Posts Tagged ‘fitness’

10 Benefits of Joining a Fitness Boot Camp for Women

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

In the past few years, the fitness industry has seen an increase in military style workout programs called fitness boot camps. These programs are short in duration and usually last about 4 weeks with 3 sessions per week.

The main goal is to get you in the best shape possible in the least amount of time. Most of the programs are offered to everyone, while others cater exclusively to women only. A fitness boot camp for women can be a great way to get back into shape while having fun at the same time.

Here are 10 great reasons and benefits to join a fitness boot camp for women:

1). Avoid the unwanted stares and attention from men during your workouts. Most women do not like to be “checked out” while they go about their workouts. It can be intimidating and uncomfortable for many women who are only interested in their fitness boot camp workouts.

2). Some women are self-conscious of their body image prior to joining. Weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are important, but just as important is finding a comfortable environment to workout.

3). They provide women with the time to bond and share common interests that they may not experience with unisex workout classes. Women can feel comfortable joining solo or with their friends.

4). Women tend to be less competitive than men; therefore, the atmosphere in the boot camp workouts while serious tend to be more relaxed.

5). The nature of program is very focused and goal-oriented. Making a boot camp into a routine with the same group of people over time means that everyone is motivated to attain their fitness goals..

6). Fitness boot camps for women tend to be more welcoming and less intimidating for women of all shapes and sizes.

7). You can have fun getting into shape and work towards your goal of either being healthier or losing weight. They can be held indoors or outdoors for maximum workout benefits.

8). If you don’t exercise regularly, jump start your fitness by getting into a routine and making it a regular part of your lifestyle. Women have busy lives and it’s difficult to make time for themselves. Making a regular fitness class over time will help you achieve a more balanced lifestyle in the long-term.

9). It’s a great way to make new friends and network with one another.

10). Aspire to the next level. Once you achieve success with your first workout, you’ll want to take your newly found fitness level and try a more advanced workout. This prevents your body from plateauing and ensures that you continue to push your body to get even more results. Once you start, don’t stop!

In the end, my advice is to first check out the camp you are interested in to find out if the class program and environment is suitable for you. Find out what certifications and experience the instructor has before joining. Make sure your instructors also have current CPR and first aid certifications. Above all, you should look for an instructor who makes you feel motivated, encouraged, and energized. For some, this may mean a military type style workout. For others, it may be something less overwhelming. Find something that suits your comfort zone, get started, and train safe!

Fitness for Women- Stay Fit and Healthy!

Saturday, July 11th, 2009

Here are 10 tips for women to stay fit and healthy:

1.    Staying fit and healthy starts with a balanced diet. Know and monitor the right weight for your age. Consult your doctor to learn what food you should avoid and follow your eating discipline routines. If you are trying to lose some weight, foods with high calories should be omitted from your meals. Food with high fiber and low fat should be included a priority in your grocery list instead of red meat, sugars and fats.

2.    Drink plenty of water. Drinking at least eight glasses of water everyday. This cleanses the body from impurities. It is also advised for lactating women to increase water intake to keep the body hydrated.

3.    Take Vitamins and Supplements. Do not forget your Calcium supplement.  Sufficient Calcium intake is beneficial for women of all ages. This has been proven to prevent having cramps and Pre-Menstrual Period (PMS) Symptoms. It also prevents Osteoporosis especially for menopausal women. Vitamin E boosts strong immune system. Women who undergo menopausal period should take Vitamin E-400 as it stops night sweats and hot flashes. Also, Vitamin E is said to be best in avoiding wrinkles when aging.

4.    Quit smoking. If you are smoking, stop. It is also a big “NO” for pregnant women, as this will affect the health of the baby. Pregnant women who smoke may pass the harmful content of cigarettes to babies through the bloodstream. Recent studies have shown that women smokers are more prone to diseases than men smokers. Women who smoke have a high risk of getting breast cancer. Also limit your alcohol intake.

5.    Incorporate exercises in your daily routine. Take a walk after work, use stairs instead of elevator or play with your kids when you are at home. Home exercises are also effective especially when you do not have time to go to the gym and would like to lose some weight. Yoga and Pilates are only a few of the many effective exercises you can do at home. Exercises help in limiting the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

6.    Avoid stress. Many women are prone to too much stress. Stress has been known as cause to many sicknesses. As much as possible take time to relax. Read a good book, hang out with friends and engage into sports. Pamper yourself by going to parlors or you can do some shopping. And do not forget to get enough sleep to revive your energy.

7.    Use sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Wear hats when under the sun to protect your skin. Too much sun is bad for your skin. The skin is prone to cancer when exposed to too much sunlight. It also speeds up the aging of skin cells, which causes wrinkles to women.

8.    Make sure to visit your dentist to keep that beautiful smile. Always have it cleaned to prevent cavities and bad breath.

9.    Visit your Gynecologist. Women who are eighteen and above should have their Physical Examination annually especially for the Pap Smear test. Women who are forty and up should have their mammograms and the Breast self-exam is encouraged once puberty has been reached and should be a habit as they mature

10.     Safe sex is strongly recommended. Use condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

Beauty and Fitness

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

Health is wealth. By being physically fit, it can make a person look lean both inside and out.

There is a lot a person can do such jogging or walking  in the morning, playing basketball or any other sport with friends but if a person wants to have muscles and look lean, the best thing to do will be to sign up and workout in a gym.

Just like taking any medicine, one should first consult the doctor before undergoing any form of exercise.

Physical exercise is beneficial because it helps maintain and improve ones health from a variety of diseases and premature death.  It also makes a person feel happier and increases ones self esteem preventing one from falling into depression or anxiety. It has also shown to make a person with an active lifestyle live longer than a person who doesn’t.

The best exercise plan should have cardiovascular and weight training exercises. This helps burn calories and increase the muscle to fat ratio that will increase ones metabolism and make one either gain or lose weight.

A person who has never worked out before should do it gradually. Doing it too much for the first time can make one pull a muscle or have an injury making it worse. Endurance will never be built in a day and doing it repeatedly will surely be good to the person.

Focusing on certain portion in the body can help make it improve. A good example is going to the gym and doing a workout more often in a specific area such as the abs can give one a chest pack.

But beauty is not only about having muscles which is what people can see. It is also about enhancing the beauty within.

Here are some things one can do everyday to stay beautiful and healthy;

·    Reading books and other reading material more often keeps the mind sharp just like working out keeps the body in shape.

·    Work no matter what kind it is produces stress. One can reduce this by taking the time out to do something special like lying in a hot tub, shopping or watching a movie. Studies have shown it is reliever and helps one from looking haggardly.

·    Pollution is something people cannot control given the size of the problem. When one goes out, it is best to put some form of protection such as beauty products that contain antioxidants that protect the skin from damage. There are also other beauty products available and choosing the right one with the help of a dermatologist can help the person.

·    Another way to stay healthy is to give up some vices. Most people smoke and drink. Smoking has been proven to cause lung cancer and other diseases as well complications for women giving birth. Excessive drinking has also shown to do the same.

·    For people who don’t smoke, it is best to stay away from people who do since studies have shown that nonsmokers are also at risk of developing cancer due to secondary smoke inhalation.

·    Lastly, it is best to always start the day with a positive outlook. Just as studies have shown that exercise makes a person feel happier, smiling produces the same effect. A smile can do a lot and it is contagious in a positive sense. It brightens the day of not only one but others as well.

Burn Mega Calories In One Night

Saturday, January 17th, 2009

How many calories can you burn throwing a party? We did the math so you don`t have to feel guilty skipping your daily workout to get things ready for your geusts:

Getting Ready

Activity: Cleaning the house, 2 hours.
Calories burned: 413
Activity: Rearranging the furniture, 30 minutes.
Calories burned: 177
Activity: Shopping for snacks, 45 minutes.
Calories burned: 155
Activity: Preparing food, 1 hours.
Calories burned: 148
Activity: Decorating, 1 hours.
Calories burned: 136
Activity: Calling your friends to invite them, 1 hours.
Calories burned: 106
Activity: Changing your clothes, 10 minutes.
Calories burned: 74

Being a Good Host

Activity: Dancing, 1 hours.
Calories burned: 325
Activity: Answering the door and ushering in guests, 1 hours.
Calories burned: 177
Activity: Replenishing food and drinks, 1 hours.
Calories burned: 148
Activity: standing around talking, 1 hours.
Calories burned: 106
Activity: Mopping up spills, 1/2 hour.
Calories burned: 74

Fitness, Q and A

Question:
To get good-looking abs, is it better to do lots of crunches or sets of different of exercises?

Answer:
You don`t have to do thousands of repetitions to tone your abs, says Jaime Brenkus, the cleveland star video “8 minutes abs.” Basic crunches will get you started. “When you lie on your back and curl upward, your train the entire rectus abdominis,” says Brenkus.

However, as you progress, he recommends training your abs in regions for a few minutes four times a week. Do a sit-up with arms over your head, hands clasped, to hit the upper abs; a reserve crunch. Drawing your hips up toward your ribs, for the lower abs; and crunches with side rotations to work the obliques.