exercise
Caffeine Can Boost Your Workout
Drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages prior to exercising and you may be able to work out harder. Several studies, including a recent one at the University of Illinois, have shown that when exercisers ingest caffeine before a workout, they report experiencing less pain. Caffeine is a diuretic, so compensate with extra water during and after your workout.
Practice Interval Training
To lose more weight and train your heart, practice interval training. Start by walking for two minutes, then jogging for one minute, or set the treadmill at a higher angle to simulate walking up a hill. Experts say that alternating the intensity of your workout this way burns more calories to help you shed pounds faster.
Regular Exercise Can Improve Your Quality of Life
Most of us choose exercise for the health benefits. But a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that there exercise offers many emotional benefits, too.
Watch What You Eat After Exercising
Working out isn't a free pass to eat what you want, found a study reported in PLoSONE, a Public Library of Science online journal. Researchers followed 411 overweight, sedentary women with an average age of 57 who were not dieting for a period of six months.
To Keep Boredom at Bay, Rent or Borrow Exercise DVDs
Working out to an exercise DVD at home offers the ultimate in convenience, but it can get boring to follow the same routine week after week. Plus, after awhile you’re bound to plateau. To keep things interesting: Sign up for a Netflix account, which has thousands of exercise DVDs you can rent.
Strength Training Leads to Weight Loss
According to a University of Memphis study, squats and other large muscle strength-building exercises like lunges, rowing, and overhead presses are as useful a tool for weight loss as cardiovascular exercises, like cycling or running. This may be because while cardio burns more calories, strength-training builds muscle and muscle burns more calories than body fat.
No Time for the Gym? Try Wii Fit
Video games aren't just for kids: Wii Fit (a "game" for the Wii) offers yoga, strength training, balance, and aerobic training that can help you ease into a regular exercise routine. While Wii Fit won't get you the kind of intense workout you might get at the gym, most fitness pros agree that it's better than getting no exercise at all.
Focus on Motivators That Make Exercise Easier
Women who exercise to improve their health, reduce stress, or spend time with friends are more motivated to exercise than women who focus solely on weight loss, found a study at the University of Michigan. Try to set up your exercise regimen so it satisfies one or more of these benefits, and you’ll be more likely to stick with it and workout consistently.
Eat Complex Carbs Before a Workout to Burn More Fat
Women who ate a healthy breakfast of muesli, apple, yogurt, canned peaches, and apple juice burned more fat during a 60-minute run than women who ate white bread, margarine, cornflakes, jam, and a sugary soda, found a study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The second group of foods is high on the glycemic index, meaning they spike blood sugar levels after being ingested.
Exercise Inside When Heat and Humidity Are High
Excessive perspiration when it’s hot and humid out leads to dehydration, which makes your heart work harder. The danger zone is when the temperature is above 70 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity is above 70 percent. Avoid working out in the middle of the day when it’s the hottest outdoors, or take your exercise routine indoors to a gym.
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