Work Out to Music
Working out to music can be fun and motivating, but it has to be the right music for you. Aside from classes that rely on a certain tempo, you can use a range of music depending on your tastes. Don?t hesitate to try cycling to Vivaldi or stretching to jazz if that?s what motivates you. You may find a dance exercise video that has a beat that appeals to you.
Athletic Shoes
Always wear good shoes when you work out. Your athletic shoes should fit right in the store. Don?t expect to break them in. Buy them at the end of the day, when your feet are probably a little swollen, and wear the kind of socks you will wear in your sport. Run around the store a bit in them to see how they feel. There are special shoes for just about every sport, but if you only do an activity occasionally, you don't have to have special shoes. Don't wear running shoes for aerobics, tennis, or other activities requiring sideways motion.
Goal Setting
You will be much more likely to exercise regularly if you set realistic goals for yourself. Set both long-term and short-term goals. You can adjust your long-term goals as the short-term goals are met. For example, if you want to weigh 140 pounds but you weigh 200, set a goal for yourself to lose 20 pounds. Then set another intermediate goal. When you get to 150, you may decide that is really the best weight for you and decide to maintain that. If you want to run a marathon but have never run before, your first goal may be to run a mile without stopping. Small successes motivate you to keep going.
Recovery
You can expect to be a bit sore after trying a new exercise. But, in general, if you are still tired two hours after your workout, you?ve overdone it and should adjust your exercise routine.
Time for Results
Give an exercise routine 8-12 weeks to work for you. You will not have the physique of your dreams or reach your ultimate fitness goal in that time, but if you?re not seeing positive results and improvement with your routine, it?s time to try a different exercise plan.
Balance Training
You may not feel you have time for specific balance training, but you still need good balance to get the most out of your other exercises. Here's something you can work in easily. Get about an 8-foot length of 2x4, lay it 4-in. side down on a floor or other flat surface, and practice walking back and forth on it. Do one foot in front of the other, forward, backward, sideways, progressing to lunging movements. Slower is harder.
Taking the Stairs
It's important to your health and fitness to stay active throughout the day, rather than just when you're working out. Walking more and taking the stairs will help achieve this. Avoid elevators unless you?re going higher than the 3rd floor (or more if you?re fit) or carrying something awkward or heavy.
Weekend Workouts Not Enough
Don?t save all your workouts for the weekend. Regular exercise will build up your tendons and ligaments slowly, as well as your endurance. Vigorous exercise done only occasionally can lead to torn or strained tissue, and won?t do much to improve your sports performance either. Regular workouts also lead to better health benefits.
Facial Exercises
Don't count on making faces to look younger. Exercising your facial muscles won?t do a thing for your wrinkles except possibly make them worse. The basic assumptions for such exercise plans are wrong. Minimize wrinkles by staying out of the sun, using sunscreen and moisturizers, and not smoking.
If It Seems Too Good
Be skeptical of products that claim to make you fit or slim without diet or exercise. Good products can teach you great workouts, but you still have to do them. To slim down, you have to cut calories or do weight loss exercise, preferably both, not just take a pill.
Chinese Diet Pills
FDA has issued a warning about certain Chinese diet pills due to possible heart damage. Traditional Chinese medicine can be effective when prescribed by a licensed practitioner, but you should not experiment with over-the-counter medicines. Watch out for diet teas, too. These are often just laxatives.
Exercise Frequency
Government guidelines recommend getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week. This is generally aerobic exercise, though vigorous gardening or housework can also qualify. Some weight training is also recommended for your overall exercise plan. Try to do some exercise every day. If you want to use aerobic exercise to control blood pressure or insulin resistance, you should do some at least every other day. If you want to lose weight, 60 minutes a day is recommended. That 30 minutes is a minimum.
Yoga Benefits
Yoga exercise increases muscular strength, reduces tension and stress, has a low potential for injury, is non-competitive, has spiritual and psychological benefits, and a 5000 year track record. The 84 basic yoga positions, or asanas, range from simple bending and twisting to pretzel-like contortions reserved for the most advanced practitioners.
Yoga instructors suggest that yoga be studied with an experienced teacher rather than learned from a manual. Also note that yoga teachers in general are unlicensed and unregulated. Find an experienced teacher affilated with a reputable yoga organization.
There are also good yoga videos if you can't get to a class. Use books to supplement your training.
Set Aside Half an Hour
There are 32 half-hours left in a day, if you sleep 8 hours. Can you spare one for fitness? Make an exercise plan and schedule your half-hour right now. Go for a half hour of power or anything else that sounds good and gets you moving.
Exercise Cautions for Pregnancy
If you're exercising while pregnant, your body will send out natural signals. If your body is telling you to slow down, listen to it! Under no conditions should you exercise to the point of exhaustion. The American College of Gynecology guidelines no longer set an upper limit on pulse rate, but you should still stay within your capabilities. Exercising while lying on your back is counter-indicated after the first trimester, and, especially toward the end of pregnancy, avoid activities that have a risk of falling.