An Exercise Plan to Lose Weight

Do you have an exercise plan to lose weight? Two excellent choices to consider are the elliptical workout and the treadmill weight loss workout. Let's compare the two kinds of workouts so you will be able to determine which exercise plan to lose weight works best for you.

An elliptical trainer workout has become very popular and actually has a few advantages over a treadmill. It is less strenuous to the knees, joints and lower back so it is very suitable for people with injuries.

It also works all the parts of your body continuously giving you a total body workout. An elliptical trainer workout is great for cardio fitness and you can get a good workout in a short period of time.

A treadmill workout is still a very popular workout today. Many people buy a treadmill so the whole family can use it. A treadmill workout is perfect for beginners because the intensity in the workout is adjustable by walking, jogging or running.

Treadmill weight loss can best be achieved by exercising within your target heart range zone. Here is how to find the right target heart rate for you.

First, you need to find out what your heart rate is while exercising after five minutes. To test your heart rate place your thumb on the underside of your wrist to locate your pulse. Count the beats for 15 seconds and multiply that number times four. That number is your heart rate.

To calculate your ideal target heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For successful treadmill weight loss exercise within 70% of your target heart range zone.

Both the elliptical trainers and treadmills help you to burn fat and are perfect exercise plans to lose weight. Exercising not only tones your muscles, but actually gives you more energy for your whole day.

You can purchase treadmills and elliptical workout trainers on the Internet as well as fitness stores. Both machines are very effective for burning fat and losing weight. Just make sure that you buy quality equipment that will last.

If you are looking to burn body fat and take off weight, these two machine can be a great help for your exercise plan to lose weight.

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Weight Loss Exercise Plan: The After Pregnancy 300 Workout

Any weight loss exercise plan is great for you to burn fat after pregnancy. I have a 300 workout plan that can help you shred calories and lose weight fast.

The 300 workout plan is based on a workout that the actors did for the movie, 300. In that movie, the actors got very defined muscles and lost any sight of belly flab.

This workout is a set of 6 exercises with 50 repetitions of each exercise. The total number of repetitions equals 300, hence the name of the workout.

The After Pregnancy 300 Workout

1. Rows with resistance bands on exercise ball - 50 reps

2. Wall squats with exercise ball - 50 reps

3. Dumbbell chest press on exercise ball - 50 reps

4. Alternating Arm and leg raises in cat position - 50 reps

5. Dumbbell shoulder press on exercise ball - 50 reps

6. Sit ups on exercise ball - 50 reps

Rules of Thumb

The idea is to get the workout done using the best form in as little time as you can. This workout plan is one of the best exercises for weight loss.

You want to rest as little as possible between each exercise. If you can finish the entire workout in 30 minutes, great. If you can do it in 20 minutes, awesome.

Make it a game with yourself. You're challenging your body to build muscle to burn fat. You're stripping away the fat that covered your slim body all those pregnancy months.

Aim to do this workout 3 times a week. On your off days, you can incorporate walking or running to lose weight.

General Guidelines

Listen to your body. If something is hurting, stop immediately and seek medical attention. You don't want to injure yourself and sideline your body for a few weeks.

Start the workout easy, and be careful to not give your body too much stress. Gradually, build up the intensity by decreasing your time or increasing the resistance.

Strength training is an important component to any weight loss exercise plan. When you build muscles, you increase your metabolism. When you increase your metabolism, you burn more calories. This is the road to losing weight after pregnancy.

Increase the amount of energy you expend over the amount of energy (food) you take in. And remember, that nutrition is the other component to weight loss. Don't think that all this exercise can afford you a high calorie reward after your workout. The calorie deficit is the way back to your skinny self.

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The Right Weight Loss Exercise Plan Depends on Your Body Type

If you are looking for the best weight loss exercise plan to lose weight, dieting and exercise may work. But if you are not doing the right exercises according to your body type, you may find it difficult to lose weight despite all of your efforts. Some people go on a diet believing that cutting back on food will help them lose weight.

Some people workout regularly and find it hard to lose weight. Part of the reason is because they fail to set up exercise and diet plans that conform to their body types. To start any exercise routine and diet plan, you have to know your objective first.

If you plan to set up a weight loss exercise plan to lose weight then you will need to consider your body type to discover the amount of weight you can lose comfortably without causing harm to your body.

Specialists, such as Dr. William H. Sheldon, claim that our internal organs and body type play a huge role in our exercise choice. The doctor claims that "soma types" include three basic body types that we all must consider to determine what results develop from exercise. The most common include Mesomorph and Ectomorph types. The third type is the Endomorph.

According to the doctor, Endomorph types have larger bone structure. They tend to have oversized bones, a spherical face, bulky trunk, and a large degree of fat, especially in the midsection.

The Ectomorph typically has a normal shape with longer limbs. These people are often taller, and have slender lines and shoulders. These people find it hard to gain weight. The Mesomorph typically has lower body fat. Usually the shoulders are broad, the chest is large, and the waist is slender. This type is said to do best in muscle building exercises.

Body types should always be considered before setting up an exercise plan because it takes into account your emotional makeup, values, metabolism, toxemia, motivation, requirements, and thought processes.

Once you figure out what type of body you have it becomes easier to stay physically fit. You can maintain good health. According to researchers, the presence of various body types simply demonstrates that we all are unique. Heredity also plays a part in our exercise planning. Scientific research has shown us in the past that the endocrine system and its baselines are unique in both animal and human forms, which includes our behaviors and functions.

Endocrine glands and the soma types both relate to nutrients and heredity, which according to Dr. Sheldon explains why some people have a hard time gaining weight. Now that you have a basic idea about body types, you can set up a weight loss exercise plan that works for you.

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What Is An Effective Weight Loss Workout Plan For Women?

However, most of these workout routines are not for attaining a slim, feminine physique that a woman desires. Instead they lead to a muscular and thick body which is not desirable at all. If you are like most people, weight loss is one struggle that never seems to end. Even more challenging, most workout routines for women do not center on assisting you acquire that feminine physique that you desire, slim or otherwise.

However, don't worry. A workout session for women contains exercises designed specifically with the female body in mind. Presently, women use workout routines to build muscle, burn fat, build the body she wants and tone up. Here is a description of a good weight loss workout plan:

The Weight Loss Workout Plan

Metabolic circuit- when done correctly, metabolic circuits are intense, effective and efficient. The number one benefit of metabolic circuit training is that it raises your Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC), which means that you will continue to burn more calories after the workout is over. This workout could be done 3 times a week with adequate rest and proper nutrition.

1. Conditioning workout-this is a 7-day routine, for general fitness, which is suitable for any female that has never lifted a weight before. Conditioning workout is also very practical for those not wishing to go to a gym since all the exercises can be performed at home. Conditioning workout requires:
• an adjustable set of dumbbells
• an exercise step
• an exercise bike
• a stability ball
2. You will need to use weights that are light specifically designed to work on various muscle groups, as not every weight is suitable for all muscle groups.
3. 2 day intense fat loss & muscle tone workout-this is a workout meant for the entire body, and lasts a period of 2 days. It is aimed at those individuals wanting muscle tone and fat loss. The routine is designed for no rest time in between exercises 5 minute cardio sessions.
4. T push-up - Start in a push-up position with hands shoulder width on the floor. Lower yourself close to the floor, in this same position as you gradually lift yourself up, raise your left arm towards the ceiling then turn around while balancing on the periphery of your right foot and your right hand.

These are some great workout options to get you in shape. Enjoy as you try them.

However, the good news is there are a few workouts that enable women to acquire the perfect body. In fact, these workouts are easy and effective so you can try them out. The most important thing you need to take care while choosing the workout program is to select the correct one for your body. Workouts are the best way of losing weight but you need to opt for the appropriate regime for your body. Go for a weight loss workout plan for women.

Cardio exercises like walking, biking, jogging etc can greatly help you shed those extra pounds. This is because they enable the calories to burn and reduce all the fat storage. They are the fastest way of weight loss. Another super successful solution is Pilates and Yoga. If you do not prefer the regular workouts for weight loss then the alternative is to try them. Besides working on the muscles and body, they also soothe the mind. Thus, you can opt for the weight loss work out plan that suits the best for you.

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How to Design a Weight Loss Fitness Plan

There is a lot of good and bad information out there when it comes to losing weight through exercise. We all hear versions of them everyday, luckily I have the education to pick out the bad ones. I am going to give you a quick version of that education right now. If you take the time to understand these simple rules then you will reap rewards from your time at the gym.

1. Have a specific purpose to each workout (I will list a few examples). Far too often people just "get a workout" but don't know what they got from it. If that is you than STOP WASTING YOUR TIME. That approach does not work because your body will very specifically adapt to your workout. So if you just get a workout then who knows what change you asked from your body. Make a goal of burning 500 calories, or making your abs sore, or running 5 miles, or lifting a specific weight for the first time. These goals will get you to push yourself but also demand something more of your body, and that demand is when the good stuff happens.

2. Understand muscle confusion. Muscle confusion is when your body is subjected to work that it is not used to, hence it gets confused. Since your body will try to get unconfused it will have to react to the workout and change itself. Change one or all of the following components each time you workout.

* Frequency - How often you do something

* Intensity - How hard you do it (Track HR or weight that you lift)

* Time - How long you do it (Time on the tread or sets and reps)

* Type - How you do it (try something new often)

3. Understand afterburn. Most of the good stuff that comes from exercise does not happen while you are actually exercising, but after you are done while it recovers. This process is called 'Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption', but you can think of it as the extra calories that you burn after you are done exercising. To maximize this concept you should frequently revisit number 2 in this article.

So let's say that you do a workout that burns 300 calories while you do it. If you do this workout fairly often then you may get an additional 200 calories of afterburn to recover from it. BUT, if this is your first time doing this workout then you can burn up to 900 calories recovering from the very same workout. This will greatly impact your fat burning potential.

4. Eat damn-it. When you incorporate 1-3 you will have a body that needs food. If you don't eat you are sending a bad signal to your body. You are telling your body that you are going to starve it, so it will respond by slowing down the metabolism so that you don't starve to death. To avoid this problem you should eat as close to your workout as possible before and after the workout. Yes, that is 2 meals...

5. Respond. Finally, as soon as you see your workout stop getting you results then it is time to respond. Don't wait weeks or months to make sure that the program stopped working, it did. Far too many people let comfort with exercise dictate what they do and don't do. You don't have to be one of those people. Instead, be one of those people who is always getting results.

If you want more instruction, or have specific questions don't be shy. Send an email or start a topic in the forum.

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Let's Go Exercise - Motivation To Get You and Your Family Moving

Exercise. If you're like most of us, getting up and moving sometimes just doesn't appeal. Notice the word "workout" starts with "work"?

There are days when my husband and I, who are both avid exercisers, still have a hard time getting motivated to move. And the kids... forget it. Often enough, they'd rather get on the computer than kick the soccer ball around.

As we've learned, one of the most important muscles to train when getting in shape is your mind. Of course, the brain isn't a muscle technically. But when it comes to exercise it is the heavy lifter. Without it, your body won't do much except flop onto the closest couch.

With family fitness, it can be even more of a challenge because you're not only motivating yourself, but the rest of the gang as well.

On the other hand, you've got a whole posse of cheerleaders living with you. With all of you involved, there's a higher likelihood that someone will say, "Hey, let's do something!" and get the ball rolling.

Here are some of the ways we get ourselves off of the couch and keep ourselves doing a little something each day.

1. Talk about the benefits of exercising. Even kids get into this. The more you discuss why you exercise, the more reasons you all will have to get active. I've developed quite a collection of articles that discuss why exercise is important. Take a look and bring them into the conversation.
2. Use music. We often put on a radio when we're outside moving around. And on a rainy day, nothing beats dancing up a storm (until the storm clouds disappear). I also put together a couple CD's that we listen to with some real motivation favorites.
3. Make it fun. Exercise can feel like a slog. Or it can be a joy. When you bring in a game of tag, or fun soccer games or an obstacle course, you make it an adventure that even you adults will enjoy.
4. Bring in the competition. Now, competition is a controversial idea. But truth be told, the world works on this. Certainly it can fester between siblings. Why not turn it into something useful - and help them develop skills to deal with losing and winning gracefully and using it for fuel for their next venture. So make some of your activities competitions. Race. See who can get the most baskets in 2 minutes. We've even held a stretching Olympics where we measured who could do 10 stretches the best. (Hint: If you vary the forms of competition, you can find ways to highlight the variety of strengths within the family as well).

Finally, training as a family for larger competitive events - triathlons, mountain bike races, fun walks - can also keep the whole family motivated.

1. Watch and learn about elite athletes. Soon after my daughter watched her first national track and field event on TV, I spied her running laps around the outside with her swimsuit and shorts on and her hair slicked back into a bun just like the superstars she'd just watched. Kids love to mimic what they see, especially when someone has the superhero aura. So watch some professional athletes on TV, or even better, live. Listen to them talk about how they work through challenges, pain, disappointment and keep going. Talk about these stories and make them part of your in home culture. These images and ideas will fuel all of you to keep going a little further.
2. Set goals. Nothing moves you forward faster than having a goal. I've included as a PDF, my family goal sheets that we use for not only exercise but all aspects of our lives. Having a goal reminds you what you're heading for and keeps you pointed in that direction. Even though you're moving step by step, if you can see where you're going, you'll keep moving forward.
3. Reward yourselves. We've gone on bike rides to an apple orchard to go picking. Or finished a tough mountain climb with a nice dinner and a movie. And while you should emphasize the healthy rewards, you can certainly enjoy a little frozen yogurt or pizza on occasion. Just not too much.And as the mom, I certainly enjoy the feeling of purchasing some new jeans that fit nicely or feeling better about how I look in the mirror. Finally, a simple, "Wow, you worked hard" or "You've really gotten faster," said with sincerity can provide tremendous fuel.
4. Document and reflect. Take pictures, rehash old stories. It may seem simple but by imbuing your family fitness time with good emotions and good memories makes it something that you'll want to keep doing. You'll look forward to making more memories filled with laughter, love, pride, and excitement.

Here's what we use to make sure that we exercise. Motivation makes it possible. So take these tips and put them into your family fitness plan. No more excuses - get moving!

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Tips for Working Out at the Gym for Women Over Age 50: Why Work Out? And How to Achieve Success!

Some days when I get to the gym and start working out, I wonder: "Am I getting too old for this?" Then my logical part says: "The older I am, the more important cardiovascular exercise and weight training become." And then I tell myself: "I will feel better after the workout." "I will be more comfortable about what I am going to eat later because the exercise will speed up my metabolism and I will burn up the calories better." There were days that I used to worry that I would sweat so much from hot flashes that I would prefer to be in a bikini top, but I realized I did not want to inflict the sight of my body on anyone else. This may sound anti-feminist or like a put-down, but we women have a choice about how we would like to dress in the gym for our comfort.

Ever have a young man in the gym say to you: "ma'am?" I guess that is polite, but it doesn't make me feel any younger. Once a trainer told me: "You are old enough to be my mother... my mother couldn't do what you do." And this was way before age 50.

I used to always tell myself: "Let's work out and shape that body and get muscle. Now I sometimes resort to saying: "Let's make it through the workout" and that is okay. Actually, I sometimes still have those Zen moments when everything just comes together, and I am one with the workout, and mentally and physically everything is bliss!

The bottom line is that I still love my workouts and would not give them up for almost anything. Working out can still yield so many possible benefits to physical and mental health; including improved cardiac fitness, reduced stress and anxiety, improved bone mineral density, decreased low back discomfort, reduced resting blood pressure, increased flexibility, improved sleep, improved balance, improved blood lipid levels, increased gastrointestinal transit speed (which may reduce risk for colon cancer), and reduced risk for diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and dying prematurely.

So what can you do to make sure that you make it to the gym for your workout and have a successful workout?

1. Make a permanent schedule of the times that you will be working out and then record it in your appointment book. After all, other commitments such as times to go to the dentist, carpool, and social events are in your appointment book. Obviously, there will be times when you may need to adjust the schedule to a different time or take a day off but for the most part--stick to your schedule.

2. Develop a support system. Surround yourself with positive people--friends, relatives, work colleagues, and/or fellow exercise-mates who will support you. A workout partner or trainer can be invaluable to you in providing motivation to show up and train hard.

3. Get to the gym properly fueled. One way to set yourself up for failure is to work out when you have not eaten all day or right after a heavy meal.

4. Set realistic short-term/long-term goals and rewards. "Rome wasn't built in a day." Your first short-term goal may be to show up for all of your exercise times for the first month. A reward might be buying a new exercise outfit, going to a concert or movie, or getting a massage. Focus on your goals. Do not compare yourself to anyone else at the gym, as each individual in the gym has her/his own goals.

5. Set a reasonable timeframe to be in the gym. You do not have to spend your life there.

6. Design your exercise program to meet your needs and make it fun. There is an incredible variety of cardiovascular and strength training exercises, and numerous ways to combine them. There are numerous group classes available.

7. Think positive! Eliminate negative thoughts from your mind and use positive self-talk "I can do it!" "I can do it! "I can do it!"

In conclusion, the next time that it crosses your mind to miss your workout, don't even think about it. Just go and pump it up!

Sue Tabashnik is a woman over 50, a gym person for over 30 years, a past natural bodybuilding competitor, a social worker for over 32 years, and a published author.

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5 Benefits to Working Out With a Personal Trainer

It's no secret that everyone wants to lose fat, gain muscle, and improve their general health, but why do so many people struggle? There are many pitfalls to working out alone, especially for the inexperienced exerciser. Despite one's best efforts, it can be very difficult to achieve optimal results without the assistance of a knowledgeable trainer. So, before you embark on a workout program, consider these benefits to working out with a personal trainer:

1. Motivation - It's true that motivation comes from within, but there's no doubt a trainer can help you find that motivation. Even experienced exercisers consistently find that they complete more reps and have more intense workouts when they are working out with a trainer. Not only will the trainer keep you accountable, but they'll also take care of your rep counts letting you focus on the workout.

2. Record Keeping - Only a small minority of exercisers keep logs of their workouts and for good reason - it's quite the hassle! Carrying a notepad and pen around the gym is not the easiest thing to do. When you work out with a trainer, you will get the benefit of good records and you won't even be the one keeping track of things. A trainer will track your workout history as well as any changes in your weight or body composition. Good records have been shown to increase your motivation as well.

3. Expertise - With a steady stream of new information in the fitness industry, its hard for the average person to keep up with the latest workout strategies. A personal trainer, on the other hand, will be studying the industry and can keep you abreast of new and effective workout methods. An added benefit is that the trainer likely has many contacts within the fitness industry who can provide them with the practical as well as scientific information on new workouts.

4. Workout Variety - Ask any regular exerciser who doesn't workout with a trainer and chances are they are doing the same exercises over and over with little variety. It's hard to come up with new exercises all the time! But, a trainer, with years of experience in fitness, will know a wide variety of workouts and can keep your workouts fresh and interesting, not to mention effective.

5. Workout Design - A workout is not just a bunch of exercises tossed together with a random number of reps. There is a great deal of care that should be taken in designing a workout that allows for improvements in flexibility, strength, and cardiovascular endurance. A personal trainer will be able to design a workout that allows for improvements in each of these areas.

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Workout Music To Get Pumped Up

One important factor about training is that you stay motivated throughout your workout. You can have the best training routine and diet but if you do not have enough motivation to get through the workout then this is where you could fail. We recognise this and feel that music throughout your workout is what everybody needs to stay motivated. Since everybody has different tastes we have provided a wide range of motivational songs that can get you pumped up during your workout. 

Are you a boxer and need to improve the speed in your hands? Then listen to the track by Roy Jones Jr - Cant Be Touched. His lyrics are directed towards boxing where he states..."Cant be touched Cant be stopped Cant be moved Cant be rocked Cant be shook". With his strong rapping lyrics this song will get you pumped up whether you are sparring or just hitting the pads! Do you want to get faster instantly? Most people think boxing is partly a mental game and I think they are right! 

Survivor - The Eye Of The Tiger is without a doubt workout music to get pumped up by. It was made very famous in 1982 in the movie Rocky III and just seeing Rocky Balboa training to that music was enough for me to get motivated. The song is about taking your chances and rising to the top and this can be applied whether you are just doing a 40 minute weights workout or training for the fight of your life. Put this song on in the background and you won't believe the heights of your workout! 

Do you want it all from your workout? Get out every last repetition that you can? Well Queen - I Want It All is one of the most famous songs that tell you to go for what you want and do it now! You can put off your workout any longer you got to start achieving your results today and you need workout music to get pumped up by. 

Do you want to be a champion? Well Queen does it again with their song Queen - We Are The Champions. This is a song that talks about fighting back against all the odds and inspired all manner of people and sports team in particular. The song suggests having made mistakes and taking your fair share of knocks in the past, but having bounced back, ultimately suggesting "we'll keep on fighting to the end." What more motivation do you need than that? 

Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive provides you with a motivational message to get through the hard times whether it's a workout or the hard times in life. The problem faced by everybody is that on the day of their workout they could have other factors influencing their session. What happens if you break up with your girlfriend or boyfriend? Well the song 'I will survive' helps someone get through the break-up, by realizing how strong they are and that they can make it without the other person. It's the type of song that gets you pumped up from listening to the lyrics as it reminds you that you can accomplish anything in life. 

Above is just five songs and to be honest everybody has a different taste in the right workout music to get pumped up by. It's important that you find out what type of music will help you achieve the results that you need to. What song is going to help you get out that last repetition? What song is going to make you sweat more than you ever have? The Internet is the best place to search for other workout music you need! Start today and your workouts will improve instantly.


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Health and Fitness Tips for Women Over 50

How do you define "old"? Reaching a certain physical age does not mean you're old, and growing old certainly does not mean you're useless. Unfortunately, in our culture we get many signals that reinforce messages that aging is bad, and many middle-aged adults think this way.

Most middle-aged adults need to pay more attention to their health than they did when they were younger. Research shows that most diseases that afflict women in their 50s involve health factors you have some control over, along with nutritional deficits. To promote a healthy lifestyle and reduce your risk of disease, make sure you are doing basic preventive care focusing on stabilizing your blood pressure, controlling your cholesterol levels and getting periodic diabetes screenings.

Regular exercise in women over 50 years old helps to decrease menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, mood swings, sleep disorders and joint pain. Regular exercise also reduces the risk for cardiac illnesses, helps prevent osteoporosis and diabetes, and aids in weight control and maintenance.

Here are some health and fitness tips for women over 50:

Exercise. According to Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise, daily exercise by women over 50 helps the body function better. Active exercise helps to avoid or delay the natural process of the body's systems becoming more inefficient as you age. An ideal fitness program for women over 50 should include aerobic, strength and stretching exercise routines.

Keep Moving. According to research, there are many health benefits women realize from moving regularly, and a growing body of research shows the serious health implications of being sedentary, including complications such as diabetes. At a minimum, you should be able to conduct your daily living activities easily and pain-free. Something as simple as taking a few extra steps each day can help reduce the risk of illness, and you can easily track your steps using a pedometer.

Increase Calcium Intake. It is common knowledge that calcium is a significant factor in the growth and development of the bones. Research shows that women over 50 years of age are prone to osteoporosis, a condition where there is a deficient level of calcium in the body, making the bones porous and weak. This can lead to an overall degradation of the skeletal system, including broken bones that can result in hospitalization and serious complications. To help prevent osteoporosis, increase your calcium intake, which can promote bone formation and help strengthen your bones.

Increase Fiber Intake. Fiber-rich foods in your diet provide a feeling of fullness and can help prevent you from eating too much, which can help avoid weight gain and facilitate weight loss. According to research, the onset of obesity is common at 50 and beyond. Being overweight poses myriad health threats, especially to women. Complications related to obesity include diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and hypertension. Fiber can also help to reduce cholesterol levels, and studies have shown that consuming at least 10 grams of fiber a day decreases the risk of having heart problems.

Count Calories. As we age, every system in the body works less efficiently, and this can have an impact on the energy levels of women over 50 years of age. One significant issue of women at this age is not paying attention to their daily food intake. Many of us have the tendency to eat whatever food we feel like eating, and without paying attention to what we consume can lead to over-eating and weight gain. Research says that active women above 50 should limit their calorie intake to 1,900 kcal per day. This general guideline is designed to provide just enough calories to maintain a high energy level throughout the day.

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Strength Training Tips for Senior Citizens

Many senior citizens wouldn't even consider lifting weights or performing strength training exercises, thinking that's something for much younger, fitter people to do.

A person is never too old to perform strength training exercises, though. In fact, frequent exercise is the best prescription for independent, active and healthy aging, according to the A.A.R.P., the National Institute on Aging and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Studies show that all adults, even seniors, can benefit from as little as 15 minutes a day of moderate cardio exercise. Thirty minutes a day of light to moderate cardio exercise is the optimum level, and the good news is the cardio exercises can be broken up into segments (ie: brisk walk in morning, afternoon swim).

Adults, including seniors, are also recommended to perform strength training exercises two-three times per week.

Although exercise programs for seniors (generally considered people age 50-60 and older) are modified considerably from what younger generations are doing in the gym, senior strength training can help people of any age increase muscle strength, strengthen bones, fight off and-or delay the effects of arthritis, and improve balance and mobility. Regular exercise is also important to help maintain strong heart function and a healthy weight.

Jim Androsik, a physical therapist for Wooster Commuinty Hospital's HealthPoint Health and Wellness Center in Ohio, has witnessed great benefits from the seniors he's worked with who have followed a strength and conditioning program.

"Generally, the senior citizens we work with are people 60 years-old and up who are referred to us by a physician," Androsik said. "Doctors give us some guidelines, such as the frequency and duration a person should exercise for and comments on their health in general.

"We then develop a program for them."

Exercise programs for seniors can obviously vary greatly depending on age and health, but typically there are basic guidelines Androsik has his seniors follow.

"We generally recommend that a senior perform strength training exercises two to three times a week," he said. "We look at their needs to determine exactly what exercises they'll do, such as if they're experiencing back pain, shoulder pain, arthritis, etc."

Here's a basic exercise program for seniors based on Androsik's advice and other research I've conducted. Again, these are general recommendations and seniors should consult with a physician before beginning an exercise program. It would also be highly beneficial for seniors to exercise as part of a group or class, to help with motivation, to make sure they're using the right techniques and, of course, to enjoy the social aspect of exercising):

Cardio exercise (3-4 times per week)

Tip: Perform low-impact exercises that are easy on your joints. Start very slowly before increasing duration and resistance. Start with 5 minute cardio workouts and slowly progress to 15 minutes or more if you can.

Pick from the following: Treadmill, walk on track, exercise bike, pool workout, yard work, etc.

Weight lifting/strength training (2-3 times per week) Tip: Androsik says it's important to do high repetitions on exercises with low resistance or weights. Do light stretches before performing strength training exercises. Here's a sample strength training program a senior might perform:

* Good mornings 1 x 15 (one set of 15 reps) tip: stand straight, slowly bend down to touch toes or reach down as far as comfortable, rise back up and repeat.

* Shoulder rotations 1 x 15 tip: stand straight with arms out parallel to side, rotate shoulders 15 times in each direction. Good warmup exercise.

* Sit Ups - 1 x 15

* Side Bends - 1 x 15

* Squats - 1 x 12-15 tip: Use barbell, machine or without weights. Keep back straight by looking straight ahead at spot on wall, go down as tolerated but no lower than parallel with knees.

* Lunge - 1 x 12-15 tip: hold dumbbells to make harder

* Calf Raise - 1 x 12-15 tip: hold dumbbells to make harder or use machine.

* One Arm Rows - 1 x 12 - 15 tip: balance one knee on bench, other leg on floor. Pull dumbbell up and down with arm on side of body planted on floor. Builds shoulder strength.

* Rotator cuff with band or machine - 1 x 12-15 internal rotation, 1 x 12-15 external rotation. tip: have a doctor or trainer show you how to do these, great for preventing shoulder pain.

* Dumbbell curl - 1 x 12 - 15 tip: do them seated or standing

* Dumbbell bench press - 1 x 12 - 15 tip: do them lying on a bench

* Dumbbell flyes - 1 x 12 - 15 tip: do them lying on a bench

* Triceps extension - 1 x 12 - 15 tip: use machine or dumbbell. This is just a general plan to give seniors some ideas, but it's best to work with a trainer. Tweak as needed. Remember to use light weights and do high reps.

"Exercise can provide lifelong benefits," Androsik said. "It can minimize or slow down arthritic changes."

Basically, exercise can delay the aging process to a large degree in many people and if seniors find a program they enjoy it can actually be fun. What are you waiting for seniors - get back into the gym!

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Tips on Choosing a Personal Trainer

Not every personal trainer is the same, if they were fitness would be very boring and you would soon tire of the personal training robot in front of you. This leads to the question what makes a good personal trainer and what things should you consider when choosing a fitness trainer. Thankfully every personal trainer is different, but some people have preferences of their own when choosing a personal trainer such as they only want a male trainer or they want someone with a certain sports background. With my experience as a personal trainer in Sydney these are a few key things to consider when choosing a personal trainer.

Do they offer a free trial session? Will they let you try before you buy, this alone can a a very helpful tool when deciding if trainer is right for you. Take them for a test drive, if you like them great sign up if not keep looking until you find the one that is right for you.

Select one in your local area Are the training locations close to wear you live no point traveling half an hour there and back to train. Also any long distance can create a lack of motivation which is the last thing you want.

Review their website and credentials Have they studied to be a trainer are they qualified or are they just some washed up footy player who thinks he knows it all. Also asked if they are insured, there are a lot of fitness cowboys out there without the proper training and without any insurance avoid these people like the plague.

Do they have a good body? Do they have a great body, do you look at their body a say that's what I would like to look like. Because chances are if they can't master there own body what chance do they have of helping you master yours. It drives crazy when I see over weight and out of shape personal trainers. Personal trainers should be fitness leaders and lead by example and if they don't want to do that get out of the industry because your making the rest of us real trainers look bad.

What results have they had for their other clients? Do they have proof that there training works, do they have before and after photos of clients and other weight loss success stories.

Do they offer group sessions or single session? Do they offer groups or single session or do they offer both. Decide what you want to do before contact a personal trainer.

How much experience dose he or she have? Are they a ten year veteran or have they just left high school. You need to ask these questions

The last and most important tip I can give is don't make your decision solely based on price. As the saying goes you get what you pay for and the fitness trainer that charges the least often offers the least. Don't put a price on your heath and don't place your weight loss goals in the hands of some that might not know what they are doing.

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Fitness Motivation - A Procedure of Weight Loss

Fitness motivation should be provided to ensure the obesity is treated with care and affection. It is important to pay attention to improve the confidence of the obese people so that they can acquire confidence and inspire to lose more weight. Firstly, let's discuss about support groups which works in the area to provide ideal social networking platform for these people. A support group influences and talks more on positive aspects of the issues. The familiar atmosphere of many people with same issues can be the perfect ground to start a friendly conversation and enjoy best fitness motivation mantra.

The topics and issues discussed in a form of forum in these groups can also benefit you in creating a perfect environment to enjoy losing weight and gain advantage in the best of the forms. Upon sharing ideas and learning new and advanced fitness techniques can definitely provide the necessary boost required. Also, social accountability plays a very good part and goes hand on hand in these social networking groups. Many individuals search for best and reliable people to get them hooked and then make them accountable for the weight loss planning regime.

Most important in fitness motivation is the self inspiration. It is really a concern that not many people would follow the steps to ensure the inspiration comes in within. It a good practice to get self motivated and also ensure you are joined with positive frame of people to suggest and motivate you the long lasting results observed after hard work shown to improve fitness. The spirit of competition is another perfect step in fitness motivation and hence should come in an individual. This ensures tough fitness tasks performed by individuals and doing something more than their physical ability. This helps in great deal to ensure the friendly competitions and discussions can lead to more hard work.

The idea of also working above the level and watching great fitness videos, reading e-books can boost a great deal in fitness motivation. Start you day with little increments in the goals and then you will see that you have perfectly mapped your expectations with your existing strengths and thus will enjoy the weight loss process to a large extent. A good and relaxing atmosphere and enthusiasm of remaining active and doing small works like washing clothes can only add more feathers to your cap to do things which you have never done before.

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3 Fitness Motivation Ideas for Women Worth Trying

One area where men and women aren't so different is in having difficulty with fitness motivation. While many people set fitness goals for themselves, very often they find it hard to actually get started or remain consistent about exercising. Naturally there are some who seem to be highly self-motivated. But still, at some point even the most hard-core can have a low point, or even become bored with working out. The good news is, motivation is something you can control to some degree, if you know the right methods. In this article, we'll be covering three fitness motivation tactics that are geared to women in particular.

Some women can motivate themselves by referring to another time in their lives. They remind themselves of a point in time when they were truly unhappy with their physical appearance. This serves as a motivator for them to maintain their fitness program. There are a few ways to implement this approach. If you really want to remember what you looked like at this time, put an old picture in a prominent place. Some people would prefer to just visualize this image in their minds. It's helpful to set goals, so that you have something specific to aim for.

Seeing positive results is one of the most exciting aspects of working out, no matter what you do. No kidding, it is thrilling to see new muscles, lose weight, be able to do something for longer periods of time, etc.

Not to mention, seeing the results of all your hard work is highly motivating. Plus it really makes you feel a sense of accomplishment, and you cannot help but feel great. Know you will see great results and keep your goals firmly in front of you if you're just beginning your routine.

Many women experience the effects of over training. If you are highly motivated, work hard, and nothing seems to stop you, then the state of over-training will slow you down, for sure. Over training can be frustrating and is similar to burn out. You will find that 'the thrill is gone' feeling seems to be present more than ever before.

By taking a break from high intensity workouts, you can easily fix this problem. Slowing down and listening to your body is the best thing to do. Listening to your body will help you know when it's time to get back at it.

You will be confronted with motivation issues that are peculiar to women as you continue with your work outs. There is no way around that, but you can help yourself by learning about this issue with a little casual research. You can control the situation and deal with it effectively in lots of ways.

You can even take a proactive approach and have measures in place that can serve to prevent motivation issues from occurring in the first place.

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Fitness Motivation For The Bold

One thing that you will have to do is exposing yourself to healthy and fit people, if you are an athlete then it will be necessary for you to train with athletes of your caliber or even better. If you've never been fit all your life, then you'd better visit a park or a health club where people are working out.

For the sake of your fitness motivation, I want to emphasize that there is no absolute solution to your success. You will have to sit down with at least two books every month, and living out whats inside the book.Test that knowledge against what you know about the subject matter, and then practice it! While doing this remember to document everything for your future review, and it also acts as a record, for you to clearly see that you were productive.

If you think that you know everything about training your abdominal muscles, legs, arms or any other aspect of your health and fitness, then you are in for a rude shock.Why you wonder!, the reason is you are no longer coachable once you take up such a spirit.There are some people out there who can not be successful with their personal fitness trainers because they constantly challenge their trainers or always suggesting what should be done.At the end of the workout session, the trainer is drained and they lack the necessary fitness inspiration for the next workout session. Then there those who think that working out or watching their nutrition is a bad thing.This is ridiculous!

Here is the hard truth:Those of us who refuse to exercise or eat right, are basically saying that they don't see the point, and unless something really awful happens, such as developing high blood pressure, only then will they start paying attention to exercise and nutrition. It doesn't take a tragedy for you to change your mind. To those who are skeptical I urge them to visit their local hospital on a regular basis, for about three months. The amount of exposure you will get will be overbearing-and I can confidently say that , you will be a different person. This is your journey, nobody is forcing you to do anything, but don't let awful conditions force you to change your ways.

You fitness inspiration will shoot up to the skies the moment you come to God, your father. Talk to him and ask him to teach you something.You will be amazed! No longer will you be expressing words such as
" well, in our family we're just fat". Instead you will be uttering words such as "the lord is my constant, instant and abundant supplier".So that even if you don't enjoy working out in a traditional fitness center,
you will discover other enjoyable physical activities that will greatly enrich your life.

While on your fitness motivation or discovery path, you will realize that folks will start treating you differently. Bottom line, you will be different and others might have a problem with you-yes they will have a problem, not you! Glory to God, and keep rising to the skies, because you are God's chosen, and you share in his capacity.

Eric Odera is a fitness professional in New York City where he specializes in fitness motivation, fitness inspiration as well as designing powerful fitness programs.

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Fitness Motivation For The Soul - Part 2

I gave you the first part on how to crank up your fitness inspiration, and cheers to the second part of these exciting tips. What folks get into their bodies is so important that I can't emphasize, I think we could classify consumers into two broad families:Those who know(have a lot of knowledge) and those who don't know/or have little knowledge. Its all about applying the knowledge that you have received. I don't want you to just read these pointers and then leave them for the dead. No! let this words change your life, live this words, then you would have done yourself a favor. If you never intend to put these words to test, then don't even bother reading dear sister/brother. I love you, but I can't facilitate irresponsibility. Anyway, here we go again!

o If you are going to have an apple/celery stick and yogurt as snack. Add some walnuts, hazelnuts or flax seeds into the whole picture. It helps in keeping you satisfied and it helps in extracting the nutrients from the fruits.

o Please do not use bottled dressing on your salads, instead use extra virgin oil and fresh lemon juice. Bottled dressing has more chemicals than your local dry cleaners

o Keep a fresh supply of natural nuts in your freezer (unsalted), for fatty acids and their slimming effect.

o Choose old fashioned oat meal instead of instant oat meal, the latter is highly processed.

Eric Odera is fitness professional in New York City where he specializes in fitness inspiration, fitness motivation as well as designing powerful fitness programs.

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50 Motivational Tips for Exercise and Weight Loss

No matter who we are, we all have days when we just do not feel like exercising. The weather might be grey, you've had a busy day, or you might just be bored with your program. Whatever the reason, you just don't feel like it!

It's on these days that we need that extra motivation.

I've been exercising regularly for most of my life so I've had plenty of those days. To get me through, I've compiled a list of tactics to help motivate me.

Read something inspiring!
It could be a biography, quote, poem, or song. Use other people's experiences to give you that lift.

Start a walking group!
It's more social and you all get to feed off the motivation of each other.

Think of exercise as a menu rather than a diet!
Make a list of activities and choose 1 each day.

Use a training journal!
By keeping track of your activities you can see the improvements in your fitness week to week.

Start an interest or hobby that requires physical fitness!
It could be bushwalking, rock-climbing, tennis, golf, or scuba-diving. If you require physical fitness to enjoy the activity you will be more inclined to train for it.

Increase your incidental activity!
This is the amount of activity you do in your normal course of your day, the activity not generally classed as exercise. You could: walk to work, take the stairs instead of the elevator, get up to change the channels instead of using the remote, or play with the kids for 15 minutes per day.

Try cross-training!
If your exercise program is always the same then break it up with one session per week of swimming, bike riding, jogging, sprints, or circuits. You could even play a different sport and use it as a training session.

Use a personal trainer!
Personal trainers can provide motivation as well as training variety.

Use an exercise video!
If exercising in public places is not for you, then try training at home. There are many forms of training available on video including: boxing, aerobics, pilates, and yoga.

Just start!
You will always be able to find excuses not to train so don't think about it, just walk out the door.

Listen to music!
Put on the stereo or use a walk-man. Music certainly helps the time go faster.

Watch TV!
Most fitness centers currently have a cardio theatre where you watch your favorite shows whilst you work out.

Read about the benefits of exercise!
We all know that exercise is good for us but do you know why it is? Reading a reputable publication on exercise can inform you of the great ways exercise can improve your life. It's more than just being able to walk up those stairs!

Don't complicate things, make it simple!
You don't have to find a fitness centre or join a Tai Chi group. Just find a nice park and go for a walk or run.

Create a list of reasons you want to be healthy and read it regularly
It may be to improve health, play with the kids, or trek through India. Whatever the reasons write them down.

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Fitness, Exercise, and Diet Tips to Improve Overall Health

Obesity is becoming a larger problem not only among adults but children as well. Our lifestyles do not always permit us to have the time and/or energy to fit in exercise to our daily routine. Eating habits have conformed to what is easy and convenient, not what is healthy. People are bombarded by a plethora of information on exercise and fitness from numerous sources. Many do not have the time to gather all of the information in order to establish a solid workout routine to improve their fitness. This is a problem because an individual's overall fitness can affect their health.

So what do I mean by overall fitness? In my opinion, overall fitness is comprised of three factors: activity, diet, and motivation. Activity is essentially how active you are. Do you exercise regularly, play sports, or take part in some sort of activity that could be designated as exercise? Weight lifting, biking, swimming, running, playing basketball, or taking a yoga class would all fall under activity in overall fitness. Although, it is not limited to these activities mentioned. The more active you are, the better your overall fitness will be.

The second component is diet. People tend to sometimes claim ignorance on this aspect. Many people tell me, "I just don't know how to eat healthy." Eating healthy in large part is simply common sense. I think the average person knows that grilled chicken and vegetables is healthier than eating a hamburger and fries. We sometimes say we don't know when we really do. Calorie consumption and portion control are also two key elements in an individual's diet. Nutrition facts on the items we buy will help with these two elements. Many times the serving portions are smaller than most of us are probably used to. The key is not to totally deprive yourself of everything because then you set yourself up for failure. You can eat desserts, french fries, and pizza but the key is doing it in moderation.

The last component of overall fitness is motivation. This is probably the most important component of the three. Why you ask? Well think about it, if you are not motivated to exercise and eat right, then how are you going to improve your fitness? The two most difficult aspects to motivation are getting started and staying consistent. Many people will keep putting off exercising or changing their diet. The key is to just start it. You don't have to do it on the first day of the week or month. You can start right now.

The second aspect of motivation is staying consistent. Now that you have chosen to start exercising and eating right, it's time to maintain it. Incorporate eating healthy and exercising into your daily routine. Make it part of your day just like working or going to school is. If you set a routine, you will be more likely to follow it.

All of these aspects of your overall fitness of course can be broken down even further. It's important to focus on each one of these and try to improve each of them. If you can do that, you're well on your way to improving your overall fitness.

My name is Daniel Benedetti and I have a blog entitled "Fitness Forum." In this blog, I write about each of the three aspects of fitness and give simple, easy tips that anyone can use to improve their overall fitness. I compile information on exercise, diet, weight loss, and motivation all in one spot so you don't have to search through numerous sources on the internet for it. People of all fitness levels can make use of this blog and I enjoy interacting with my readers so check it out!

Want To Stay Home And Exercise? Here Are 5 Tips To Workout At Home And Not Lose Motivation!

Can't get on equipment since they are all occupied. Crazy and very loud music. Too many people socializing and not exercising. Intimidating. Expensive. Confusing contracts. Driving to the gym. Buying comfortable but expensive exercise gear. And so much more! These are the common things that most people complain about when going to a gym... and you know what... I was one of them! Then I decided to stay home and workout instead.

However, in the beginning, I hit plenty of roadblocks and ended up losing motivation like crazy! The good news is that I figured out 5 simple tips that will not only make it effective for you to workout at home, but also affordable, EASY, FUN, and you'll least likely lose motivation!

1. Do workouts that are fun...

There is nothing more frustrating than doing boring workouts! Also, there is nothing more that will deter you away from staying motivated with exercising at home than doing boring workouts. Solution? Do exercises that YOU find fun. I emphasized YOU because what may be fun for one, may not be fun for you. For example, a workout that I do at home is boxing on a reflex bag. This thing is such a blast! Not to mention, it helps relieve stress too! Now this may not be your cup of tea, but maybe doing something like the Insanity Workout or P90X will be something YOU find fun.

2. Do not complicate things...

Most people think that if they workout at home, the workout must be pretty complex in order to compare to the workout you can get a gym. This is not true. You can do basic and simple workouts at home and STILL get in shape just as you could at the gym.

3. Do body weight circuit routines...

One of the best at-home workouts that incorporate both of the things I just mentioned above is doing a body weight circuit routine. A body weight circuit routine is simply choosing a number (3,5,7, etc.) of body weight exercises, do them non-stop in a circuit for let's say 10 repetitions for each workout, rest for 30-60 seconds, and then complete the circuit again. This type of workout is INTENSE, it burns fat, it builds muscle, you lose weight, and you don't need equipment!

4. Make a space in your home that you can exercise comfortably...

One surefire way to lose motivation after some time is if you have to keep reorganizing an area in your home so that you can do a workout. The best thing that I recommend is to simply figure out a way to designate a particular area of your home that you can comfortably workout in... without having to do too much or any reorganizing.

5. Avoid getting caught in the exercise equipment trap...

This trap is set once you start thinking that in order for you to get in shape, you must have equipment similar to a gym. This is certainly not true! You DO NOT need a ton of exercise equipment to get in amazing shape. The equipment I use on a daily basis is a push-up bar, a dip station, a reflex bag, and a Swiss ball. Sometimes I'll use some weights I have lying around, but this is certainly not necessary.

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