How to Lose Body Fat

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Making Time for Exercise Is Easy

By now you know that exercise is good for you, and that you should do something on a regular basis. What’s the best time for you to exercise? Any time. Honestly.

For example, when you’re sitting and watching TV, stretch your muscles. Never stretch so hard it hurts. Instead, stretch to the point of mild tension and hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.

A healthy exercise program includes three kinds of exercise: aerobic activity, muscular conditioning and flexibility exercise. You can start your exercise program without investing in any elaborate equipment. For example, you can do simple body-weight exercises at home or at your desk at work, including sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups. For basic strength-training exercises, expensive weight-lifting equipment isn’t required. Instead, head for the kitchen and pick up the soup cans you have in the cupboard or the gallon milk jug from the fridge.

Aerobic Activity Can Be Fun
Aerobic activity is defined as prolonged continuous movement of large muscle groups. Translated, that means “do something that keeps you moving.” Ideally, do it for 30 minutes straight. If you don’t have that much time, three 10-minute aerobic activity sessions will benefit you almost as much.

The good thing about aerobic activity is that it includes many of the sports you probably already enjoy. Walking, biking, hiking, dancing, swimming and even basketball are all examples of aerobic exercise.

Another good thing is that you can easily accomplish those three 10-minute sessions with things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking around the neighborhood after work or parking your car farther away from your destination. You could even turn shopping into an aerobic activity. Shopping involves walking, so don’t stop for 10 minutes straight and you’ve worked in one of your daily sessions! Check with your local mall for mall walker programs and you’ll have company. Aerobic exercise is definitely good for cardiovascular health and fitness. And here’s something else you’ll like: Aerobic activity can help you lose weight.

Plenty of Good Exercise All Around the House

If you do housework or yard work, you’re doing yourself a favor. The stretching and lifting that housework entails is good exercise. So is work you do outside. Yard work uses many muscle groups, especially activities like planting and working in the garden. Raking uses your arm and back muscles. Digging gives your arms and legs a workout. And gardening provides a bonus: You’ll have more fresh vegetables and fruits to add to your diet.

Is one time better than another to exercise?

It’s really up to you. You can exercise in the morning, afternoon or evening. Lunch breaks offer an excellent opportunity to get out of the office and exercise. Use your coffee break to take a short walk around the office. Get rid of the day’s stress by fitting in an exercise session after work. Whatever time you choose, make sure you stick with it, as establishing a routine will help you adhere to the program. For some people, it’s easier to stay with an exercise program when you do it with a friend or coworker.

Make Time to Stay Healthy

Exercise is one of the best things you can do for yourself. If you’re basically healthy, get going right now. If you’re a man 45 or older, or a woman 55 or older, or have any health problems, consult your physician first.

Additional Resource
American Academy of Family Physicians—The Exercise Habit: http://www.familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/physical/basics/059.printerview.html

Eat Well to Stay Motivated and Energized

Do you have trouble exercising at noon or after work, even though you’re truly committed to exercise and it’s the only time you have to work out? Do you feel so exhausted that you just can’t face the gym?

Your diet—rather than simple sloth—may be the problem. If you tend to skip meals in an attempt to save calories, you may be robbing yourself of important fuel for your workouts. While skipping meals may temporarily make your stomach feel flatter, doing so can also leave you feeling tired, irritable and unfocused. Then you’ll be tempted to forego your noontime workout, or go home, eat and stretch out on the couch in front of the TV after work. If, however, you follow some simple, sensible dietary practices throughout your day, you’ll get that workout done. And rather than feeling lightheaded and exhausted afterward, you’ll be energized and refreshed.

Stay With Feel-Good Foods
One key to staying motivated to exercise is to keep the amount of sugar in your blood—and thus, your energy level—stable. You can best do that by eating a series of small meals throughout the day—as many as five or six—that are composed of complex carbohydrates such as whole-grain breads or crackers, beans and other vegetables and fruit. If you plan ahead and make time for grocery shopping, you can easily pack some simple meals and snacks to take to work with you. Eating complex carbohydrates helps keep your blood sugar stable because they are digested and absorbed slowly into the blood and don’t require your pancreas to produce much insulin. Refined carbohydrates, such as potato chips, doughnuts and cookies, are absorbed very quickly and trigger the pancreas to produce large amounts of insulin. So, while they may give you an initial boost, your energy will drop off quickly, and your mood will follow. The amount of sugar in your blood is also related to the amount of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is an important chemical called a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate mood. If your level of serotonin is where it should be, you’ll have a sense of well-being and confidence—and feel ready to tackle the treadmill. Should it drop, you may feel tired and depressed.  If you often experience a craving for carbs, this may be your brain’s way of telling you it needs more serotonin.

Cut the Caffeine
What about caffeine? Good question. Many athletes rely on caffeine for the initial kick it can provide. Remember, though, that caffeine can also affect the amount of insulin, and thus, sugar, in your blood. Further, excessive intake of caffeine can cause dehydration, which can also sap your energy. While drinking a caffeinated beverage may help get you to the gym, within an hour you may feel tired and too lightheaded to complete your workout, or to do it well. If you plan to engage in running or another highly vigorous activity, remember that some forms of caffeine, coffee in particular, can lead to mild gastronomical distress, as can some bulky foods. So, you’d be wise to limit the amount of coffee, tea and soda that you drink for a number of reasons. Suppose you’re an early bird, and your best time to work out is in the morning before you go to work. For quick energy, drink some juice upon rising and avoid coffee. Once you’ve completed your workout, have a more solid breakfast of whole-wheat cereal or toast and fruit to fuel your concentration for the morning’s work. If you work out and eat too lightly, chances are you’ll get “the drowsies” by 2 p.m., if not sooner. Keep in mind that finding the right combination of food and drink to energize your workout—whatever time of day you choose—may take some experimenting. It all depends upon your individual tastes and your metabolism. With a little patience, an open mind and a little creativity, you’ll determine which foods suit you best. You’ll keep your motivation to exercise if you:

-Have a glass of juice to boost your energy before a morning workout
-Eat a breakfast that includes whole grains and fruit or fruit juice
-Eat small, frequent small meals and snacks during the day to maintain your blood sugar
-Make sure to have a light, healthy snack an hour before your noon or after-work workout
-Stay hydrated, keeping a water bottle at your desk at work
-Limit—or eliminate—the amount of caffeine in your diet

Additional Resource
American College of Sports Medicine Current Comment—Caffeine and Exercise Performance: http://www.acsm.org

Healthy Resolutions for the Whole Year

As the first few months of the new year slip away, do you find your resolutions slipping away as well?

Resolutions should be reasonably attainable so that you are setting yourself up for success rather than disappointment. Try focusing on small intermediate goals that will ultimately lead you to your primary goal. Do not expect to be perfect. Aim for a healthy lifestyle with which you will feel comfortable.

Take Small Steps
Simply establishing the goal of leading a healthy lifestyle should make you feel good about yourself. To make that goal more attainable, come up with small goals that you know you can meet each day to help keep yourself feeling positive. Accomplishing the smaller goals will leave you with a more immediate feeling of success.

If your goals are too large, you may get caught up in them and feel disappointed when you do not see immediate results.  Small behavior-change plans are easier to stick to than vague resolutions like “I will lose 10 pounds.” If your resolution is too large, add a plan of action that will guide you toward your goal.  Rather than “I will exercise more,” try “I will go for a walk at lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays and work out in the gym Mondays and Fridays.” This way you can feel a sense of accomplishment every day, and if you miss a day, you can get right back on track rather than feeling like a failure.

Change for Yourself
Any goals that you set should come from a sincere desire to change for yourself. Research has shown that negative feelings are a frequent cause of relapse in behavior-change programs, and resolutions that feel like punishment can cause negative feelings.  All resolutions should be perceived as positive changes that will help you reach optimal health and well-being. Don’t decide to change to please anyone other than yourself.  And remember, resolutions are an opportunity for you to look forward in a positive way rather than to punish yourself for past behaviors.

Be Creative
Perhaps you can find ways to exercise while also accomplishing other goals. If weather permits, try walking to do errands that are in close proximity to your home or office. Maybe you want to spend more time with your family. Try walking with a family member or bringing your children along on bikes while you walk or jog.  If your goal is to make new friends, try taking group fitness classes where you will meet other people who share your same exercise interests.

Be Realistic
Be sure that your plan of action is realistic. Plan to work out at times when it is convenient for you. If you are not a morning person, do not plan to work out early in the morning or you’ll just be setting yourself up for failure. Try to make things as easy as possible for yourself. Set your goals at reasonable heights so that you can reach them one by one without feeling overwhelmed.  The only way your goal is going to become reality is if you believe in it and, most of all, if you believe in yourself. It may help you reinforce your goal if you can find a realistic role model who is actually living your goal. If he or she can do it, so can you!

Anticipate Roadblocks and Reward Yourself for Successes
If things like weather and illness will prevent you from sticking to your plan, make alternate plans for situations that you cannot avoid. Most importantly, do not let a missed day or two throw you completely off target. Instead, do your best to get back on track as quickly as possible, which should not be extremely difficult if you have set appropriate goals.  It is easier to stick to your plan when you feel good about yourself. Try to find a new way to reward yourself when you meet your smaller goals. If you are trying to eat healthier, be sure that all of your meals are still delicious, and allow yourself a small dessert after a few days of healthy habits. Be sure to get involved in activities that keep you feeling happy and fulfilled.

Build a Support System
Get the support of your family, friends and coworkers. If your resolution involves quitting a serious addiction like smoking or drinking or overcoming an eating disorder, get professional help and join a support group if possible. Remember that you are your best supporter. You are trying to improve your own health. Appreciate what you have and then try to treat it a little bit better than you have in the past. If you take better care of your body, you will feel better and perform better at all that you do.

Keep in mind that a well-thought-out resolution can be a useful tool to help you live your life the best way possible, starting from the inside.

Three Things Every Exercise Program Should Have

A complete, safe and effective fitness program must include aerobic exercise, muscular strength and endurance conditioning, and flexibility exercise.

Aerobic exercise does good things for your cardiovascular system and is an important part of weight management. Muscular conditioning can improve strength and posture, reduce the risk of low-back injury and is an important component of a weight-management program. Flexibility exercise is needed to maintain joint range of motion and reduce the risk of injury and muscle soreness.

1. Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise can be as simple as walking. Walking, jogging, jumping rope and dance-exercise are good forms of weightbearing aerobic exercise, which is any activity that uses large muscle groups in a continuous, rhythmic fashion for sustained periods of time and during which the individual’s body is not supported in some fashion.

There are also non-weightbearing aerobic exercises, such as bicycling, stationary cycling, swimming and rowing.  Keep the pace comfortable. A very important aspect of your exercise program is the intensity. You should exercise at a comfortable pace. You can measure your exercise heart rate to check the intensity of your exercising, or you can take the “talk test.”

To measure your heart rate, take your pulse as soon as you stop exercising. Count your heartbeat for 10 seconds, then multiply by six to convert it to a one-minute heart rate. If you keep your exercise heart rate within a range of 55 to 90% of an estimated maximum heart rate (220 minus your age), you’re doing well.

The talk test is even easier to use. Just exercise at a pace that allows you to carry on a conversation while you’re exercising.

How often should you exercise? Three to five days of aerobic activity is fine for general health maintenance. If you’re trying to lose weight, aim for five to six days a week, being sure you take off at least one day a week.

How long should you exercise? Work up to 30 or more minutes per session (or three 10-minutes sessions per day) for general health maintenance. For weight loss, gradually work up to 45 minutes or longer at low to moderate intensities in a low- or non-impact activity.

2. Strength Conditioning
Pick calisthenics, free weights or machines. Just be sure that your strength training includes exercises for every major muscle group, including the muscles of the arms, chest, back, stomach, hips and legs.

Start with a weight that’s comfortable to handle and perform eight repetitions. Gradually add more repetitions until you can complete 12 repetitions. For greater strength conditioning, add more weight and/or more repetitions, in sets of eight to 12, when the exercise becomes easy.

3. Stretching for Flexibility
Proper stretching involves holding a mild stretch for 15 to 30 seconds while you breathe normally. Always warm up before you stretch. Like strength conditioning, flexibility exercises should include stretching for all of the major muscle groups.

One Last Thing to Remember . . .

Always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program, especially if you’re a man over 45, a woman over 55, or have cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or a family history of heart disease.