Five Easy Toning Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

Exercise is an important part of our lives.  Staying in shape is one way to increase your life expectancy.  Weight bearing exercises are important also for increasing muscle mass and bone density as you age.

Most of us have learned what to do when it comes to exercising.  The problem is where and when to get the job done.  With a busy lifestyle, making time for exercise is a challenge.

Weight bearing exercises aren’t just for bodybuilders.  As you age, especially once you hit the age of forty, you begin to lose muscle mass.  For women especially, bone loss becomes a problem.  When the body is in need of calcium it can rob it from your bones.  Building muscle not only increases their mass but your strength.

Here are five easy toning exercises that can be done anywhere and whenever you have time.  At home, at the office, or on vacation, you can do these easy yet extremely effective exercises.

1. The Bridge Butt Lift – Sounds like a plastic surgery technique but it is an easy way to tone your buttocks.  Lay down with feet flat on the floor, legs shoulder width apart.  Place your hands, palm side down, on either side of your body.  Pushing with your feet, squeeze your gluteal muscles and lift your butt off the floor.  Hold the position for a count of five to ten and release down to the floor.

2. Squats – Squats work the butt, the hamstring muscles and the quadriceps.  If you aren’t sure of proper form, you can use a chair.  Stand with feet shoulder width apart and feet firmly planted.  Push your butt back as if you were preparing to sit in a chair.  Keep your abs tight and your upper body straight.  Once you reach chair level stop and hold the position for a count of two to five and release.  At the lowest point, place all of your weight on your heels for balance and maximum toning.

3. Reverse Lunges – Lunges work the quadriceps muscles.  They can be hard for people with knee problems.  A reverse lunge still tones the right muscle groups but with less pressure on the knee.  Stand with feet together and arms at your sides.  Take one leg and move it backwards until you are in lunge position: front leg bent at a 90 degree angle and back leg extended until you are on the ball of your foot.  From this position lower yourself down until the back knee almost touches the floor.  Hold for a count of two and return to starting position.

4. Pushups – This is a classic toning exercise that works all areas of the arms plus the chest muscles.  If you aren’t comfortable or strong enough to perform a pushup on your toes, lower your body to your knees.  Be sure your arms are tucked into the body and your back straight as you lower and lift your body.

5. Crunches – Abdominal muscles can be worked every day to build strength and muscle tone.  Lying on the floor in sit up position, lace your fingers behind your head.  Squeezing your abdominal muscles, lift your upper body until your lower back is about to come off the floor.  Hold for two to five counts and return to starting position.

These five exercise moves can be done whenever you have time.  The best thing about exercise is that its effects are cumulative.  Even five or ten minutes at a time will work to your advantage.

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Kristy Lee Wilson

Exercising After Baby

During pregnancy, it’s good to gain a certain amount of weight. This is used to support your growing child and to provide the extra calories when you start breastfeeding. New mothers naturally lose weight after the birth; however, if you don’t lose the weight because of gaining too much weight, or other reasons, it can be hard to take off the rest.

Here are some tips to help you get on track with your exercise plan:

Involve your baby
Don’t wait till your child is asleep to try to get a decent workout. Get a baby sling so you can go for a walk with your baby.

Don’t start too soon
Whether you’ve had a vaginal delivery or a C-section, your body has gone through quite a bit. If you start a workout routine too soon, it can be damaging to your health. It’s usually recommended to wait 6 weeks before you start trying to workout; however, if you had a vaginal delivery, you can use those first 6 weeks to strengthen your vaginal muscles and start stretching exercises. Just be sure to check with your doctor before you start any exercise program.

Don’t work too hard
It’s pretty likely that you haven’t been able to do a normal workout for at least a few months, maybe more. Just like starting any exercise program, you should not start full force straight away. Trying to do too much is likely to do more harm than good. Before you start working out, ask your doctor for recommended exercises and how often you should do them. Remember, if you hurt yourself, you’re not going to be able to take as good care of your baby.

Fit exercise into your schedule
While having a regular routine is helpful, it’s almost impossible to get a baby to conform to your schedule. This means you have to change your schedule to fit your baby’s. You’ll probably have to squeeze in workouts where you can. Choose exercises that you can do in different places at different times. Get an exercise tape or something else you can do at home. You should also remember that two 15 minute workouts or three 10 minute workouts can be just as helpful as a half hour workout. If you can set a rigid workout schedule, that’s great. If you can’t, set a looser schedule (I will workout for thirty minutes before I go to bed) and be sure to stick with it.

Getting back in shape after a baby can be difficult, but with time, patience, and planning, you too can get back to your healthy self.

Want to know more or would like some help getting started again?
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Why Exercise is Important During Menopause

We all know that getting enough exercise is a vital part of staying healthy. What you may not know is that the older you get, the more important it is for you to work out regularly. As your body starts to change, you not only may experience hot flashes and mood swings, you’re also at a higher risk for dangerous diseases. The good news is that many menopausal symptoms can be helped or even stopped through regular physical activity.

One of the biggest concerns for women approaching menopause is the loss of bone mass. This can lead to osteoporosis and other serious consequences. Many doctors suggest getting plenty of calcium to help prevent bone deterioration, but this is just the first step. Getting regular, weight-bearing exercise is also essential for maintaining good bone health. If you’re not in very good shape, walking and other light exercise can be enough to get you started. You should eventually work yourself up to resistance training. This is the best way to slow, or even stop loss of bone mass. You should also consider adding flexibility training; being limber will keep you from getting injured sometime down the road.

Along with osteoporosis, women who have reached menopause are also at an increased risk of developing heart disease. Many women assume that only men are at risk, but heart disease is a top killer of women as well as men. Plus, women are less likely to know they’re having a heart attack, so they don’t get treatment as quickly. Regular aerobic exercise can do wonders for keeping your heart in good shape. Even if you aren’t going through menopause yet, getting regular exercise is a great way to keep your heart healthy for a long time.

Another common symptom of menopause is mood swings. As estrogen levels fluctuate, so do you emotions. And unlike mood changes due to your menstrual cycle, menopausal mood fluctuations are much less predictable. Exercise can work to ease symptoms of depression, decrease mood fluctuations, and decrease irritability. Exercise helps you to be more emotionally stable so you can worry about more important things.

With the onset of menopause, many women gain weight. While it’s usually not a substantial amount, it can increase the risk of certain weight related diseases. Regular exercise can help you keep your weight in check, reducing the risk of serious health problems in the future.

If your biggest concern about menopause is the immediate physical symptoms, exercise is a great cure for you too. Many women notice a decrease in hot flashes and other physical symptoms when they go on a regular exercise program.

Sure, exercise takes some planning and work, but your health is worth it, so go out and get moving.

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Exercises for Mom and Baby

If you’re a new mom, you probably know that getting exercise can be tough. Taking care of a baby can take up a lot of your energy. It’s often difficult to find someone to watch the baby while you go to the gym or you may not want to leave the baby with someone yet. To stay healthy and take off those extra pounds, try incorporating your baby into your workout routine. This way, baby can be entertained and you can work up a sweat. Plus, once you’re used to it, exercise can give you a great energy boost to get through your long day. Here are some great exercises to try today:

Walking
There are some great multi-terrain strollers that you can use for walks with your baby. You can also buy a sling and go for walks with your baby. This will make your baby easier to tote around with you. Plus a great walk can be a great way to stimulate your baby with new sights, sounds and smells.

Running and Biking
Instead of buying expensive workout equipment, why not check out the specialized strollers the next time you’re at a sport supply store? They make devices specifically for running and biking safely with your child. And like walking, this also exposes your baby to new stimuli.

Move, Shake, and Dance with your Baby
Next time your baby is crying, instead of jiggling and rocking them, try putting them in a sling and dancing with them. If this doesn’t work to quiet them, you can still do it when they’re happy.

Take a Class
Take a look online or at a local gym. You can probably find a class in your area designed to give you and your baby a workout at the same time. If you’re serious about getting in shape with your baby, find a personal trainer who’s also a mom, or who specializes in pre/post natal fitness. She’ll be able to give you exercises you can not only do with your baby, but also exercises that are tailored specifically to you.

Working out with your baby can not only get you back into shape, it can also give your baby the stimulation they need to lead an active, healthy life. Just remember to be safe and always make sure your baby is secure.

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