My Sister-in-Law coined the phrase "accidental exercise" and I love it! It encompasses any extra exertion you put out during your normal day. For example, not finding a parking space right next to the building, or walking from one store to the next instead of driving. Maybe the elevator is broken and you have to take the stairs instead. All of these things are accidental exercise.
The challenge is to make accidental exercise not so accidental. Capitalize on any opportunity to burn a few extra calories and you will be surprised at how fast they add up. Park at the back of the parking lot on purpose. Make extra trips up and down the stairs. Walk your kids to the playground and instead of sitting on the bench and watching them play, join in the fun. If you work at an office make the trip to a coworkers office to give information rather than sending an email.
It sounds simple but the results are fantastic. Even if your goal is not to lose weight, the extra activity will have you feeling great!
Can you think of other ways to get accidental exercise?
Showing posts with label workouts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label workouts. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Good bye Cardio Queen!
Are you a cardio queen when it comes to exercise? If the answer to that question is yes, have you hit a plateau? Well here is why...
When you do only cardiovascular exercise, like running, walking or biking, your body adapts to having your heart rate in that "steady state." When you body adapts it gets more efficient and doesn't burn as many calories during that activity.
So, how do we fix this problem? Do we stop doing cardio workouts all together? NO! We need to mix it up a little. Don't let your body adapt and you will continue to burn the maximum amount of calories during each workout. Here are some ideas for spicing up your workouts:
1. During your normal 30 minute walk, stop every 5 minutes and do a body weight exercise. At the first stop, do a set of 20 squats, at the second stop do a set of 10 push-ups, at the third stop do a set of 10 lunges on each leg, at the fourth stop do one minute of jumping jacks, and at the fifth stop do a set of 25 crunches. The key is to move right from walking into the exercise and then back to walking, no rest!
2. If jogging is your exercise of choice, during your normal run, add in 5 30 second sprints. This will cause your metabolism to ramp up and increase the number of calories you burn.
3. If you want to change it up all together it is always effective to do a circuit workout of resistance exercises while moving from one exercise to the next without resting in between. Resistance exercises include the body weight exercises I mentioned above and those using free weights and weight machines.
Mixing up your workout will not only keep your body one its toes, it will keep it interesting for your mind too!
Happy Exercising!
When you do only cardiovascular exercise, like running, walking or biking, your body adapts to having your heart rate in that "steady state." When you body adapts it gets more efficient and doesn't burn as many calories during that activity.
So, how do we fix this problem? Do we stop doing cardio workouts all together? NO! We need to mix it up a little. Don't let your body adapt and you will continue to burn the maximum amount of calories during each workout. Here are some ideas for spicing up your workouts:
1. During your normal 30 minute walk, stop every 5 minutes and do a body weight exercise. At the first stop, do a set of 20 squats, at the second stop do a set of 10 push-ups, at the third stop do a set of 10 lunges on each leg, at the fourth stop do one minute of jumping jacks, and at the fifth stop do a set of 25 crunches. The key is to move right from walking into the exercise and then back to walking, no rest!
2. If jogging is your exercise of choice, during your normal run, add in 5 30 second sprints. This will cause your metabolism to ramp up and increase the number of calories you burn.
3. If you want to change it up all together it is always effective to do a circuit workout of resistance exercises while moving from one exercise to the next without resting in between. Resistance exercises include the body weight exercises I mentioned above and those using free weights and weight machines.
Mixing up your workout will not only keep your body one its toes, it will keep it interesting for your mind too!
Happy Exercising!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
An ode to yoga...
I love yoga.
I love the way it makes me feel, I love the way it makes me look, I love the way it clears my head... I could go on and on.
If you have never taken a yoga class, you should give it a try. It is appropriate for all fitness levels because the poses can be modified. There are different types of yoga, and each has a different emphasis.
Hatha yoga is very popular for beginners or for those that want a relaxing yoga session. This type of yoga moves slowly through different poses and focuses on breathing and stretching the muscles.
Bikram yoga is also known as hot yoga. I have never tried this type before, but from what I understand it is practiced in a hot room to encourage sweating and loosening the muscles. I think it is appropriate to check with a physician if you have any health problems before trying bikram yoga.
Ashtanga yoga, or power yoga is my personal favorite. This practice is designed to improve strength and endurance. It is a more aggressive approach to yoga that has you moving quickly from one pose to the next. I love the feeling of a challenging workout, and ashtanga yoga gives that to me.
You can find yoga workouts at local fitness centers, yoga studios, or go pick up a dvd. There are some great ones out there.
Give it a try and let me know what you think, but please remember to be safe while working out and check with a physician if you have any reservations about your health.
Enjoy!
I love the way it makes me feel, I love the way it makes me look, I love the way it clears my head... I could go on and on.
If you have never taken a yoga class, you should give it a try. It is appropriate for all fitness levels because the poses can be modified. There are different types of yoga, and each has a different emphasis.
Hatha yoga is very popular for beginners or for those that want a relaxing yoga session. This type of yoga moves slowly through different poses and focuses on breathing and stretching the muscles.
Bikram yoga is also known as hot yoga. I have never tried this type before, but from what I understand it is practiced in a hot room to encourage sweating and loosening the muscles. I think it is appropriate to check with a physician if you have any health problems before trying bikram yoga.
Ashtanga yoga, or power yoga is my personal favorite. This practice is designed to improve strength and endurance. It is a more aggressive approach to yoga that has you moving quickly from one pose to the next. I love the feeling of a challenging workout, and ashtanga yoga gives that to me.
You can find yoga workouts at local fitness centers, yoga studios, or go pick up a dvd. There are some great ones out there.
Give it a try and let me know what you think, but please remember to be safe while working out and check with a physician if you have any reservations about your health.
Enjoy!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
At the park
Today was so fun! We bundled the kiddos up and took them to the park to play. They have those funny little hats with the three pom poms on the top, so cute! We decided to go despite the 45 degree temperature because we were getting stir crazy being cooped up in the house. My kids need to exercise as much as I do. And boy was it ever a workout! I wonder how many calories my hubby and I burned climbing up ladders and sliding down slides? This isn't even taking into account that we had to run from one playground apparatus to the next. Apparently when you are 18 months old you need to go everywhere at a full sprint.
While we were there I looked around at all of the other park-goers and was thrilled to see so many people out being active. There were runners, walkers, bikers, and even a dad pulling a bike trailer with his two little girls in to to the playground so they could run and play.
This morning was a great reminder that going to the gym or on a run by yourself is not the only way to stay fit and healthy. Taking the kids to the park not only gave my husband and I some extra exercise, it also helped to teach our kids that being active is fun! And now they are so exhausted they are taking fabulous naps! A win-win if you ask me!
Have a great day!!!
While we were there I looked around at all of the other park-goers and was thrilled to see so many people out being active. There were runners, walkers, bikers, and even a dad pulling a bike trailer with his two little girls in to to the playground so they could run and play.
This morning was a great reminder that going to the gym or on a run by yourself is not the only way to stay fit and healthy. Taking the kids to the park not only gave my husband and I some extra exercise, it also helped to teach our kids that being active is fun! And now they are so exhausted they are taking fabulous naps! A win-win if you ask me!
Have a great day!!!
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