Exercise Tips - Getting Fit by Jane Thurnell-Read

Enjoy exercise more with these exercise tips. Do things in a safe and healthy way. Here's some health and fitness tips to get you going:

Stability Ball
When sitting on an exercise ball (stability ball, gym ball) make sure your weight is not in your toes, as this will reduce the effort your core muscles are needing to make.

Buying Running Shoes
Shop for running shoes in the afternoon as your feet tend to swell through the day. Take with you the socks you will wear while running.

Lacking Motivation?
"If I am lacking motivation, I can look at how many non-runners struggle with daily activity, and then, hey presto, there is my motivation." Tom O'Leary www.runningmonkeys.com

Riding A Bike On A Narrow Road
When you ride a bike on a narrow road, don't hug the side of the road, as it just encourages traffic to try to squeeze past you.

A Little More Exercise
If you use the tube/subway or a bus, get off a stop early and walk to get some additional exercise and improve your fitness.

Wear Mittens
If you're going skiing, wear mittens as they keep the hands warmer than gloves.

Creating Time
Being fit creates time - you can go upstairs more quickly, do household chores more easily, so take time to exercise and create more time.

Use A Heart Rate Monitor
Using a heart rate monitor can help your exercise programme to be safe and effective. It can also motivate you as you see how your heart is getting stronger and you are getting fitter.

Biking Miles
If you're biking lots of miles and want to lose weight, make sure you still refuel properly on the bike. Just eat less off the bike.

Weight Training
Don't cheat when weight training. You're the one that loses out. Do the exercise with good form at the correct speed with the full range of motion. Don't bounce or jerk.

How's Your Running Form?
It's easy to concentrate on your legs when you're running, but look at how strong/fast runners use their arms and copy them.

Sometimes
Sometimes when you least feel like doing exercise is when you will feel the benefit from doing it the most.

Exercise In the Evening
Exercising in the evening can make it more difficult to sleep well.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
If you suffer from this after running, make sure your shoes are properly cushioned and try taking extra vitamin C.

Stuck At Home Or In The Office?
Climbing stairs can be a great way to tone up your legs and butt/bum. Once you've warmed up, do some at a faster pace to increase your aerobic fitness.

No Time To Exercise?
"Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness." Edward Stanley

Be Realistic
Don't overdo it when you start an exercise programme, if you haven't done any for a

long time. Make sure you're doing a programme you enjoy, otherwise you won't stick to it.

Skiing
Because of the shape of the pelvis women are six times more likely to injure their knees skiing than men are. Do extra hamstring and knee muscle exercises beforehand to compensate.

A Quick Exercise
Stand on one leg while you clean your teeth in the morning. Stand on the other leg in the evening. This will strengthen your hamstring muscles and is good for balance.

Excuses
Don't let doing exercise be an excuse for eating unhealthy calorie-rich foods.

Are You Drinking Enough?
Weigh yourself before and after exercise in as few clothes as possible, and drying off any sweat. If your weigh less, it means you are not drinking enough water. (Sorry, it's not real weight loss!)

Learning To Run
If you're just starting to run, take small steps so that you will lift your feet higher. Get a good technique early.

Use A Stability Ball
Sit on a stability ball rather than a bench when doing free weight exercises for your arms. That way you strengthen your core muscles at the same time.

Skipping Rope Length
Skipping is a great aerobic workout, but make sure the length of the rope is correct for you: the point where the handles meet the rope should be level with your armpits, when you stand on the middle of the rope.

Back Pain
Strengthening your abdominal (stomach) muscles can significantly reduce back pain, but learn to do them properly. Try crunches but don't jerk or lift your lower back off the floor.

Exercise & Spot Fat Reduction
Exercise won't help you lose fat in a particular area, but it can help tone the area so it looks better.

Stretching & Exercise
Stretching before you exercise increases your chances of injury. Warm up slowly and then do some stretching, or stretch after you finish your exercise.

Exercise At Home

Don't have much time or money for exercise? Then buy (and use!) therabands/resistance bands. These latex bands help you to exercise at home or when you're travelling.

Exercise Persistence
Do you start exercise programs and then give up? Do you have a gym membership that you hardly ever use? Commit yourself to doing one stretch or strength exercise every day. When that's a habit, add more.

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Copyright Jane Thurnell-Read 2007 Health Supplement Online Shop