We all know a good exercise routine is a crucial part of maintaining our health. But if your aerobics class has you feeling disenchanted, or you just aren’t thrilled with the idea of running to the gym lately, you definitely have other options you can try to keep your body moving toward your fitness goals.
Badminton
Some healthy exercise possibilities might surprise you. For instance, badminton can serve as a light or strenuous workout, depending on how intensely a person plays, and is appropriate for children and adults. The game utilizes the entire body because of all the movement it requires, and promotes upper body strength in particular, along with stamina, flexibility, and core stability. High-level badminton matches may have participants running up to four miles, and changing direction 300 times.
Belly Dancing
Belly dancing is a low-impact workout that promotes back and hip flexibility, increases core strength, and helps tone the entire body. Some people believe this dance form has considerable benefits for pregnant women, as it requires a woman to strengthen her abdominal muscles, which she will rely on intensely for delivery. Some of the deep breathing taught in belly dancing is also used in childbirth classes.
Exercise Pool
Water is a unique environment in which to exercise because the resistance it provides boosts muscle strength, flexibility, and stamina. An exercise pool or plunge pool can support most or all of a person’s bodyweight, which is especially helpful for an injured individual. That person can exercise without placing unnecessary stress on his or her injury.
In a water aerobics class, a workout can be tailored to suit individual needs and abilities just by adjusting the size and speed of workout movements. Every joint and muscle can be used simultaneously, and it’s even likely that the person exercising will work up a sweat (but will fortunately feel a little cooler in the water).
Ice Hockey
Don’t let the seasons limit your exercise routine. Instead, see what you can do with what the weather hands you. For the right person, ice hockey can be an ideal way to work out a little stress in the winter, while doing something fun with friends. The sport requires that a person engage his lower body and abdominal muscles to stay balanced, while the upper body is busy controlling the hockey stick. In just the typical 60 to 90 seconds a player is on the ice, his heart rate can reach 190, and even off the ice, he will continue burning calories.
Play with Your Kids
What better way is there to couple family time with personal fitness? Enlist the help of your little ones to tone your body while giving them the time with you that they crave. Grab your toddler and fly him around like an airplane. Put your baby in his carrier while you do lunges around the house. Head to the playground and play tag together, or grab your teen for a game of basketball. You’ll all be getting the best of both worlds.
The key to freshening up your workout is creativity. Don’t be afraid to try something new and enjoy the many benefits exercise brings to your body and your overall outlook.
(photo credit U.S. Navy)
Author Bio: Brandon Serna is a fellow fitness enthusiast who enjoys sharing the benefits of exercise pools with the world. His post today is supplied by Hydroworx.
Throughout the workday one is obligated to perform assignments and answer to another in order to earn wages. One’s own personal feelings and thoughts may be set aside at least partially throughout the workday and that is why a personal time out is one of the ways to change hats at the end of the day. Even a 15 minute time out, or sanity break, if you would like to call it that, can do wonders for one’s perspective.
This is your time, so do not rehash the events through the day, especially if they were trying events. Those need to be set aside and replaced by “me” time. Take a moment to reflect on nature, family, a vacation you enjoyed, a personal accomplishment or something that was particularly satisfying or rewarding. One’s life needs a balance and if you dwell on your tasks or work or your family’s needs you can almost be assured that your energy will drain from you and you will not be up to the tasks at home.
One should not continually sacrifice of their time and energy without replenishing themselves. In trying to give their family their most they may be leaving themselves depleted so that there is a smaller and smaller resource of energy available to draw upon in order to be the caretaker they once were. The “well needs not run dry”, there are sources of replenishment. Here are a few:
- Prayer and meditation. Many find praying and meditating to be a constant source of spiritual strength. It helps to focus outside of one’s self and to stop and realize we are not the ones in charge here. There is a higher power.
- A nature walk. Studies have shown that walking is a wonderful and safe way to work out and a scenic route can also provide some lovely looks at nature. Green has a natural calming effect on the senses.
- Work out in the gym or play a game of your choice with friends. Many people gain enjoyment from joining golfing, bowling or other such clubs or leagues. The camaraderie will improve one’s outlook and self-esteem while the sport participation is a good cardiovascular workout.
- Garden. Flowers, herbs, and vegetables can be grown in a very small area or grown large scale. A garden can be as small as a window sill if need be. Many studies show that plants are beneficial not just for consumption but in preserving air quality and our earth. Gardens enhance our living areas and make life much more enjoyable. There is also something very rewarding in seeing a seed reach it’s maturity and provide us with beauty and sustenance.
- Take time out with a pet. Studies indicate that having a pet at home improves hospitalized patient’s recovery odds by 500% upon their release from the hospital. A pet provides unconditional love and devotion which cannot be measured.
- Soak your feet. There are many foot soak preparations, homemade and store bought which can relieve the tension felt in one’s feet and help to improve the overall mood. The pesky creeping Charlie that is springing up in yards everywhere has astringent and skin softening properties. Place some in a tied piece of fabric and drop it into a dishpan. Soak feet in warm water.
- Chat with a friend. Friends make a daily load much lighter and if they are going through their own ordeals (who isn’t) listening to theirs and helping them to solve them all the sudden brings our own into prospective.
- Make a thank you list. Somehow the frustrating things have a way of surfacing to the forefront of our mind. It is our choice to continue dwelling on those or to replace the unhappy thoughts with pleasant ones. Make a list of thanks you are grateful for and read through them.
- Eat a snack. There are foods, and there are power foods. While one may crave something sweet or fast there will be repercussions for grabbing the wrong one. Most fast food is weighed down with sugars, salts and fats. A healthy body will not stay healthy for long if fueled on the wrong diet. Grabbing a piece of fruit, some nuts or seeds is so much healthier and will not provide the sugar dump shortly after.
- Watch a funny movie. Laughter really is the best medicine. Laughter can lighten a load like no other remedy.
- Do volunteer work. Doing things for others is a very rewarding outlet.
If one is not good to themselves they will become unable to provide for others. The body needs to be taken care of to remain strong and healthy so if you are not good to yourself for your own sake do it for your loved ones.
Author Bio: Marina Chernyak is a freelance writer and co-owner of floor and table lamp store.
(photo credit Rick)
If you’re among the millions of people battling weight problems, then you’ll be interested to know this. There is a specific class of vegetables containing certain phytonutrients and these actually help you burn fat indirectly! Xenoestrogens are chemicals commonly found in our environment. They are found in herbicides, pesticides, petrochemicals from cosmetics and household cleaners. These Xenoestrogens wreak havoc in our bodies and stimulate them to store fat as well. Here’s a list of vegetables that contain indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and other unique phytonutrients; these veggies help us fight the effects of the estrogenic compounds found in chemicals. As a result, these veggies help us beat stored fat as well.
Eat these vegetables in their organic and raw state. Raw vegetables make the body work harder to digest them. This means that you lose fat in two ways; 1) The fat that you lose owing to their Xenoestrogen-fighting ability and 2) The calories that the body spends to digest these vegetables. Vegetables are generally low in fat and high in nutrients, which makes it easy for you to eat as much of them as you want. They will not add to your daily caloric intake, but will keep you feeling full and help you lose weight.
1. Broccoli and Cauliflower
Broccoli and cauliflower are cruciferous vegetables, and contain the best defensive properties and enzymes to combat the effects of deadly toxins we intake. To get the best out of these vegetables, steam them, grill them or stir fry them. Don’t boil them overlong. Eat these vegetables on a daily basis and in good quantities, to keep them working to the best degree possible.
2. Kale
Kale is an excellent way to fight the toxic effects of Xenoestrogens. Apart from fighting the bad guy, kale is so full of fiber that you get the benefit of a healthy bowel as well. Kale is also loaded with Vitamin K. Even though the taste can be a little strong and takes some time to get used to, try and include kale into your daily food regimen. Make a smoothie of kale with yogurt and spice it up with salt and pepper to make it easier to take this vegetable into your body. One thing is certain; the beneficial effects of eating kale will far outweigh any objections your taste buds might make!
3. Artichoke
Artichokes are probably one of the most nutritious and flavorful vegetables around. This vegetable is also probably the most underused vegetable in the world. It’s hard work, peeling the artichoke to get to the tender, edible part. People tend to avoid buying this vegetable because of the laborious preparation that’s involved. Still, if you were to put in the effort, even a medium-sized artichoke can give you over six grams of fiber and four grams of protein. You’ll be adding valuable nutrients to your diet and burning fat, besides!
4. Mushrooms
Mushrooms of all kinds, even the strong-flavored ones, are very beneficial as fat-busters. You can use mushrooms in various dishes; add them to your pasta sauce, sauté them in garlic butter, use them as pizza topping. Mushrooms are full of vitamin B, as well as potassium. The potassium reduces your body’s water retention. The salt in our food helps the body retain excess water which makes us feel sluggish and bloated. Getting rid of this excess water reduces your weight and increases your energy levels. Include mushrooms in your diet to achieve this.
5. Tomatoes
Tomatoes, whether you consider them a fruit or a vegetable, are power packed with nutrients. Endowed with more vitamins than most other vegetables, tomatoes also include good amounts of cancer-fighting lycopene. Low in calories, you can eat as many tomatoes as you want. They are high in water content as well, which makes these vegetables wonderful salad and salsa additions for the summer! The water content also makes them a great fat burner.
OTHER FAT BUSTING VEGGIES
Porous vegetables contain more water, which is what you need to bust fat. Include the following vegetables into your diet to get the fat-busting advantage.
- Carrots
- Celery
- Turnips
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Rhubarb
- Green beans
Author Bio: This article was written by John who owns a nursing scrub store NursingUniforms.net.
(photo credit DrBacchus)
