Keeping Fit

You don't need to break the bank to break a sweat. If you are on a budget, follow these simple steps for an effective workout at home.

Cardiovascular activity

Cardio exercises help you lose weight, decrease stress, strengthen your heart and lungs, gain energy, and generally feeling better.

Some simple at-home aerobics include:

• jumping jacks
• jogging on the spot
• invisible skip rope
• running on the spot with high knees

Search online for alternate examples of more challenging cardio activities, or rent a workout video from your local library. For adults, aim to complete at least 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity cardiovascular activity each week. Try to be active for at least 10 minutes at a time or longer.

Calisthenics

Calisthenics help you develop flexibility, increase muscle strength and endurance, and gain energy.

Typical calisthenic activities include:

• lunges
• squats
• pushups
• crunches

You can find more examples of calisthenic activities online. Try to include activities that target your entire body into your weekly routine. Shoot for 20 to 30 repetitions, gradually increasing by 5 to 10 repetitions each week until you reach your target.

Yoga

This mind-body-spirit activity is ideal for increasing flexibility, enhancing balance, toning muscles, increasing blood flow, and promoting a feeling of peace. A yoga mat, some floor space, a 30-minute beginner's yoga video, and an open mind are all you need to start learning the basic postures.

Weight training

Weight training is your ticket to strengthening muscles, burning fat, improving flexibility, and building bone mass. Dumbbells and barbells are low-cost tools to help you quickly achieve concrete results. Find a fitness book or search online for examples of total body strength training exercises. To start, perform 8 to 12 repetitions. In addition to your cardiovascular exercise routine, add muscle and bone strengthening activities at least 2 days per week to further benefit your health.

Exercise ball

This bouncy fitness tool is all the rage, and with good reason as it improves core stability, strengthens hard-to-tone muscles, enhances posture, and improves balance and coordination. You can purchase a ball online or at your local fitness store – ask the sales associate about the right size for you. The web is full of examples of exercises you can perform on the ball.

Things to remember:

• Work within your comfort zone.
• Choose a quiet spot with enough free floor space.
• Breathe regularly throughout your workout.
• Include warm-ups and cool-downs in your workout – 5 to 10 minutes of stretching will do.
• For exercise beginners, check with your doctor first about your ideal routine.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Keeping-Fit

Home workouts have come a long way from the days of pumping iron in a dank basement corner. The market is full of fitness equipment, clothing, workout apps, and online videos to help you achieve a fitter, slimmer body – in the comfort of your own home.

Consider the following home workout tips:

Keep your eyes on the prize

Establish your fitness objectives: Do you want to lift weights, do cardio, or both? Do you want to include yoga, Pilates, or tai chi in your routine? Perhaps you'd like to do a bit of everything?

Begin with exercise activities you know, like, and can afford and gradually add new and more challenging activities to your routine.

Location, location, location

Pick a spot in your home that's furniture-free and big enough to accommodate tall and bulky exercise equipment such as a universal weight-training machine, treadmill, or free weights. Basements are ideal exercise zones because they insulate the sounds (and smells!) of your workout.

Get the right gear

For heavy-duty exercise machines, comparison shop at different fitness stores or online. If you're on a tight budget, purchase smaller equipment, such as doorway pull-up bars. Complement your workout with do-it-yourself aerobics such as jumping jacks and invisible rope skipping as well as weight-bearing exercises such as push ups and lunges.

Remember the days of browsing the aisles or websites of book retailers for suitable workout DVDs? YouTube fitness channels are the new workout DVDs. There’s a wide variety of great videos available online, so you’ll always be able to find something that meets your needs.

Choose comfortable, well-fitting workout clothes and running shoes, and any extra desired gear, such as a yoga mat, dumbbells, or a smartwatch.

Set the stage

If possible, install bright lights and mirrors on one or more walls to monitor your progress and to help you assess your form when doing exercises.

Use sufficient air conditioning or oscillating fans to keep the room cool and moisture-free.

Protect your flooring against the strain of machinery and heavy weights by installing thick, sturdy rubber mats.

Go the distance

Fitness experts say that to lose weight, you should exercise for 45 minutes to an hour, 4 to 5 times a week. Diversify your workout to help you maintain momentum: mix up your cardio exercise with skipping and kickboxing moves; break up weightlifting time with abdominal crunches, push-ups, and squats; and invite a friend to exercise with you.

Challenge yourself with increasingly longer and more intense workouts. If you stick with it, eventually the pounds will melt away to reveal a slimmer you.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Keeping-Fit

Top-tier athletes, weekend warriors, and clubgoers love their sports and energy drinks – but are they really getting a boost?

Seattle-based dietitian Lola O'Rourke says so-called "functional" drinks that promise increased endurance and mental clarity in a bottle are often full of hype – and may even harm, not help, you.

Here, O'Rourke provides the lowdown on these punch-packing beverages.

Sports drinks vs. energy drinks – what's the difference?

Sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade recharge the body by replacing the materials, such as electrolytes, used up by the body's muscles when exercising. They're geared toward athletes wanting to replenish their bodies after serious physical activity, but are popular among average consumers.

Energy drinks, such as Rockstar, Monster and Bang, contain legal stimulants such as caffeine, carbohydrates, herbs, and sometimes sugar, and are marketed to young people, students, and sports players.

What ingredients should I look for?

Sports drinks typically contain sugar, water and electrolytes (which include sodium, potassium, phosphate, calcium, and magnesium). O'Rourke advises choosing those with lower levels of sugar.

Energy drinks usually contain caffeine, sometimes sugar, amino acids such as taurine, and herbs such as guarana, ginseng, and gingko biloba – some of which are better known than others. She suggests opting for drinks with lower caffeine levels, and researching ingredients before drinking beverages that contain them (keep in mind that herbs can act like medications and have side effects or interact with other medications you may be taking).

Who should consume them?

High-level athletes exerting themselves for an extended period of time can benefit from sports drinks, O'Rourke says, but recreational athletes and average consumers don't need them for daily tasks.

O'Rourke says that until more is known about the buzz-promoting ingredients in energy drinks, it's best to avoid them or drink them in moderation.

What are the risks?

Athletes who rely too heavily on sports drinks may overdose and make themselves sick by upsetting their electrolyte balances, O'Rourke says.

The possible risks of energy drinks are far greater, she says.

"The combination of excess caffeine and herbs we know little about can be harmful," O'Rourke says. Caffeine can also remove calcium from your bones.

She adds that mixing energy drinks, which are stimulants, with alcohol, a depressant – a trend among clubbers and party-all-night ravers – sends your nervous system mixed messages, which can cause heart-related problems.

What are the alternatives?

Everything we need to stay hydrated, energized, and focused can be found in our diets, O'Rourke says.

Sports players can use water to stay hydrated, and whole fruits or fruit smoothies to stock up on the carbohydrates and protein they need to maintain their stamina, she says.

For the average person, she says, water and whole foods will do the trick.

"A balanced diet of water, whole grain foods, fruits that contain antioxidants, and protein- and fibre-rich foods provide the nutrients you need to stay alert and invigorated."

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Keeping-Fit

Some foods get a bad rap for no good reason. Take chocolate, beef, and cheese, for example – we call them naughty nibbles and blame them for our high cholesterol, heart problems, and widening waistlines. But are they really so bad for us?

Toronto-based dietitian Zannat Reza gives the lowdown on five so-called bad foods that are actually good for you.

Chocolate

Public enemy number one among the health-conscious may not be as harmful as we think, Reza says.

While chocolate's high in fat, calories, and sugar, she says, it also contains cancer- and heart disease-fighting antioxidants such as flavanol. Some researchers also speculate chocolate is a mood booster: it contains an amino acid called tryptophan, which the body uses to produce serotonin, the feel-good hormone. Some studies even showed that dark chocolate may help lower high blood pressure.

Choose:

• dark chocolate: it's purer, less fatty, and most nutritious – melt it over strawberries, bananas, and other fruits

Avoid:

• white chocolate or supermarket checkout chocolate bars filled with marshmallows, nougat, and other fatty fillers

Eggs

According to Reza, it's time to get cracking. Eggs may be high in cholesterol, but they usually don't negatively affect the blood cholesterol levels of most people. People with heart problems or high cholesterol levels should talk to their doctor about how much they can consume.

Eggs are also low in fat and packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and protein.

Choose:

• boiled or poached eggs, which are low in calories
• eggs served with whole-grain toast, fruit, or vegetables

Avoid:

• fried eggs served with bacon, sausage, ham, and home fries

Beef

Many people have a beef with its high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol, but beef also contains 14 essential nutrients, especially iron, vitamin B12, and zinc, Reza says.

"Beef is important for brain development and for thinking clearly and functioning properly," she says. Choose:

• lean cuts of beef with a minimal outer layer of fat
• lean ground beef
• grass-fed beef – it's lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, and higher in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids

Avoid:

• fatty T-bone and prime rib cuts
• steaks slathered in butter and cream sauces

Nuts

Go nutty over nuts! They may be high in fat, Reza says, but it's monounsaturated fat – the cholesterol – lowering kind found in olive and canola oil. They also contain vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, which fight heart disease and high cholesterol.

"Eaten in moderation – a handful a day – nuts are very good for you," Reza says.

Choose:

• a handful of unsalted, dry roasted, or unprocessed nuts for a snack
• nuts sprinkled on your salad, cereal, or yogurt
• natural brands of peanut butter without sugar, salt, or other additives

Avoid:

• high-fat foods such as ice cream or brownies with added nuts

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Keeping-Fit