When to stretch

There is some confusion about when to stretch. Should stretching be done before, after, or during a workout? The answer is yes. Before, during, and after are all correct. Stretching is one of the most neglected aspects of health and fitness. Exercise causes the muscles to contract, shorten, and become tight. When a  muscle is not stretched, it becomes tight and rigid.

Stretch before working out in order to prepare muscles for exercise. This will increase the blood flow to the muscles and allow more oxygen flow. Cold muscles do not stretch well, so stretch before rigorous exercise. Do a light warm up and then begin stretching.

At the end of the workout, muscles are warm and should be stretched. They will also be full of lactic acid and other metabolic wastes that needs to be removed. Stretching helps remove these waste products. Stretching after the workout  is also a great way to relax.

Reveal Your Six Pack

Many would agree that having a “six pack” is considered to be   an attractive sign of fitness.  There are misconceptions about how to achieve this goal. Many feel that each sit up will bring them one step closer to a "six pack". Because of this, hours are spent focusing on abdominal exercises. These exercises are great, as they build core strength, which is important.

  

Unfortunately, doing one million abdominal exercises will not shrink the waistline. This may be shocking to some. Extra time spent on the treadmill, or cross trainer will do more for your midsection than twenty sets of fifty crunches. 

 Why?

Because body fat is stored in calories, you must focus on burning calories.Cardiovascular exercise burns more calories than crunches. Doing crunches will harden the abdominal muscles underneath the fat. Your “six pack” will be revealed once the abdominal fat is  gone. 

Healthy dieting is also a huge piece of the puzzle. In order to have a sculpted midsection, you must maintain healthy eating habits.

After exercising consistently and healthy dieting, your six pack will be revealed!!!!!

Weight Training

If you want to look great, start using weights!!!

Weight training should be incorporated in every exercise program in order to maximize results. Many women are reluctant to begin a weight training program. Here are some common myths about weight training.

Myth: "If women lift weights, they should only use light weights."

Fact: Muscles respond to resistance and if the resistance is too light, the body will not change.

Myth: "Weight training will make you look bulky."

Fact:  Moderate weight lifting will strengthen the body and produce a sculpted (cellulite free) physique.

Myth: "Weight Training turns fat into muscle."

Fact: Muscle and fat are two different types of tissue. One cannot be turned into the other.  

Your body will be transformed by lifting weights to gain muscle and losing fat through diet and cardiovascular exercise.

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Exercise and Nutrition: A Magnificent Matrimony

If you are a bride to be, you are preparing to join your soon to be husband in the magnificent union of marriage. The union between Exercise and Nutrition is just as magnificent.

Exercise and Nutrition each play an integral role in helping you reach your fitness goals.

Here are my top ten nutrition tips to help you loose weight, be a healthier wife, and live a healthier life!!!!

1. Carbohydrates: When grocery shopping, choose “good” carbohydrates such as whole grains.

2. Protein: Vegetable sources of protein such as beans, nuts and whole grains, are excellent choices because they are rich in healthy fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Fish and poultry are the best animal protein choices.

3. Fats:  Avoid trans fat and and use plenty of plant oil, nuts and fish. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are “good fats” that lower disease risk. Trans fats and saturated fats are “bad fats” that increase disease risk.

4. Fiber: Choose a diet filled with fiber such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.

5. Vegetables and Fruits: Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. A diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables lowers blood pressure, and reduces risk of heart disease. Try to consume nine servings of vegetables and fruits each day in order to give your body a mix of the nutrients it needs.

6. Calcium: Milk is not the only source of calcium. Beans and tofu can also supply your body with calcium. 

7. Healthy Drinks: Avoid drinks filled with sugar and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

8. Lower Salt and Sodium Intake: Avoid processed foods and choose more fresh foods. If you are pressed for time use your slow cooker to prepare meals that include fresh ingredients.

9. Alcohol: Moderate drinking can be healthy. A general guideline is twelve ounces of beer or five ounces of wine.

10. Vitamins: Select a multivitamin and be sure to take it daily.

          Stay tuned for next Friday’s Fitness!!!!!!!!!!!!

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6 ways to burn more calories while sleeping

Would you like to burn more calories while you sleep? 

Research shows that getting enough sleep can help you burn more calories both at night and during the day. 

To burn more calories while you sleep, follow these steps:

1.  Include weight training in your exercise regimen during the day. One pound of fat only burns  nine calories but one pound of muscle burns approximately fifty calories per day. 

2.  Burn more calories at night by turning down the heater. Our bodies use more energy to stay warm. When you turn down the heater at night, you will increase your body's metabolic rate, which will cause your body burn more calories to keep you warm.

 3. Avoid carbohydrates for at least six hours before bed. 

When your body is low on carbohydrates, it starts using calories to burn fat for energy. If there are no carbohydrates in your system before bedtime, your body will burn more calories by burning fat for energy.

 4.  Drink green tea before going to bed. Green tea increases metabolism, which will help your body burn more calories.
5.  Sleep for more than seven hours each night. Getting more sleep will not only help you burn more calories at night, it will also help keep your metabolic rate higher during the day so that you also burn more calories during the day.
6. Meditate and relax before going to sleep. Relaxing causes cortisol levels to drop which causes your body to burn more calories.

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Fitness As A Way Of Life

Let's Start Thinking............ Often times in your busy lives you find yourself in need of a quick fix.  Many companies thrive on that need and promise "get fit quick" methods of achieving fitness goals such as crash diets and weight loss pills. Often times people take the bait. You may want to loose ten, twenty, or thirty pounds for the wedding, graduation, or high school reunion. The truth is that, both weight gain and weight loss are processes.  Twenty pounds cannot be gained in two weeks. Therefore, one cannot expect to loose twenty pounds in two weeks. Remember one important thing; being healthy is a way of life!!!!!! I challenge you to think of your own fitness as a way of life. When you begin to think about fitness as a way of life, you will begin to see lasting results. Your actions are a reflection of our thoughts so first try changing your thoughts about fitness and exercise. As your thoughts begin to change, so will your actions. Think of exercise as a necessity for living a long productive life. Now, before beginning an exercise program, you must mentally prepare yourself. Here are few great ways to mentally prepare yourself and shift your thinking about exercise. 1)  Simple Math:  If you consume more calories than you burn you will gain weight. If you burn more calories than you consume you will loose weight.  If you consume and burn the same number of calories, you will stay the same weight. Remember this simple math equation. 2) Time:  Find thirty minutes of time in your day that you will devote to exercise. Block out that time in your monthly calendar to help you commit. 3)  Accountability: Tell friends and family that you are about to start living a healthy life. Tell them your goal and tell them not to disturb you with phone calls, emails, or text messages during your exercise time. 4) The Writings on the Wall: Write your goals down and look at them each day. Now, you are ready to begin an exercise program.!!!!!!!!!!