Health Fitness Articles

The health fitness articles in this section are written by Lynn VanDyke. Lynn is a master personal trainer and fitness nutritionist.

How Images of Strength Training Exercises Can Help You Lean Out

After looking at images of strength training exercises you decide to analyze your own regular routine. You have been exercising for a very long time and are not satisfied with the results. If anyone asked, you would swear that your form and technique are correct.

After all, you are no beginner. But you look at the images again and it begins to dawn on you that the reason you are not getting the results you want with your exercise program is because apparently you are doing some of the exercises wrong. Images of strength training exercises are picture perfect!

Still-Life Images of Strength Training Exercises

Strength training exercises require diligent attention to form to achieve ultimate effectiveness. Images of strength training exercises graphically display the correct method. Muscles gain strength by progressively increasing intensity. Strength training affects the whole body.

• Large muscles groups such as the back and chest muscles
• Smaller muscles such as triceps and biceps
• Core muscle group including abdomen muscles
• Leg muscles

Having strong core muscles impacts overall health, including reducing the chances of developing coronary problems. Doing exercises like the plank and crunches develop the abdomen muscles. But these are exercises that have to be done properly to have any benefit.

You can do sit-ups all day long and probably see very little impact on your core muscle group. You can do crunches that don’t use your abdomen muscles. You can do a plank that does not engage the core muscle group.

All these errors in form mean that muscle strengthening is not occurring. Images of strength training exercises are accompanied by detailed explanations and show the correct way to do strength exercises.

A Photo Gallery of Images of Strength Training Exercises

Images of strength training exercises show a lot more than just routine exercises.

• How to use various equipment pieces – exercise ball, specialized weights and so on
• Variety of exercises so you can vary your strength training routine
• Demonstrates techniques that increase rate of strength building
• How to maximize benefits of exercises
• How to use weights for muscle development

Images of strength training exercises include explanations on how to get stronger without injury. Using weights to build muscle strength is effective but improper training can easily lead to injury.

Images of strength training exercises show how to support your back and knees while using weights. Other important images will include how to:

• Properly warm up muscles before beginning exercise regimen
• How to count repetitions and sets
• How to properly set up equipment at the fitness centers
• Which exercise equipment to use for various muscles
• How to mix free weights with larger equipment

Strength training should be an integral component of any exercise program. Images of strength training exercises can help you make sure that these critical exercises are done correctly.

Images of Strength Training Exercises – Overexposure

Muscles are built by overloading weights. This is accomplished by adding increasing amounts of weight over a period of time. But images of strength training exercises will show a lot more than weight lifting.

• Exercises for sport specific athletic training
• Exercises that combine strength training and aerobics
• Strength training exercises for specific groups of people such as pregnant women and senior citizens

Images of strength training exercises are available online. They can be found by visiting sites dedicated to fitness and health. Don’t worry about overexposure to exercise pictures. Including variety in your routine for maximum results should be one of your goals.

10 Secrets to Keeping the Weight Off for Good

What’s interesting about weight loss is that many people think that it’s just a process that begins when you make changes to lose weight and ends when you’ve lost all the weight.

However, if you’re not continuing with the changes that you’ve made, you might find yourself back at the original weight that you were. Instead of going up and down on the scale, here are ten secrets that you can use to keep your slim figure.

• Weight training works – Studies have shown that people that have more muscle mass will burn more calories, even at rest. Because of this fact, you will want to incorporate some weight training into you maintenance plan so that as you increase your calorie intake, you’re able to burn them off without any gain.
• Food journaling - When you write down what you eat, you will be able to control the amount of food that you are eating. Even if you only write down your food intake for a few days a week, keeping an eye on how you’re eating can help alert you of problems before they become pounds.
• Daily exercise – When you want to keep the weight off, exercise will need to become a part of your life. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to workout for hours each day. Try to fit in thirty to sixty minutes of exercise each day to keep extra weight at bay.
• Allow yourself treats – Life isn’t about deprivation, so neither should your new figure. When you’ve lost weight, you have learned about how much you needed to eat in order to cut back on calories. Once you’ve learned this, you can also learn to have a treat every now and then, enjoying it instead of overindulging in it.
• Look at making changes rather than dieting – When you’re looking to lose weight, the ‘sprint’ approach isn’t going to be a long term fix. You need to permanently change your eating habits in order to ensure that your weight stays at its new position.
• Learn to make favorite recipes healthier – If you have a favorite cheesecake recipe; why not learn how to make it lower in fat and sugar? This way, you can still enjoy the foods you love.
• Get support – You don’t have to join a weight loss club to do this, but telling your friends and family about your goals can help to get everyone into supporting your efforts. When you do this, people will start to recognize that family gatherings should have healthy options as well as not always revolve around food.
• Keep the stress away - Many people eat when they are stressed, but when you’ve lost weight, you want to avoid this kind of trigger. Instead, figure out ways that help you deal with stress. What can you do instead of eating to help calm down and relax?
• Watch your weight – Studies have shown that those that regularly monitor their weight tend to keep off weight better than those that don’t. You don’t have to get on the scale every day, but weighing in once a week can help alert you to when you might need to rethink that second slice of pie.
• Recognize a slip up and forgive yourself – When you start to get angry about mistakes, you can backslide into old eating habits. You will have times when eating right will be more difficult, but you will persevere. Acknowledge that you made a poor eating choice (or several) and then forgive yourself and eat better at the next meal. There’s no need to punish your self.

Keeping the weight off can actually be more difficult than losing it in the first place, but when you’re committed to keeping trim, these tips will make sure that you do.

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How to Create a Weight Loss Plan of Action

The New Year is upon us. Resolutions have been made and resolutions have already been broken. This is the time of year that fitness centers see loads of new members scurry in.

These new members have weight loss dreams, but little knowledge of how to safely achieve their goal. Many who started this New Year with fat loss dreams will end up frustrated. Many will quit altogether within one month.

Permanent weight loss is absolutely possible with a little planning. Frustration and failure are easy to avoid when weight loss seekers have a doable and effective plan of action. The secret to fat loss lies in the planning and execution of the goal.

A weight loss plan of action should consist of a chain of events that eventually leads to a healthy and toned body. It is a series of milestones designed to push the body beyond its daily tasks.

The plan would open with a mission statement and close with the specific details. The plan of action would include a starting and ending date. The goals would be finite and measurable. A weight loss plan of action would answer the who, what, when, where and why.

Many people make a resolution to lose weight. They may go as far as join a gym. 90% stop there. The other 10% have planned adequately and will succeed with their goals. Their specific fat loss plan of action may have looked something like this:

===START SAMPLE===

"I want to drop 10 pounds of body fat. I will begin this program today and it will end exactly two months from now. If I feel like giving up I will seek the guidance of a personal trainer and/or nutritionist. I will also remember why I want to drop 10 pounds of body fat. My reasons are that I want to feel great. I want to feel secure, healthy, happy and beautiful.

I plan to drop 10 pounds of body fat within two months by starting a cardio and strength training routine 6 days per week. My specific workout routine will be to do a full body strength training routine on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I will do 15-45 minutes of cardio each day except Sunday. I will end each workout session by stretching.

I also plan to eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day. Each meal will consist of a lean protein and a complex carbohydrate. I will drink 8 glasses of water throughout the day. Sugar will be limited. Caffeine will be eliminated, but I will allow my morning cup of coffee.

I realize this task is hard, but that it is absolutely possible. I will succeed. I have prepared and am totally invested in my health. I will read this plan of action two times per day and stick to it."

===END SAMPLE===

The above fat loss plan of action is a road map to success. It describes the person's goal, it details how the person will achieve their goal and it explains what the person will do when she faces roadblocks.

The new year is a wonderful time to set intentions. Weight loss is the direct result of planning and execution. Ensuring success is simple when a plan of action is created. It gives purpose and definition. It can literally be the difference between realizing a fat loss dream or reliving the weight gain nightmare so many people experience each year.

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Benefits of a Jump Rope Workout

Jump roping dates back to early human history, when the Egyptians used to use vines for jumping over. Jumping is a natural human movement—children naturally love to jump. Adults may feel more inhibited, choosing not to jump simply for the fun of it.

Add a rope, however, and you suddenly have a purpose and valid excuse to jump for fun. Jumping is a great way to increase your heart rate. There are several benefits of a jump rope workout.

Aerobic Exercise and Health

Most of us now know that aerobic exercise is beneficial in many ways. Aerobic means "with oxygen," and aerobic exercise trains the body to use oxygen more effectively. Aerobic exercise involves continuous movement of the large muscle groups that causes one's heart rate to increase.

Regular aerobic exercise results in a more efficient heart. Oxygen travels through the blood, and a heart that can pump more blood with fewer beats per minute is a healthier heart. Exercising for twenty to sixty minutes (depending on your fitness level) per session is usually enough for most people to maintain heart health.

Regular aerobic exercise has shown to have a host of benefits in addition to improved cardiovascular health. It can help the body manage insulin more effectively, improve one's overall outlook, and improve sleep, among many other positive side effects.

Aerobic exercise can also help maintain joint and bone strength, because weight-bearing exercises promote bone health. Benefits of a jump rope workout include its simple to do, easy to start and inexpensive to continue. When jump roping, you can easily reach your target heart rate. You don't need a lot of space, and you can easily take a rope with you when you travel.

Aerobic Exercise and Injury

There are generally two types of aerobic exercise: low impact and high impact. Low impact exercises are those where one foot is always touching the ground. High impact exercises are those where the feet leave the ground, such as with jumping.

However, some benefits of a jump rope workout can also be seen as a potential area of risk. Because jump roping involves jumping, it is an ideal aerobic exercise because you can reach your target heart rate and increase your jumping speed as you improve your fitness level. However, jumping, particularly at a faster speed, also increases your chances of injury.

If you have joint problems, high impact exercise may not be the wise choice. Also, as you become fatigued when jumping, the chances of getting injured increases because fatigue can increase the chances of losing focus and tripping or twisting an ankle.

If you enjoy jumping rope, you'll probably experiment with different styles of jumping as you become more skilled. These alterations can also increase your chances of tripping and getting injured.

Jump Smartly

If you decide that the benefits of a jump rope workout are worth the potential risks, consider these tips. First, as with all exercise programs, talk with your doctor. He or she can review your medical history and determine if high impact aerobics are a safe option for you. Once you are cleared to jump rope, choose a smart place. Choose the most "giving" surface as possible to jump on.

If you have access to a suspended wood floor, that's a great option. If you must jump outdoors, avoid grass, as the variations in the ground may cause you to twist an ankle.

However, cement is one of the worst surfaces you can choose, because it is so hard. Your body will absorb all the impact. Pavement, while still hard, is a much better surface. Another option is to purchase a rubber exercise mat designed specifically for use with high-impact exercise.



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