THE BEST EXERCISE FOR INNER THIGHS: DO IT ONCE A DAY AND YOUR LEGS WILL BE IRRESISTIBLE!

Lying on your back, lift your legs straight up. Draw your heels near while bending your knees slowly. Then tense your muscles to extend your knees again. Do 3 sets of 10 exercises taking a minute break between the sets.

Scissors

Lie on your back keeping your hands on the ground. Follow by lifting your feet about 30cm up then cross your legs 10 times. This is similar to a scissors movement. Without taking a break, make 10 repetitions of the exercise in 3 sets. Make sure your feet don’t touch the ground when doing the exercise.

Lunge

Spread your legs at shoulder width keeping your body straight. Extend your hands forward stepping aside with your left foot. Bend your right leg at the knee sitting on it and transferring your body weight on that leg. Then stand up slowly shifting the body weight to the other leg. Do a set of 10-15 lunges on each side.

Ball Compressing

Lie on your back, your knees bent. Put an elastic ball between your legs keeping your arms along your body. Raise your bottom while pulling your belly. Hold like this for 30-60 seconds pressing the ball between your knees as much as you can. Resume the starting position. Do 5 repetitions.

Intense Strain

Lie on your left side supporting your head with your hand. Bend your right leg at your knee placing it on the ground in front of your leg. Raise your right leg about 30cm off the floor. Repeat 10-15 times then do the same with your other leg.

Defeat the Resistance

Using an elastic fitness band, stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Place the band about mid-calf than lift your left foot and move sideways, beating the band resistance. Resume the starting position. Do one set of 10 repetitions for each leg.

Source: healthyfoodteam.com

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6 EASY EXERCISES TO GET PERFECT ABS WITHOUT CRUNCHES OR EQUIPMENT

When attempting to develop the core, many people turn to crunches to target their abs. However, crunches only work in one direction, but twisting moves will challenge the core muscles from every angle to tighten your abs faster.

To be clear, twisting exercises are an effective workout for your abs, but only for increasing muscle mass and movement abilities, not for reducing belly fat. It is a myth that stomach exercises burn belly fat, but they will improve the aesthetic look of your stomach by developing the muscles. Twisting moves improve the strength of important stomach muscles and should be incorporated into your workouts.

What Does Twisting Do For The Body?

Twisting the waist works your oblique muscles to strengthen the side muscles of the abs, and performing exercises to work the muscles of a particular area of your body will not cause you to lose weight only in that spot, which is known as the spot-reduction myth. However, a workout full of twisting moves does give you a stronger core.

If you are like most people, chances are you spend most of your workout time moving in just one direction. Many standard moves like lunging, squatting, and running are all variations on front-to-back movement. This is also true for lying-down exercises like presses and crunches, along with machine-based moves like rows and curls. In these cases, you move your body (or parts of it) forward and back.

But when we move through life, it’s a different story. We twist and turn and bend, while we step in all directions. We’re three-dimensional creatures.

Three Dimensions Of Movement

Fitness pros have terms for these "dimensions," The sagittal plane, is the term used to cover all those front-to-back exercises, while the frontal plane describes side-to-side movements like jumping jacks, speed skaters and side shuffles. The transverse plane includes rotational motions that involve twisting or turning, like swinging a bat or throwing a ball.

Of these three planes, most people are likely to neglect the transverse plane, and that is a big mistake. In our day-to-day lives, we rotate all the time, like when we check for oncoming traffic, to pass the salt, or when we put on a jacket. Rotation is also more vital in recreational activities, as you can’t play golf or tennis, or practice yoga or the martial arts, without lots of turning and twisting action through your spine, shoulders, and hips.

Including Transverse Training in Your Routine

Twisting motions through your abdominal area is also spinal rotation, that works your internal obliques, external obliques and quadratus lumborum muscles. Both sets of oblique muscles are in the sides of your stomach under the “muffin top” area. They run from your ribs to your hips along the sides of your torso. The quadratus lumborum is a deep muscle that runs from your spine to your hips. All of the above muscles are actively engaged during a twisting exercise.

Benefits Of Twisting Moves 

If you regularly incorporate twisting exercises into your workout routine, you should see improved muscle tone and increased range of motion. As with anything, regular adherence to twisting exercises will result in an increase in muscle size and tone in the targeted muscles. Improved tone will only be seen if you do not have an extra layer of fat over the muscles. You will also find that you can twist further, a result of increased strength, and an important aspect of training to rotational athletes such as golfers and baseball players

However, the most important reason to include transverse work in your routine has nothing to do with adding yardage to your golf game or to help hit a home run. Primarily, transverse training helps prevent injury. The muscles that function in the transverse plane, like the obliques on the sides of your core,  don’t just help you rotate; they prevent you from rotating too much. Working transverse-plane moves into your exercise routines can help you slow down or stop from over-rotating when twisting and turning with force and speed.

What follows is a full-body strength-training workout consisting of exercises that challenge you to twist and turn strongly and safely.

Source: thescienceofeating.com

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5 COMMON MISTAKES EVERYONE MAKES WHEN THEY START JOGGING (AND HOW TO FIX IT)

Summertime is the perfect season to start a running program. With the sun shining, there’s simply no reason tonot lace up your sneaks and hit the road. But before you get started, learn the five mistakes every beginning runner makes. And skip them!

Starting too fast

The most common mistake new runners make: going too hard, too fast. By not easing into it, you end up exhausted much sooner than expected, and the tail end of your run becomes a wind-sucking session. This can make running seem too hard, which can lead you to quit your program all together.

Solution: The key is pacing yourself; running is a sport in which progress is especially slow and gradual. If you’re running outside, downloading a pacing app like RunKeeper (free, iTunes and Google Play) can help you keep track of your speed. Start off at a moderate pace, and gradually increase throughout your run. This will make for not only a more enjoyable run, but it’s also the key to building endurance.

Wearing the wrong shoes

Maybe you’ve heard this one before, but it’s worth repeating. You may think because your feet feel okay, and you’re not getting blisters, you’re in the clear. But poor-fitting shoes can cause all sorts of unexpected problems:  ankle pain, hip pain, even shoulder pain, and so on. This is why I think of the wrong shoes as the “silent killer” of running programs.

Solution: The best advice is to sidestep this from the get-go. Hit your local running store and have them fit you for the proper shoes. They will look at your gait and see what areas of your feet take on the most pressure while you walk and run. The right shoe will take your runs to a whole new level.

Setting unrealistic goals

It’s very easy to get caught up in what others are doing and try to match up with them, especially when it comes to running. But remember: the only person you should be competing against is yourself. If you’re a brand new runner, trying to run a 5k straight through right off the bat is likely going to leave you feeling discouraged. It’s okay—even recommended—to start with an even smaller goal, like running a mile. And then move forward from there.

Solution: Start with a realistic program that will help you build the strength and endurance to reach your running goal. For example, start with a run/walk program that allows you to take rests in between each set of running. Over time, you’ll build the endurance to run all the way through with no breaks.

Fueling improperly

A car can’t run without gas, right? It also probably won’t run very well if you fill it with water. This is exactly the way you should be thinking about fueling yourself for a run. New runners often find that one day, they feel like a million bucks on their run, but then the next, it feels like all progress has gone out the window. Often the difference is proper food and water.

Solution: Everybody is different, so you’ll have to experiment a bit to find out what works best for you, but there are some tried and true solutions that work for most.

If you have 1 hour or less before your run, eat a small mixture of protein, carbohydrates and fats. This could be a slice of whole wheat bread with peanut or almond butter spread on top.

If you have 2 hours, eat a meal that includes larger portions of protein, carbohydrates and fats. This could be eggs, bacon, and a slice of whole wheat toast.

If you’re going on a longer run, you can bring some energy gels (GU Energy Gels are a popular option) for the road, but I find it easier and healthier to just snag a pack of your kid’s fruit snacks. My kids and I love Fruigees since they’re a natural, organic option and made with only fruits and veggies. This is a super efficient snack that will give you that quick punch of natural sugar to help you keep going, without upsetting your stomach.

Heel Striking

You may have heard the term, but many people don’t know what this is or how to fix it. By overstriding (landing on your heel first), you are opening yourself up to injury, such as shin splints.
Solution: Aim to land mid-sole. Your stride may have to shorten up to achieve this, but you’ll be happy you did in the long run (pun intended)!

Source: thescienceofeating.com

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This is how different kinds of workout influence your brain

It’s no secret that physical activity has an impact on our brain first, and on our body second. You can experience an increase in intelligence and self-esteem, and some exercises may well substitute antidepressants.

Source: brightside.me

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Ten great exercises that reveal your physical weaknesses

The average, untrained human body is very unbalanced — some muscles are nearly always relaxed, while others are constantly overstrained. The only way to feel good is to perform specific exercises that will you help to regain flexibility and strength.
We put together this collection of special exercises you can do to help you figure out your weak points and problem areas that you need to work on first.

Source: www.brightside.me

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How to Get Rid of Loose Skin After Weight Loss

Many people who experience rapid, large-scale weight loss find that just dropping the weight doesn’t leave them feeling immediately beach ready. Large-scale weight changes in a short time can lead to loose, excess skin, which can make people feel uncomfortable with their appearance and wanting to know how to tighten skin after weight loss.

What Causes Loose Skin?

The amount of excess skin you develop when you lose weight depends on a number of factors. If you lose the weight more gradually, you may have less loose skin, as your body is likely to have more of a chance to slowly respond to these factors. Similarly, yo-yo dieting can make it more likely, because frequent fluctuations in weight tax your skin and make it more likely to grow loose. Also, the more elastic your skin is, the more it will bounce back, so your age and skin quality when you lose the weight affect how much loose skin you develop as well.

Gain Muscle

So how do you tighten that skin after major weight loss? First, Michael Matthews of Muscle for Life points out that sometimes people think they have excess skin when they in fact don’t. Sometimes what appears to be skin can actually include an additional layer of stubborn fat hiding under the skin. Unless people are in a relatively low body-fat range (9 to 10% for men and 17 to 18% for women), the floppy, saggy skin may be able to be helped by further weight loss.

However, in cases where the skin is genuinely loose, one way you might be able to tighten skin after weight loss is to simply fill it in with muscle. Think of your skin as a pair of pantyhose. If there’s nothing inside the hose, it will look droopy and empty. Fill it up, and there isn’t excess anymore.

Plus, when people go through serious weight loss, they often lose more than just fat. Unless you’re putting a conscious effort into doing strength training while you’re dropping weight, it’s very common to lose muscle as well. So, if you build even a little more muscle, this can help you fill in some of the missing space and reduce the appearance of sagging or loose skin.

Improve Elasticity

The other basic method to get rid of loose skin after weight loss is to work with your skin’s elasticity. Increasing the elasticity of your skin will make it cling more tightly to the structures beneath and sag less. So how can you improve your skin elasticity?

Some studies suggest that vitamins C and E (whether in one’s diet or as a lotion) can help protect the skin’s elastin and collagen from free radicals, which can help reduce wrinkles and maintain skin elasticity. Lotions containing copper may also help.

Supplementing with fish oil may also be able to help: in one three-month study, women taking an oral supplement including fish oil improved their skin elasticity by 10%. Massage may also be helpful. Because it improves circulation, it may improve skin health.

People looking to improve their skin elasticity should protect themselves from overexposure to the sun, avoid smoking, moisturize dry skin, manage stress, eat a healthy diet and stay hydrated to take care of their skin.

Surgery

There are surgeries that can tighten skin after weight loss. While these can have good results in some cases, prospective patients should always make sure to research the procedures carefully and be aware of all possible side-effects and risks. Surgery has its place and it can be one of the most powerful ways of removing excess skin, but it also tends to be invasive, traumatic and expensive. It also is not guaranteed to give satisfactory results.

Serenity

Finally, it is worth noting that people with loose skin can simply cultivate a sense of acceptance. If you can feel comfortable in your body, you may realize that a little bit of excess skin isn’t the end of the world. You can still be beautiful, happy and healthy.

There are a number of ways you can cultivate this sense of peace and self-worth. Try focusing on the positives in your body, both in its appearance and in the wonderful things that it can do. Stop comparing your body to others’, or even to your own body at other times of your life, and just appreciate it for what it is. Replace negative thoughts about your body with positive ones, or when you find yourself thinking negative thoughts, try doing something you enjoy like meditating, going on a walk, or visiting with someone you love.

Source: fitnessrepublic.com

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5 Laws of Weight Loss: Losing Weight, for Each Body Part

According to scientists, the distribution of fat in a certain part of the body reveals a lot about the health habits of the individual, but at the same time, it also helps in the process of its loss.

Therefore, we will reveal the 5 invaluable weight loss rules that will instruct you how to lose excess fat and get the body you have always wanted.

1.Upper body

If fat is commonly deposited on your forearms, hands, back, shoulders, chest, back or belly, it is another indication that you are physically inactive and consume unhealthy foods.

Therefore, you need to make some changes in your dietary habits, and consume 500-1,000 calories on a daily basis, and exercise 5 times a week for 30 to 60 minutes. For best result, choose some effective cardio exercises, and some sit-ups and push-ups to target the upper body area.

2. The abdominal area from the navel to the lumbar part of the back

If the belly is the area where excess fat is mostly accumulated, it means that your body produces excessive amounts of cortisol, the stress hormone.

Therefore, you need to engage in some exercise sessions, yoga or Pilates and start consuming foods rich in minerals, fibers and vitamins.

Furthermore, if your belly is bloated all the time, it may be a result of excess intake of alcohol or trouble breathing. In this case, reduce the alcohol consumption, and consult your doctor about your breathing difficulties.

3. The entire back, and the abdominal area from the chest

If you gain weight in these areas, it means that you are eating unhealthy foods, or skip meals, and then overeat. Moreover, it indicates that you are not enough physically active.

In order to lose weight, you need to start eating a healthy diet, and regularly have 5 meals during the day. These meals should be in moderate amounts, and rich in healthy foods, but not rich in calories. Also, you need to be more active, swim, run, exercise for your belly and back, and walk.

4. The area of the abdomen, thighs and buttocks

These areas are included in the “critical zone” in women, and this means that in most cases, the accumulated excess weight in these body parts is due to a lack of physical activity. Hence, cycling, circular training as well as a lower body workout are also recommended in order to target these problematic areas.

5. The abdominal area, buttocks and legs

In most cases, women usually gain weight in the lower part of their body as a result of pregnancy. Therefore, you need to start exercising for endurance in the lower body, so you should cycle or begin with a circular training.

Source: healthyfoodhouse.com

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4 Walking Workouts to Burn Fat

Walking is one of the most basic forms of exercise there is. Walking workouts can be used by people of nearly all fitness levels and ages, and they require little equipment. If you’ve got a good pair of shoes, you’re good to go. What’s more, walking can be a great way to burn fat. Here are four great walking workouts to help you tone, tighten, and generally get healthier.

1. 15-Minute Lunchtime Walk

It’s easy for people to say that they don’t have time to exercise. But you can get a short fat burning walking workout in during your lunchbreak while still getting to eat as well. Find a restaurant that’s about an eight minute walk from your office, and call in your order ahead of time. Walk there, pick up your lunch, and walk back to the office to eat. You’ll get a little activity and still be back for work with plenty of time to spare.

2. Treadmill Slimmer

Sometimes the weather’s bad, and you don’t really want to go outside. At times like this, you can still get your walking workouts in if you have access to a treadmill. But instead of just walking at the same pace the whole time, try varying it up. The following fat burning walking workout comes courtesy of Lee Scott and Prevention. It only takes 30 minutes in total, but don’t let it fool you—it gets pretty intense.

For the first 5 minutes, warm up at 3.4 miles per hour. Once that’s finished, you’ll enter your first interval section. For 6 minutes, repeat alternating 60 second intervals of 4 miles per hour and 3.4 miles per hour. After that section is finished (11 minutes into your workout), you’ll begin your second interval section. This will last for 5 minutes and will feature 40 second intervals at 4.2 miles per hour and 20 second recovery intervals at 3.4 miles per hour.

Your third interval section will begin 16 minutes into your workout and will last for 5 minutes. During this phase, you’ll alternate between 30 second intervals at 4.4 and 3.4 miles per hour. At 21 minutes into your workout, you’ll enter your last (and possibly most challenging) phase. Section 4 will last for 5 minutes and alternate between 20 second bursts at 4.6 miles per hour and 40 second recovery intervals at 3.4 miles per hour.

When you finish this last section (26 minutes into your workout), you’re ready for the cool down. Walk at 3.4 miles per hour for 4 minutes and let your heart rate come back down.

3. 30-Minute Burner and Butt Firmer

According to personal trainer Whitney Cole, a lot of people walk on their toes, which means that they use small muscles more than the larger, more calorie-burning muscles. But if you lengthen your stride, you bring the glutes more into play, which means that your walking workouts get an extra boost. Try the following workout idea.

For 4 minutes, walk at a good warm-up pace. Then, for 5 minutes, alternate between walking normally for a minute and taking extra long strides for a minute. For the next 4 minutes, you’ll alternate between walking lunges and regular walking (again using one minute intervals). Return to your extra long stride intervals for 4 minutes, then do walking lunge intervals for 4 minutes. Continue to alternate between 4 minute sets of lunging and long stride intervals until you hit 30 minutes. Then cool down.

4. Add Walking Throughout Your Day

This one is different than the other walking workouts we’ve discussed, but it’s nonetheless a great way to burn fat and become healthier. A lot of us spend most of our day essentially motionless. We sit in the car on the way to work, then ride the elevator up to our floor. Then we sit while working, drive back home, and relax on the couch until it’s time for bed. If you simply add more motion to your life, you’ll burn fat and feel healthier.

Try taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Instead of cruising the parking lot for a spot as close to the door as possible, park further away and enjoy your walk. If you have errands to run that are within walking distance, try hoofing it instead of hopping in the car. There are a lot of ways to add walking into your day, and they all can help you.

You might try getting a pedometer (or a pedometer app for your phone) and tracking your steps. Try getting at least 5,000 steps each day. Then, when you an easily achieve that, try to work your way up to getting 10,000 steps per day. Every little bit helps!

Source: fitnessrepublic.com

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This Exercise Is More Efficient Than 1000 Abs: Spend 60 Seconds a Day Doing This Exercise And In Just One Month Your Abdomen Is Going To Become Flat

If you have ever tried to get a flat and tight belly, you know that it is really difficult to be achieved, as the abdominal area is the most problematic for weight loss. We all dream about tight abdominal muscles, but we all hate abs.

Yet, you should not despair, as there s a miraculous way to get the belly you have always desired, in a quick, and easy way.

According to fitness experts, there is a single, extremely powerful, exercise that may help you solve these issues, as it is even more effective than 1000 traditional abs. It is also known as “the plank”. This exercise will undoubtedly make your abdomen tight and flat, it will also improve your body posture, and it will also soothe your pain in the back.

However, note that you need to learn how to properly do “a plank” in order to obtain the results it offers. This is how to properly place your body:

1. Place the hands firmly on the ground, while keeping the shoulders and neck straight.
2. The main focus of this exercise is your abdominal area, but you will also feel the pressure in your legs as well. Therefore, put the heels in a position that the pressure is transferred to the toes and feel the tension in the muscles of the thighs.
3. In order to activate the muscles of the lower body, you should contract the muscles of the buttock.  However, remember not to raise it up, as the entire body should be flat as a plank, not in a triangular shape.
4. In order to make it easier to maintain this position, you should breathe deeply and evenly.
5. Moreover, imagine that there is a glass full of water placed on your back, so you should maintain the position in order not to spill it out.
6. As soon as you manage to keep your body in this proper position, you can start with the exercise:
7. Your knees and hands should remain on the ground, your back should be flat, and the shoulders should be a bit wider than shoulder-width apart.
8. Focus on a spot on the floor beyond your hands, in order to keep the spine, head and neck straight.
9. Apply the pressure on the toes, and place the right leg on the floor. Then, repeat the same with the left leg. At this point, you should feel as the entire weight of your body relies on your toes and hands.
10. You need to start contracting the abdominal muscles and remain in this position for 20-60 seconds.
11. Afterward, relax your body.
12. You need to gradually increase the time of maintaining the plank position up to a minute.

Repeat the plank 3 times in a row, on a daily basis, and in a month, you will be astonished by the effects!

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8 Easy Tips To Make A Home Gym

Usage of household items as a workout equipment has increasingly become popular amongst all fitness junkies, new and old. Also gaining popularity is the idea of working out from the comfort of one's home. Home gyms can be a great asset to have, but sometimes a hassle to complete. Not sure how to get started on your home gym? Here are eight tips to help get you started!

1. Choose The Right Space

The most important and basic step to building a home gym is picking the perfect spot! You don't necessarily have to empty out a room in your house for your home gym – you could choose to find a space that can serve both as your exercise area and function as another room, as long as you make a schedule for your workouts! When picking your space, you should consider things like ceiling height(for those workouts that force you to jump up), flooring(carpet or concrete?), and wall thickness(if you try to get your workout in while the baby is alseep, will you wake them?).

2. Set A Designated Time

When it comes to a workout, consistent timing is important. Even as discussed earlier, doubling a family room as a workout room requires some time management skills. If you know that you're spouse and children will be out of the house from 8:00-3:00, why would you schedule your workouts for 4:30? Plan out your schedule so you know when to get things done without interefing in everyday life. Not to mention that staying on a consistent schedule will benefit your exercise efforts and keep you accountable!

3. Use Proper Equipment

Another topic of extreme importance is the question on what equipment you will be using to workout. If you have to share your space, go for things such as mats, medicine balls, resistance bands, and hand weights – these are easy to store and less likely to cause serious injury if someone gets into them. If in your own room, choose equipment that compliments each other and can all fit into the same room with some room left for comfort.

4. Take Responsibility

Unlike outside gyms, maintenance is all on you! If something breaks down or malfunctions, you can't call someone to take care of it – you have to handle that yourself! This also goes for the cleanliness of your home gym. Make sure to wipe down your equipment as much as possible (preferably after each workout or other workout). That way you won't have to worry about all the excess grime and grossness!

5. Don't Break The Bank

One thing that a lot of people tend to do when building their home gyms is go overboard! If you only plan to workout a day or two a week and will be the only person using it, what is the point of spending a fortune on a room that most people won't even get to see? Don't feel so pressured to make a state-of-the-art home gym – as long as your room is safe enough to workout in and has the things you need in it, that's all that matters! Nobody likes a show-off, just sayin'.

6. Use Technology

Nowadays, technology has become a great source of fitness for people from all walks of life. Don't hesitate to take your phone with you or install a TV into your home gym. You can use them as ways to use workouts videos or purely as entertainment when doing things like riding an exercise bike or treadmill! You can even find phone apps to track your heart rate and caloric burn!

7. Prepare For Emergencies

Numerous people wind up in the emergency room all the time because of injuries while working out. Because of this, it is important to make sure that people know where you are and can reach you easily. If you decide to have a lock on your door, give someone a spare key. Make sure the walls aren't too thick to where someone wouldn't be able to hear you calling for help. Wear a whistle and keep your phone handy just in case your get hurt.

8. Make It Yours

Nobody wants to workout in a dark, depressing space – who can work that way?! Try to give the room some of your personality by personalizing it! Whether it be by painting the room a bright color, putting motivational stickers on the equipment, or putting up pictures of your family on the walls, these things will help to make you feel more comfortable and willing to work!


source:http://fitnessrepublic.com/

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