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| | From:  TipsyCad147 (Original Message) | Sent: 11/12/2007 8:45 AM |
12 Weeks to Weight Loss: 12 Weeks to Weight Loss - Week 1 Welcome to Week 1 of your 12 Week Program. You'll be getting started with a beginner cardio and strength training routine and learning more about changing to your diet. Each day will have a different exercise focus, such as cardio, strength training and/or flexibility but please modify the workouts according to your fitness level or substitute your own. The workouts I've assigned are ONLY suggestions. Please see your doctor before you begin any type of exercise program. Don't forget to check out the nutrition assignments and daily motivational tips. If you're ready, click on the 'Getting Started' link below to see your first assignments. Good luck! | Get Started Your first step in getting started is to set your goals and get yourself ready for your new exercise program with the right shoes, clothes and equipment. You'll also want to get some basic measurements down (weight, measurements, etc.) so you can track your progress. Visit this page to get started and learn more about what you'll be doing this week. You might also want to start an exercise journal such as my 12-Week Exercise & Weight Loss Journal (or a journal of your choosing) to keep yourself on track. This week, you'll be learning how to set up a complete exercise program with cardio, strength training and flexibility exercises. The program involves 6 days in which you will focus on a different exercise and nutrition goal each day. The specifics are listed on the daily pages with links to workouts, recipes, logs and other tools you'll need to reach each daily goal. Below is a brief description of what you'll be doing this week along with what you'll need to get started. Getting Started Your first step in getting started is to set your goals and get yourself ready for your new exercise program with the right shoes, clothes and equipment. You'll also want to get some basic measurements down (weight, measurements, etc.) so you can track your progress. Exercise for Beginners - Setting Goals If you're trying to lose, get healthy, build muscle or excel at a sport, you'll need specific goals. When you don't have a specific goal, it's difficult to keep exercising and to track your progress to see how far you've come. Before you get busy, take a moment and ask yourself these questions: 1. What do I want to accomplish with this exercise program?
2. Is my goal realistic and attainable?
3. Do I know how to reach my goal?
4. When do I want to reach my goal?
5. How will I reward myself when I reach my goal? For example, is it reasonable to want to lose 50 pounds in 6 months? It's possible, but may not be reasonable unless you eat well and exercise every single day for the next 6 months. Experts recommend that you lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week, but it isn't likely that you'll lose 2 pounds every single week and many people find they actually lose about .5 to 1 pound on a good week. For more, check out How to Set Weight Loss Goals. Keep in mind that: - The more weight you lose, the harder it will be to lose weight because the less weight your body has to move around, the less calories it will burn doing so.
- The closer you get to your goal, the harder it will be to reach it--in fact, you may NEVER reach it (ever talk to someone who's still trying to lose that last 5 pounds?).
- The weight you can maintain may not be the weight you want to be.
- Scale weight isn't always the best way to track progress. The scale won't tell you what you've lost and/or gained. Be sure to use other tools to track your progress.
- Weight loss isn't the only goal you can have and may not even be the most motivating. Giving up the Weight Loss Obsession may be your first step to success.
After you set your goal, find out how to reach it. If you want to lose weight or become better at a sport, you need to do some research to figure out where to start. Browse through these different goals to find out more about getting started: It's helpful to know what you have to do before you get started. Many people are surprised at the daily effort it takes to reach their goals. Once you know what you're doing and how you're doing it, you'll need some strategies for sticking with it: - Schedule your workouts
- Set weekly goals and reward yourself each time you succeed
- Work out with friends or family for added motivation
- Recommit to your goals every day
- Be prepared by always having your workout bag with you, bringing your lunch to work, etc.
- Keep a food and workout journal to stay on track and measure your progress
- Take your measurements regularly
- How to Set Weight Loss Goals
- Setting weight loss goals is probably one of the more difficult things to do when you embark on an exercise and/or diet program. How much do you need to lose? That question is hard to answer and often based on your particular goals. If you're losing weight for your health, your goal might be more modest, say 5-10% of your current weight. But what if you have something more specific in mind like a certain clothing-size you want to fit into? How do you set a reasonable goal for yourself?
The key to setting weight loss goals is to follow the standard of goal setting. It needs to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and tangible. Your first step is determining if you really need to lose weight. Do You Need to Lose Weight? If you talk to most people, you'll probably find that everyone feels like they need to lose weight, even people who appear to be at a healthy weight. Often our weight loss goals are based on what we think we should look like rather than what's reasonable for our bodies right now. In general, a candidate for weight loss may have the following characteristics: - A BMI of more than 25
- A Waist-Hip ratio of higher than .8 for women and higher than 1.0 men
- An Abdominal Girth measurement of more than 35 inches in women and 40 inches in men
Of course, those aren't the only clues that tell us we need to lose weight. There are those annoying indications like tight clothes, getting out of breath doing simple activities, or stepping on a scale for the first time in awhile. But, before you set goals based on what you think you should weigh, make sure you really need to lose weight. Set Your Goals If you've determined you do need to lose weight, your next step is to set a reasonable weight loss goal for yourself. You can base your goals on any number of factors, but a great place to start would be the general recommendations set out by the American College of Sports Medicine which are 5-10% of body weight or one to two pounds per week. You can also use these calculators to set your goals: Keep in mind that these calculations offer guesstimates. There are a number of factors that affect weight, so it’s best to take the results you get with a grain of salt. For example, BMI is affected by how much muscle you have…if you have more muscle, your weight might actually be higher than what is considered healthy on the BMI chart, even though you have a healthy body fat percentage. Another way to do this is to focus less on a target weight and more on making healthy choices each day to reduce your calories. One way to look at this is your Lowest Sustainable Weight. In this case, you would create a calorie deficit (with diet and exercise) and let your body respond to that over time. Eventually, you'll get to a weight you can sustain and feel good about. Make a Plan However you determine your weight loss goals, you should record that goal and then make a plan to reach it. Look at your goal objectively: is it specific, measureable, attainable, realistic and tangible? Here's a sample to see how it works: Assume I am 5'7" tall and weigh 160 pounds. According to the calculators above, my BMI is 25.1, which falls under the 'overweight' category. If I lose just 10 pounds, my BMI will be at a healthier 23.5. Goal: To lose 10 pounds in 12 weeks. I'll need to cut my calories each day by 300-500 through both diet and exercise. To reach this goal I will: Replace my morning Egg McMuffin (300 calories) with a bowl of oatmeal (about 180 calories).
Replace one Coke (150 calories) with Fresca (0 calories).
Walk for at least 30 minutes at 3.5-4.0 mph 3 days a week (approx. 180-240 calories burned).
Strength train 2 days a week for 30 minutes (approx. 140-280 calories burned)
Total Calories burned each day: 270 - 550 (depending on whether I exercise). Looking at this example, you can see that breaking down your goal into specific steps can help you focus on your daily tasks. Just remember to adjust your goal whenever you need to. If you find you're not losing weight as quickly as you thought (and this is very normal), change your goal weight or the length of time to reach it. Remember, your goal needs to be attainable, so be willing to set new goals if the old ones aren't working for you. -
4 Ways to Track Your Weight Loss Progress -
"I've been exercising for a long time, but I'm still the same weight. Why haven't I seen any results?" That's a question I hear often, both from my clients and my readers and my response is almost always the same: A scale doesn't tell the whole story. In fact, your body is no doubt making small changes each day, changes that can't always be measured by the tools we have available. If that's the case, how do you know if you're making progress? A good dose of patience and a new method of tracking progress might be the answer. Track Your Body Fat -
Scale weight can be a useful number to know but, even better, is knowing your body fat percentage. This is important because scale weight doesn't always tell the whole story. As Elizabeth Quinn, Sports Medicine Guide notes: "An individual can be "over-weight" and not "over-fat." A bodybuilder, for example, may be 8% body fat, yet at two hundred and fifty pounds may be considered "over-weight" by a typical height-weight chart." (Body Composition vs. Body Fat) Knowing your body fat percentage can give you a better idea of how much fat you really need to lose and, even better, whether you're making progress in your program...things your scale can't tell you. It's possible for your scale weight to remain the same, even as you slim down, especially if you're losing fat and gaining muscle. There are plenty of options for body fat testing including: - Calipers
- Bioelectrical Impedance Scales
- DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry)
- Hydrostatic Weighing
- Online calculators (used in conjunction with skinfold or tape measurements)
A healthy body fat range is 25 - 31% for women and 18 - 25% for men. To choose the right method for you, get more details at What's Your Body Fat? Keep in mind that most health clubs offer some type of body fat testing. Get the most out of your body fat measurement by: - Checking it once a week or every other week instead of daily. Body fat doesn't vanish overnight and you may not see those small changes if you measure every day.
- Having the same person measure you each time. Different trainers will measure you in different ways, so stick with the same person each time and make sure the person is very experienced in measuring body fat.
- If using a bioelectrical impedance scale, be sure to measure under the same circumstances each time. Hydration, food intake and skin temperature can affect body fat measurements.
- Keep track of your numbers in a journal or calendar.
Take the Body Fat Quiz to find out how much you really know about your own body fat. Use the Scale As I mentioned above, scales don't always give you the whole story about your body or your weight loss progress. For that reason, scales (when used alone) are my least favorite method of tracking weight loss. Another reason to dislike scales is what I like to call 'Weight Loss Psychosis,' or the tendency for otherwise rational people to abandon all reason, lock themselves in closets and/or ditch any and all healthy behaviors because...why bother if the scale doesn't change? The problem with body weight scales is that they measure everything--fat, muscle, bones, organs and even that sip of water you just had. The scale can't tell you what you've lost or gained, which is important information if you're trying to lose weight...and by weight, what we really mean is fat. Here are just a few things that can increase your weight, causing it to fluctuate as much as 10 lbs in one day: - Water. Because the body is about 60% water, fluctuations in your hydration levels can change the number on a scale. If you're dehydrated or have eaten too much salt, your body may actually retain water, which can cause scale weight to creep up. Similarly, many women retain water during menstrual cycles, which is another thing that can make that number change.
- Food. Weighing yourself after a meal isn't the best idea simply because food adds weight. When you eat it, your body will add that weight as well. It doesn't mean you've gained weight, it simply means that you've added something to your body (something that will be eliminated through digestion over the next several hours).
- Muscle. Muscle is more dense than fat and it takes up less space, so adding muscle could increase your scale weight, even though you're slimming down.
That doesn't mean the scale is useless. In fact, it's a wonderful tool when you combine it with your body fat percentage. Knowing both of these numbers will tell you whether you're losing the right kind of weight...fat. Simply multiply your weight by your body fat percentage. For example, a person who weighs 150 lbs with 21% body fat has 31 lbs of fat and 118 lbs of lean tissue (150 x .21 = 31.5 lbs of fat, 150 - 31.5 = 118 lean tissue). Keeping track of these numbers on a weekly or monthly basis will help you see what you're losing and/or what you're gaining. Try these tricks to make weighing yourself a useful and more positive experience: - Weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you eat or drink anything.
- Weigh yourself once a month instead of daily or weekly to give your body time to respond to your weight loss program. The scale won't reflect small changes happening in your body composition.
- Get yourself a good scale
- Remember, the scale weighs everything! Just because your scale weight hasn't changed doesn't mean you aren't making progress.
- Use scale weight along with body fat percentage for a more accurate view of your progress
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If the scale freaks you out and body fat testing isn't an option, your next best choice is taking your measurements. Take Your Measurements This is one of my favorite ways of tracking progress because it doesn't require any fancy equipment and anyone can do it. Taking your measurements at certain areas can give you an idea of where you're losing fat, which is important since we all lose fat in different areas and in a different order. Taking your measurements can help reassure you that things are happening--even if you're not losing fat exactly where you want just yet. Start by wearing tight fitting clothing (or no clothing) and make a note of what you're wearing so you know to wear the same clothes the next time you measure. Here's how to do it: - Bust: Measure around the chest right at the nipple line, but don't pull the tape too tight.
- Chest: Measure just under your bust
- Waist: Measure a half-inch above your belly button or at the smallest part of your waist
- Hips: Place tape measure around the biggest part of your hips
- Thighs: Measure around the biggest part of each thigh
- Calves: Measure around the largest part of each calf
- Upper arm: Measure around the largest part of each arm above the elbow
- Forearm: Measure around the largest part of the arm below the elbow.
You can use this Progress Chart to record your measurements. Take them again once a week or once a month to see if you're losing inches. Eyeball It It may seem obvious, but don't overlook one of the simplest ways to track progress--how you look and how your clothes fit. You may want to take a picture of yourself wearing a bathing suit and keep it in your weight loss journal. Each month, take a new picture...you'll be surprised at how many changes you notice in a picture as opposed to just seeing yourself in the mirror. You can also use your clothes to keep track of your progress. Choose pants, shorts and a shirt and try them on every week or month to see how they fit. Use one or all of the methods above to keep track of how you're doing, keeping in mind that realistic goals are essential for your success. And don't forget, it takes time to lose weight so don't panic if you don't drop 10 pounds in a week. Most people don't see significant results for weeks or even months. If you're losing weight the right way, your progress will be slow and steady -
http://exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/weightlosstrack_2.htm | |
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Intermediate Total Body Strength This workout is a progression from the Beginner/Intermediate Total Body Workout. It includes more advanced exercises and incorporates a barbell into many of the exercises. If you don't have a barbell you can continue to use dumbbells 1. See your doctor if you have any injuries or medical conditions
2. Begin with a 5-10 minute warm up of light cardio (walking in place, etc.)
3. Perform each exercise for 1-3 sets of 10-16 repetitions. Rest for 30-60 secs between sets
4. Use enough weight that you can ONLY complete desired number of reps
5. For shorter workouts, split this into separate upper and lower body workouts
6. Combine this with an ab workout for a complete workout Do this workout 2-3 non-consecutive days a week, taking at least one day of rest between workouts. For best weight loss results, combine this workout with regular cardio and a healthy, low-calorie diet. Click on pictures for more detailed view. | Squat with Barbell
Stand with feet wider than shoulders with barbell resting on meaty part of shoulders. Bend knees and, keeping chest up, lower into a squat. Keep abs in and the knees behind the toes. Push through the heels to raise back up and repeat. |  | | Walking Lunges
Stand with feet together, and step right foot forward into a lunge, taking both knees to 90 degrees. Step together with left foot and then lunge forward with left foot into a lunge. Continue, alternating legs, for the length of the room. Don't allow front knee to bend over the toe. | | | Deadlifts
Stand with feet hip-width apart, weights in front of thighs. Keeping back flat and abs in, tip from the hips and lower torso towards the floor, hands close to legs, shoulders back. Squeeze glutes and hamstrings to raise back up. All movement is from the hips, so don't round the back. | | | One-Leg Extension on Ball
This is an advanced exercise so use caution. Lie face up with ball under upper back, knees bent, hips lifted into a bridge position. Maintaining balance (if you can!) extend right leg until it's parallel to floor. Bend knee and repeat before switching sides. Make it easier by propping ball against the wall or place fingertips on floor for balance. | | | | Push Ups
Begin in pushup position on hands and toes, hands a bit wider than shoulders. Keeping abs braced, bend the elbows and lower into pushup until elbows are about 90 degrees. Don't sag in the middle! Push up and repeat. | | | Barbell Chest Press
Lie on a step, bench or on the floor and hold bar (or dumbbells) a few inches above the chest. Keeping trunk braced, exhale and push weight up overhead without locking elbows. Lower down and repeat. | | | Bent over Barbell Rows
Holding a barbell (or dumbbells), tip from the hips and bring the torso to about 45 degrees or parallel to the floor (harder), knees slightly bent. Bend arms and bring elbows towards ribcage, contracting the lat muscles (outer back). Keep the abs braced throughout movement. Lower and repeat. | | | Dumbbell Pullovers
Lie face-up on a bench or ball (harder) and hold a medium to heavy dumbbell straight up over chest. Keeping your back against the bench and using control, slowly lower the weight behind your head, arms slightly bent, until you're level with the bench. Squeeze your back to pull the weight back up to start | | | Triceps Dips
Sit on a bench or chair with hands resting next to thighs. Push up and bring the hips out, butt just brushing the bench, knees bent. Bend the elbows and lower body down (staying close to bench) until elbows are 90 degrees. Push up and repeat. Straighten the legs for more intensity. | | | Triceps One-Armed Pushup
Lie down on left side, hips and knees stacked. Wrap the left arm around torso so that left hand is resting on the right waist. Place the right hand on the floor in front of you, palm parallel to the body. Squeeze the triceps and push your body up. Lower and repeat before switching sides. | | | Barbell Bicep Curl
Stand with fit hip-width apart holding bar (or dumbbells) in front of thighs, palms out. Bend elbows and bring weights towards the shoulders (without swinging). Lower back down and repeat. | | | Hammer Curls on One Leg
In standing position, lift the left leg off the ground and balance on the right leg. With palms facing in, bend elbows and bring weights towards shoulders without swinging the elbows. Lower back down and repeat. For the next set, balance on the other leg. | Intermediate Total Body Strength 1. See your doctor before you begin any exercise program if you have any injuries, illnesses or other conditions
2. Begin with a 5-10 minute warm up of light cardio (walking in place, etc.)
3. Perform each exercise for 10-16 repetitions, resting when you need to
4. Start with light weights (or no weight) until you've mastered each exercise, then choose a weight heavy enough that you can ONLY complete the desired number of reps.
5. If this is too easy or you're ready to progress, try Total Body Strength 3 or visit my Workout Center for more workout ideas. Do this workout 1-3 non-consecutive days a week, taking at least one day of rest between workouts. For best weight loss results, combine this workout with regular cardio and a healthy, low-calorie diet. Click on pictures for more detailed view. | Squat with Dumbbell
Stand with feet wider than shoulders and hold a heavy dumbbell in both hands. Bend knees and, keeping weight in the heels, lower butt until it's parallel to floor (or as low as you can). Keep abs in and make sure you can see your toes. Push through the heels to raise back up and repeat.
| | Modified Push Up
Come onto all fours, hands a bit wider than shoulders, lower body resting on knees. Pull the abs in and, keeping back straight, bend elbows and lower body towards the floor until elbows are at 90 degree angles. Push back up and repeat.
| | Assisted Reverse Lunge
Stand with feet together, holding onto a bar or wall for balance. Step back about 3-4 feet and bend both knees, lowering into a lunge. Don't allow front knee to bend over the toe. Push back to starting position and repeat. Try not to push with the back foot--use front leg to pull your back leg in.
| | Chest Press
Lie on a step, bench or floor with weights a few inches above the chest, elbows even with bench. Keeping abs tight, exhale and push arms up overhead--keeping weights a few inches apart. Don't lock elbows. Lower back to start and repeat.
| | Deadlifts
Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, weights in front of thighs. Keeping back flat and abs in, tip from the hips and lower torso towards the floor, keeping hands close to legs, shoulders back. Squeeze through glutes and hamstrings to raise back up. All movement is from the hips. Do NOT round the back.
| | Dumbbell Rows
Bend over, with torso parallel to floor or at 45 degree angle, abs in and knees slightly bent. Bend arms and bring elbows towards ribcage, contracting the muscles of the lats (outer back). Lower arms and repeat.
| | Outer Thigh Leg Lift
Holding on to a chair for balance, bend right knee to 90 degrees. Keeping body upright, lift bent leg straight up until it's parallel to the floor. Slowly lower back to start and repeat on each leg. For added resistance, use 1-5 lb ankle weights or a resistance band.
| | Tricep Kickbacks
Stand with feet hip-width apart and bend at the waist until back is parallel to floor. Pull the elbows up next to torso. Keeping elbows static, straighten arms by contracting triceps. Lower and repeat.
| | Barbell Bicep Curl
Stand with fit hip-width apart holding body bar, barbell (or dumbbells in front of thighs, palms out. Bend elbows and bring weights towards the shoulders (without swinging). Lower back down and repeat.
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Strength Training Log This strength training log allows you to keep track of the exercises you're doing, how many sets and reps for each exercise, and how much weight you're using. To use it, simply click on file menu and choose 'Print'. | Exercise | Weight/
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Food Diary Use this page to record what you eat and when. Most experts say you need to keep your first food diary for at least three consecutive days before you can really get an idea of what your diet is normally like and what your problem areas are. If you have found that you tend to eat in response to emotions, when you are not hungry, please complete the special emotional/binge eaters' section. Date: ____/______/____ Breakfast Time: _________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Beverage: _____________________________
Lunch Time: _________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Beverage: _____________________________
Dinner Time: _________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Beverage: _____________________________
Snacks Time: ______ ______________________________________ Time: ______ ______________________________________ Time: ______ ______________________________________ Did you find any meal in particular to be a problem area? If so, which foods can you exchange for a healthier alternative? ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Special Section for emotional/binge eaters: Did you eat anything today when you weren't hungry? What were you feeling before you ate it? After? Before: ______________________________________ After: ______________________________________ How could you have handled the situation and/or your feelings without turning to food? _____________________________________________________________________ List at least one alternative activity you will use tomorrow instead of eating in response to feelings: ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ http://weightloss.about.com/cs/ourtoptips/l/blfooddiary.htm |
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Exercise for Beginners - Staying Motivated Motivation is the most important aspect of your workout and, as such, is usually the hardest thing to come by. Every day is different which means that every day will present new obstacles to fitting your workout in. The key is to make exercise a priority so that, no matter what comes up, you won't let your routine slide to the bottom of the list. To stay motivated try these tricks: - Plan on ways to get past obstacles before they happen. If you find you're skipping exercise because of family responsibilities, plan a family walk or outing to get them involved too.
- Try to workout in the morning. You'll have more energy throughout the day and you won't have the excuse of skipping it because you're tired or have to work late.
- Workout with a friend. When a friend is waiting for you, you're less likely to back out!
- Make a list of goals and put them on the refrigerator. When you think about skipping your workout, go back and read your list. Remember why you're doing this!
- Keep track of your progress. When you reach a goal, that will motivate you to keep going!
- Wake up each day and ask yourself how you'll make your day healthy. Plan your workouts the night before and be prepared with a workout bag ready to go so there are no excuses!
- Reward yourself! It's important to pat yourself on the back for reaching your goals. Get yourself a massage, a new pair of workout shoes or a night on the town every so often.
Top 10 Reasons You Don't Exercise Are you too busy to exercise? If so, you're not alone. Studies show that 60% of American adults don't get the recommended amount of physical activity, and over 25% of adults are not active at all. These statistics reflect the fact that many of us simply don't exercise. What's your excuse? 10. You really hate to exercise.
The key to happiness is doing things you enjoy. If you hate running, you don't have to do it. Find activities that match your personality. If you love the outdoors, go hiking or biking. If you like simplicity, stick with walking or circuit training. Try things before you decide you don't like them. 9. You've tried to exercise but you keep quitting.
People often quit because: they schedule too many workouts, work too hard and/or don't give themselves rest days. Do whatever you can--you have to start where you are, not where you want to be. Keep cardio light and schedule recovery days. Progress each week by adding a few more minutes to each workout. 8. You can't afford a gym membership
There's no reason you have to join a gym to exercise. You can walk anytime, anywhere. Dumbbells are cheap and can be used for a variety of exercises. There are also an incredible number of workout videos available for the home exerciser. Check out Collage Video for a great selection. 7. You're not seeing any changes in your body.
Not losing weight fast enough? Welcome to reality. You don't put weight on overnight and it won't come off that quickly either. Once you start exercising, give your body time to react. It could take up to 12 weeks before you start seeing some real changes in your body. In the meantime, try to enjoy the other benefits of exercise. 6. You don't know how to exercise.
That certainly won't fly what with the wealth of information at your fingertips. Try one of the many exercise books, videos or websites that cover everything from cardio to stretching exercises. Or, hire a trainer at your local gym. To find an ACE certified trainer, click here. 5. You want to exercise but you have to take care of your family.
You don't have to neglect your family to fit in exercise. Join a health club that has a daycare center or do a video while they nap. If they're old enough, have them participate in your routine by lifting very small weights or counting your repetitions, or take them with you on your daily walk. Show your family what it means to be healthy by giving them a good role model. 4. You can't seem to stay motivated to continue working out.
If you're tired, stressed or bored with your workouts, it's hard to keep going. To combat that, change your routine every 4 to 6 weeks by trying something new or changing your intensity or time. Remind yourself every day what your goals are and what you have to do to reach them. Reward yourself often (massages make great gifts). 3. Exercise HURTS!
You don't have to hurt yourself to reap the benefits of exercise. When doing your cardiovascular exercise, make sure you're in your target heart rate zone. You should be able to carry on a conversation, not huffing and puffing. When it comes to weight training, there should be effort involved since lean body tissue only grows when you challenge yourself. Using the heaviest weight you can handle for 12-16 reps will help you get the most out of your workouts. You should feel slight burning, but not teeth-gritting pain! 2. You can't make the commitment to stick to an exercise routine.
When you look at exercise in the long term (i.e., that you have to exercise on a daily basis FOREVER), it can be overwhelming. However, you don't have to change your life overnight. Start with small goals, such as to be more active every day by taking the stairs and moving around more. Decide you'll get up 10 minutes early to walk or lift weights. Over time, you can increase your workout time and try new things. For now, just worry about making it a daily habit. 1. You don't have time!
Physically inactive people have just as much free time as exercisers, so you can chuck this excuse! Here's how to get past a busy schedule: - Schedule your exercise time.
- If you can't find a full 30 minutes during your day, break it up into 10 or 15 minute segments.
- Get up a few minutes early and take a brisk walk, use 15 minutes of your lunch hour to walk the stairs and walk the dog or lift weights after work.
- Keep a calendar of your workouts to you can track your progress and stay motivated
- Remember that exercise generates energy--the more energy you have, the more you'll get done each day.
http://exercise.about.com/cs/exbeginners/a/beg_motivation.htm |
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12 Weeks to Weight Loss - Day 2 Focus on Strength Training On Day 1 of your 12 Week Program you started off the week with a little planning and some cardio exercise. You DID do your workout, didn't you? Today you'll focus on your first strength training session so get ready to build some muscle. Remember, muscle burns way more calories than fat, so the more you have, the more calories you'll burn. Enjoy! Cardio Focus: Active Rest Active rest simply means moving around more than usual without actually doing a structured cardio workout. Whenever you get an opportunity to move, do it--take the stairs, go talk to someone rather than emailing, walk the dog, walk to the store, play with the kids, rake the yard, etc. If you sit all day, set an alarm to go off every hour and stand up and stretch. Tell your boss you'll QUIT if you don't get some exercise time! Okay, everything but that last one... Strength and Flexibility Focus: Full Body Strength Are you ready for your first strength training workout? This week, we're focusing on full body--working all the muscle groups of your body in a short, efficient workout. You'll need light dumbbells and, if you've got it, an exercise ball. If you don't have a ball, don't worry...just do the exercises without it. If this workout is too easy, well la-di-da! Visit my Workout Center for loads of other workouts. Beginners: Full Body Beginner Workout, Beginner Abs Intermediate/Advanced: Total Body Workout , Dynamic Abs or or visit my Workout Center for more ideas. Nutrition Focus: Calculate Your BMR Today, you'll calculate your BMR--the number of calories you need to maintain normal functions like respiration, digestion, etc. This is the minimum number of calories you should eat each day. BMR Calculator. Remember, this is just an approximation--no calculator will be completely accurate. Motivation If you're new to lifting weights, you may feel a little intimidated, especially if you're working out at a gym. Remind yourself that lifting weights is essential for a complete program and it can help you change your body quickly, if you're consistent with your workouts. Oh, and don't be afraid to ask for help if you're not sure how something works. Most gym-goers are happy to answer your questions and, if you don't want to make a fuss, take advantage of your gym's free orientation if you haven't already. A confident exerciser is more likely to be a successful exerciser. Total Body Strength for Beginners The total body workout below is specifically for beginners who have never lifted weights or who haven't lifted weights in a long time. Take your time with the exercises and modify them to fit your needs. 1. See your doctor before you begin any exercise program if you have any injuries, illnesses or other conditions
2. Begin with a 5-10 minute warm up of light cardio (walking in place, etc.)
3. Perform each exercise for 10-16 repetitions, resting when you need to
4. Start with light weights (or no weight) until you've mastered each exercise.
5. If this is too easy or you're ready to progress, try Total Body Strength 2 or Total Body Strength 3, which contain more difficult exercises. Do this workout 1-3 non-consecutive days a week, taking at least one day of rest between workouts. For best weight loss results, combine this workout with regular cardio and a healthy, low-calorie diet. Click on pictures for more detailed view. | Floor Squat
Stand with feet wider than shoulders and place hands on the floor, ball or a chair (depending on flexibility). Bend knees and, keeping weight in the heels, lower butt until it's parallel to floor (or as low as you can). Keep abs in and make sure you can see your toes. | | Wall Push Up
Stand a few feet away from a wall or a high stair railing (as shown) and place hands on wall or rail wider than shoulders. Pull the abs in and, keeping back straight, bend elbows and lower body towards the wall/rail until elbows are at 90 degree angles. | | Assisted Lunge
Stand in split stance, feet about 3 feet apart using a chair or rail for balance. Keeping torso straight, bend knees and lower body towards the floor without allowing front knee to bend over the toe (you should see the tip of your shoe). Push through the heel to come back up. Repeat for all reps and switch legs. | | Rear Delt with Good Mornings
Bend at the waist keeping the back flat (or slightly arched) until the torso is parallel to the floor, arms straight down. Raise arms out to the sides to shoulder level like an airplane, palms facing down and squeeze the shoulder blades together. Lower the arms, stand and repeat. Hold weights for added intensity. | | Ball Deadlifts
Stand in front of ball, bend knees slightly and tip from the hips to lower your torso towards ball. Grab the ball and keeping back flat and abs in, roll the ball up the legs straightening the torso and squeezing butt until standing. Do NOT round the back or change the angle of the knees. All movement begins at the hips and everything else should stay in place. | | Bicep Curl with Lateral Raise
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding light dumbbells in front of thighs, palms out. Bend elbows and bring weights towards the shoulders (without swinging). Lower back down, turn palms until they face each other and lift straight out to the sides stopping at shoulder level and keeping elbows slightly bent. Lower and repeat. | | Tricep Press
Sit on a ball or chair and hold a light-medium dumbbell in both hands with arms extended overhead, elbows next to ears, arms straight. Bend elbows and slowly lower weight behind you until elbows are at 90 degrees--keep the elbows in and right next to ears. Contract triceps and straighten elbows to beginning. | | Crunches
Lie on your back with your hands crossed across your chest or supporting the head, knees bent. Contract abs to lift shoulders off the floor, bringing rib cage towards the pelvis. Hold for two counts, then lower slowly to the starting position. Repeat. | | Oblique Crossover Crunches
Lie on your back and cross right foot over left knee. Lift shoulder blades off the floor and curl left shoulder towards right knee, contracting the right side of waist. Lower and repeat on the same side before switching sides. | http://exercise.about.com/cs/exbeginners/l/blbegstrength.htm |
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Full Body Workout This workout uses the Smith machine, which can be found at most health clubs. You can do this workout with dumbbells, barbells, tubing or comparable health club machines. Alternate each lower body and upper body exercise, doing each for 12 to 16 repetitions. Repeat each pair of upper and lower exercises once (beginners-use no weight), twice (intermediate) or three times (advanced) before moving on to the next set of exercises. Do this workout 1-3 non-consecutive days a week and be sure to warm up with light cardio and stretch between sets. | Exercises | | Lower Body Exercise | | Upper Body Exercise | | Smith Squat: feet hip-distance apart, slowly lower into squat, knees behind toes, abs in and back flat. Push up: With bar propped on lower rung, place hands wider than shoulders, back flat, body in a straight line. |  | |
Smith Lunge: In split stance, slowly lower body into lunge position, both knees at 90 degree angles.
Bent Over Row: With back flat, bend upper body to 45 degree angle. Pull bar towards chest, squeezing the back. |
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| | Deadlifts: Feet hip-width apart, tip from the hips and lower weights to mid-shin, keeping back FLAT, weights close to the legs and abs in. Squeeze hamstrings.
Upright Row: In overhand grip and hands close together on bar, pull bar up to chest level. |
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| | One-legged Squat: Prop back foot on bench or step (not shown in picture) slowly lower into lunge position. Tricep Dips:Keep elbows parallel to one another and facing backwards. Lower only until your elbows are at 90 degrees. | | | | Calf Raises: (not pictured) Stand on weights with Smith bar on shoulders, raise yourself on tips of toes and lower. Bicep Curls: (not pictured) Stand holding bar-hands shoulder-width apart. Bend elbows and bring forearms towards shoulders and lower. | (Not Pictured) Calf Raises | Dynamic Abs By Paige Waehner Try these unique exercises that target the muscles of the torso in new and dynamic ways. This workout is perfect if you're tired of the same old crunches! | | | | | | | | | | Wood-chops Anchor a resistance band near the floor and stand with left side facing it. Hold handle with both hands and, keeping your hips forward, sweep your arms up and across your body in a diagonal until arms are over the right side of your body. If you don't have a resistance band you can use a medicine ball, a light dumbbell or nothing at all. Don't swing--do the movement slowly. | | | For Beginners: Do 1 set of 8-12 repetitions of each exercise. Modify anything that isn't comfortable. For Intermediate: Do 2 sets of 8-12 reps. For Advanced: Do 3 or more sets of 8-12 repetitions. Always... •Warm up with 5-10 minutes of cardio
�?/FONT>Do this workout in addition to weights and cardio exercise for best results. | | Beginner |
Advanced
| Ball Pikes
Lie facedown with ball under shins/ankles, body supported on hands (like a pushup). Beginners, bend the knees and roll the ball in towards the chest--try to keep your back straight and contract the abs. Roll out and repeat. Advanced, keep the legs straight, contract the abs and pull the ball in in a pike position until toes are on the ball. | | Obliques
Sit with legs bent, back straight, arms extended straight out in front of you. Contract the abs and sweep right arm down and behind you in a half-circle motion, leaning the torso back a few inches. Sit back up and repeat on other side. | | | Lying Torso Twists
Lie in the floor with knees pulled in over the chest. Place a ball between knees and stretch arms our to the sides like an airplane, palms facing up. Contract the abs and twist the hips to the right, bringing knees towards the floor (keep your shoulders flat on the floor). Don't touch the floor, but use the abs to bring knees back to start and go to the other side. | | Side-Lying Hip Lift
Lie on your side balanced on forearm, feet and hips stacked on top of one another, other hand behind head. Holding the torso steady, slowly contract your abs and lift the hips off the floor (don't sink into shoulder). Lower and repeat. | | http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/a/day_two.htm |
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12 Weeks to Weight Loss - Day 3 Cardio Focus: Endurance Endurance workouts are different from the Interval Workout you did on Day 1. While the interval workout is designed to cycle between low and high intensity, endurance workouts are focused on keeping a steady pace for a longer period of time. Option 1: Try this endurance workout Option 2: Choose an activity and maintain a steady pace for 20-45 minutes. Be sure to warm up, cool down and stretch at the end of your workout. Strength and Flexibility Focus: Flexibility After you cool down, try these stretches to work on lower body flexibility or try these Flexibility drills. Nutrition Focus: Activity Calculator You know your BMR--today you'll find out how many calories you're burning each day with your new exercise program and the daily activities you perform such as sitting, standing, watching TV, etc. Once you have that number, add it to your BMR to find out Total Calories you need each day. Calorie Calculator. Motivation You have to remember that motivating yourself is something you have to work at every day. If you're waiting for motivation to appear, you'll be waiting a long, long time. You have to find some reason to get moving every day. Write this quote on a post-it and stick it on your computer to remind you: "People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily." Zig Ziglar Endurance Workout Focus on keeping a steady pace that allows you to breathe easily and carry on a conversation. - Beginners: Modify according to your fitness level. Add a few minutes to your workouts each week to progress.
- The RPE's (Rate of Perceived Exertion) are to help you keep track of your intensity on a scale of 1 - 10. In this workout, stay slightly above your comfort level and choose a pace you can maintain for the length of the workout.
- If you can't talk or feel dizzy, stop!
- You can also use a Target Heart Rate Calculator to monitor your exercise intensity.
- Always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program
| Endurance Workout | | 5 minutes RPE 3-4 - Warm Up | | 5 minutes: RPE 5 - Increase speed from warm up slightly | | 5 minutes: RPE 6 - Increase speed again and increase incline or resistance (if an option) 1-2% | | 5 minutes: RPE 5-6 - Maintain speed and decrease incline/resistance to 0 | | 5 minutes: RPE 6 - Increase speed again and incline/resistance to 1-2% | | 5 minute: RPE 5-6 - Maintain speed and decrease incline/resistance to 0 | | 5 minutes: RPE 3-4 - Decrease speed to cool down | | Total Workout Time 35 Minutes | *This workout can be done using any cardio machine or outside. If you walk, run or cycle outside, simply maintain a steady pace for as long as you can, increasing intensity slightly every five minutes until cool down. Perceived Exertion Scale When exercising, it's important to monitor your intensity to make sure you're working at a pace that is challenging enough to help you reach your goals, but not so hard that you blow a lung. One way to do that is to use a Perceived Exertion Scale. The standard is the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion, which ranges from 0-20. Because I'm a math-idiot, I made up my own scale (see below) that's a little easier to remember. In general, for most workouts you want to be at around Level 5-6. If you're doing interval training, you want your recovery to be around a 4-5 and your intensity blasts to be at around 8-9. As you'll see below, working at a level 10 isn't recommended for most workouts. For longer, slower workouts, keep your PE at Level 5 or lower. - Level 1: I'm watching TV and eating bon bons
- Level 2: I'm comfortable and could maintain this pace all day long
- Level 3: I'm still comfortable, but am breathing a bit harder
- Level 4: I'm sweating a little, but feel good and can carry on a conversation effortlessly
- Level 5: I'm just above comfortable, am sweating more and can still talk easily
- Level 6: I can still talk, but am slightly breathless
- Level 7: I can still talk, but I don't really want to. I'm sweating like a pig
- Level 8: I can grunt in response to your questions and can only keep this pace for a short time period
- Level 9: I am probably going to die
- Level 10: I am dead
Stretching and Flexibility Drills for Racewalking From Wendy Bumgardner, Proper stretching can maintain or increase your range of motion. For racewalkers, stretching and flexibility moves can prepare your muscles and joints for a good workout. Gentle stretching after a warm up and then again after finishing your walk and cooling down is recommended by all walking coaches. Some rules of thumb about stretching: http://exercise.about.com/cs/cardioworkouts/l/blcardioendure.htm |
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12 Weeks to Weight Loss - Day 4 type=text/javascript>h1 = document.getElementById("title").getElementsByTagName("h1")[0];h1.innerHTML = widont(h1.innerHTML);</SCRIPT> More Strength Training! By Paige Waehner, About.com Cardio Focus: Active Rest While today is a rest day from cardio, it doesn't mean you get to lay around and do nothing. Make an effort to inject extra movement all day long. Try some of these ideas: - Set an alarm to go off every hour. Walk or stretch for 5 minutes
- When it's break time, take a 10 minute walk up and down the stairs or around the building.
- Use 15 minutes of your lunch hour for a quick walk
- When you get home from work, try a few of these yoga poses
- If you're watching TV, do crunches or pushups during commercials
Strength and Flexibility Focus: Total Body Strength Today you'll be doing the same workout you did on Day 2. If you're sore from that workout (or any of the other workouts), you might take an extra rest day or lighten up on the reps and/or the weight. It's normal to feel sore for a couple of days after a new workout, but if you can't get out of bed, you know you've done too much! Beginners: Full Body Beginner Workout, Beginner Abs Intermediate/Advanced: Total Body Workout , Dynamic Abs or or visit my Workout Center for more ideas. Nutrition Focus: Make A List Go through your food diary and make a list of the unhealthy foods you eat on a regular basis and their calorie content. Add to the list over the coming days so that you get a sense of the foods most tempting to you. Do you tend to crave sugary snacks? Or are you tempted more by salty, fatty snacks? Try to be objective as you go through your list--you aren't doing this to kick yourself, but to learn more about the choices you make each day. Motivation A big part of motivation is discipline. If you schedule your workouts and plan for them, that helps get rid of some of the obstacles that stand in your way as your workout approaches. Take some time to figure out why you tend to skip your workouts and come up with a plan beforehand to deal with your excuses. Yoga Postures | Be kind to yourself when you practice yoga. Go slowly, especially in the beginning, and listen to your body. It knows what it can do. If it says "stop," stop. Don't push it. Yoga is not a competitive sport. You don't win points for matching a picture in a book (or on a website). If you push too hard, you probably won't enjoy it, and you may hurt yourself. Whenever possible, work with a teacher, and use books, videos and websites to supplement your classroom instruction. Most of all, stick with it. If you practice, you will improve. And you will feel better. Jai Bhagwan. The chart below describes some of the fundamental yoga postures. The sequence can be performed in order. When you are familair with the psotures, try some of the vinyasas, or yoga flows, listed to in the column to the right. | | | Classic Postures | | 
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Sit/Easy Position - Sukhasana A starting position that helps focus awareness on breathing and the body; helps strengthen lower back and open the groin and hips. Sit cross-legged with hands on knees. Focus on your breath. Keep your spine straight and push the sit bones down into the floor. Allow the knees to gently lower. If the knees rise above your hips, sit on a cushion or block. This will help support your back and hips. Take 5-10 slow, deep breaths. On the next inhale, raise your arms over your head. Exhale and bring your arms down slowly. Repeat 5-7 times. | |
| Dog and Cat -- Increases flexibility of spine This is really two poses, one flowing into the other. Begin on your hands and knees. Keep your hands just in front of your shoulders, your legs about hip width apart. As you inhale, tilt the tailbone and pelvis up, and let the spine curve downward, dropping the stomach low, and lift your head up. Stretch gently. As you exhale, move into cat by reversing the spinal bend, tilting the pelvis down, drawing the spine up and pulling the chest and stomach in. Repeat several times, flowing smoothly from dog into cat, and cat back into dog. <DIR> </DIR> | |
| Mountain - Tadasana Improves posture, balance and self-awareness. A deceptive pose in that it appears so simple that some students may ask - "why bother?" But just as there's more to breathing than meets the eye, there is more to standing, too. Stand with feet together, hands at your sides, eyes looking forward. Raise your toes, fan them open, then place them back down on the floor. Feel your heel, outside of your foot, toes and ball of your foot all in contact with the floor. Tilt your pubic bone slightly forward. Raise your chest up and out, but within reason - this isn't the army and you're not standing at attention. Raise your head up and lengthen the neck by lifting the base of your skull toward the ceiling. Stretch the pinky on each hand downward, then balance that movement by stretching your index fingers. Push into the floor with your feet and raise your legs, first the calves and then the thighs. Breathe. Hold the posture, but try not to tense up. Breathe. As you inhale, imagine the breath coming up through the floor, rising through your legs and torso and up into your head. Reverse the process on the exhale and watch your breath as it passes down from your head, through your chest and stomach, legs and feet. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths, relax and repeat. On your next inhale, raise your arms over head (Urdhava Hastasana) and hold for several breaths. Lower your arms on an exhale. As a warm up, try synchronizing the raising and lowering of your arms with your breath - raise, inhale; lower, exhale. Repeat 5 times. | |
| Forward Bend or Extension - Uttanasana II Stretches the legs and spine, rests the heart and neck, relaxes mind and body Begin standing straight in Mountain pose or Tadasana. Inhale and raise the arms overhead. Exhale, bend at the hips, bring the arms forward and down until you touch the floor. It's okay to bend your knees, especially if you're feeling stiff. Either grasp your ankles or just leave your hands on the floor and breathe several times. Repeat 3-5 times. On your last bend, hold the position for 5 or 10 breaths. To come out of the pose, curl upward as if pulling yourself up one vertebrae at a time, stacking one on top of another, and leaving the head hanging down until last. Variations 1. Follow the instructions for the basic pose described above, but instead of holding the pose for several breaths, come up on the inhale. Extend your arms forward as your rise until you are standing straight and your arms are overhead. Exhale and bend forward. Repeat the process 5 times. 2. Go into the pose and take 3 deep breaths. Inhale and raise your head, but keep your hands on the floor. Hook each index finger around each big toe, exhale and come down. Hold for several breaths 3. Inhale and raise your head, again keeping your hands on the floor. This time, slide your hands under your feet so that the tips of your toes are touching heel of your hands. Hold for several breaths. 4. After bending forward, fold your arms and hang for as long as is comfortable. A very relaxing pose. 5. To come out of the pose, curl upward as if pulling yourself up one vertebrae at a time, stacking one on top of another, and leaving the head hanging down until last.
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| Trikonasana - the Triangle Stretches the spine, opens the torso, improves balance and concentration. Start with your spread 3-4 feet apart, feet parallel. Turn your left foot 90 degrees to the left and your right foot about 45 degrees inward. Inhale and raise both arms so they're parallel with the floor. Exhale, turn your head to the left and look down your left arm toward your outstretched fingers. Check that your left knee is aligned with your left ankle. Take a deep breath and stretch outward to the left, tilting the left hip down and the right hip up. When you've stretched as far as you can, pivot your arms, letting your left hand reach down and come to rest against the inside of your calf, while your right arms points straight up. Turn and look up at your right hand. Breathe deeply for several breaths. Inhale, and straighten up. Exhale, lower your arms. Put your hands on your hips and pivot on your heels, bringing your feet to face front. Repeat the posture on the other side. <DIR> </DIR> | |
| <DIR> Warrior I I - Virabhadrasana II Strengthens legs and arms; improves balance and concentration; builds confidence Begin in mountain pose with feet together and hands at side. Step your feet 4-5 feet apart. Turn your right foot about 45 degrees to the left. Turn your left foot 90 degrees to the left so that it is pointing straight out to the side. Slowly bend the left knee until the thigh is parallel with the floor, but keep the knee either behind or directly over your ankle. Raise your arms over head. Then slowly lower them until your left arm is pointing straight ahead and your right arm is pointing back. Concentrate on a spot in front of you and breathe. Take 4 or 5 deep breaths, lower your arms, bring your legs together. Reverse the position. </DIR> | |
| The Cobra - Bhujangasana Stretches the spine, strengthens the back and arms, opens the chest and heart. Lie down on your stomach. Keep your legs together, arms at your side, close to your body, with your hands by your chest. Step 1: Inhaling, slowly raise your head and chest as high as it will go. Keep your buttocks muscles tight to protect your lower back. Keep your head up and chest and heart out. Breathe several times and then come down. Repeat as necessary. Step 2: Follow the steps above. When you've gone as high as you can, gently raise yourself on your arms, stretching the spine even more. Only go as far as you are comfortable. Your pelvis should always remain on the floor. Breathe several times and come down. | |
 | Downward Facing Dog - Adho Mukha Svanasana Builds strength, flexibility and awareness; stretches the spine and hamstrings; rests the heart. Start on your hands and knees. Keep your legs about hip width apart and your arms shoulder width apart. Your middle fingers should be parallel, pointing straight ahead. Roll your elbows so that the eye or inner elbow is facing forward. Inhale and curl your toes under, as if getting ready to stand on your toes. Exhale and straighten your legs; push upward with your arms. The goal is to lengthen the spine while keeping your legs straight and your feet flat on the ground. However, in the beginning it's okay to bend the knees a bit and to keep your heels raised. The important thing is to work on lengthening the spine. Don't let your shoulders creep up by your ears -- keep them down. Weight should be evenly distributed between your hands and feet. Hold the position for a few breaths. Come down on and exhale. Repeat several times, synchronizing with your breath: up on the exhale and down on the inhale. | |  | Head to Knee -- Janu Shirshasana Stretches and opens back and hamstrings, improves flexibility Sit on the floor with legs extended in front of you. Bend one leg, bringing the heel of the foot as close to the groin as possible. You may want to place a pillow under the bent knee for comfort. Make sure your sitz bones are firmly grounded on the floor and that your spine is straight. Turn your body slightly so you face out over the extended leg. Inhale and raise your arms over head. Exhale and begin to move forward slowly. Try to keep the back as straight as possible. Instead of bending at the hips, focus on lifting the tailbone and rolling forward on your sitz bones. Inhale and lengthen and straighten the spine. Exhale and roll forward, however slightly. To get a bit more forward movement, engage your quadriceps (thigh muscles) as you move forward. This releases the hamstrings, giving you a bit more flexibility. When you've moved as far forward as you can, lower the arms and grasp your foot, or leg. Hold the position for a moment and breathe. Then on the next exhale gently pull yourself forward. Go slowly and remember to keep the back straight. When done, straighten up and do the other side. | | 
| Half Shoulderstand -- Ardha Sarvangasana Promotes proper thyroid function, strengthens abdomen, stretches upper back, improves blood circulation, induces relaxation You probably remember doing this as a kid. Lie on your back and lift your legs up into air. Place your hands on your lower back for support, resting your elbows and lower arms on the ground. Make sure your weight is on your shoulders and mid to upper back -- not your neck. Breathe deeply and hold for at the posture for at least 5-10 breaths, increasing the hold over time. To come down, slowly lower your legs, keeping them very straight -- a little workout for your abdominal muscles. | | 
| The Bridge - Sethu Bandhasa <DIR> Increases flexibility and suppleness; strengthens the lower back and abdominal muscles; opens the chest. Lie on your back with your knees up and hands at your side Your feet should be near your buttocks about six inches apart. To begin, gently raise and lower your tail. Then, slowly, raise the tailbone and continue lifting the spine, trying to move one vertebra at a time until your entire back is arched upward. Push firmly with your feet. Keep your knees straight and close together. Breathe deeply into your chest. Clasp your hands under your back and push against the floor. Take five slow, deep breaths. Come down slowly and repeat. </DIR> | |  | The Corpse -- Savasana Relaxes and refreshes the body and mind, relieves stress and anxiety, quiets the mind Possibly the most important posture, the Corpse, also known as the Sponge, is as deceptively simple as Tadasana, the Mountain pose. Usually performed at the end of a session, the goal is conscious relaxation. Many people find the "conscious" part the most difficult because it is very easy to drift off to sleep while doing Savasana. Begin by lying on your back, feet slightly apart, arms at your sides with palms facing up. Close your eyes and take several slow, deep breaths. Allow your body to sink into the ground. Try focusing on a specific part of the body and willing it to relax. For example, start with your feet, imagine the muscles and skin relaxing, letting go and slowly melting into the floor. From your feet, move on to your calves, thighs and so on up to your face and head. Then simply breathe and relax. Stay in the pose for at least 5-10 minutes. | |
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A vinyasa is a flow or sequence of postures  | Sun Salutation
(surya namaskar) | Surya Namaskar, the Sun Salutation, is a series of 12 postures performed in a single, graceful flow. Each movement is coordinated with the breath. Inhale as you extend or stretch, and exhale as you fold or contract. The Sun Salutation builds strength and increases flexibility. Different styles of yoga perform the Sun Saluation with their own variations. However, the flow presented below covers core steps used in most styles. For the series below, a single round consists of two complete sequences: one for the right side of the body and the other for the left. On days when you think you have no time for yoga, try and do at least one or two rounds of the Sun Salutation. You'll feel the difference. | 1. Mountain  Begin by standing in Mountain pose, feet about hip width apart, hands either by your sides or in prayer position. Take several deep breaths. | 2. Hands up  On your next inhale, in one sweeping movement, raise your arms up overhead and gently arch back as far as feels comfortable and safe. | 3. Head to knees  As you exhale, bend forward, bending the knees if necessary, and bring your hands to rest beside your feet. | | 4. Lunge  Inhale and step the right leg back | 5. Plank  Exhale and step the left leg back into plank position. Hold the position and inhale. | 6. Stick 
Exhale and lower yourself as if coming down from a pushup. Only your hands and feet should touch the floor. | | 7. Upward Dog  Inhale and stretch forward and up, bending at the waist. Use your arms to lift your torso, but only bend back as far as feels comfortable and safe. Lift your legs up so that only the tops of your feet and your ahnds touch the floor. It's okay to keep your arms bent at the elbow. | 8. Downward dog  Exhale, lift from the hips and push back and up. | 9. Lunge Inhale and step the right foot
forward. | | 10. Head to knees Exhale, bring the left foot forward and step into head-to-knee position. | 11. Hands up Inhale and rise slowly while keeping arms extended . | 12. Mountain Exhale, and in a slow, sweeping motion, lower your arms to the sides. End by bringing your hands up into prayer position. Repeat the sequence, stepping with the left leg. | Triangle/Warrior II Vinyasa This vinyasa flows through four poses: Mountain (Tadasana), Triangle (Tikonasana), Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II) and standing Yoga Mudra. To help synchronize the breath with each movement, a suggested breath rhythm is included. As an experiment, try the vinyasa two ways. First, move from one position to the next on the beat of the breath as indicated below. Then move through it again, but this time hold each of the four main postures for several breaths. Notice how each version affects you differently. | 
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| | Begin in Tadasana, the Mountain pose... | Exhale, step your feet apart and lift your arms up. Left toes turn 90 degrees to the left, right foot about 45 degrees inward. Make sure your left knee is aligned with your ankle, but don't lock the knee... | Inhale, lower the left hip, raise the right and stretch forward... |  | | | | Exhale, pivot the arms, moving into Trikonasana, the Triangle. Look up at your upstretched hand... | Inhale and come back... | ... up to standing, | | 
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| | Exhale, bend the forward knee and move into Warrior II, Virabandrasana II... | Inhale and come back to standing... | Exhale, clasp your hands behind your back. Inhale and... | | 
| | | | Exhale, bend at the hips, bringing head to knee for standing Yoga Mudra�? | Inhale, keeping the hands clasped, come back up�? | Exhale, step the feet together, let the arms come to the sides and return to Tadasana, the Mountain pose. Hold for several breaths, then repeat on the other side. | The Great Salutation
(maha namaskar) Based on Surya Namaskar, the Sun Salutation, the so-called "Great Salute" is a sequence of 22 postures (see the Posture Page). It includes the postures of the Sun Salutation, plus Warrior I and II , the Triangle and others. Like the Sun Salutation, the Great Salute is a complete workout, stretching, opening and strengthening the whole body. When repeated at a brisk pace, it also helps build stamina. Try several different approaches to this vinyasa. For example, move through the sequence, coordinating each step with an inhale or exhale, but never hold a pose for more than one breath. Then try it holding each of the major poses for 3-5 breaths. The Great Salute works as a warmup or part of a longer routine. On days when you have little time, it's a simple and quick way to work in many of the major standing poses. | 1. Mountain
Begin in Mountain pose, feet about hip width apart, hands either by your sides or in prayer position. | 2. Hands up
On your next inhale, sweep your arms up overhead and gently arch back, but only as far as feels safe and comfortable | 3. Head to knees As you exhale, bend forward, bending the knees if necessary, and bring your hands to rest beside your feet. | | 4. Lunge
Step the right leg back. | 5. Upright lunge 
Maintain the leg position, while straightening the back and bringing the hands to rest on the thigh. | 6. Warrior I 
Inhale and raise the arms overhead. If comfortable, hold the hands in temple position and look up. | | 7. Lunge
Bend forward, bringing the hands to either side of the foot. | 8. Plank
Step the left leg back into plank position. | 9. Stick
Exhale and lower yourself as if coming down from a pushup. Only your hands and feet should touch the floor. | | 10. Upward dog
Inhale and stretch forward and up, bending at the waist. Use your arms to lift your torso, but only bend back as far as feels safe and comfortable. | 11. Downward dog
Exhale, lift from the tailbone and hips and push back and up. | 12. Lunge
Step the right foot forward into the lunge position. | | 13. Triangle
Move into Triangle by turning your left hip up and the right down, bringing the right side of your torso in alignment with your right leg. Raise your left arm.
| 14.
Straighten up, keeping your arms up and extended.
| 15. Warrior II
Bend your right knee, keeping the knee over the right ankle, and move into Warrior II. | | 16.Open heart
Straighten up, clasp your hands behind your back, lift your chest and keep the arms and legs engaged, pulling shoulders back and down.
| 17. Standing seal
Bend forward at the hips, bring the head down to the knee and lift the arms up into the air. Lift the arms up and move them forward as much as possible. | 18. Open heart
Straighten up .
| | 19. Lunge
Bend the right knee and move into the Lunge. | 20. Head to knee
Step the left foot forward and lift the tailbone into the air, moving into Head-to-Knee | 21. Hands up
Sweep the arms out to either side, bend upward from the hips, keeping the back straight. | | 22. Mountain
In a slow, sweeping motion, lower your arms to the sides or bring them into prayer position. Repeat the sequence, beginning with the other leg | http://exercise.about.com/ |
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12 Weeks to Weight Loss - Day 5 type=text/javascript>h1 = document.getElementById("title").getElementsByTagName("h1")[0];h1.innerHTML = widont(h1.innerHTML);</SCRIPT> Focus on Variety By Paige Waehner, About.com Cardio Focus: Variety Choose One: - Option 1: Boredom Busters - Choose 1 of 3 different cardio workouts. These workouts involve varying the intensity in different ways and the inclines/speeds suggested are only guidelines. If you're a beginner, please modify the workout or choose one of these beginner workouts.
- Option 2: Circuit Training
- Option 3: Try one of our Walking Guide's walking workouts.
Strength and Flexibility Focus: Rest Don't forget to stretch. Nutrition Focus: How Much You're Eating Look at your food diary from the past few days and calculate the average number of calories you eat each day. Compare that number to the Total Calories you calculated on Day 3. How many more calories are you eating than your body needs? Or are you not eating enough calories? If you fall below your BMR, that can actually stall weight loss so eating too little is just as harmful as eating too much. Tomorrow, we'll get started on reducing your food calories, so get ready! Motivation One great tool you can use to motivate you is a pedometer. Clip it on in the morning and see how many steps you can take all day. Your ultimate goal should be 10,000 steps, but just do what you can and try to do more each day. Circuit Training Workout Circuit training is a great way to combine cardio and strength if you're short on time. This workout has two circuits, each with six strength/cardio exercises that are completed one right after the other, with little or no rest in between. Do each exercise for the specified amount of time (or as long as you can safely do so) and then move on to the next exercise. Once you complete all exercises, that is considered one circuit. Make sure you warm up with 5-10 minutes of light cardio and cool down with a stretch. Times are suggestion only--please modify according to your fitness level and perceived exertion (which should stay between Level 5-9). - Beginners: Complete Circuit I once
- Intermediates: Complete both circuits once (or more)
- Advanced: Complete both circuits 3 or more times
Circuit I | Exercises/Duration | Example | Squats
Place an exercise ball behind the back and against the wall with feet hip-width apart, abs in and torso straight. Bend your knees and lower down until knees are at 90 degrees (don't go down as low if you have knee problems). Repeat for 30-60 seconds and hold weights for added intensity. |  | Jumping Rope (with or without a rope)
30 seconds to 1 minute | Jump with both feet together, jumping only an an inch or so off the floor. | Lunges
Stand in split stance, right foot in front. Bend the knees and lower body into lunge position, keeping the right knee behind the toe, torso upright and abs in. 30 seconds, then switch legs for 30 seconds and hold weights for added intensity. | | Jog or Walk
Up to 5 minutes | Either outside or inside, walk or jog for 1-2 minutes at a brisk pace. Increase speed and work as hard as you can for 2 minutes. Recover for 1 minute. | Push Ups - On Knees or Toes
30 seconds to 1 minute | | Squats with Front Kick
Stand with feet together. Bring the right knee up and extend the leg in a front kick (don't lock the knee!). Lower down into a low squat (knees behind toes) and then kick with the left leg. Repeat (right kick, squat, left kick) for 1-3 minutes. | | Circuit II | Exercises/Duration | Example | Squat/Lateral Raise
Stand with feet hip-width apart, abs in and torso straight. Slowly bend knees into a squat, keeping knees behind toes. At the same time, raise arms up to shoulder level. Lower arms and stand up. Repeat for 30-60 seconds. |  | Side-to-Side jump
20-30 seconds | Place a pillow, phone book or step on the floor and stand to one side. Jump from side to side over the object, landing with knees bent and abs in. | Plank with Leg Extension
In plank position on the ball as shown or on the floor, slowly lift one leg while keeping hips and shoulders square, abs in. Switch legs, alternating for 20-60 seconds. Modify by staying on the knees. |  | Jumping Rope (with or without a rope)
30 seconds to 1 minute | Jump on one foot for half the time and switch legs for the remainder, jumping only an an inch or so off the floor. | Lunge with Biceps Curls
In split stance, slowly lower into lunge (front and back legs at 90 degrees), and curl forearms towards shoulders. 20-30 seconds on each leg. |  | Back Extensions
Lie face down on a ball (shown) or floor with the legs extended and hands behind the head or under the chin. Roll down over the ball and then squeeze the lower back to lift the chest off the ball in a straight line. Lower and repeat for 30-60 seconds. | http://exercise.about.com/cs/cardioworkouts/l/blcardiomachine.htm |
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Treadmill/Cardio Gym Workouts The following workouts involve building endurance and burning calories by changing your speed, resistance and/or incline. The settings are samples only, so modify the workouts according to your fitness level. Use the Perceived Exertion Scale to determine how hard you're working. Check with your doctor before you start any exercise program. Workouts: The 30 Minute Treadmill Interval Workout This workout involves alternative hard (sprinting or speed-walking) intervals with recovery (walking or slow-jogging) intervals. Increase or decrease the speed and/or duration of each interval according to your fitness level. Use the Perceived Exertion Scale below to determine how hard you're working. | TIME | Intensity/Speed | Incline | Perceived Exertion | | 5 min. | 3.0 mph - warm-up | 1% | Level 2-3 | | 5 min. | 3.5 - 4.5 - walk/slow jog | 1% | Level 4 | | 1 min | 5.0 - 5.5 - speed walk/run | 2% | Level 6 | | 2 min | 4.0 - 5.0 - walk/slow jog | 0% | Level 4 | | 1 min | 5.0 - 5.5 - speed walk/ run | 2% | Level 6-7 | | 2 min | 4.0 - 5.0 - walk/slow jog | 0% | Level 4 | | 1 min | 5.3 - 5.7 - speed walk/run | 1-2% | Level 7 | | 2 min | 4.0 - 5.0 - walk/ slow jog | 0% | Level 4 | | 1 min | Walk or run as fast as you can | 1-2% | Level 7-8 | | 2 min | 4.0 - 5.0 - walk/ slow jog | 0% | Level 4 | | 5 min | 3.0 - 4.0 | 0% | Level 3 | The 45-Minute Treadmill Workout for Those Who Bore Easily This workout involves short periods in which you increase your speed and/or incline for short intervals before bringing it back down to medium intensity. Increase or decrease the speed according to your fitness level. Use the Perceived Exertion Scale below to determine how hard you're working. | TIME | Intensity/Speed | Incline | Perceived Exertion Level | | 10 | 3-4.0 mph - warm-up | 1% | 2-3 | | 1 minute | Start at 5.0- Increase speed 1 increment every 15 seconds - end 5.3 | Start at 2% - Increase incline 1 increment every 15 seconds - end at 5% | 5 | | 1 min. | 5.5+ | 6% | 5-7 | | 1 min. | Decrease speed 1 increment every 15 seconds - end 5.0 | Decrease incline 1 increment every 15 seconds - end at 2% | 5-6 | | 5 min. | 5.0+ | 0% | 4-5 | | 1 min. | Start at 5.3 Increase speed 1 increment every 20 seconds-end 5.5 | Start at 3% - Increase incline 1 increment every 20 seconds - end at 5% | | | 1 min. | 5.6 | 7% | 7 | | 1 min. | Decrease speed 1 increment every 20 seconds - end 5.3 | Decrease incline 1 increment every 20 seconds - end at 2% | 5-6 | | 5 min. | 5.0 | 0% | 4-5 | | 3 min. | 5.7 | 1-3% | 5 | | 10 min. | 5.0 | 0% | 4 | | 6 min. | 3.0+ | 0% | 2-3 | Cardio Medley Workout Choose 3 (or more) different cardio machines and do 10 minutes on each machine, keeping the intensity relatively high. Increase or decrease the speed according to your fitness level. Use the Perceived Exertion Scale below to determine how hard you're working. Treadmill: | TIME | Intensity/Speed | Incline | Perceived Exertion | | 5 min | 3.0 mph - warm-up | 1% | Level 2-3 | | 3 min | 4.0+ | 3% | 4-5 | | 1 min | 4.5+ | 6% | 5 | | 3 min | 5.0+ | 2-4% | 6 | | 1 min | 4.5+ | 5% | 5 | | 1 min | 6.0+ | 2-4% | 6-7 | | 1 min | 3.0-4.0 | 0% | 3-4 | Bike: | TIME | Intensity/Speed | Resistance/Level | Perceived Exertion | | 1 min | 70-80 RPM | 5 | 4 | | 1 min | 100-110 RPM | 6-8 | 6 | | 1 min | 70-80 RPM | 5 | 4 | | 1 min | 100-110 RPM | 6-8 | 6 | | 1 min | 70-80 RPM | 5 | 4 | | 1 min | 100-110 RPM | 6-8 | 6 | | 1 min | 70-80 RPM | 5 | 4 | | 1 min | 100-110 RPM | 6-8 | 6 | | 1 min | 70-80 RPM | 5 | 4 | | 1 min | 70-80 RPM | 5 | 4 | Elliptical Trainer: | TIME | Resistance/Level | Perceived Exertion | | 3 min | 4/5 | 5 | | 2 min | 6/6 | 6 | | 3 min | 5/5 | 5-6 | | 2 min | 6/7 | 6 | | 5 min | 2/1 | 3-4 (cool down) | Weekly Walking Workouts Vary Your Workout for Maximum Effect Do you walk the same distance and pace most every day? Do you feel like your fitness improvement has stalled? Do you want to prepare for a walking race, relay, or marathon? Time for a schedule with a variety of walking workouts. This weekly suggested schedule, developed by Dave McGovern for his racewalk clinics, is for every kind of walker, including fitness walkers and racewalkers. You can mix and match the workouts below. The week should include one day of Economy workouts to build speed, two days of Threshold workouts to build aerobic performance, and one day of long distance. In between each of these workouts should be a rest day or a day of easy walking. Monday: Rest day. No walking of significant distance or intensity. Tuesday: Economy Workout. Warm up for 10 minutes at an easy pace. Then walk as fast as you can for 30 seconds or 200 meters (two city blocks in most cities). After 30 seconds, drop down to an easy pace for 2 minutes. Repeat the 30 seconds speed/2 minutes rest 8-12 times. Cool down with a 10 minute easy pace walk. Wednesday: Recovery. Easy 3 mile walk at 65-70% of your max heart rate. This is a pace at which you can easily maintain a conversation but are breathing harder than at rest. Thursday: Threshold Workout #1 - Speed. 10 minute warm up at easy walking pace. Walk fast for 8 minutes or 1 kilometer at 85-92% of your max heart rate. Then slow down to an easy pace for 2 minutes. Repeat this for 3-4 repetitions. Cool down for 10 minutes at an easy pace. The threshold pace is strenuous, but one you could maintain throughout a 10 kilometer/6 mile race. You will be breathing very hard and able to speak only in short phrases. Friday: Recovery. Easy 3 mile walk at 65-70% of your max heart rate. Saturday: Threshold Workout #2: Steady state or tempo workout. Warm up for 10 minutes at an easy pace. Walk 20-30 minutes at 85% of your max heart rate then cool down with 10 minutes easy pace. Sunday: Distance Workout. 8-12 kilometers (5-7 miles) at 70-75% of your max heart rate. This is a conversational pace. The key to these workouts is not to exceed your lactate threshold - working out so hard and long that your body builds up lactic acid in the muscles. This occurs when you workout at 90% or more of your maximum heart rate for more than 50 minutes. By knowing your Maximum Heart Rate and using a heart rate monitor, you can ensure that you are working out at the right pace for the various workouts. Heart Rate Calculator This variety of workouts will ensure you get slow fat-burning workouts, aerobic carbo-burning workouts that also build and feed your muscles, and avoid overtraining and anaerobic workouts. Varying your walking workouts will help build different aspects of fitness: speed, endurance, aerobic capacity. For each workout, be sure to stop after 10 minutes and do some easy stretching. For the workouts above 70% of MHR, do a 10 minute warm-up walk at an easy pace, stretch, then speed up to the suggested rate. When the faster walking is done, slow down to an easy pace for 10 minutes and finish with stretching. Easy Health Walk: 30 minutes daily at 50-60% of MHR. This is a purposeful but comfortable pace. Builds long-term health and well-being. Weight Control Walk or Fat Burning Walk: 60-70% of MHR for 45-60 minutes daily. This is a brisk pace with noticeable breathing but you can still carry on a conversation. The longer time period at this moderate pace will burn calories and give the body time to draw on its fat stores for energy. Distance/Endurance Walk: 65-80% of MHR for 5-10 miles. Once per week. Builds endurance. If you are planning to participate in a 5K or 10K race, your distance walk should exceed the race distance by a mile or two. Joining in a local non-competitive 10K volkssport walkis a perfect way to include this workout. Aerobic Walk: 70-80% of MHR for 20-60 minutes, every other day. On the days in between, do the easy health walk or weight control walk. This is quick walking with very noticeable breathing, but not out of breath. Improves aerobic fitness. Athletic Performance Walk (Threshold): 80-92% of MHR for no more than 50 minutes. Once to three times per week, always with an easier or rest day in between. See the suggested walking week below for some formats for these walks. This is very fast walking with heavy breathing and you may have to adopt racewalk technique or jog to attain this heart rate. Economy Workouts: Short bouts of walking as fast as you can for 30 seconds, slow for 2 minutes, repeat 8-12 times. For racewalkers, this builds speed ability and technique. Once per week. Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) You will need to know your MHR to ensure you are working out at the right pace. Your maximum heart rate is determined by your genetic make-up, gender, and age. The rule-of-thumb formulas work for many people, but the only accurate method is to have it clinically tested by a cardiologist or exercise physiologist by a treadmill stress test, or by an experienced coach under field conditions. If you are over the age of 35, overweight, have been sedentary for several years, or have a history of heart disease in your family, clinical testing is recommended. Basic MHR
Men = 220 - Age
Women = 226 - Age Approximate Maximum Heart Rate (beats per minute)
Age | Maximum Heart Rate
20 Male: 200 | Female: 208
25 Male: 195 | Female: 201
30 Male: 190 | Female: 196
35 Male: 185 | Female: 191
40 Male: 180 | Female: 186
45 Male: 175 | Female: 181
50 Male: 170 | Female: 175
55 Male: 165 | Female: 171
60 Male: 160 | Female: 166
65 Male: 155 | Female: 161
70 Male: 150 | Female: 156
Heartrate Calculator
Enter your age and target percentage to see the desired beats per minute http://walking.about.com/cs/fitnesswalking/a/walkworkouts_3.htm |
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12 Weeks to Weight Loss - Day 6 type=text/javascript>h1 = document.getElementById("title").getElementsByTagName("h1")[0];h1.innerHTML = widont(h1.innerHTML);</SCRIPT> Focus on Core Strength By Paige Waehner, About.com Cardio Focus: Active Rest Your focus today is on being active and having fun. Don't worry about heart rate, intensity or any of that other stuff. - Take your dog for a long walk
- Take the kids or your spouse out for a leisurely bike ride
- If it's cold outside, stay indoors and put on your favorite CD or radio station. Do a little dance...no one's looking.
- Wash the car...twice.
Strength and Flexibility Focus: Core Strength type=text/javascript>zob();if(zs<1){gEI('spacer').className='hide';gEI('sidebar').className='hide';}</SCRIPT> Cardio Focus: Active Rest Your focus today is on being active and having fun. Don't worry about heart rate, intensity or any of that other stuff. - Take your dog for a long walk
- Take the kids or your spouse out for a leisurely bike ride
- If it's cold outside, stay indoors and put on your favorite CD or radio station. Do a little dance...no one's looking.
- Wash the car...twice.
Strength and Flexibility Focus: Core Strength First, get warmed up by taking a short walk or doing a few minutes of light cardio or marching in place. Then, choose one of the workouts below to strengthen your abs and back in challenging ways: Dynamic Abs . This workout involves a resistance band, an exercise ball and a medicine ball. If you don't have all of the equipment shown, either subsitute or do the exercises without the equipment. Abs & Back . This workout requires very little equipment, but the moves are challenging. Take your time or go back to Beginner Abs for easier exercises. Nutrition Focus: Clean Out Your Pantry Using the list you made on Day 4, choose ONE unhealthy food in your pantry, refrigerator, cabinets, etc. and substitute it with something healthy and lower in calories or throw it away. For example, if you drink a Coke every morning, replacing that with water will save you 150 calories. Add that to the exercise you're doing this week, and you're on the road to weight loss. Motivation If you've managed to fit in all the workouts (or at least most of them), keep yourself going with a reward. It's important to acknowledge all your hard work, so why not get yourself a new pair of workout shoes or that CD you've been wanting? Do something nice for yourself and get ready for next week! Core Exercises on the Ball The exercise ball is a great tool for strengthening the abs, but it also helps you reach those hard-to-get-to muscles (such as the TVA and erector spinae), as well as improving your balance and overall coordination. The following exercises offer challenging ways to work a variety of muscle groups. Many of these moves are advanced exercises that require previous experience with an exercise ball. If you're new to the exercise ball, try this Beginner Ball Workout. - When first trying these exercises, you may want to hold onto a wall or prop the ball against something sturdy for added stability.
- Perform 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps of each exercise, taking care to perfect your form before increasing sets or reps.
- Avoid any moves that cause pain or that you're not clear how to do correctly.
- Always see your doctor before exercising if you have any existing injuries or conditions.
Back Extension
 
Position the ball under your hips and lower torso with the knees straight or bent. With hands behind the head or behind back, slowly roll down the ball. Lift your chest off the ball, bringing your shoulders up until your body is in a straight line. Make sure your body is in alignment (i.e., head, neck, shoulders and back are in a straight line), your abs are pulled in and that don't hyperextend the back. | Ball Balance
Position the ball under your abs and hips, hands on the floor and legs straight and off the floor. Hold that position for 20 to 30 seconds, keeping your body in a straight line, abs pulled in. Keeping balance, slowly raise your right arm out to the side, taking care not to roll or allow any part of your body to collapse. Hold that for a few seconds and switch arms. This is tougher than it looks! | Butt Lift
 
Lie on the ball with the head, neck and shoulders supported, knees bent and body in a table-top position. Lower the hips towards the floor without rolling on the ball. Squeeze the glutes to raise hips until body is in a straight line like a bridge. Hold weights on the hips for added intensity and make sure you press through the heels and not the toes. | Hip Extension
 
Lie down with feet heels propped on ball. Keeping abs tight, slowly lift your hips off the floor (squeezing the glutes) until body is in a straight line. Hold for a few seconds and lower. For added intensity, lift the hips and then take one leg off the ball, hold for a moment and lower. Repeat, lifting the other leg off the ball. | Ab Roll
Place your hands on the ball in front of you, arms parallel. Pulling your belly button towards your spine and tightening your torso, slowly roll forward, rolling the ball out as far as you can without arching or straining the back. Push the elbows into the ball and squeeze the abs to pull the body back to start. Avoid this move if you have back problems. | Ball Rotation
Lie with ball under shoulders and lower back, arms straight up over chest, palms together. Hold your body in a straight line from hips to knees. Tightening your glutes and abs, slowly twist your body to the left, sweeping arms parallel to the floor, then back up, repeating on the other side. Try not to collapse the body or roll too far, but really use your abs. | Ball Twist
Get into a pushup position with the feet on either side of the ball (turning your ankles so that you are hugging the ball). Hold body in a straight line with abs pulled in, hips straight and hands directly under shoulders. Slowly twist the ball to the right while trying to keep your shoulders level, then to the left. Don't sag in the middle. | 12 Weeks to Weight Loss - Week 1 The chart below maps out what you'll do each day for cardio, strength training and flexibility. It also includes some nutritional goals, but feel free to set your own goals according to what you need to change. Keep in mind, these are just suggestions. Modify them to fit your needs | Day | Cardio | Nutrition | Strength/Flexiblity | | Day 1 | Focus: Interval Training
Beginners Interval Workout, Int/Advanced Interval Workout, or make your own workout | Keeping a Food Diary
Start a food diary | Flexiblity workout | | Day 2 | Active Rest
| Calculate Your BMR
BMR Calculator | Total Beginner Workout, Abs, or
Int/Adv. Total Workout, Dynamic Abs | | Day 3 | Focus: Endurance
Endurance workout, or
Choose your own workout. | Calculate Your Calories
| Stretch | | Day 4 | Active Rest
| Make A List
Make a list of the unhealthy foods you eat and their calorie content. | Total Beginner Workout, Abs, or
Int/Adv. Total Workout, Dynamic Abs | | Day 5 | Active Rest
| Compare how many calories you eat each day to the total calories calculated on Day 3. | Rest | | Day 6 | Focus: Variety
Boredom Busters, or
Circuit Training | Clean Out Your Pantry
Choose ONE unhealthy food in your kitchen throw it away. | Choose one:
Dynamic Abs
Abs & Back
Beginner Abs | http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/l/blphaseI.htm |
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:::looking for this "Paige" person who is just too darn perky for her own darn good!"::: Tipsy?????? When I find her? Im gonna give HER a workout on her size "0" butt! LMBO Moonessence |
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:::still looking for this Paige person::: |
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MoonEssence, I finally got your post in my email (remember I said my server is a bit slow? Yeah,.. two days...) anyway, I saw your post and had to rush over to see why you would give this Paige person a workout lmbo!!!! I guess I am going to have to try using this series.... darn, no more excuses for me! Humph! lmbo!!! Huggers, Rowan |
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