 6 Weeks to a Healthier Lifestyle | |
| Get Started with Exercise | |
 | from Paige Waehner Your next step in creating a healthy lifestyle is to learn about exercise. Moving your body is important for keeping your body and mind healthy and, the good news is, there are lots of ways to stay active and have fun no matter how long it's been since you've exercised. This week, you'll spend some time learning more about cardio and strength training...the more you know about how exercise can keep you healthy and fit, the more motivated you'll be to do it. The articles, workouts and quizzes below will help you get more educated about how to move your body for health, fitness and a better quality of life. |
| Cardio Basics | |
| Cardio exercise is one important component of a healthy lifestyle. It helps you condition your heart, protect you from many types of cancer and heart disease and it helps you manage your weight. The following quizzes and articles will help you determine how much you really know about cardio as well as your fitness level and what may be holding you back from sticking with a cardio program.
Now that you've got a little more knowledge about cardio exercise, it's time to educate yourself a little more about exactly what you should be doing when it comes to cardio. My Cardio 101 series will teach you:
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| Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced Cardio Workouts | |
| The following list of workouts will give you some ideas for how to use some of the more popular machines at the gym including the treadmill, elliptical trainer and stationary bike. You'll also get some ideas for cardio moves you can do at home with no equipment. The workouts are divided into Beginner (Beg), Beginner/Intermediate (Beg/Int), Intermediate (Int) and Advanced (Adv) workouts. Please modify the workouts to fit your fitness level and be sure to check with your doctor if you have any medical conditions, injuries or concerns.
Don't forget, you don't have to get on a treadmill to get a great workout. Stick with activities you enjoy and you'll be more consistent with your workouts. | |
| Monitor Your Intensity | |
| If your goal is to lose weight, how hard you work is an important element in your cardio workouts. By working in your heart rate training zone, you can ensure that you're working at the right intensity--enough to burn calories without killing yourself. Working too hard could lead to injury and burnout while not working hard enough can lead to frustration when you don't see results. The following resources provide the information you need to calculate your target heart rate and learn all about how to monitory your intensity.
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| Strength Training Basics | |
Though strength training is often neglected in favor of other activities, it's just as important when it comes to your health. Strength training has been proven to:
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| Choose Your Strength Workout | |
Now that you know more about strength training, it's time to set up your routine. If you're a beginner, the following workouts are a great place to start:
If you'd rather have more guidance, you might want to try online personal training or work with a trainer face to face at your local gym, in your home or at a personal training studio. You can also use videos or books to help you learn more about proper form, exercises and workout ideas. For more workouts, visit my Workout Center or use my Workout Finder to help you find the perfect workout for your fitness level and goals. | |
| Flexibility | |
| Being flexible is another part of being healthy...tight muscles can lead to pain and, sometimes, injuries. Tight muscles can also shorten your range or motion for daily activities, so it's important to maintain at least a basic amount of flexibility to keep your body healthy and feeling good. Stretching regularly can enhance physical performance and help relieve any muscle tightness or tension many of us feel after sitting all day. While there is some controversy about stretching to prevent injury, there's no question that post-exercise stretching should be part of your workout routine. Not only does it help you cool down, it feels good and it's always good to end your workouts on a good note. While some experts recommend stretching after you warm up and then again after your workout, I typically have my clients stretch only at the end of their workout, especially if it's a cardio workout. The reason for this is that the warm up should be specific to the workout you're about to do--if you're jogging, then starting with a brisk walk or light jog will help get your body ready for the harder work to come. Stopping after you're warm to stretch doesn't seem to have much benefit, unless you have a specific injury or tightness that needs to be worked out. Check out these Flexibility Workouts you can add on to your workouts for more flexibility and relaxation. | |
| Yoga & Pilates | |
| We've covered all the major components of exercise--cardio, strength training and flexibility, but there's one more to go and that involves your mind and your body. Yoga is just one way to get your mind and body connected through specific breathing techniques and poses designed to help you relax, stretch and get to know yourself a little better. While it isn't much like cardio or strength training, yoga does have an important place in your exercise routine, allowing you to slow down and actually feel what you're doing. Pilates is another mind/body activity that, though different from yoga, is also focused on breathing and making your body stronger where it's most needed--at your core. The following resources, workouts and articles will get you started with your yoga or Pilates practice.
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| Putting It All Together | |
| One of the hardest parts of setting up an exercise program is trying to figure out how to fit it all in. Should you do cardio and weights on the same day or separately? How often should you workout? What's the best way to schedule all these different activities? How you schedule your workouts is up to you and your goals, fitness level and schedule. If you're a beginner or you're trying to create a long-lasting exercise habit, it's best to start simple (e.g., 3 days of cardio, 2 non-consecutive days of strength training) and work your way up from there. You can also use the following resources and programs for more guidance in setting up a complete exercise program. | |
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