Kansans and Friends In Weight Loss

Want dancer’s legs without having to go to dance class? Here’s a move that will help give your legs that long, lean appearance!

You’ll need a chair for support. Start by standing tall, with one hand on the back of the chair for balance and the other on your hip. Begin in “first position” (think ballet), with your toes turned out and your heels touching. Keep your back straight and your abs tight. Dip down by bending at the knees, keeping them square over your toes. Lift your heels off the floor, pushing from the balls of your feet. Straighten your legs, squeezing your buttocks and inner thighs, then lower your heels, returning to the starting position.

The move has four steps — plié down, lift heels, push up, and heels down to starting position. Repeat the series for two sets of 8 to 12 reps each. Rest for 15 seconds between sets. Fabulous! It’s that simple!

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For years, the common knowledge has been that if you want to lose fat, you have to do aerobic exercise. But while it is in part true, that belief unfortunately led many women to think that they could skip strength training. A study changed that way of thinking.

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics recently found that strength training — or weight lifting — plays a key role in controlling a woman’s weight. They discovered that women who lifted weights just twice a week were able to avoid the slow, one to two pound weight gain per year that’s so common in middle age. While that might not sound like a lot, over the years it can really add up. Another plus? Women who lifted weights had healthier hearts.

So how does lifting weights help keep you slim? It’s simple — strength training builds muscle, and muscle cells burn more calories than fat cells. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, 24 hours a day — even when you are asleep! So if you aren’t already, make strength training a part of your fitness program. Your efforts will pay off for years to come!

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These are all great reads I encourage anyone to check them out and spread the word about them.

Simple Toning Meditation posted at Tupelo Kenyon

Why excercise is absolutely necessary posted at 360 Degree Success

Your Friends are Making you fat posted at Witch on White Mountain

The Crude Reality Of Bodybuilding posted at MuscleBolism: Build Muscle Beyond Anabolics

When Business is Incontinent posted at Trust Matters

Dominic Acito.com - Stretching Guide posted at Dominic Acito

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Having trouble squeezing in your workout? Try these tips from other busy Fit Forever! members:

• Set your alarm to go off a half-hour earlier than everyone else’s, and get your workout out of the way first thing!
• If a mad morning rush leaves you with no time, try getting everything ready the night before (including lunches packed and clothing set out).
• Don’t be afraid to delegate some household tasks to other family members and make time for exercise! You shouldn’t try to do everything all by yourself.
• Cut down on kitchen time by making double recipes and freezing half for a quick heat-and-eat meal another day!
• Take your kids to a school or park and walk laps while they play or go on a bike ride together.
• If you can’t fit in one 30-minute walk, break it into three 10-minute jaunts throughout your day.
• Tone up with fidgetsizes! Do butt squeezes in the elevator, leg lifts at your desk, leg squats while blow-drying your hair, tummy tucks while watching the news, etc. Do what you can, when you can.
• Think small! Even if it isn’t a full workout, five or 10 minutes of movement is better than nothing!

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If you think having a cup of coffee will help you get through your workout, think again! In fact, a recent study found that drinking the equivalent of two cups of coffee before exercise actually hindered blood flow to the heart during a workout! Less blood flow means less oxygen-rich blood fueling your energy fire. The researchers who conducted the study say that while caffeine does have the ability to make you feel more alert mentally, it won’t increase your athletic performance.

So what’s the right way to jumpstart your workout? The researchers suggest skipping that cup of joe and opting for water instead. Eating well throughout the day and getting enough sleep at night will help too, they say. This study confirms what I’ve said many times before: Don’t look to an outside solution — like caffeine — for a boost. If you want more energy, give your body the nutrition, rest, and movement it needs!

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From: Real Muscle Online

I read this tonight and I got to thinking how well do I warm up before I do anything strenuous. At the Student Recreation and Wellness Center SRWC for short they have stretching machines from Precore fitness equipment. They take you through 7 stretches to target the key areas that are normally worked during a workout. When I am not in pain or groggy from my meds I do make it to the gym, I mean it is included in my tuition under activity fee so I pay to workout anyway.

Ok getting back on track. I do the stretching machines paying special attention and time to really stretch my shoulders and upper body as that is where a majority of my muscle tightness is due to my complicated musculoskelatel issues from a chronic problem stemming from an injury over four years ago. Then I hit the treadmill and finish warming up my lower body by doing an intense 20 to 30 minute cardio routine. After both upper body and lower body are warmed up then I start on my weight routine. That takes about 45 min to go through cause I work out slow especially for my upper body workouts.

For me it is critical to be thoroughly warmed up so I don’t further injure what is already injured and injure what isn’t.

I do not do much working out at the moment but plan on trying to get back on the workout wagon as soon as the new medicine I am on starts showing some results and relief. It is important for me to practice what I preach and to walk my talk.

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