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Showing posts with the label exercise

Biking-Working Out While Commuting

Making the decision to put effort into biking is an important one that can do wonders for physical fitness goals . The reasons may be many , but it is possible to save on cost , improve fitness , use time wisely , and help the environment all through the activity of biking. The hardest part about biking is getting the courage to set out on a daily commute. I am the type of person who jogs or does kickboxing/ martial arts 40 minutes every morning and then heads to work . My daily commute takes around 20 minutes in the car . The total commute time and working out is 1 hour . Biking into work is approximately 40 minutes which gives me a net plus of 20 minutes saved in the morning . The time saver in the morning makes it easier for me to wake up, have a cup of coffee , and make my way to work without being in too much of a rush . Considering the mild weather of San Diego , which neither gets to

Eating and Fitness-Seeking Alternatives of Habit

You are busting your rump at the gym and running five miles a day , but you are not achieving your fitness goals . The result is you are not losing weight , staying the same , or worse gaining weight ! The problem isn’t how much you work out but what you put in your mouth . Finding healthy alternatives will make a big difference in whether or not you will be able to achieve your desired body shape . If you look at the average person in this country you will find that approximately 75% are overweight or obese . The problem has become such an epidemic that laws and regulations are being passed to counter the danger . This may be one of the first generations to decline in lifespan. The problem lies in many areas and can be broken down into sedentary lifestyle and overeating. There are many ways to further break this down into average calories burned and the type of food eaten . Between the t

A Saturday Evening of Fitness with Tennis

The tennis racket that was leaning against the wall for the past few months finally got some use. It seemed to be much useful on the court than as a cheap form of house decoration. Health is becoming important to me and so is the opportunity to meet interesting people. Tennis provides an appropriate balance between fitness and fun so that I can sustain movement toward my fitness goals. It wasn’t a particularly warm afternoon for Southern California; somewhere near a breezy 60 degrees. A sweatshirt would have been appropriate in most casual outdoor situations. Within a few minutes, you will no longer think about a sweatshirt; or even the outside temperature. Chasing that green furry ball is all the heat needed to keep warm. Tennis is a fast sport and requires sprinting from one side of the court to the other. The quick dashes, stops, and arm movements  of your muscles, heart and arms.  It is one of those full-body workouts that doesn’t feel like you're doing anything until it

Melt Calories Playing Beach Volleyball

Volleyball is one of those sports you do n’t move more than a few feet but still reap all of the benefits of a solid work out. It won’t take much time for you to build up a good lather of sweat when you jump , bump , and spike the ball over the net . Within minutes , your heart rate will be into its fat burning zone , and the calories will start melting off. You can burn as much as 450 calories in an hour playing volleyball. It is comparable with swimming and running . Your heart rate will rise , lower , and rise again as you wait for the ball and run to keep it from hitting the ground . Raising and lowering your heart rate has been known to strengthen your cardiovascular system . It is hard to find sports that are both fun and fitness packed . Volleyball not only gets your heart rate up but also improves muscle tone . Natural jumping jacks , burpees , and sprints are built into the spo

Tennis as the New Fitness and Social Sport

Having fun, getting in shape, and meeting interesting people makes for some of the best fitness routines that will keep you on track. Tennis is one sport that helps you stay motivated while expanding your social network.   Doctors recommend that everyone gets a few hours of high intensity exercise in per week. That won’t be hard to obtain if you find a group that meets a couple of times a week. Tennis is a highly cardiovascular sport that shreds pounds.  Constant running and stopping will put your heart rate into the target zone improving your blood flow and strengthening your heart. As a social sport tennis will introduction to lots of new people quickly.  Players rotate to try out new teams and experience new challenges. It won’t take long before you gain some new friends. There are plenty of places to find tennis activities. You can visit recreation centers and ask about tennis activities, search online for clubs,  or make a call to the city’s recreation department. Te

Are You Ignoring Contributing Factors to Fitness?

Is fitness and health exclusively about exercise? Certainly one can make that argument but they often forget about other aspects of one’s life that lead to greater fitness and health. If a person jumps on the treadmill for a half hour a day they will not magically get in great shape.   Those that fail to make a connection to other needed life adjustments are unlikely to achieve their full potential. The reason? – Limited perspective that results in ignoring contributing components to improved fitness. Fitness and health is as much a lifestyle change as it is engaging in new activities. It requires adjustments in Food & Diet, Fitness Routine, Motivation & Habit, Self-Image, and Nutrition & Fitness Knowledge.   To encourage success in your endeavors you should consider how each aspect of your health impacts your chances of success: Food & Diet: What we eat will have an impact on our overall health. High fat and calorie laden food will continue to add to yo

Improving Fitness and Health with Yoga

Yoga was once an obscure practice that attracted bleeding souls, hippies, and sports enthusiasts. Over time Yoga made its way into mainstream activity as the benefits to our body and mind became apparent. Yoga provides a strong augmentation to your current workout and affords greater muscle recovery and healing.   Incorporating an hour of yoga three times a week into your schedule enhances other aspects of sports and fitness that lead to higher levels of satisfaction and health.  Yoga has a positive effect on both physical and mental health. A large study of 15 yoga studios hosting 1045 respondents found that fitness levels were higher among those who practiced yoga with the far majority of respondents indicating that they were in good to excellent health (Ross, et. al. 2013). Furthermore, participants also stated that yoga improved energy, happiness, social relationships, sleep quality, and proper weight.  Not all benefits of yoga are subjective. Another study helps us