5 Body Toning Exercises for Females Without Weights

I always say that the most important thing in life is having a healthy body. Your body is a temple and it’s the only one you’re ever gonna have, so you should take care of it! So, I decided to give you some tips on how to keep your body-toned. I know most of you are probably very busy with work, family and the like, so I’m only including activities that are both quick and effective. Here are the best body toning exercises for females without weights and with weights:

1. Jumping Jacks
Everyone knows how to do jumping jacks and you don’t need a gym membership to do them! These can be very effective, especially if you go to your local sporting goods store and buy yourself a pair of ankle weights to wear while doing them. You can also buy some free weights to hold in your hands. They should be on the lighter side though, as this is a toning and endurance exercise, not weight lifting.

Body toning exercises for females with weights
Capt. Cheryl Sellers, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, competes in the 400/1,000-pound powerlifting competition at the Rock Fitness Center on Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, Jan. 9, 2016. Total weight was added from service members’ top squat, deadlift and bench press and applied toward a 400 or 1,000 pound lift goal. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Robert Cloys)

2. Dead Lifts
The Dead lift is considered by many to be the greatest exercise ever invented and for good reason. This one single exercise works your entire body. Just make sure you practice with less weight at first, because it can be easy for a beginner to lose form and pull a muscle. You can look up tutorial videos on YouTube or just have someone at the gym coach you.

3. Leg lifts
Leg lifts are very important for toning your lower abdominal region. This can be a difficult area to tone even if you are doing sit ups, so I would recommend this activity to almost anyone. Leg lifts enable you to fully stretch out your stomach, unlike flat ground sit-ups.

4. Balance
Instead of standing on the flat ground during your whole workout, it is much more effective to stand on a trampoline or on a bosu ball for part of it. This will engage your core and give you a full body workout, instead of just focusing on your upper body. Do a simple Google search for great balance exercises. There are literally countless options out there.

5. Plyos
The plyo is similar to a squat, except you use the motion of a squat to jump up to a higher level, and then back down to the ground. Do these over and over again. Really feel the burn and you will notice your legs and glutes transforming like never before.

6. Push Ups
Do these often, but make sure you do them while balancing on your toes, not your knees (unless you have to, then don’t worry about it – just do what challenges you). When push ups are done correctly, they will engage your entire core so that you are not just working your arms and chest, you are working your entire torso. This is a kind of “body weight workout” – these are great because they require no equipment, and your body weight is usually a good amount of weight for a beginner to start out with anyway.

Remember that none of these workouts are going to be effective unless you commit yourself to doing them all the time and never skipping out. You will also need to have a healthy diet too, because exercise can only do half the job of looking good. You can build as much muscle as you want, but if you have fat over it, it won’t do you any good. That means cutting out all fast food and soda. Study how the body metabolizes its food to get the most bang for your buck. A lot of knowledge can be obtained online and in magazine, so it’s not hard to learn this. Lastly, remember that it’s not always about who trains the hardest. It’s about who trains the smartest. So start today using the body toning exercises for females without weights or with weights.

Tanner Lovely writes about fitness, wellness & saving money on healthcare at www.dentalinsurance.net.

Busy Mom’s Guide to Weight Loss

All good things must come to an end; or at least that is how it feels sometimes. But in the realm of fitness why is this? We are in an amazing age of information where you can easily and quickly find just about anything you want on the internet. There are countless articles about fitness routines, diet options, and more; yet tons of people are still not meeting their fitness goals. Here is our Busy Mom’s Guide to Weight Loss.

Why is this?

A Bit of Philosophy

Yes we are going to talk philosophy for a minute, but it is necessary. Far too often people accept things as they are and only react to the situations that happen around them. It is very rare that people take the time to enact or create change. Why? It boils down to a lack of specific goals and the all important focus.

Busy Mom's Guide to Weight Loss

The mind is an amazing thing. When we focus our minds on a given task it is very rare that we will not accomplish it. That is because with a clear goal in mind we are more prone to do everything we can to reach that goal. People don’t like to fail. But that is also the reason why people do not take the time to create specific goals. If you have a general goal of ‘getting in shape’ it is so arbitrary that how can you define if you meet it or don’t?

You can’t, which is why so many people use that for a New Year’s resolution; it is hard to fail at an arbitrary goal. But if you don’t have a finish line in mind how can you run the race?

Continue reading “Busy Mom’s Guide to Weight Loss”

Stretching and Warming Up Before Sports and Exercise

Stretching before sports and exercise is one of those things which is sorely underestimated in terms of importance and which has often dire results when ignored.

Stretching before exercise is a highly important way to avoid injury and it achieves this by helping to increase the elasticity of the muscle fibers and ligaments.

How Stretching and Warming Up Prevent Injury

Basically when we exercise we are always going to cause some microtears in the muscles and this is a completely normal and expected result. This is in fact necessary in order for muscle growth to occur – and it is when the body repairs these tears using the amino acids that come from the protein in your diet that it manages to improve the thickness and the strength of those fibers.

Unfortunately though a sudden movement or too much strain can have a negative result, and this is to cause too many of the muscle fibers to tear to the point where it can result in severe pain and the muscle going out of action. This is in fact what we call a pulled muscle. Worse, if you should move too suddenly without the proper preparation this can also cause the ligaments and other connective tissue to tear resulting in what we know as a sprain which leaves the limb too weak and too uncoordinated to be used properly.

Stretching and warming up helps to avoid this problem significantly by gradually increasing the elasticity of the muscle fibers and the connective tissues allowing them to become more flexible and to move more easily without tearing. This is actually very important, and if you ignore this preparation then you will greatly increase your chances of pulling a muscle or causing other damage to the limbs.

Other Benefits

But that is not the only benefit of stretching and warming up. While many people think of it as purely a way to avoid injury, it is actually important to bear in mind that you can also use stretching and warming up in order to improve circulation to the muscles. This then will help to encourage your body to deliver your muscles with the all important nutrients and vitamins they need, as well as with ATP (energy) in order to improve function. In short by doing a brief warm up you can ensure that your muscles are more energetic and more ‘ready to go’ when you begin.

Further, stretching will also help to improve your flexibility and this will help you to improve your performance in a range of sports and exercises. In most sports games increasing your reach is very important and it’s highly useful that you can do this with stretching and increased flexibility. However at the same time you will find that you improve your training this way too – as by increasing flexibility you increase the range of motion through which you can train muscles resulting in a more complete growth in muscle size.

How to Warm Up and Stretch

Warming up is a simple matter of getting your blood flowing around your body without exerting yourself too much. A light jog here can work great, as can gently bouncing up and down or even doing some shadow boxing.

For stretching it’s possible to find lots of exercises online, but it’s important to ensure that these are all stretches that involve gradually increasing your reach – rather than ‘bobbing up and down’ into the movement as some people recommend which can actually result in injury and damage themselves. Stretching should be a slow and gradual process.

Meanwhile make sure that you stretch every muscle group and don’t leave any out which can further result in injury. That means you need to include twisting and back exercises – even if there is no use for the back in your chosen activity or sport.

Chad Moreau is very good at giving online hockey training programs on his blog. He is also involved with one of the sports club and likes to share his training skills with fellow members.

5 Workouts You Can Save Money Doing at Home

Looking good can come with a steep price tag. Many people spend thousands each year on hairstyles, makeup, clothing, accessories and more. But the price of feeling good doesn’t have to cost so much. It’s not mandatory to spend money on gym memberships you don’t use. If you’re stressed about spending too much, your overall health will suffer. Why not save a few bucks while gaining all the benefits that working out provides. A variety of at-home exercises can keep you motivated, strong and healthy. Whether you are into yoga, Pilates, kickboxing or dancing, choose a few of these toners and put them together to develop an individualized, powerful workout routine.

Sideways Step

Begin in a crouched position with feet parallel, toes forward and knees slightly bent. Step to the side with your left foot, squatting as low as you can. Bring your right foot over to meet the left, tapping the ball of your foot on the floor. Repeat by stepping out with your right foot and bringing the left foot over to meet it with a tap. Add intensity by quickening the pace.

Kickback

Begin on all fours with your elbows resting below your shoulders and your hips aligned with your knees. Hands should be clasped in front of your body. Your weight should rest primarily on your shoulders. Lift one leg to hip level, bending at the knee to form a 90-degree angle. Keeping your foot flexed and your sole parallel to the ceiling, pulse your foot up three to four inches. Repeat for 15 repetitions, and then switch legs.

Backward Lunge

Begin by standing tall, toes pointed forward, and feet hip-width apart. Perform a lunge by stepping back with one leg and lowering your body until your front leg forms a 90-degree angle. Keep your back heel and knee off the floor. Repeat the same motion on the other side. Perform 10 repetitions for a complete set.

Superman

To strengthen your back, glutes, spine and hips, begin by lying face down on a mat. With legs stretched out behind you, arms reaching in front of you, and palms facing each other, direct your gaze down to the mat. Rest your forehead and relax your neck. Exhale as you slowly reach up and out with your arms and legs. Align your head with your neck and spine while looking down at the mat. Imagine someone pulling your arms and legs from opposite directions. Keeping your body aligned, hold strong for a few seconds. Inhale as you return slowly to the position where you began. Repeat a number of times.

Crunch

Tone all your abdominal muscles with a few crunches. Begin by lying on your back on a mat with your knees bent, arms behind your head, and feet flat on the mat. Exhale as you lift your shoulders and head off the mat, keeping your elbows back and your head in line with your spine. Pull your belly button toward your spine, using the strength of your abdominal muscles to raise your head and upper back off the mat. Keeping your lower back on the mat, hold for a few seconds. Release by inhaling as you slowly roll down. Repeat as many times as desired, gradually adding repetitions as you gain strength in your core muscles.

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Why YOU Should Work Out

Life is busy. Between work, school, kids, relationships, shopping, and community events, there is a lot to keep up with in life. Each of us depends upon our body to get us from here to there yet we don’t always give it what it needs to stay healthy. Taking care of your body is a choice that has lifelong benefits. Here’s are a few reasons you should work out on a regular basis:

You will look better: The majority of people that work out do it primarily so they will look better. This is a very legitimate reason. The better we look, the better we will feel about ourselves. Looking good will increase your confidence in a variety of different settings—from this weekend’s date to tomorrow’s job interview. Looking good never hurt!

Release energy: Each of us needs an outlet of some kind. Video games and movies are good, but they don’t have the same kind of effect on your body that vigorous exercise does. All of the emotional stress we stuff into the body can be released through physical activity. This can help us feel more calm throughout the rest of the day—despite the kids wanting to be fed and the boss that is demanding more sales.

Decreased risk of disease: Some types of cancer are found more commonly in those that aren’t physically active. Those who do not engage in frequent exercise have higher blood sugar and insulin levels. This can lead to diabetes and coronary heart disease. Exercise can have a good effect on your metabolism and other body functions.

Less strength-related embarrassment: From personal experience, I can tell you that it stinks to go help a neighbor to move the piano when you have the arms of a pre-adolescent child. Although this isn’t a very scientific reason, increasing your strength can help you to perform a variety of tasks better, allowing you to go help your neighbor move the piano without fear. (It is important to note that your aim shouldn’t be to become Superman or Arnold Schwarzenegger, but to be constantly improving your strength).

Increase your flexibility: Contrary to popular belief, strength training can actually increase your flexibility. Your range of motion can actually be increased through working out each of your muscle systems on a regular basis. It may not give you the ability to do the splits, but bending down to pick up that pen you dropped shouldn’t be quite the problem it was before.

Overcome obesity: Although exercise isn’t the only component to overcoming obesity (a lot of it has to do with diet), it is a major one. Being inactive causes a lot of your muscle mass to convert into excess body fat. Unfortunately, low activity is often connected to eating more—two negative factors working against you.

Increased productivity: Everything you do takes a toll on your body. Working out increases both your physical strength and your stamina, giving you the energy you need to do more. Your increased productivity can take you places that your Nintendo never could.

 

About the Author

Stepehn Sharpe is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers can help you if you want to enroll in online master’s degree programs.

 

5 Great Alternatives to Hitting the Gym

There’s a good reason so many of us just can’t muster up the sticking power to make committing to the burden of a gym membership worth our time and money, and isn’t that we’re scared of exercise

It’s more that, to a lot of people, the atmosphere of a gym simply isn’t conducive to enjoyment. It can be intimidating, or simply unpleasant depending on where you go, with mirrored walls and a crowded mass of lycra clad limbs lending the setting a nightmarish air.

Whilst exercise is important for our health, that doesn’t mean it should be joyless. If anything the very opposite is true. So, here’s a round up of some top alternatives for those of us who’d rather be anywhere than the gym, even when we’re exercising;

Going For a Run or Hike

This might sound obvious, but the fact of the matter is that a high number of new gym members head straight towards (and stick to) the treadmills.

One of the chief enemies of exercise, especially cardio vascular activities, is boredom. Surely, the risk of boredom is higher on a treadmill, rooted to the spot with no scenery to distract you or prompt your mind to wonder onto subjects other than the ache slowly taking hold of your muscles…

Join a Sports Team

Many people find the gym experience hard to enjoy due to the fact it can be very solitary. Indeed, manufacturers of entertainment devices such as MP3 players have developed special models for use at the gym, to help members zone out and ignore the space around them.

This is probably the factor the drives so many people to hire a personal trainer, not so much for the advice and motivation or the dressings down, more for the company. With this in mind, even if you aren’t much of a sports fan, if you’ve suddenly decided to get fit, consider joining up to a sports team rather than joining a gym.

DVD

Alternatively, you might be perfectly happy exercising on your own. Perhaps for you lack of companionship isn’t a problem, but rather, you’d actually prefer more privacy. In that case what better setting for your work out than the seclusion provided by your own front room. Exercising along to a DVD can be an excellent, cost effective way to add structure to your regimen.

Invest In Your Own Equipment

When you think about it, gym membership often amounts to little more than paying over the odds to rent exercise equipment, much of which you could very easily buy yourself at a fraction of the cost of even a months membership, let alone a 12 month contract.

Even if you do love the gym environment, if you are turning up just to utilise dumbbells, resistance bands and an exercise ball, you’re going to be able to buy those items and have them for your own private use whenever you want, at a cheaper price than you pay for the privilege of effectively renting them out for an hour or two a week.

Jane Newman writes on a range of topics pertaining to health and fitness, from easy workouts to choosing health insurance quotes.