May, 2019 | Life Health Fitness

What Are Causes of A Sedentary Lifestyle?

Factors that Affect Physical Activity

Your physical ability changes throughout your life span. It is easy to see that children have endless energy and keep going like the energizer bunny. Although times have changed and we know have electronic devices, most children still prefer to play outdoors with their friends. However, this behavior starts to change when they become teenagers. Unless they are involved in sports they become sedentary into their adult years.

As we get older, different factors begin to dictate our ability to stay active. With proper planning, we can often remedy the complications that interfere our physical activity. Individuals with chronic issues, however, must find ways to stay active that fits within their limits.

Factors that affect physical activity or working out can be real or perceived. Studies shows that weather, cost,environment, health and social factors can cause a person to be sedentary and they are least likely to enjoy physical activity. Furthermore, people who enjoy being physical active are more physically active (Solomon et al, 2003). Nonetheless, if you really want to improve you health and well being you will find a way to get moving. Can you relate to any of the below factors that might be preventing from being more active?

Social

Social factors affect physical activity more than you think. There is a lot of pressure to look a certain way, especially when wearing workout clothes. Many people prefer to work out in a private area. The social atmosphere at the gym can limit the freedom with individuals that are shy or self-conscious. Women may have a difficult time working out in front of men. It can help to have classes or weight rooms for women only.

Group exercise classes can also be intimidating. There are many different levels of students in these classes. Some individuals may be nervous because they do not know how to do the exercises. It can be helpful to remember that everyone in the class was a beginner at one time. The veteran students may be helpful when you have questions or need help with new moves.

There are many other social aspects of life that can get in the way of physical activity, as well. When your friends go out for drinks after work, it can be difficult to commit to working out instead. Plus you will be tempted to eat the bar food at happy hour. A healthy lifestyle takes a lot of self-control and discipline. But the journey is yours only and can be very lonely. Just keep your eyes on the prize.

Environmental

The environment you live in can easily affect your physical activity capabilities. Certain environment is not conducive to working out because the ambiance is not right. Instead of seeing people biking, jogging or roller blading, you are surrounded by people hanging out. The last thing you feel like doing is working out. Your mood often determine your action. In addition, a stressful home can drain a lot of your energy. You may be both mentally and physically exhausted from the chaos around you.

You can start to get this under control by setting boundaries and a schedule for the entire household. Kids can contribute to high stress levels if there are not clear rules. Even a cluttered home can make you feel too stressed out to exercise. Trying to keep a messy house in order can takes up a lot of time. A little organization can give you great peace of mind.

Depending on where you live, the outdoors can be an issue. Mild, comfortable temperatures make it much easier to get out the door and be active. Extreme heat can leave you exhausted and out of breath with minimal activity. Cold and snow can also leave you unmotivated to leave the house. If you live somewhere with very hot or cold temperatures, consider purchasing some versatile workout equipment for the house.

Is it possible to workout at home. This could be in your living room, garage or backyard. You do not need expensive gadgets to get a good workout. A collection of weights, a jump-rope, and a yoga mat are great accessories. Resistance bands and an exercise ball can also help while you follow along with your favorite workout videos.

Do you feel safe walking in your neighborhood or at the park? Besides criminals you might also have to worry about stray dogs. If it unsafe then you can always watch indoor walking videos or walk with a group.

Psychological

There a many psychological barriers to getting healthy, as well. If you suffer from depression or anxiety, you may have a hard time leaving the house. It is good make a workout schedule and try to stick to it. A workout buddy can also help you remain accountable and talk you through the rough days. Many people do not realize that mental disorders can cause severe fatigue and even physical pain. Exercising can relieve these symptoms, however.

It is common to feel overwhelmed when you must lose a lot of weight or are new to exercising. You may not see a lot of progress right away. It is best to lose weight slowly with a combination of healthy meals and exercise. It may takes 6 months to see a big difference. You can overcome this obstacle by focusing on how you feel instead of how you look. You may quickly notice an increased energy level, better sleep, and improved mental health.

Health

Do you have any health conditions such as arthritis that makes it difficult to be active? Hormone disorders, such as thyroid disease, may contribute to excessive weight gain. Even if you have health problems there is still hope. When health issues are involved, a holistic approach is necessary. A combination of medical care, nutrition and limited exercises can help you get healthy again. Physical therapy is a common activity that doctors prescribe to help people overcome injuries, as well. Experienced therapists can help you learn the proper exercises that lead to healing.

Psychosocial

Of all your close friend and relatives, are you the only one that is on a path to better health. If so you, then you are on your own and have to stay laser focus on your goals. Social Media is fill with groups that you can possibly participate in. These will be people of like mind and similar goals. Therefore, you will also be able to get tips and tricks of how to stay on track. Since your friends and family are not interested in your journey, then you will have to seek support from others that have similar interests.

Physical activity is not always easy but it is necessary for good health. Sometimes we procrastinate and want to wait until all the stars line up in perfect order prior to starting. Unfortunately , there is no perfect time but why not now? What’s stopping you from being more active?

Work Cited

Salmon, J., Owen, N., Crawford, D., Bauman, A., & Sallis, J. F. (2003). Physical activity and sedentary behavior: A population-based study of barriers, enjoyment, and preference. Health Psychology, 22(2), 178-188

Does Jumping Rope Count as Cardio or Strength Training?

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Does Jumping Rope Count as Cardio or Strenght Training?

For most people, jumping rope also know as skipping , evokes tender images of childhood games. However, jumping rope can also be used by people of all ages to get and stay in shape. If you don’t believe this, then consider that boxers, some of the toughest athletes on planet earth, consistently include jumping ropes in their routines as a way to develop speed, improve leg coordination, burn calories, and even gain strength.

Are you ready to get in shape in a fun and unconventional way? Then keep reading below to find out everything you need to know about skipping rope.

Benefits of Jumping Rope

Jumping ropes are cheap and easy to carry around. For less than $20 you can use this light piece of equipment to work out wherever you want, whether you’re at work, on a family trip, or watching TV in the middle of your living room. We could go on and on about the benefits of jumping rope, but, for the sake of brevity, we’ll focus on just two: cardio and strength.

Cardio Benefits

According to Peter Schulman, MD and associate professor at the University of Connecticut, skipping rope is a complete exercise which burns a lot of calories in a short time. Plus, compared to jogging, jumping rope is considered a low-impact activity because your feet are never too far from the ground. This helps to keep direct stress on your hips, knees, and ankles to a minimum, making it an excellent way to supplement your running routine.

Strength Benefits

While there isn’t enough evidence to believe that jumping rope can help you gain muscle, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that skipping rope is a good way to keep muscle. According to Brandon Epstein, from the Jump Rope Dudes, regularly skipping rope has helped many members of his community to maintain muscle, especially if they’re using a heavy rope. The benefits are also proportional to the way you work out, because the heavier the rope and the faster you spin it the more your muscles will be engaged to resist the torque of the rope.

Muscles Used When Jumping Rope

Do not underestimate the power of a jump rope. skipping rope is a complete workout which engages all of your body, although some muscles are more engaged than others. Obviously, your lower body plays the biggest role in pushing you off the ground, with the muscles in your calves, quadriceps, and hamstrings exerting the most energy. Skipping rope also works your glutes, as these are used to stabilize the body and absorb some of the shock of the landing.

Jumping up and down activates both your core muscles, especially your abdominals, and the latissimus dorsi muscles. These two muscle groups are responsible for keeping a good posture, that’s why it’s important that you pull your scapula together to make the most benefits out of it.

Since most people associate jumping rope with leg work, they forget that the upper body is the one who’s controlling the rope. Anybody who’s skipped a rope before has probably felt the burn in the arms after swinging the rope for a few minutes. Jumping rope requires the use of the pectoral muscles to stabilize your upper body while your shoulders, biceps, triceps, and forearms turn the rope over your head. These muscles are engaged even more when you do advance tricks such as the criss cross.

Don’t forget to stretch your lower body, especially your calf, after warming up the muscles.

Types of jumping ropes

These days you can find all kinds of jumping ropes going from the ones you used when you were a kid to cheap fabric types for the budget-conscious, abrasion-resistant ropes for outdoor use, light ropes for speed work, or heavy ropes to strengthen the muscles. Some of the most commonly used jumping ropes include:

1. Fabric jump ropes

Cheap and easy to make, these are the ones most people played with when they were children. Most are made using low-quality materials, like plastic handles and fabric or nylon rope, so they’re pretty heavy and slow, especially if they get wet.

2. Beaded Jump Ropes

These colorful ropes are considered to be the best for beginners as the sound they make when they hit the floor can be used to find one’s rhythm and cadence. Besides looking good, the beads help prevent the rope from tangling and increases its resilience, although one disadvantage is that they cause a lot of pain if you hit yourself accidentally.

3. Leather Jump Ropes

Their ability to improve leg coordination has made leather ropes a favorite among boxers as great as Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. The drawback of these ropes is that, being made of organic material, they aren’t resistant to moisture. Plus, they hit like a whip, so try wearing jeans when you use them.

4. Plastic or PVC Jump Ropes

Plastic ropes are cheap and easy to find, though the weight and thickness of the table makes them pretty slow. Still, they’re a good way to get started since, besides being cheap, they last a while and are perfect for outdoor use.

5. Speed Jump Ropes

Made out of thin vinyl, these ropes are extremely light and fragile. Being so light means they can be used to make an impressive amount of turns per minute (as much as 5 to 6 times per second) and complex maneuvers like crossing moves and multiple unders. So, if you really want to work on your cardio, these are the ropes for you. The downside is that you can only use them indoors and they’re prone to tangling,

6. Steel Cable Jump Ropes

Light and flexible, steel cable ropes are another type of speed ropes, but one which is considerably more durable than vinyl jump ropes. They’re great for advanced athletes who want to do double unders. However, it can be difficult to feel the turn of the rope if the cable is too thin, so it’s better to practice with a 4 mm cable.

7. Weighted Jump Ropes

These are usually made by adding weights to the handles, although they can also be made using a thicker cable. They are expensive and not friendly to beginners. However, they are excellent for building speed, strength, and endurance at the same time, so definitely try using them once you’ve mastered more basic ropes.

Speed vs Weighted Ropes

When choosing jump ropes, it’s important to keep in mind what are your fitness goals. Do you want to lose weight, maintain your muscle mass, or increase your cardio? Different ropes will have different results in your body, so it’s important that you choose accordingly to see the best results.

Both speed and heavy ropes work can improve cardio, but only speed ropes are able to turn quickly enough to really push your heart to the limit. Weighted ropes, on the other hand, will help you build muscle resistance and also work your cardio.

To sum it up, both have their benefits and disadvantages. However, if you can, the best solution would be to combine them in your workout routine so you can get the best of both.

Basic Jumping Rope Technique

There are two basic techniques to skip rope: the bounce step and the alternate-foot step. Both of these are really easy to learn but represent the building block from which you can start learning more flashy movements like double unders. When skipping rope, always remember to keep an upright posture and look in front of you to avoid losing your balance.

1. The Bounce Step

With your feet together, jump just high enough to let the rope past under your feet. Push with the balls of your feet while keeping your knees slightly bent. Land lightly on the balls of your feet and jump back immediately without letting your heels touch the floor.

2. The Alternate Foot Step

As the name implies, this technique involves alternating feet with each jump. The movement used requires greater involvement of the legs, as you must raise your non-jumping foot at least an inch from the jumping surface — sort of like a jogging motion, but raising your feet instead of kicking it backwards. Make sure you wait until the rope has passed over your head before initiating the next jump.

How To Choose The Right Rope Length

Picking the right length for your jumping rope is critical. Too short and your arms and shoulders will have to make up for it; too long and you’ll be dragging it through the floor. If anything, it’s better to pick a long rope than a short one, as you can always reduce length but you can’t add to it.

To get the perfect length, buy a rope that is about 2-3 feet longer than your height. If your rope is still too long for you, stand in front of a mirror with your jump rope straighten out in one of your hands. Step on it with one foot and keep an eye on the mirror to make sure the handles are even. Both handles should be either below your shoulder line but above your armpit (for beginners), aligned with your armpit (for fitness jumpers), or 1-2 inches below your armpit (for experienced speed jumpers). Now take a mental note of how much length you need to take off.

To shorten your rope you can either tie a knot just below each handle or remove the handle cap and cut out the excess rope. Make sure the knots aren’t in contact with the handles, if you picked the former method, or that you knot or crimp the end of your rope, if you picked the latter.

If you want to get your heart up and tone your lower half jumping rope will be a good choice. Jump ropes are cheap, easy to use , portable. They can be used anywhere including your living room.

References

•WikiHow (2019, April 04) How to Size a Jump Rope

•Livestrong (2019) Different Kinds of Jump Ropes

•Men’s Health (2018, June 11) Can skipping ropes build muscle?

•Human Kinetics (2019) Improve overall conditioning with these basic jump rope techniques

•WebMD (2002) Skipping Rope Does Skip Workout

•Livestrong (2019) Jumping Rope Uses Which Muscles?

•Crossrope (2018, August 17) Learn How to Jump Rope: The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Jump Rope Training

•Velites (2017) Step by Step GUIDE to choose the BEST Jump Rope for you

•Livestrong (2019) Weighted Jump Rope Vs. Speed Rope

•Livestrong (2019) What is the Correct Length for Jump Ropes?

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How to Overcome Common Barriers to Exercise

Exercise Obstacles: How to Persevere and Stay Motivated

Most people are aware of the many benefits of exercise. Even a brisk walk can help restore your mental and physical health. Getting into a routine, however, can be difficult. Some people are fortunate to be naturally motivated, have money for a gym, or have supportive friends.

The demands of work and family can often get in the way of an exercise routine. Mental state is also an important part of working out. Rigorous movement often helps to bring a more peaceful mental state and helps you focus better, however. Motivation is key when it comes to daily self-care through exercise. Overcome these common exercise obstacles that prevent exercising.

Tired

It is ironic that exercise solves many of the problems that cause you to avoid it. Exercise increases your energy level by increasing the amount of oxygen that enters the brain by initiating better blood flow. Lung capacity also improves the more you exercise. If you feel too tired for a full workout, take a walk with your dog, dance around your house, or ride your bike to run an errand. Once you get moving little, you may feel better about doing more.

Depressed

Depression is another symptom that can improve with regular exercise. This disorder, however, can be severe and cause people to remain inactive. Make a small checklist for your day and include exercise. Sometimes a list simply keeps you grounded, giving you something tangible to refer to when you feel a bit lost in your own mind. Enlist a friend to help get you out of bed or to meet you for morning walks.

A little something to look forward to can go a long way, as well. Treat yourself to a special coffee or television show after the workout. You can also combine your workout with something else that you must do each day. This way you do not have to get motivated to go out multiple times. For example, park far away from the grocery store to get a walk or use a gym near work on your lunch break. If you are unable to leave your house you can do housework, walk up and down stairs, or follow a workout video.

After Work

Many people wake up with the intention of having a productive day. Even the best plans to exercise, however, can be overlooked after a stressful day of work. Accountability partners are a great help. If you know someone is waiting for you to take a run or workout together at the gym, you feel more obligated to show up. Bike to work or carpool with an accountability buddy so you must get some exercise before going home.

Getting up Early

It is often easier to get your exercise done before the late day exhaustion hits. If you are not a morning person, however, you may be more interested hitting the snooze button. If you despise rising early, try a morning workout only one or two days a week. Once you exercise more, you may naturally begin to wake up with more energy. Start with short routines while you adjust to the new schedule. Remember that your morning mood starts the night before. There is no substitute for a good night of rest.

Alone

You may be envious of those people that run together every morning or talk for hours at the gym. There are, however, some perks to working out alone. There is no better reason to put in your ear buds and enjoy your personal space with your favorite tunes. With fewer distractions, you can finish quickly, for one.

You can also go at your own pace instead of pushing too hard to keep up with others. You can often find some fun workout companions at home, as well. Grab your kids for active games in the living room or a trip to the pool. The family dog may also appreciate a little run around the neighborhood.

Overweight

One main goal of exercising is to lose weight. It is much harder to move, however, when you are out of shape. If you are new to exercise, visit your doctor to check your health status first. You can also get some suggestions for nutrition and avoiding injury. Look ahead to the exciting day when exercise becomes easier. Set small goals and celebrate the victories on your journey, as well. Everyone has different abilities. Be proud of what your body can do as you learn new exercises and gain strength.

Self-conscious

It is common to be self-conscious about how you look in workout clothes or while participating in a class. Purchase some workout gear with your favorite colors or fun patterns. Comfortable clothes are a must-have, however. If you feel bad, your confidence can plummet. Instead of hiding in the back of exercise classes, sign up for beginner classes so everyone is learning together.

Pain

Did you injure yourself or have chronic pain related to a disease? Your doctor can help you manage the pain with the proper medication. If did injure yourself you should give yourself time to heal. You do not aggravate the condition. This will only lengthen the healing time. If take pain medications, take around the time you plan to exercise. Pills take about 30 minutes to start to work , therefore adjust your workout time to sync your `. You can also take regular breaks when you are exercising. Your doctor may also prescribe physical therapy to help you get stronger and heal better.

If you are simply having muscle soreness from your workouts, be sure to prepare properly each day. Stretch well, eat foods that replenish your body, and get plenty of rest. Your body heals best when you take good care of yourself. You can also designate days that you work on different parts of your body.

Busy Lifestyle

Being busy is the most common excuse for not working out. It is surprising, however, how easy it is to fit in a little exercise. You can replace a coffee date with friends for an outing at the park, for example. Instead of watching your kids play outside, run around with them. Even house chores, such as mopping, can get your heart rate up. Put on some wireless earbuds and clean to the beat.

No Funds for the Gym

Many businesses make large profits off those that want to get fit. Gyms are great because they have all the equipment in one place, tons of classes, and trainers for hire. You do not need to join a gym, however, to get healthy and fit. You can save up and get a few things for home, such as hand weights, a yoga mat, and an exercise ball. Subscribe to a YouTube channel that offers exercise videos and meal plans for help with motivation. Many outdoor parks have running trails and exercise equipment for public use, as well.

It can be challenging to get motivated to work out. Even though exercise gives you more energy, new routines are hard to establish. You may not feel well, dislike early mornings, or have a busy work schedule. Take small steps and reward yourself for meeting goals. It is also important to be realistic about fitting exercise into your day. Every little bit of movement helps. Walk, bike, or dance on days when you can’t fit in a full workout. With a little perseverance, you can stay motivated to get healthy.

Four Ways Your Workout Routine Can Stress You Out

Everyone has been told time and time again that engaging in exercise regularly is good news for their physical and mental health. This is usually true, and the importance of exercise to people’s well-being cannot be emphasized enough. Your body adapts to regular workouts when they are done correctly, resulting in physical changes that help to decrease your likelihood of developing a range of health conditions, such as diabetes and coronary heart disease. In addition, regular exercisers tend to have a reduced likelihood of experiencing mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety.

Despite the benefits of exercising, your workout routine can have negative consequences. Much of the time, these negative effects stem from a lack of knowledge. Stress is one negative outcome that can arise from your workout routine. It may also be one of the least acknowledged negative outcomes since physical activity is renowned for reducing stress. Here are four ways your workout routine can stress you out and what you can do about it.

Relying Too Much on High-Intensity Training

If you believe that more is always better when it comes to physical activity, you may also believe that high-intensity training should be your number one fitness priority. High-intensity workouts are known to be great calorie burners and, therefore, great for weight loss or preventing weight gain. However, high-intensity workouts can have negative consequences. Since high-intensity training is demanding on the body, it can have negative and potentially serious consequences if you engage in it excessively or when you are stressed, as well as if you have certain health conditions.

One negative effect of relying too much on high-intensity training is that it can heighten stress. Exercise itself puts physical stress on the body, thereby triggering cortisol release. Cortisol is a hormone that is linked to stress, as well as fat retention. If you engage in high-intensity training too frequently throughout the week or on days where you are already feeling stressed, it can cause you to feel more anxious and impede on your fitness goal of keeping fat at bay.

You can avoid feeling anxious from high-intensity training by only engaging in it a few times a week and by avoiding it when you feel highly stressed. You may opt to replace high-intensity training occasionally with exercises that are gentler on the body, such as yoga and walking. If you are feeling particularly stressed, you could add a stress management technique to your gentler workout (e.g. incorporate mindfulness into walking). Alternatively, it could be that you simply need time off working out to relax and rest. If this is the case, give your body what it needs so that you can return to your training recharged and ready to go.

Only 2 – 3 day per week of HIIT workout is necessary. These workouts should be a few days apart.

Your Workout Routine is Too Rigid

Sometimes workout routines must be highly rigid. This is typically the case if you are training for a specific event, such as a marathon or weight lifting competition. Alternatively, you may need to maintain a certain level of fitness for recreational activities, such as scuba diving. In other cases, having a workout routine that is highly rigid can cause unnecessary stress.

When a workout routine is too rigid, it can cause you stress by making you feel pressured to fit your workout into a busy schedule. You may experience this type of workout-related stress if your life has recently become more hectic or if you have biased ideas about what qualifies as exercise. If left unchecked, the pressure experienced from trying to fit a workout into your busy day can, over time, make exercise feel like a chore. This may spell disaster when trying to maintain a workout routine since the enjoyment derived from exercise is an important long-term motivator.

If you are struggling to fit your workout routine around a busy lifestyle, try replacing one or two of your weekly structured exercise sessions with physical activities that are easily incorporated into your daily routine and invest in an activity monitor. Small daily changes, such as putting 30 minutes aside daily for walking, could amount to the same number of calories burnt during a one-hour gym session over the course of a week.

Worrying About Being Judged

If you are new to working out, you might get stressed out by the idea of being judged whilst exercising. Your two main concerns are likely to be that people will judge you based on how you look or how you perform. You may find these thoughts mildly discomforting or highly off-putting. They might even discourage you from engaging in exercise altogether.

If you worry about being judged while working out, there are several things you can do to alleviate the discomfort. First, you could take a friend along to your workouts for emotional support. Second, you might decide to change your workout time so that there are fewer people around. Third, you could try exercises that are more solitary. If you opt for the second or third option, be sensible and ensure that you are in a safe environment. Last, you can work out at home.

Comparing Yourself To Others

That stress in your head. Social media is filled with also sorts of fit chics. In fact, you might follow some of them and buy their workout products and programs hoping to look like them. The sad part is you start the program and use the recommended products but do not get the results you were hoping for. Why don’t you have the 6 pack abs or hour glass figure with sculpted and tone legs like they do? One reason can be is because some of the pictures are retouched to perfection. Another reason can be because your body composition might be different due to your genetics. Furthermore, you are not giving the program long enough time to work because you want a quick fix. Most body transformation takes a minimum of 6 months. This varies from person to person because we all have different starting points.

While it is good to visualize your perfect beach body and stick a picture of Janet Jackson with her 6 pack abs on your vision board, you have to get real about the state of your current body. If you start out with just 10-20lbs to lose, then you might achieve that 6 pack abs quicker than someone who has 50lbs to lose. Don’t be stressed that you are not getting the results you want especially if you just started. You have to give it time.

Conclusion

Exercising is known to be highly beneficial to well-being. Nevertheless, stress is one negative outcome that can arise from your workout routine. Your workout routine can cause you stress if you rely too much on high-intensity training, have a workout routine that is too rigid, or if you worry about being judged. You can avoid being stressed out by your workout routine by making changes to it, starting with those listed above.

Exercise places strain on the body and, consequently, poses a risk. You should get medical advice before participating in or altering an exercise routine. You should also ensure that the environment you exercise in is safe.

Dance Your Way To Good Health: Best Workout Music

Please Don’t Stop the Music

There are plenty of ways to lose weight. However, in order to do achieve this goal some form of physical activity is necessary. But it doesn’t have to be a drag, boring or painful. It can be fun and exciting. Some people do workout videos, some do yoga and some spend countless hours at the gym. While these can all be very effective methods; it solely depends on the individual and what they can tolerate doing consistently for a long period of time. You have to be in it to win it. The people that end up with the best results are the ones who find joy in their chosen form of exercise.

One method of exercising that is not often discussed is by song and dance. Studies show that dance workouts like Zumba are effective because they are fun and do not feel like exercise (Krishnan, et al. 2015). You can sing along and dance and burn some calories all at the same time via music. Add house cleaning to the mix and that fat has zero chance of winning its war against you.

When most people think about dancing they think of it as more of an event or something that you go out to do. It is not closely associated with losing weight. However, that is simply not the case. Dancing keeps you constantly moving and constantly burning calories. With good music you can go on and on and on til the break of dawn or sunrise is some cases. Most wouldn’t even notice because you are having fun in the process. Just think about it; when was the last time you’ve seen a depressed two-step. Depending on your music preference, there are plenty of different choices to choose from. You don’t need a choreographed routine. All you have to do is find the rhythm and keep up with it. It’s best to find a fast rhythm but a slow rhythm can be just as good.

Although I like a clean house I would rather someone else clean it. But I must say once I put some music on I can clean the entire house from top to bottom without even noticing the lapse in time. What is your preferred music when cleaning or washing the car? Also, do not forget that cleaning the house counts towards your physical activity.

Music is a universal language and almost everyone enjoys music. Even if you can’t dance and have no rhythm you can enjoy listening to music during your physical activities. Furthermore, you can enjoy the music without even understanding or speaking the language. Yeah you might sound crazy singing a song in Spanish if you can’t speak but who cares. Step out of your comfort zone and try adding some of the below to your playlist.

Salsa:Cuba

Salsa may be delicious for dipping chips, but if you want to dip into some of that chip weight it can be just as satisfying. It is a very fast paced genre of music. The congas will make you want to move and the maracas will make you want to shake. Plus who doesn’t need a little more cowbell. There are plenty of salsa workout videos on the Internet that will teach you the basics. If you want to burn a ton of calories and learn some sexy dance moves along the way then salsa is perfect for you. You can start moving your hips to tunes by Celia Cruz.

Reggae:Jamaica

There are several different kinds of reggae music; from dancehall to spiritual. However, the best kind for burning calories would definitely have to be dancehall music. Check out music by Sean Paul. Dancehall music is all about dropping it low and dropping calories in the process. It is a very fast paced genre with multiple different dance moves that have been developed overtime. It can get so intense that even the artist themselves often have a sweat towel in their music videos. Not only is it entertaining to watch, but it can help you lose some serious weight.

Reggae-ton: Puerto Rico

Reggae-ton is very similar to dancehall music as far as the high paced rhythm involved in the genre. It is a combination of hip-hop, Latin and Caribbean music. This is what makes it another perfect genre to workout to. It has a very quick tempo and requires high energy. This is great because high energy produces high results. You will break a sweat in no time. Check out some tunes by Daddy Yankee.

Pop:United States

Pop music is popular music. Michael Jackson is the king of pop. But their are plenty others like Beyoncé and Madonna to name a few. What’s not to like about Pop music. The selection of pop music choice is endless. The best thing about pop music is unlike salsa, there is no proper way to dance to pop music. Therefore, it is open to any interpretation. You can decide how you want to dance to this genre, or maybe the high energy of the music will motivate you to keep going while you are on that run. The tempo varies but I am sure you will find something you like.

Rap or Hip Hop:United States

You may not like Rap or Hip Hop for whatever reason but it made this list because it undeniable a good genre of music to flow to. It is a vast genre with a variety of different sounds and tempos. Did you know there are several kind of rap such as gansta rap, east coast rap and west coast. They come with different ways of expressing themselves through music. However, once you find the right playlist you can run the town. The bass and the drums is what you want to look for when picking what to workout to. There are also several dance moves associated with the genre that if executed the right way will have you burning calories in no time. Check out music by Jayz and 50cents.

Praise Gospel:United States

This genre may seem like the most unorthodox on this list, but it can actually be quite beneficial in losing weight. The tempo isn’t quite as upbeat as pop or salsa, but you still make this work for you with the right moves. The passion expressed in gospel music is inspiring and that inspires a great workout. It’s a great way to start your day off with positive vibes and if you are religious you kill two birds with one stone. After praising the lord you will eventually praise the results you see in your body. Start praising with tunes by Kirk Franklin and Yolanda Adams.

Traditional African Music

In Africa, singing and dancing are inseparable from each other. Rhythm and melody are two major aspects of African music. The tempo is quick, with a lot of drums to get your blood flowing. Get in the groove and become synchronized with the drums. Just continue to move to the rhythm and you are sure to get a good workout.

Soca or Calypso: Trinidad

Have you ever listened to Soca or Calpyso? If you haven’t then you should listen to music by Mighty Sparrow or Machel Mantona to get a feel of the waste whining rhythms. This genre of music is a combination of Latin, Caribbean, Indian and African rhythms. Although it will give you a better workout, it is not necessary to know how to move your waste line to get a good workout from this type of music. Try it out and see if you like it.

The key to losing weight and staying active is to find activities that you enjoy. Incorporating dance can be the perfect solution. Explore music from the different genres and creat a playlist of about 6 songs.

There is no wrong way to exercise. As long as you are staying safe and getting the results that you desire you can do what you enjoy in the comfort of you own home.

Work Cited

Krishnan, Sridevi, et al. “Zumba® dance improves health in overweight/obese or type 2 diabetic women.” American Journal of Health Behavior 39.1 (2015): 109-120. 30 5 2019. <https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25290603>.

Simple Activities to Reduce Your Body Aches

Daily Activities to Keep Your Body Healthy and Reduce Pain

Many people experience pain and inflammation because of bad habits, posture and lack of exercise. You do not have to participate in rigorous physical activities to cause pain and injury. Ordinary daily tasks such as bending to get the clothes out of the dryer or sweeping under the bed can put stress on your body. In addition, with the increase of computer and cell phone use, people tend to have more neck and shoulder pain. Sitting at work all day can also cause a strain on your lumbar spine (lower back) and legs.

How do you fix these aches and pain that are preventing from being active? A chiropractor can do an “adjustment” and realign your spine therefore improving your pain, while physical therapist can teach you how to walk or sit with proper posture. Regular massages can alleviate some of the stiffness and sore. You can also include some of these habits listed below and decrease you chances of aches and pain that are impeding on your livelihood.

Morning Stretches

Stretching should be a part of your daily routine. If you wake up feeling stiff and sore, stretching daily will help relieve the morning soreness. Some reasons for being sore are lack of activity, long hours at work, or a rigorous workout. Your body needs proper movement daily to stay limber and for your muscles to remain strong. Muscles deteriorate quickly when they are not in use. Stretching can prepare your muscles for the day ahead. It helps you warm up for a workout or provides a little movement before you head to the office. You are less likely to fall victim to an injury when you stretch daily. It best to stretch after your muscles are warmed. Stretching throughout the day is also beneficial.

Get Up Stand Up

You may notice that you hurt more after a day of sitting than after you exercise. The pain is also different. Soreness after a workout is more bearable than pain from putting an unhealthy strain on your body. If you have a job that requires long hours at a desk, you may become physically exhausted on a regular basis. This surprises many people. Your body undergoes enormous amounts of stress in a continuous sitting position as you hover over a computer. Get up and move every hour if possible. Take a walk to the bathroom, run to the copy room, or go outside if possible.

Get a Better View

It can be difficult to get into a comfortable position for viewing your computer or cell phone. The first reaction is to lean forward, placing unnecessary strain on your neck and upper back. You may end up with both neck and shoulder pain that can become chronic. Put your phone on a stand on the table while watching videos and adjust the height of your desk chair to view your computer straight ahead.

Make Use of your Car’s Headrest

Do you use the headrest in your car? If you don’t then here is a good way to use. Sit for 5 mins in your car and let your head relax on the head rest. Release the muscles in your neck. It may be several hours before you can get into bed and relax your entire body. This quick fix can help to alleviate pain and get you through the rest of your day. The first time you do this, you may realize just how much stress you are putting on your neck during your workday.

Avoid Crossing your Legs

Crossing your legs may feel comfortable at the time, however, you are likely to regret it as the day goes on. This position does more than put strain on your muscles; it can also raise your blood pressure slightly. The main issue, however, is the strain it puts on your hips. Hips are a major weak point in elderly people, so it pays to be mindful of them from a young age. Crossing your legs twists your hips and increases pressure on the spine. This can lead to pain in the back or neck. Most people may not even realize the origin of this pain.

It is best to keep your hips level. This can be accomplished with a high-quality, adjustable desk chair. Lower it until your legs and hips are at a right angle. If you need to remain at a different height to properly see your computer, place a small stool underneath your feet to level things out.

Invest in a Massage

Massage is a great way to release tension. A full body massage on a regular basis can help keep your body in good condition. This luxury, however, is not affordable for everyone. A short upper body massage can offer many of the same benefits. Enlist your spouse or a friend to help you out. You can even pay your kids a few dollars to massage your neck at the end of the day. Your shoulders and jaw hold a lot of the tension from a stressful day. Even a short shoulder and neck massage can release this.

Pay Attention to your Posture

Good posture can be a difficult habit to get into. It is easy to slouch when walking if you are not used to holding your shoulders back. This can be an especially big problem for tall individuals. They may spend more time slouching to better fit in with their peers or make eye contact during conversations. A myriad of problems can result from slouching. When your head leans forward, it increases the weight that your spine must support. This leads to nerve damage, headaches, and compressed discs.

Get Moving

One of the best things you can do for your overall health is to get moving. You do not have to incorporate a rigorous workout routine into your schedule to stay healthy. Simply take a walk during your lunch hour or with your dog in the evening. Take a low impact exercise class or dance around your living room. Short breaks to get moving during your workday can also help to keep your muscles in good shape and make you more alert.

Sleeping Position is Important

Most people have a signature sleeping position. Yours may not be healthy for your spine, however. People that sleep on their stomach may increase damage to their spine and experience more pain during waking hours. Your weight is not evenly distributed when you sleep on your stomach. It tends to remain on your midsection. This can put excessive strain on your back. Your neck is also turned at an odd angle for many hours. You may experience pain, numbness, and tingling from sleeping on your stomach.

Get an Adjustment from a Chiropractor

Have you ever cracked your knuckle or watch one of those movies where one guys grabs another guys neck and twist it till you hear that crick? Well that is exactly what chiropractors do. But is not so dramatic. A visit to a chiropractor can realign your spine and alleviate some of the pain you have. This is called an adjustment. If you have back, neck or shoulder pain you should get evaluated by a chiropractor.

There are many things you can do to maintain the health of your spine. Even with professional chiropractic care and regular massage, maintenance is important. These tips can help you keep your spine in optimal shape and decrease pain you may normally experience. Work with your health care professional to come up with a long-term care plan.

Cardio Versus Strength

Cardio or strength? It depends on your goals. The answer is as individual as the road to your desired results. Here, we’re going to take a look at a variety of goals and examine some of the best practices to achieve your individual fitness goals.

Depending on what it is that you hope to achieve, you are going to want to adjust your workout accordingly. The first thing you need to decide is what kind of body you want. Would you like to simply lose weight or would you like to add some tone and definition? You do not have to exercise to lose weight. Diet play a bigger role than exercise and infact you might start to gain weight when you start to strength train. Therefore, if you only want to see the numbers go down on the scale then you do not have to exercise.

On the other hand exercise will can give you a certain kind of physique that dieting alone cannot. The right exericse can help you develop muscles and curves in the right place. To what degree do you want to develop your muscles? Would you like to have tone, tight, compact muscles or would you prefer to have a more bulk physique?

Aside from your physical appearance, it’s also important to consider what your physical goals are. Are you interested in a career or hobby that will require heavy lifting or a specific type of strength? Are you interested in pursuing something along the lines of gymnastics or another type of physically demanding sport in which strength and muscle control is vital? It could be that you simply would like to be able to run or jog sometimes and keep up or be able to maintain a lively dancing pace during a night out on the town.

Exercising to increase your cardiovascular health is quite a bit different than weightlifting and engaging in other strength building exercises. You don’t necessarily need to add any strength training to a cardiovascular workout, but a cardio workout should definitely be included in a strength building regimen. Let’s go ahead and take this opportunity to discuss the fact that if you have been leading a sedentary lifestyle or you are planning on increasing your activity level to something beyond which your body is accustomed to, it’s important to have a conversation with your doctor before engaging in any exercises that could increase your heart rate. For some, this could be potentially fatal, so it’s important to know your limits and have a thorough conversation with your doctor about the most ideal way for you to implement exercise into your life and alter your lifestyle to achieve your beach body goals.

Although cardio workouts and strength building workouts are different, they can easily coexist. The degree to which you want to sculpt your body will dictate the degree to which you should include either or both. The varying levels of each workout will be discussed as we examine the best cardio exercises and effective strength building workouts.

Cardio

High impact aerobics, jogging, dancing, running, and even speed walking are all great cardio workouts that don’t involve a lot of strength training. Depending on your age, height, weight, and physical condition, you will burn anywhere between 180 and 410 calories during a half-hour workout, so if your goal is weight loss, take some time and figure out about how many calories your workout is burning so you can adjust your time and diet appropriately. Remember: Weight loss is about burning more calories than your eating, and you want to be burning at least around 400 to 500 more calories than you are consuming.

If your goal is to combine cardio and low-level strength training, burpees are an excellent addition to a workout. There are multiple variations of a burpee, and we will outline the basic format. You can either choose to squat once, stand back up, crouch down to put your hands on the floor near your feet, launch into a pushup position, do at least one pushup, come back to your feet, stand up, and repeat the entire sequence. You don’t necessarily need to squat, but you can take an extra step to extend your arms up as you take a breath and exhale. This helps to open the airways and help the heart beat at optimal levels.

To focus more on strength, you can either add wrist weights (for light training) or hold on to dumbbell weights as you complete each sequence. Once you get going for at least a few minutes, an average amount of calories burned per burpee is about 10 (again, though, depending on a variety of factors). You can choose whether you want to start with a number or a length of time. Take time to do a few before you commit to something outrageous. It’s important to remember that exercising can be overwhelming. Burnout happens way too quickly for some, because they make too large of a commitment. Five minutes to start something is better than doing nothing. One hour of too much exercise that will only result in physical pain and self-defeating thoughts doesn’t generally last. Five minutes will turn into ten minutes, and so on if there is consistency.

Strength Training

This is the part where you think about how toned or how bulk you want to be. How much weight to do you want to be able to lift? What are your physical goals? One of the best things to remember is that slow reps with a lot of weight will help you get big muscles. Lower weight with quicker reps will build tight muscles, but it will also result in more toning and cardiovascular exercise (including weight loss). If you plan on going to a gym, there will be a variety of workout equipment with instructions on how to use the equipment along with a diagram of the muscle groups each machine targets. You can also look up a variety of strength building exercises online if you are using your own weights or equipment. Instead of sharing multiple individual strength training workouts, let’s just cover some important information about making sure that your heart stays healthy enough for your increasing level of strength training.

Lifting heavy weights is very physically demanding, and it requires a good physical condition. If you are involved in a strength enhancing or muscle building workout regimen, at least about 25% of your workout should be focused on cardiovascular exercises. A good diet packed with lots of protein will also boost your muscle building efforts. You want to consume things like eggs, cottage cheese, lean meats, poultry, nuts, chickpeas, protein shakes, etc. Remember to give muscle groups time to heal – especially if you are maxing out in your workouts.

Maxing out is simply lifting until you absolutely cannot lift anymore. It’s always important to have a spotter when handling heavy weights. It’s especially important to have a competent spotter if you are planning on maxing out during your weightlifting sessions.

Remember to try to include core strength exercises in both your cardiovascular workouts and your muscle building exercises. Core strength is more than just having a great set of abs. A strong core results in less back pain, more longevity, and overall better cardiovascular health. You can have the body you crave. Never forget that there is an abundance of support right at your fingertips to help you achieve your body sculpting goals.

How to Stick with Your Plan to Get Fit

While it’s commendable that you fully intend to stay with your fitness plan and get in shape, following through with such a plan can be a different matter altogether. It’s easy to quit an exercise plan and to rationalize to yourself that it makes sense to do so. Here are tips that help you stick to the fitness plan that you create, and get to where you need to go.

Begin With The End In Mind

Often, fitness resolutions fail simply because people neglect to couple them with a clear plan. While it can be great to head in with lots of enthusiasm, vague or nonexistent goals often result in aimless exercise routines and a lack of results.

It’s important that you set out with a well-defined target. It could be the ability to run a half-marathon or dropping a few dress sizes. When you have a clear goal in mind, it can motivate you, and help you focus your mind on achieving it.

Set Real Goals

When you try to set goals for yourself, it’s important that you find ones that are achievable for your level of physical fitness. Being overly ambitious setting your targets can backfire. If you’ve never run over a mile, aiming to run even a half-marathon can be an overreach. You may burn out, lose motivation, or injure yourself.

Aim to run a mile at first, and a 5k next. It’s important to understand that the capacity for physical exertion builds gradually.

Create a Workout Schedule

To make sure that you stick to your fitness plan, you need to ensure that your workouts each day are non-negotiable. Carefully plan out a couple of hours each day when you can manage it, and make sure that you put it in your calendar. You need to schedule time in your calendar to make sure that you find the time each day, and aren’t distracted by other responsibilities.

Write it Down

Start an exercise diary, and put in how much exercise you get each day. As you fill up those pages, you’ll come by a feeling of accomplishment. When there are pages that are empty because you had to skip a workout, it’ll fill you with regret, and resolve not to let it happen again. A journal is a great way to hold yourself accountable.

Join a Group

Joining a running group or another fitness group can be a great way to stay committed to your plan. If going to the gym is your plan, sign up for some exercise classes, or buy time with a personal trainer. When you involve other people in your plan, you’re less likely to give up.

Mix it Up

As important as it is to create a routine, you should remember that routines aren’t the same thing as monotonous repetition. You’re less likely to stick with a plan if you’re bored with it. Mix up your exercise routine to make sure that it stays fresh. Plan a long swim or some cycling a couple of times a week in place of your regular run, for example.

Plan For All The Excuses You Will Likely Make

You are often likely to be tempted to skip a workout. Your mind may come up with all kinds of excuses for why you should take the day off. You may tell yourself that your muscles are sore, or that you deserve a day off for the hard work you’ve put in.

Finding ways to win the mental battle against the desire to slack off can sometimes be harder than the exercise that you need to put in. To help overcome the temptation to give in to the excuses that your mind comes up with, write down all the reasons that you’re likely to think of, and find reasons why your fitness goals are even more important to you.

Reward Yourself

As much of a struggle as it can be to get yourself to get exercise, sometimes, you can get so involved in your workouts that you forget to feel good about how far you’ve come. You must always remember to pat yourself on the back or to give yourself a day off every once in a while, as a reward. Rewarding yourself can help you stay with your plan.

Listen to Your Body

You are likely to be forced to quit even if you don’t want to if you come down with an injury. While you should overlook minor aches and pains as you work out each day, you should recognize when you’re injured and give yourself the rest that you need. It’s important not to make an injury worse than it is by continuing to put pressure on it. If you make an injury worse than it has to be, you may be forced to give up exercise.

Invest in Good Training Gear

You’re not going to be able to train for a 10k in tennis shoes, and you won’t be able to swim well if you don’t protect your eyes with a good pair of goggles. Going in without the right gear will only make exercise more uncomfortable than it has to be, and make it easier for you to quit. While you don’t have to splurge on high-end equipment, you should get quality stuff to help make sure that your time working out is as comfortable as it can be.

Sticking to an exercise plan can be hard work. When you understand how your mind works, however, you can help yourself stay with your plan over the long haul.

Fitness over Fifty: Healthy Exercise Tips To Get You Started

When is it Too Late in Life to Exercise?

It’s never too late to take exercise. While in later life your exercise regime won’t be the same as for younger people, it’s still important for your health. Even if you’ve never exercised before you can enjoy regular workouts. Keeping fit and healthy prolongs life, supports independent living, and improves mood.

The Positive Power of Exercise in Later Life

Whatever exercise you adopt, it will help you in several ways. Living an active life can help you off-set many of the problems of aging. It will help you keep strong and flexible, support a healthy weight, avoid disease, and keep cheerful.

Maintain Muscle Mass

As people age, they lose muscle mass. Regular workouts help counteract this effect, rebuilding muscle tissue. Resistance training combined with stretching will keep you strong and flexible as you age.

Burn Fat and Boost Metabolism

As you get older, your metabolism slows down and you may put on weight. Regular cardiovascular exercise helps burn excess fat and keeps you trim. If you do resistance training too, the added muscle will also burn more calories and help you keep a healthy weight.

Fight Disease

Scientific research shows that you can reduce or avoid the risk of many of the diseases associated with aging by living an active life. Heart disease and high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and even Alzheimer’s disease are all less likely if you exercise. Working out boost metabolism and keeps your immune system in good shape.

Exercise and Mental Health

If you exercise you are more likely to feel positive about yourself. One risk as you age is the possibility of social isolation and depression. Exercise can also get you out and about with other people.

What Exercise To Do?

Whatever your age when you start exercise, your needs will be different to those of someone else. Before starting any new exercise regime, it’s a good idea to see your doctor for check-up and get clearance. A session with a training or fitness advisor can be a helpful start. If you haven’t exercised for a while, you should always start with something easy and build up to harder activities as you improve your fitness. To reach optimum health, besides eating a healthy, balanced diet, you should include the following in your regime:

Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise is any activity which increases your heart rate and warms you up. Fast walking, gentle jogging, skipping rope, swimming, and gymnastics are examples of cardiovascular exercise. “Cardio” improves heart health, burns calories, and oxygenates your brain. Plug your earphones in or turn on the stereo and dance to your favorite music. Get lost in the music and just dance.

Resistance Training

Resistance training involves lifting weights or doing body-weight exercises. You don’t have to aim for bodybuilding to enjoy resistance work. Weight training builds muscle and strength and helps keep you trim. Body weight exercises such as push ups, lunges and squats can be done at home. Once you have mastered the basics you can add weights or resistance bands.

Flexibility and Balance

Exercises for flexibility and balance may include stretches and activities like yoga, tai chi, and Pilates. Keeping flexible helps you with everyday activities like gardening or housework besides decreasing your risk of injury during other exercises. Working on balance helps avoids risks associated with falling.

Functional Training

Workouts can be non- traditional when you add in functional training. Sit to stand, wall pushups, and climbing stairs are bodyweight functional exercises you can start at home without equipment. The objective of these exercises is to get you moving in ways that you normally move when going about you daily life. For instance, sit to stand. I am sure you are already standing from a sitting position. You can do it even when you are watching TV. Here is how to do it. Proceed to sit with the back of your legs against the chair. Push your butt out in a squat and lower your body. Your butt and leg muscles will be activated. Push up with your legs to stand all the way up before hitting the seat. You will feel your legs working . If you need to hold on to the arm rest, you can. Repeat 8 times to start. Its important that your form is good. Therefore, practice as much as you can.

Experiment and Explore

Experiment and explore several exercise options. Low-impact exercises which don’t involve jumping and pounding are better for your joints. Walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, cycling, and racquet sports are all good options for cardiovascular exercise. Weight training under proper supervision is a good idea. Yoga, tai chi, and Pilates help with flexibility and mental health. It’s up to you how much of each you do and it can be a good idea to vary your routines to stop you getting bored. Exercising in a class or with your friends brings you physical, psychological, and social benefits.

Should You See Your Doctor?

It’s a good idea to see your doctor before you take up any new form of exercise. Your medical practitioner can advise you of any precautions you may need to take based on your current health profile. If after you exercise you experience chest pains, dizziness, nausea or any other unpleasant symptoms, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. In most cases, it will be nothing to worry about but it’s as well to be sure.

Live Strong, Live Long

Unless you have been an athlete all your life as you age your body will slow down and you won’t be able to exercise as intensively as a younger person. But that doesn’t mean you should stop altogether. With the right exercises and at the right pace, keeping active is always a good plan, whatever your time of life. And it’s never too late to start.

Benefits of Walking to Exercise: Nine Reasons Why Walking is The Best Exercise To Help You Lose Weight

Walking as a form of exercise has received a bad rap over the last several years. Many people aspiring to transform their body, lose weight, be healthier, or maintain their weight have been conditioned to think that they need to do more than just walk to see both short-term and long-term results. There are other individuals, however, who insist that walking is enough to make a significant difference in your overall fitness and well-being. And they are right. You gain the same health benefits of exercise like you do with other activities without the risks and expense. Below are nine reasons why walking is the best cardio workout for your body and budget.

1. Walking is Easy

We learn how to walk early in life, so it is not an exercise that takes any effort to learn or master. Even if we own alternate transportation most of us are pedestrians. If you want to increase your walking intensity try walking faster, longer, going up hills or adding weights. Then you can also more walking days. If you know walk for 3 days now increase it to 4 days per week. It is so easy to change it up without changing your schedule. Start taking your baby steps by committing to walking 15 mins per day .

2. Walking is Easier on Your Joints

As we age, the tendons and ligaments surrounding our joints harden. When this occurs, joints become less mobile and simple motions, such as lifting a box, become more challenging. Although walking requires motion, it is a much more restrictive motion compared to rigorous forms of exercise. It’s considered a low impact exercise.

3. Walking is More Enjoyable

Although there are many fitness enthusiasts who love to engage in challenging workouts, there are also many others who want to live healthier lifestyles but don’t want to push their bodies too hard. For several individuals, a brisk walk at the park or in nature is more pleasurable than lifting heavy weights at the gym.

4. Walking is More Accessible

One of the best things about walking is that it is an excellent choice for exercise no matter the fitness level of the individual. Everyone, from beginners to professional athletes, benefits from walking. No tryouts necessary nor do you have to join a team. The benefits that you will gain will motivate you and keep you strutting.

5. Walking with Friends and Friendly is Highly-Motivating

Going for a walk with loved ones can greatly benefit one’s health. By walking with friends and family, you can motivate each other to keep going or walk faster. Studies have demonstrated a strong correlation between exercising with a partner and achieving personal goals. If you are busy this might a good time to catch up with a friend.

6. Walking is a Gateway to Running

If you want to start running, you should start with walking. In fact, most running programs includes walking alternating with running. You must walk before you run.

7. Walking is Cheap

You do not need any special gear or shoes to walk in. You can walking in any comfortable clothes and shoes. Walking can lift your mood and give you energy. Feeling stressed? Go take a walk. Gather your thought, recenter and calm your mind. If you want to make it more challenging then walk up some hills or add booty bands or do both.

8. No Membership Required To Walk

You can walk anywhere. You do not need to go the gym. The beach, park, or your neighborhood are few of the places you can go for a walk. Going up hills will burn more calories than walking on flat surface. Don’t forget the stairwell.

9.Walk While You Work

Take your lunch break and go for a walk. Plan to wear comfortable clothes and shoes on the days you want to walk. I know they say it’s best to east slow but on the days you want to walk take a sandwich or something that’s not complex to eat . You want to spend your time walking not eating. Most places allow 30 mins of lunch . Plan to eat for 10 mins and walk for 20. If you get longer lunches then take that additional time to walk.

Conclusion

Like more intense exercises, walking has lots of the same health benefits but can be more fun for some. Reaping the benefits of walking means you have to be consistent with your routine and come up with a plan that fits your unique personality and situation. The American Heart Association recommends 30 mins of physical activity 5 days a week. Walking can help your reach this goal.