by Louise Roach

At age 47, Martina Navratilova returned to Wimbledon and represented the United States at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

 

In September, seventy-three year old Ed Whitlock shattered his own world age class marathon record by completing a marathon in under 3 hours. Ed is the first 70+ human in history to attain this goal and he has done it twice!

September 26th was Jack LaLanne’s birthday. The Godfather of Fitness turned 90! Still sporting his trademark jumpsuit, LaLanne is trim and strong. He’s living proof that diet and exercise are the keys to a long, healthy life.

Why is exercise so important as we age? After 50, we begin to loose muscle mass at the rate of 6 percent every decade (about 5 pounds) and we gain 15 pounds of fat every ten years to replace it. Less muscle and more fat stores in the body, combined with inactivity and poor diet, can contribute to a wide array of degenerative conditions and disabilities, among them: osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoarthritis. Researchers speculate that Alzheimer’s disease and certain cancers can also be linked to a lack of activity as we age.

The Stanford University Medical Center has conducted several long-term studies on active individuals over 50, particularly runners. They found that runners had a lower death rate and dramatically less disabilities compared to non-runners. They observed that running regularly was associated with an increase of HDL (good) cholesterol, plus a positive effect on muscle mass, as well as heart and lung health.

Other studies have concluded that regular exercise increases bone strength, controls weight gain, and keeps diabetes in check. Active seniors are better able to take care of themselves, perform common household tasks, and remain mentally sharp.

5 Parts of a Healthy-Aging Workout:

1. Endurance Exercise: running, brisk walking, biking, aerobics, tennis, (a minimum recommendation of 25-30 minutes a day)
2. Strength Training Exercise: weight lifting, uphill training (walking, running, hiking up an incline).
3. Stretching Exercise: pre- and after workout stretches retain flexibility. Try yoga and pilates.
4. Balance Exercise: use a balance ball for core exercises or stand on one foot without support.
5. Meditative Exercise: reduce stress with yoga and tai chi.

5 Keys to Exercise Success:

1. Dream big and set realistic goals. If you’re not use to exercise don't try to run a marathon right away. Create a step-by-step plan to increase your stamina, strength and stability. Too much, too soon can end up causing injuries. Gradually work up to your dream achievement, such as participating in the Senior Olympics or climbing Pikes Peak.
2. Exercise daily. Create your own special time for exercise every day. Whether it’s a morning jog through the neighborhood, a mid-day walk with the dog or an afternoon swim at your local gym, daily exercise is much more effective at reaping healthy benefits than the “weekend warrior” approach. Exports recommend 25-30 minutes of moderate to strenuous exercise every day just to maintain your current weight. If you are trying to loose weight, extend your workout time to 60 minutes.
3. Be aware of your body. If you feel soreness or a slight achy feeling in your muscles, that’s OK. Your body is responding to a good workout. Use ice therapy to ease small aches and pains, and to reduce inflammation. A few 20-minute sessions with a cold pack and you should be ready for your next daily workout. Never use heat on stressed or strained muscles, as it will increase pain and swelling, slowing recovery time. Heat is appropriate to relax tight muscles. If you experience serious problems such as extreme pain, fainting, numbness in arms or legs, or chest pain, seek medical attention immediately.
4. Stay well hydrated. Always a consideration for any athlete, dehydration can pose a serious problem in older athletes as aging bodies contain less body water. Sweating and exposure to heat can easily deplete the body of fluids. Drink plenty of liquids before, during and after your workout.
5. Be a health leader! Encourage others through example and participation. Be positive and motivated. An enthusiastic attitude is contagious! It will also keep you going running through puddles on a rainy day; surviving aching legs on a downhill descent; or arriving at the finish line of your first race!

Keep in mind the words of 90-year old Jack LaLanne, “I work at living, not dying”.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical treatment or consultation. 

Always consult with your physician in the event of a serious injury.

About the author:

Louise Roach is the editor of on-line health and fitness newsletter, NewsFlash*SnowPack, http://home.netcomcom/~newsflash/ She has been instrumental in the development of SnowPack, a patented cold therapy that exhibits the same qualities as ice. Her injury prevention and treatment articles have been published on numerous health and fitness websites. Louise is 47 years old, an avid hiker, exercise enthusiast and recent running convert. For more information visit: http://www.snowpackusa.com. Article Emporium

Source: Centralhome

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Exercising Safely In Heat of Summer

Summer is officially here. Finally you can pack away your jackets and get outside. Summer offers extras hours of daylight and with it the opportunity to spend even more time enjoying outdoor activities. For many, this means more time doing physical activities and playing sports. So, it’s important to remember the potential dangers that also come with exercising in hot conditions. As long as you know the dos and don’ts of working out in the heat, then you can fully take advantage of all the fun of summer.

What you should do:

• Drink plenty of fluids. It’s extremely important to stay hydrated. If you’re thirsty then you are already dehydrated; drink before you feel a need to. Be sure to drink throughout the day (stick to non-caffeinated beverages, preferably water). Also, drink 15 - 20 minutes before beginning your workout and every 15 minutes throughout the exercise.
• Eat regularly. The heat can decrease your appetite, but it’s important to eat normally. Try to eat small meals 5-6 times per day. Include lots of fruits and vegetables. Aside from being nutritious, fruits also tend to help with hydration.
• Wear light, loose fitting clothes that can breath. Cotton is always a good choice. If your outdoor activity produces a lot of perspiration, consider clothing that is designed to wick the sweat away.
• Wear sunscreen. Even if you exercise early in the morning or late in the evening, if the sun can reach you then you can get burned. Not only is a sunburn bad on the skin and potentially dangerous but it also hinders your bodies ability to stay cool.
• Use common sense and don’t attempt strenuous activities that your body is not accustom to. Stick to exercises that you are very familiar and comfortable with.
• Check the weather forecast. It’s best not to participate in intense outdoor exercise sessions when the heat index registers in the dangerous zone.

What you should not do:

• Don’t try to diet by sweating. Excessive perspiration is not the key to permanent weight loss. Any decrease in the scale would simply be a result of water loss, not fat reduction.
• Don’t adapt the “no pain, no gain” motto. Ignoring your body’s signals could be dangerous. Heat-related illnesses come with warning signs. Be sure to learn how to recognize them and what actions to take.
• Don’t forget to drink plenty of liquid when swimming. Just because your body is surrounded by water does not mean that you are well-hydrated. As with any land exercises, you need to regularly replenish lost fluids when in the pool.
• Avoid physical activity during the hottest part of the day, which usually is between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• If you want (or need) to be working in very hot temperatures, don’t do it until you become acclimated. Try to spend only a few minutes per day in the hot conditions for the first couple of weeks and then add time gradually each day.
• Avoid extreme changes in temperature. Don’t hop from being extremely hot and sweating excessively right into an ice cold, air-conditioned environment. Try to cool your body down slightly before exposing it to the extreme temperature variation.

Whether you have to work outside or do it for enjoyment, following the above tips will help you stay cool and safe during the dog days of summer. So, don’t spend the season cooped up, get out there and have some fun!

About the author:

Lynn Bode is a certified personal trainer specializing in Internet-based fitness programs. She founded Workouts For You, which provides affordable online exercise programs that are custom designed for each individual. Circulated by Article Emporium

Source: Centralhome

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Adopt a Four-legged Attitude

I have the privilege of regularly dog sitting for a frisky Greyhound cross named Buddy. 

Being a cat person myself, caring for a dog was a new experience and it prompted me to think about how physical activity is viewed in our society. In my first stay with Buddy I was left with very detailed instructions regarding Buddy’s care. I was to take Buddy for at least a 15 minute walk everyday. That seemed simple, 15 minutes is not very long. Surprisingly, such a simple instruction led me to think about a much bigger issue.

Dogs don’t view exercise the same way as humans do. For Buddy a walk at the end of my long day was the highlight of his day. For him, walking is as vital as breathing or eating. He didn’t care that I was just getting over a cold or that I had already worked an eight hour day, we were going for a walk. So running nose and all, I put on my boots, slipped the harness over his head and we were off. After stopping to sniff a few bushes, we made our way down the path to a large park. As I followed him up the hill, ankle deep in snow, I couldn’t help but smile. His ears were up, his tail was wagging and he was happy to be out in the fresh air. As we ran through the big snowy field and he chased after the snowballs I threw, I began to feel what I think he was feeling. Exercise made him happy and this really was a highlight of the day.

Too often exercise becomes viewed as a chore. It tends to be that thing we schedule in for the end of the day which keeps getting pushed back and back until suddenly, there’s no time! Take a lesson from our four-legged friends, exercise is fun. In the same way that 

Buddy would be miserable without that nightly walk, train yourself to look forward to physical activity. If the prospect of a trip to the gym makes you feel like hitting the couch, change your routine. Enroll in an exercise class or try a new piece of equipment. Maybe it is time to get rid of the gym membership and invest the money in something you do like. 

Perhaps you would rather ski, get a seasons pass. Maybe it is more convenient and feasible to work out a home, invest in a treadmill or cross trainer. Or perhaps you want to join in on some four-legged fun, adopt a pet and have no more excuses.

Health Canada recommends 30-60 minutes of moderate effort physical activity every day. 

The key to achieving that goal is to break it up in to at least 10 minute increments and make it fun. No two people are alike and no set exercise plan will work for everyone. This week take a minute to think about what activities you really enjoy. Don’t limit yourself to the traditional idea of exercise. Going outside and building a snowman with your kids is activity. Starting a snowball fight will really increase your heart rate! Take a yoga class, shovel your walk (and then your neighbors’), join a rec hockey league or go dancing on a Saturday night. And if you have a dog, consider yourself lucky and get out there and enjoy that daily walk. Take a lesson from our four-legged friends, physical activity is fun, make it a part of your healthy lifestyle.

About the Author:

Amy Parker is a Registered Dietitian who regularly writes food and nutrition articles. She graduated from the University of Alberta and completed a one year internship in the Calgary Health Region. She currently specializes in prenatal nutrition and is passionate about helping her clients have the healthiest babies possible. Her other areas of interest include weight loss, childhood obesity and healthy food that tastes good too!

Source: Centralhome

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Cardio Boxing for Super Fitness

Sports scientists agree that cardio-boxing is one of the best forms of exercise, because it conditions the total body and provides a complete workout for your cardiovascular and endurance systems.

The major benefits of cardio-boxing include:

• Increased Stamina
• Increased Strength
• Increased Speed
• Increased Coordination

Cardio-boxing also promotes a person’s well being by strengthening their self-discipline and combined with strength training it’s well and truly the total package for self-defense and fitness and usually consists of:

• Adjusted heart rate work
• Actual boxing techniques 

The usual workout consists of the age-adjusted heart rate work starting with 10 minutes for beginners and leading up to 20 minutes for the more advanced. For the second part of the workout, you’ll need to perform and practice 20 minutes of actual boxing techniques.

Cardio

The best way to measure the effects of an exercise program on your body is to check your pulse.

The easiest way to check the pulse is to place your index and middle fingers on your carotid artery or the wrist. Immediately after the exercise, count your pulse for 15 seconds and multiply by 4.

You can also check your pulse during the exercise but with safety as a first priority. To get a more precise reading of your pulse rate, purchase an electronic device from any sports store.

Now you have your exercising pulse rate or heartbeats per minute. We’ll be concentrating at the upper end of your pulse region: the 50% - 70% ranges.

To figure this out, deduct your age from 220. Suppose your age is 40, deduct this from 220 and you get 180.

50% of 180 is 90 beats a minute,
60% of 180 is 108 beats a minute,
70% of 180 is 126 beats a minute and so on.

Don’t jump into 70% work straight away. Start with 50% and slowly work your way up to the 70% upper limit.

Start with no more than 10 minutes, and work up to 20 minutes. Once you’re comfortable with working out for 20 minutes at 70% then try to increase the heart rate up to 80%.

Mix up your cardiovascular activities in the gym. Use the treadmill, skipping, rower, climber, and bike and other equipment that might be available to you.

Boxing

The boxing stance is the posture a boxer takes before and after every action depending on whether you are left or right handed. We’ll be dealing with the most common; right-handed. For left-handed people, just reverse the instructions.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, with your left foot in front of your right foot.

Your right heel should be slightly raised with your left foot flat on the floor and toes pointing ahead.

Bend your knees a little and balance your weight comfortably and evenly.

Place your elbows close to your body with your left fist held at head height and in a position that corresponds to your left foot.

The right fist should be at head height also and guarding the chin, with both elbows protecting your body and both fists protecting your chin.

This is your defensive and offensive position after throwing punches, so please practice this before going any further. When moving forward in this boxing stance the left foot moves forward first and then the right follows.

When moving back, the right moves back and then the left follows. When moving sideward to the right, the right foot moves first followed by the left. When moving sideward to the left, the left foot moves first followed by the right.

Practice this moving forward, back and sideward in the boxer’s stance until it is done smoothly and quickly. Remember to keep your guard up and elbows tucked in to your sides.

Keep your head at eye level with your upper body leaning forward slightly. In boxing it is important that punches are thrown quickly and then bought back quickly to assume a defensive posture.

Punching

A left jab has many uses, it can be used for both offensive and defensive actions. From the set stance the left arm is pushed quickly and forcefully forward, the weight is shifted to the front foot. The fist moves in a straight line and straight back again for defense.

At the moment of impact the back of the hand and the lower arm are in a straight line. 

Keep the right fist in the defensive position and elbow tucked into the body during the movement.

The straight right is also known as the punching hand and can be thrown with considerable force. The arm moves straightforward from the chin, the body weight is shifted to the front foot with the ball of the foot of the back leg pushing into the floor for more power.

The back of the hand is straight and pointing up at the moment of impact. The arm is then immediately pulled back for protection after the hit.

The left hook to the head and body is an effective punch for closer range work. From the set stance turn your left shoulder quickly and move your elbow up to shoulder height. The fist moves in a circular motion to the target, with the elbow bent.

Rotate your hip and body whilst pressing your front left down keeping the back of your fist pointing up and in a straight line with the lower arm. The left hook to the body is similar to the above but increases the rotation of the body.

The right uppercut is also carried out at close range. Drop the lower part of your punching arm until the lower and upper arm is at right angles to each other. The back of your hand should be pointing away from you, now thrust your arm forward and upward to your target.

Shift your body weight to your front leg and rotate your hip and shoulder on the same side.

Remember to keep your left fist guarding your chin during the entire movement. Now practice all your punches until they are done quickly and smoothly.

To develop speed and endurance, try punching straight left and right combinations into the heavy bag. The duration of the exercise period is the same as the rest period i.e. 10 seconds exercise, 10 seconds rest, 20 seconds exercise, 20 seconds rest, and so on. Move up higher as your condition improves.

Gary is the author of several e-books, including "Maximum Weight Loss in Ten Weeks" - the complete e-book and time-saving solution for burning away unwanted fat, and "Maximum Weight Gain in Ten Weeks" - easy-to-use and follow techniques that serve as a guide to muscle growth without having to "live in the gym".

Source: Centralhome

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Want a personal trainer?

Are you unfit? Overweight? So are millions of others! Have you ever considered hiring a personal trainer? They just might be the answer to your success in losing weight!

Personal trainers and health clubs are predicting they will see a dramatic increase in referrals coming from medical doctors over the next decade following an announcement by the National Board of Fitness Examiners (NBFE). Because nearly two thirds of Americans – over 131 million people - are inactive and overweight, and many more are severely obese, physicians are being asked to write prescriptions for exercise. It is these people who receive the prescriptions that the fitness profession is uniting to help.

According to a recent report published in the archives of Internal Medicine, Dr. JoAnn Manson the Chief of Preventive Medicine at Harvard’s Bringham and Women’s Hospital, writing prescriptions for exercise is treating the illness at the root of the problem.

“We’re treating the symptoms of the diseases rather than the root cause,” she said.

Because inactivity and obesity are responsible for at least 300,000 premature deaths and over $90 billion in health care costs each year, this new call to action to write prescriptions for exercise can help change patients’ ways accord to the report.

While doctors will start writing prescriptions for exercise, the fitness profession is gearing up to help. Properly trained personal trainers are experts in this area. Weight training, aerobic conditioning, flexibility, and a sensible diet are the keys to preventing and even reversing many chronic diseases. That’s exactly what personal trainers and other fitness professionals have been trying to teach us for years. But until now there have been no standards in the fitness profession and as a result few physicians refer to personal trainers.

Because over 200 certification companies offer education to personal trainers, it is difficult for the medical community to know who is providing the right advice. In response to the lack of regulations and standards, in 2003 the National Board of Fitness Examiners was commissioned to do just that; demonstrate to the public and the medical community that all Board certified fitness professionals undergo unbiased, criteria-referenced, nationally approved examinations that ensures standardized levels of competency. Successful completion of the National Boards not only assures competency, but will eventually lead to licensing, a process recognized by the medical community.

Dr Sal Arria, Executive Director of the National Board of Fitness Examiners said: “Because this model to determine individual competency has been used successfully by physicians since 1915, the National Board wants to assure the public and the doctors that they can confidently refer patients to Board Certified fitness professionals.”

“Unfortunately, our country is in the worst shape ever, so we applaud physicians for taking a positive stance towards prescribing exercise ... the health and quality of life for literally millions of people rests in their hands. Exercise has been proven as the most powerful disease prevention tool of all. And best of all, the side effect of prescribing weight training, aerobic conditioning, flexibility and sensible nutrition is not only that patients will live longer, but the quality of their lives will be dramatically improved," Dr. Arria stated.

National Board Certified personal trainers and health clubs are in a perfect position to help physicians address the 80% of Americans who don’t use trainers or go to gyms.

"As more and more physicians start writing prescriptions for exercise, the fitness industry can expect explosive growth over the next five to ten years.”

About the Author:

Article by health writer Kate Wiley (website down).

Source: Centralhome

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Using a Heart Rate Monitor

By Wini Linguvic

If you want to get more exact with your precision cardio, you can use a heart rate monitor in addition to evaluating your rate of perceived exertion. The heart rate monitor will tell you exactly what your heart rate is as you're exercising, which means you can then increase or decrease your intensity to get a precise workout. Monitors are available at sporting goods stores and some department stores.

 First, you'll need to figure out the heart rate range that you should be working at. The best way to do this is to get tested by an exercise physiologist. If you don't want to do that, you can get a pretty good estimate by calculating your maximum heart rate and then calculating certain percentages of this rate to work at for your warm up and cool down, your moderate pace, and your interval pace. This will be a good starting point, though keep in mind that this calculation is based on the "average" person - something that none of us is!

To estimate your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 226. (Men would subtract their age from 220).

226 - your age = age-adjusted maximum heart rate.

Now, take your age-adjusted maximum heart rate and calculate the following percentages for the various parts of your workout.

• 60 percent for your warmup and cooldown
• 65 to 75 percent for your moderate pace
• 75 to 85 percent for your vigorous or interval pace

For instance, a 40-year-old woman's estimated maximum heart rate is 186 (226 - 40 = 186).

• 60 percent of her max = 112
• 65 percent of her max = 121
• 75 percent of her max = 140
  85 percent of her max = 158

Keep in mind, however, that this calculation can be off by as much as 15 beats, so use the rate of perceived exertion as well. Also take into account that your heart rate can vary depending on which activity you choose. Different activities use different skills and muscle groups, so an experienced swimmer will have a lower heart rate swimming than she does when running. Keep that in mind as you vary your cardio choices. Also, some exercises that you do while sitting down, like riding a recumbent bicycle, won't get your heart rate as high as those that you do while standing, such as walking hills outside. So use your heart rate monitor and evaluate your rate of perceived exertion, but also learn to listen to your body.

Reprinted from: Lean, Long & Strong: The 6-Week Strength-Training, Fat-Burning Program for Women By Wini Linguvic © 2005 Wini Linguvic. (January 2005, $17.95US/$25.95CAN; 1-57954-956-X) Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, PA 18098. Available wherever books are sold or directly from the publisher by calling (800) 848-4735 or visit their website at www.rodalestore.com

About the Author:

Wini Linguvic is one of New York City's most sought-after personal trainers and fitness consultants. A certified fitness instructor and trainer for more than two decades, she is coauthor of the New York Times best-selling book BodyChange, which she wrote with longtime client and friend Montel Williams.

For more information, please visit the author's Web site at www.leanlongandstrong.com.

Read more: Centralhome

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Living a Healthy Way of Life is No Mystery

By ARA

We’ve heard over and over again that a well balanced diet and good exercise program are the building blocks of good health. So why don’t more people strive to achieve both?

Life Time Fitness, a national Healthy Way of Life company, is seeking to help people take charge of their health and wellness in the face of a national obesity epidemic. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 50-percent of U.S. adults - or approximately 100 million people - are overweight, and more than 33% are trying to lose weight.

“Over the years, I’ve heard more excuses than you can possibly imagine,” says Jeff Zweifel, vice president of the nutritional products division for Life Time Fitness. “People tell me they’re too busy or that it’s too difficult to take the time to eat right and exercise. Others have tried and faced disappointing or ineffectual results. We aim to help folks change their habits and attitudes toward achieving better health.”

Numerous studies have shown that getting enough exercise and receiving adequate nutrition are critical if you want to live a healthy lifestyle. The 1996 Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity recommends the average American get 30 minutes of physical activity per day.

“New science shows you don’t have to go for high intensity physical activity to improve your lifestyle. Regularly walking the dog around the block, raking leaves, folding the laundry or taking the stairs instead of the elevator can all help. The key is to be consistent about it,” says Philip Haberstro, president of the National Association for Health and Fitness. Since the Surgeon General’s Report came out, his agency has been working on ways to encourage people to engineer physical activity back into their lives. “Personally, I park a little further away from the places I’m going so I can get a little exercise in on my way to appointments,” adds Haberstro.

Staying active isn’t the only thing you need to do to maintain a healthy lifestyle. “All the exercise in the world isn’t going to help you in the long run if you don’t eat right too,” says Zweifel.

In a guidebook provided to its members, Life Time Fitness nutritionists recommend that instead of a big breakfast, lunch and dinner, people eat several small balanced meals (optimally four) and a couple of small snacks throughout the day. “By balanced we mean meals that contain protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables,” adds Zweifel.

Good sources of protein include lean meats, fish, egg whites, dairy products, beans and rice. Complex carbohydrates include whole-wheat bread, wild rice, whole-wheat pasta, multigrain cereal and potatoes. You should also aim to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables throughout the day. Keep in mind that they also make great snacks.

For the 9 out of 10 adults who do not get the essential daily vitamins and nutrients from the food they eat, nutritional supplements should be considered. Life Time Fitness offers a full line of nutritional products, including men’s and women’s multivitamins, energy bars and shakes and weight-loss supplements.
The reason diet and exercise are so important has a lot to do with metabolism - how your body breaks down food and regulates energy. If you have a fast metabolism, your body stores less fat and you have more energy. The exact opposite is true for people with slow metabolism.

“Many people think the reason we exercise is simply to burn calories, but it goes way beyond that,” says Zweifel. “What people really need to realize is that the true purpose of exercise is to send a message to our bodies, asking for improvement in metabolism, strength, aerobic capacity and overall health and fitness.”

Life Time Fitness trainers recommend that people who are serious about shedding the pounds and keeping them off participate in aerobic training exercise regimens a minimum of three times per week for at least 30 minutes at a time. Aerobic exercises include walking, biking, jogging, swimming, aerobic classes and dancing. 

Dieters are also urged to take part in resistance training exercises, such as weight lifting, at least twice a week for a minimum of 30 minutes per session.

About the Author:

To learn more about the healthy living programs at Life Time Fitness, log onto www.lifetimefitness.com. Courtesy of ARA Content.

Source: Centalhome

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WALK FOR YOUR LIFE

By Edel Jarboe

There is a common misconception that walking is not exercise. A lot of people believe that in order to be healthy and to lose weight, you need to do high impact exercise. Luckily, this is not the case. Studies have shown that walking provides great overall cardiovascular fitness, reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease, lowers cholesterol levels, lowers blood pressure, helps alleviate lower back pain, and reduces the risk of arthritis and osteoporosis. Walking also alleviates stress and depression and improves your immunity as well.

Additional benefits of walking include stimulating creativity and problem solving skills, as well as being used as a form of meditation. Walking gives you the opportunity to be outdoors in the fresh air and the chance to watch the seasons change. It is also the perfect way to get away from phones, pagers, faxes, e-mail, and other interruptions. And, in addition to all these great benefits, walking is safe, easy, and cheap. What more can you ask for? Get out there and start walking!

Getting Started

(Consult your doctor prior to starting any exercise program if you are sedentary, a 40+ male, or a 50+ female.)

Stretch first to warm up your muscles. You should concentrate on stretching your torso, quadriceps, hamstring, gluteal muscles (buttocks), calves, and Achilles' tendon (heel). Hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds each, repeating at least once for each muscle group and being careful not to bounce.

1. Wear loose fitting garments
2. Always carry water when you walk.
3. For beginners, walk 30 minutes a day 3 days a week, gradually increasing to 5 days a week.

How to Walk

1. Start slow and easy, at your own pace.
2. Push off from your back foot.
3. Walk heel to toe with a rolling motion of the foot.
4. Keep arms close to body and bent at an almost 90 degree angle to your body.
5. Hold your head high, keep shoulders down and relaxed, chest should be out, and eyes looking straight ahead.
6. Concentrate on breathing evenly and swinging your arms naturally.

Walking Gear

Shoes - Choose a comfortable, lightweight shoe that has shock absorbers in the heel and in the ball of the shoe. It should also bend at the widest part of the shoe. The back of the shoe should be soft and contoured to help your foot roll forward.

Socks - Wear white synthetic socks or white synthetic/cotton blend socks because colored dyes can aggravate athlete's foot. The heel and toe should be padded and, to prevent blisters, there should be no toe seams. The center of the sock should also have a tight weave to prevent bunching and slippage.

Hat/Visor - Wear a hat in the early morning hours to keep warm and a visor on hot days to protect your face from the sun and to allow the heat from your head to escape, keeping you cool.

Pedometer - for keeping track of how many miles you are walking.

Calorie Burn Counter - to help keep you motivated if you are trying to achieve weight loss.

10 Walking Tips

1. If you don't have a solid block of time, break your walking into smaller chunks. For example, instead of walking 1 hour, walk for 30 minutes twice a day. Studies have shown that this is as beneficial as walking for 1 hour at one time.
2. Wear reflective clothing at night and, if you must walk on a road or street that does not have a sidewalk, always walk facing traffic.
3. Incorporate hills into your walking route. This adds variety and challenge to your workout and raises your metabolism by at least 10%.
4. Interval train to get more out of your workout. Increase your walking speed for 1 or 2 blocks and then slow back down to your regular pace for the next 1 or 2 blocks. Continue to alternate between walking and speed walking.
5. If you are walking solo, listen to music or an audio book but always make sure that you can still hear what is going on around you.
6. Find a walking partner. In addition to the companionship provided, it will help keep you motivated as well.
7. Alternate your route to prevent boredom. Take one route every other day and another one in between. In addition to neighborhoods try the beach, a park, or a trail.
8. Another way to get more out of your walking routine is to swing your arms more. This helps burn more energy and helps you to walk faster. See power walking below for more information.
9. Add push ups, sit ups, and weight training to your pre-walk stretches to build muscle and strength.
10. Keep a log of your time, distance, and calories burned for motivation.

Copyright (c) 1999 by Edel Jarboe. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author:

Edel Jarboe is the founder of Self Help for Her (Webmaster's note: website is gone), an online self-help magazine helping you create your better life. She also publishes a free weekly newsletter, which features advice on goal setting, stress management, coping with difficult people, and overcoming obstacles .

Source: Centralhome

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