of misconception about due to the fact of the high content, the fat that is in peanut butter is actually one of the fats that is good for you and your body needs. Although peanut butter is high in calories, it digests slowly, leaving your body fueled for a longer period of time. Also, peanuts, cashews, and walnuts contain high amounts of L-Arginine, which is an element that increases endurance. Green leafy vegetables, seeds, and chickpeas also contain high amounts of L-Arginine.

2) Oily fish- Oily fish such as Carp, Swordfish, Sardines, Trout, Salmon, and Mackerel are a great food choice to increase your stamina due to the high contents of magnesium, zinc, and selenium, these are necessary for the body.

3) Oatmeal-Oatmeal is loaded with complex carbohydrates that cause your body to digest slowly. Oatmeal is a great resource for energy because it keeps your blood sugar levels at bay, which means that you won’t experience a crash, once digested.

4) Beans- Beans contant a high level of iron. Iron is known to aid with the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to your muscles. This will allow you to be more active for a longer period of time.

5) Green Tea- Green Tea has a lot of known benefits for overall a good quality healthy life. It can lower your cholesterol; reduce your risk for a heart attack and for reducing stress. It is unknown if it’s the Thiamine in the Green Tea, which aid in breaking down the carbohydrates, or the riboflavin that work with your metabolism ,that allow this herb to make you feel more energized. This method comes highly recommended by many doctors.

When trying to achieve more stamina a key component to remember is get enough rest. Your body needs rest just as much as it needs these foods to keep you and your body working up to potential. When you are sleeping your body has a chance to rest and repair itself, this is a necessary process to gain
overall maximum stamina.

So grab your self a plate of fish, beans, and a cup of some Green Tea and you will be unstoppable!

Melissa Tamura writes about online schools for the Zen College Life blog. Her most recent article deals with paralegal schools in the US.

Filed Under: Food, Guest Posts Tagged With: , , , , ,

 

Top 7 Most Common Sports Injuries

 

May 8, 2010 By Tom 1 Comment

An injured runner sitting on a track.

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Andrew Salmon.  Andrew is an Amazon featured freelance writer who writes on a number of products including health and fitness.

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Being active is essential to living well and feeling good and playing sports is a great way to maintain one’s fitness level. But exercise is not without its hazards. Here is a list of the top seven most common sports injuries.

1. Muscle Pull

This is the #1 most common sports injury because it can happen to almost any muscle in the body. A ‘pull’ occurs when some of the muscles fibres stretch and tear. Proper warm ups can help prevent these from happening.

2. Shin Splints

This painful injury occurs in the muscles near and around the shinbone. Shin splints are usually caused by running or jumping on hard surfaces, though simple overuse is also a cause.

3. Tennis Elbow

Improper technique while playing tennis over-stresses the forearm tendon or if the arm has atrophied due to disuse, this type of injury can occur. Strengthening the forearm muscles is the best treatment. Also taking lessons in the sport causing the injury will prevent it from re-occurring.

4. Runner’s Knee

The most common form of sports-related knee pain is runner’s knee and it is due to a misalignment of the kneecap in its groove where the kneecap pulls off to one side, wearing out the cartilage at the side of the knee. Strengthening the quadriceps (thigh) muscles will alleviate the problem.

5. Ankle Sprains

These can occur while exercising or stepping out of the car. Prevention is by means of merely strengthening the foot and ankle area by exercising the muscles and maintaining flexibility.  However, once the injury occurs, one has to simply ride it out.

6. Lower Back Strain

Evolution hasn’t quite caught up with the fact that humans now walk upright rather than on all fours. Using four limbs to get around spreads stress along the entire length of the spine, whereas walking upright on two limbs localizes the majority of the stress on the lower back. Throw in sports-related activity and that stress increases dramatically. Strengthening the back and abdominal muscles reduces risk. Also stretching and flexibility are the remedy here.

7. Cramps

Everyone is familiar with this sports-related injury. And, although they can be debilitating, they are usually the easiest injury to treat as they are mostly caused by simple dehydration. The cure: drink lots of water while exercising. Cramps can also be caused by a lack of flexibility.

As you can see with most of the items on this list, a low level of overall physical fitness causes common injuries. Stretching and flexibility keeps the muscles ready and able to endure the demands put upon them by your sport of choice. Also, the best treatment is prevention. Always warm up and stretch before any form of exercise. These injuries are minor annoyances but can escalate over time and cause much more serious and debilitating injuries down the line.

Remember your body has to get you from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ for the rest of your life so it’s in your best interest to keep it free of break downs.

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Andrew Salmon is a freelance writer, who, in addition to writing on health and financial topics like disability insurance, is also a published author who has been featured on Amazon.

Filed Under: Guest Posts, Sports Injuries Tagged With: , , , ,

 

Stationary Exercise Bikes: The Best Bikes For Losing Weight

 

April 9, 2010 By Tom 3 Comments

A group of women working out on stationary exercise bikes.

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Scott Gray.  Scott Gray is currently a fitness enthusiast who enjoys providing health and fitness tips to people looking to lose weight and get in shape. He maintains a fitness web site where you can find tips to help reduce your belly fat and find the best stationary exercise bikes.

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Not everyone can get outdoors for the perfect run, walk or the perfect bike ride. That’s why most exercise tips include the buying of an indoor piece of exercise equipment like a stationary exercise bike.

Stationary exercise bikes are an excellent source of exercise and fit in a fairly small space. They don’t stress the feet and they keep your back posture good while you’re exercising. Using an exercise bike can be fun and can provide you with an excellent workout without ever having to leave your home.

Your best bet in choosing an exercise bike is to go to a big store where you can try out the different brands and styles. It can even be a new and used exercise equipment shop if you want to save money.

There are stationary bikes with magnetic resistance, bikes with mechanical resistance and recumbent exercise bikes. An upright cycle looks like a regular road bike in which the rider is upright and vertical. A recumbent bike has the rider leaning against a backrest with the legs sitting out in front. You get a better workout on an upright cycle.

An upright cycle allows the rider to move more and they can ride while standing up or be seated in a racing position. Try out both the recumbent and upright exercise bicycle at the store and see how your back and legs feel while riding the equipment.

Buy the bike you like but before you do be sure to check out online for the best deal. In the world of stationary exercise bikes, it doesn’t pay to buy the cheapest one and expect it to do the job of one of the higher end bicycles. In most cases, you should buy a higher quality upright or recumbent bike and allow it to give you a long life of safe riding.

You will pay for quality but it will be worth it when you exercise. If you start having fun on your exercise bike, you will want to exercise more.

A few tips when buying stationary bikes include the following:

  • Anytime you have small children in your home, you should strongly consider having a shrouded wheel and a shrouded chain so that kids’ fingers can’t get into the mechanics of the bicycle.
  • If your model has a monitor, you need to be able to reach the monitor very easily so you can do things like adjust the tension when you need to. The model should show you the distance, speed, calories expended, resistance level and time. Fancier models will have more things on the monitor like preplanned exercise routines.
  • The better bikes are sturdy and heavier but even those should have wheels to move the bike around when necessary.
  • You should consider stationary bikes with magnetic resistance, which are quieter than those with mechanical existence.
  • Having a heart rate monitor is a good idea because it lets you set a pace for yourself which is the best for fat burning or cardio levels. A good bike will have a cordless strap for your chest that measures heart rate. This is more accurate than bicycles that have a hand-grip monitor. Cheaper bikes may offer a cordless chest trap as an option.

Buying a stationary exercise bike takes a lot of time and research. You need to pick out one that best suits your needs and budget but one that’s not to cheap. Exercise bikes take a lot of pounding so you’ll want a bike that holds up under pressure.

Filed Under: Cycling, Guest Posts Tagged With: , , , , ,

 

Positive Thinking and Successful Slimming

 

March 20, 2010 By Tom 2 Comments

A healthy couple holding scales and a measuring tape.

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Audrey Makepeace who writes for http://www.slimmingresources.com/.  This blog contains some excellent weight loss advice and I highly recommend you check it out once you have read Audrey’s guest post.

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Have you ever noticed that some people seem to always be thinking positive thoughts, while others tend to be a lot more negative? Most people seem to fall somewhere in between and get annoyed with the people that fall on either end of the scale. There are some definite benefits to thinking positive though, including links between positive thinking and weight loss. If you don’t believe it, you won’t achieve it, so you need to think positively about any goal you are attempting to meet. Those who think positively are more likely to reach their goals in life, so it is a good habit to cultivate.

Start Thinking Positively If You Want to Get Slim

Many people let the negative thoughts that come to mind derail them when they are trying to reach their goals. However, if you can change those negative thoughts to positive ones you will have a lot more success in life, regardless of what you are aiming to achieve. The positive thinking and weight loss link has been shown to be present. Those who think about the benefits of their slimming efforts are much more likely to succeed than those who think about how difficult it is going to be.

Every time you think a negative thought regarding your slimming efforts, replace it with a positive one. You might want to try placing positive affirmations around the house as well in order to help motivate you so you don’t let any negative thoughts keep you from achieving your goals. You need to really concentrate on positive thinking and weight loss will start to come a bit easier.

How Positive Thinking Can Help You Lose Weight

If you focus on the good that will come out of your weight loss, rather than what will happen if you should happen to give up and not reach your goals, it will help to motivate you and you will be more likely to succeed. One thing you can do is make sure to keep looking toward the future and thinking about how much better things will be once you lose the weight, and what you will be comfortable doing that you were never comfortable doing when you were heavy. This will give you things to look forward to, which can help to motivate you. This is one way that positive thinking and weight loss are connected. Once you start getting slimmer you can even start charting your progress toward your goal. That way you will be able to see how far you have come.

Jump Start Your Slimming  Efforts by Thinking Positively

Although many people don’t think about the connection between positive thinking and weight loss, if you think about it this really makes sense. It takes a lot of effort and commitment in order to lose a weight, especially if you have a lot to lose. It can be hard to keep yourself on track if you keep thinking about possible failure. However, if you think about success you will be more likely to be able to find the time and energy you need to reach your goals. It really is a matter of controlling what you are thinking and the more you think positively the more this will come to you naturally and the less you will have to work at it.

Filed Under: Fitness Motivation, Guest Posts Tagged With: , , ,

 

The Real Deal on Losing the Paunch in Your Stomach: Four Myths about Getting Six Pack Abs

 

February 20, 2010 By Tom 18 Comments

A woman performing a situp.

Hello everyone.  Today’s article is a guest post from Nick Clipton who manages and writes for the weight gain blog: http://www.buildingbodymuscles.com/.  Nick’s blog contains lots of fantastic muscle building information and also reviews many of the top body building programs so feel free to check it out after you have finished reading.

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When you conduct a survey out in the street about which part of their body it is that people most dislike, their bulging stomach is probably one of the top answers that will emerge..  There are a two reasons behind this. First, even if you do have a regular workout routine, targeting the abdominal area is still a pretty difficult exercise task.  Second, as people age, losing the fat especially on this part of the body becomes doubly difficult.

When you add to this the fact that a lot of people seem to be leading a sedentary lifestyle, it is no wonder why beer bellies and paunches in the stomach have become a common problem.

The Top 4 Myths about Getting Six Pack Abs that You Need to Know about

Naturally, the solution to get rid of the belly fat and reveal the six pack abs that you’ve always wanted to have is using a combination of exercise and diet.  Although there are a lot of sources that you can use online which are supposed to teach you ways on how to finally get those six pack abs, there are still a lot of myths about it which persist.

To separate fact from fiction, here are the top four myths about getting six pack abs that you need to know about, and the real truth behind them:

1. Doing endless repetitions of crunches is the only solution for getting six pack abs.
Yes, it is true that crunch is an exercises which help define your abdominal muscles.  But this does not mean that when you do endless repetitions of crunches, this is the only way for you to develop ripped six pack abs. As Mike Geary says, there are some really good options for metabolism-boosting high intensity workout e.g. Renegade Dumbbell Rows, Front Squats with Barbell. These workout work on your entire body while working on your abs too. Similarly, Vince Delmonte recommends Hanging Leg Raises, Wood Choppers, Weighted Cable Crunches for advanced trainers.

The only way for you to achieve this goal is to lose the underlying fat in your belly first. This can be done by having a nutritious and healthy diet. Next, you need to undergo a series of full-body exercises and abdominal-muscles targeting exercises to reveal the six pack abs once all the fat in your stomach area has been eliminated.  So developing six pack abs involves more than doing endless crunches, it is actually a combination of proper diet and exercise.

2. You can’t get six pack abs because of your genes.
Genes have absolutely nothing to do with developing six pack abs – anybody can do it. Sure, there are some individuals who may have a harder time at developing six pack abs because of their muscle and bone density or the naturally way that their body is built – but there is always a way for you to get six pack abs if you are willing to work hard for it.

3. You cannot get six pack abs without the help of a specific abs exercise equipment.
This six pack abs myth is not true at all. There are a lot of abs exercises which you can do right in the comfort of your own home – where all you need is a set of dumbbells and an exercise ball. Purchasing expensive abs exercise equipment is more of a marketing ploy, and a luxury rather than a necessity.

4. You need to work on your abs every day in order to see results.
This is yet another myth about getting six pack abs.  Just like any other muscle group, you need to give your abdominal muscles plenty of time to rest in order for them to grow and develop. Work out about two to three times a week to get the best results.

Now that you have an idea about the top four myths, you can modify your existing diet and exercise program so that you can have those ripped abdominal muscles in no time at all!

Filed Under: Abdominal Exercises, Guest Posts Tagged With: , , , ,

 

The Key To Keeping Your Joints Healthy

 

November 25, 2009 By Tom 3 Comments

Hey everyone.  Today I have a guest post for you from Scott Wood.  Scott works with Natures Best – a supplement company with a difference.  Not only are they UK based but they stick to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards which means you can be sure you are purchasing a quality product.

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As you grow older you may start to feel the effects of day to day exercise on your joints. Whether it is your runner’s knees or creaky tennis elbow, all can cause discomfort, especially if untreated. Without proper care these problems could snowball into conditions such as osteoarthritis and severe joint pain.

Luckily though, there are numerous preventative courses you can take to lessen the damage caused to your joints by your daily activity. In this article, I hope to give some simple tips that you can put into practice to lessen the load on your joints and keep those creaks at bay.

Maintain gentle exercise to maintain supple joints

By keeping your joints active (but not overdoing it…) you keep the fibres and tendons around the joints supple, which will help to improve the overall flexibility of the joint. If your muscles can cope with more stresses and forces, then this will naturally take this impact away from your joint, this helping to preserve its precious cartilage. Cartilage is the compound found within joints, which acts a lubricant to prevent the bones from rubbing together and causing pain.

You could strengthen your joints by perhaps trying to walk more. A walk that lasts 30-60 minutes is a good level of exercise for each day. Alternative if you have trouble with your mobility, why not take up yoga classes or swimming, which are both a great way to develop your core strength without too much strain on your body. Swimming for example helps to develop your strength gradually, as your muscles are put under slight resistance by the water every time you move.

Keep on top of your diet

We have numerous nutrition based articles on the site that may be of value, but i cannot stress enough how much a well rounded diet can help your joints, but also your overall wellbeing. Take care to eat plenty of grains, vegetables, fruit and fresh fish. The essential oils in oily fish like mackerel for instance are high in Omega 3s, which are great for your joints.

Failing that, you could also top up your daily fish oil intake in supplement form or go for a glucosamine equivalent. Glucosamine is actually the compound found within your cartilage, which helps to keep your joints well lubricated.

It can be difficult to reverse the effect of long term joint problems, but with enough care and attention, small changes to your lifestyle can impact greatly on the health of your joints and overall wellbeing. Be sure to keep active, eat well and get plenty of rest and your body will thank you later in life!

Filed Under: Guest Posts, Joint Care Tagged With: , , , ,

 

10 Reasons You Should Walk 10 Miles A Week

 

October 25, 2009 By Tom 13 Comments

Hey everyone.  Today I have a guest post for you from Mary Ward.  Mary operates in the field of nursing and has a website dedicated to helping you get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).  If you want to start a career in nursing I highly recommend you check out Mary’s website after reading her informative article.

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Walking is one of the gentlest workouts, yet so very approachable. That’s what makes so many people turn to this form of exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and here are some excellent additional benefits.

1) GENTLE ON THE BODY:- Though walking can burn some serious calories, it is also pretty gentle on the body.  So for those wishing to engage in some form of cardio or working through an injury, walking is an excellent activity.

2) ANYBODY CAN DO IT:- It doesn’t matter if you’re an avid workout worshipper or if you’re just starting out.  If you have a lot of weight to lose or just want to keep in shape—walking is great for everyone!  It helps to tone you up, burn some calories and it’s so approachable that anybody can do it.

3) EXCELLENT CARDIO:- If you need to get in your cardio throughout the course of a week but aren’t sure how to do it, turn to walking.  You just don’t realize how much cardio walking can offer, and if you shoot for a goal such as 10 miles a week, you are sure to fill in your cardio requirement.

4) HELPS TO CLEAR YOUR HEAD:- If you maintain a cardio activity such as walking each and every week, it can help not only with your physical health but your mental as well.  Getting out and walking, particularly on a regular basis such as 10 miles a week, can help you to clear your head and focus on your health.  That’s always good for every aspect of well being!

5) GREATLY BENEFITS WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS:- Many people turn to power walking for big weight loss results—and it really works!  If you make your goal reachable yet something to work for, then you are sure to burn some major calories in the process.  Walking is a great exercise to turn to if you want to burn some major calories, and aiming for 10 miles per week is an excellent way to accomplish your weight loss goals.

6) PREVENT HEALTH CONDITIONS:- Exercise combined with proper diet as part of a healthy lifestyle can help to prevent certain health conditions.  If you turn to walking as part of your healthy regimen, you can help in the prevention of high cholesterol and even cancer.  So walk to your health!

7) BUILDS UP THE ENERGY:- We all know that if you exercise, you will get instant energy.  If you work towards the goal of walking 10 miles per week, you will be amazed at the amount of energy it provides.  You will feel a natural energy that keeps you going all day long!

8) GOOD FOR GOAL BUILDING:- If you’ve always wanted to be better about exercise but were intimidated, use a regular walking regimen to help you create goals.  Working towards the goal of 10 miles of walking each week ensures that you have a realistic and very reachable goal for a solid week, and you may just build upon that as time goes on.

9) YOU CAN DO IT ANYWHERE:- Walking doesn’t require fancy equipment or a gym membership, because you can do it anywhere!  If it’s nice out, you can take your walks outside.  If the weather isn’t cooperating you can hit the mall.  There is always a way to walk it out!

10) KEEPS YOU HEALTHY:- If you want to look good, feel good, and stay healthy, then walking is an excellent way to do so.  Walking keeps you feeling good, helps to prevent you from getting sick, and ensures that you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

If you needed a good reason to start a regular walking regimen, pick from any on the list.  Walking is an excellent form of exercise, and anybody can do it!  So try it out, keep with your goal, and see how regular walking can change your life.

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M. Ward writes about how to get a BSN online.

Filed Under: Guest Posts, Walking Tagged With: , , ,

 

The Key To A Successful Workout

 

September 27, 2009 By Tom 3 Comments

Hey everyone.  Today I have a guest post for you from Rafi Bar-Lev.  Rafi previously wrote articles for his blog The Fitness Adviser – http://thefitnessadviser.com/ but has now expanded his online presence and created the online fitness community Passionate Fitness – http://www.passionatefitness.com/.  At Passionate Fitness you can upload picutres, make friends, submit and read articles use the forums and more.  It’s a really great place to meet like minded people and I recommend you check it out after reading his article.

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Do you ever wonder what really makes your workout successful? Why sometimes you hit the gym for 20 minutes and feel like you accomplished more than when you spend two hours there? In this article you’ll find out out how to make every workout a successful one.

The Importance of Getting Your Heartbeat Up

Have you ever seen people at the pool who are overweight despite swimming for an hour a few times a week? Do you ever notice that they tend to be very good swimmers and never really exert themselves too much? The only way to really get your metabolism going and to really make your workout work is to get your heartbeat going during the exercise. If you’re not breathing hard at least during part of your workout, then you’re doing something wrong.

Using Interval Training to Enhance Your Workout

A great way to ensure you get your heartbeat going and maximize your workout is to use interval training, which studies have shown to be extremely effective. Interval training is essentially doing short bursts of intense exercise, taking a rest, and repeating in sets. It can be applied to pretty much any kind of workout, whether sprinting, swimming, or even body weight exercises. Here’s an example of how you might apply interval training to body weight exercises:

With no rest in between the exercises, do:

- 20 push ups
- 1 minute plank
- 4 pull ups

After that set of those exercises done quickly, rest for 1 minute, and while your still tired continue to the next set. Repeat for a total of 3 sets.

The example that I gave you is actually a variation of one of the workouts recommended to do before trying out for the navy seals. It works so well by applying interval training and combining physical strength with cardiovascular strength and stamina. Essentially…it gets your heart beat up which is the key.

Putting Your All Into Your Workouts

When it comes down to it, you get the most out of your workouts when you put the most into your workouts (seems logical, right?). To make sure that your workout is a successful one, put your all into it and push yourself to do that one extra repetition.

So what are you waiting for? Go out there and give it your all!

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