Top Indoor Activities in the Winter Season for Women

Here are some of the top indoor activities in the winter season for women.

Yoga

As they say, yoga is not only great for the body, but also for the soul. The benefits of yoga are therefore not only physical, but also mental. First of all, yoga strengthens our musculoskeletal system and therefore not only our muscles, but also our joints and ligaments due to the amount of stretching involved. Contrary to what most people believe, yoga is a great workout and a great activity to tone our body and build muscles. What’s more, Yoga is a bit like meditation, and is therefore a great way to turn our minds off.

Spinning

One of the greatest ways to tone our legs is to go spinning. Spinning helps us to build up our muscle endurance and expand our lung capacity. It is of course a cardiovascular exercise and helps to burn fat, and increase our heart rates.  This exercise, just like yoga, can help in improving posture and is therefore beneficial for those of us suffering from long office hours and a bad posture in our office chairs.

Swimming

Another great indoor activity is swimming. Swimming contributes to the alleviation of arthritis symptoms by stretching the sore joints and therefore improves flexibility.  Swimming is also an aerobic activity and therefore also strengthens the heart and additionally relieves asthmatic symptoms. For those of us interested in losing weight, this exercise is the biggest calorie burner out there.

Dancing

Whether Zumba, or Hip Hop, Aerobics, dancing is probably one of the most fun activities out there. The cool thing about it as that learning choreography is a kind of training for our brains because of the process of memorization, and of course the improvement of physical co-ordination skills as well. Most dancing activities involve a great deal of aerobic activity, because usually there is a whole lot of movement involved, which makes this workout great fun, a great for our hearts.

 

Author Bio

Sara is a blogger in the fashion clothing industry; and she is working her way to become a freelance writer. When not working nor writing, she loves to walk around, travel and take pictures

Take the Zzzz’s out of your Workout with Zumba

If you are finding your regular workout is becoming a bit dull, or you are looking to start getting in shape then you may wish to consider Zumba. Dance as a way to get fit is certainly not a new idea, and people have been shaking and shimmying off the pounds with salsa, tango, ballroom, belly dance, and even pole fitness and burlesque at gyms and dance studios up and down the country for years now. Zumba is the new kid on the block and this Latin-inspired, fast-pace workout, has spread like wildfire.

What is Zumba

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The aerobic dance form combines elements of belly dance, samba, salsa and merengue and turns them into a cardio workout that tones you up while you look cool (at least once you’ve get the steps down). The atmosphere at Zumba classes is quite different to your average aerobics session, as they have a real party atmosphere. In fact Zumba makes a great evening out with friends, I find that I have so much fun the it really feels more like a fun night out with the girls than a work out, and I’ve learnt a whole host of sexy new dance moves. Most classes are run in large groups, there tends to be a mix of people in terms of age, fitness level and experience. While some people will go in groups of friends, others will go alone so if you can’t round your mates up, you will be made to feel very welcome. You can read more about Zumba at zumba.com.

Refreshes Parts other Dances Can’t

As Zumba targets all of your muscle groups and works squats and lunges into the routines you will most certainly ache then next day but that soon wears off. Zumba teaches you to have better posture and works on your rhythm at the same time as it works on your abs, glutes, arms and thighs. I found that after a few weeks of classes I had started to notice a difference in my body.

Types of Zumba

I find that a regular Zumba class is enough fun to keep me interested, but if you feel that even this is getting a bit too repetitive there are lots of different Zumba variations you can give a try.

Zumba Circuits

If you are looking for something even more high energy then you might enjoy Zumba Circuits where you move between exercise stations to fast paced salsa music.

Aqua Zumba

This is a good choice if you are looking from something that has a lower impact as it takes place in water so puts less pressure on your joints. If exercise in public is not for you then there are now a range of Zumba DVDs that you can use at home and there is even a game for the Wii which is great to play at parties too.

I hope that this intro to Zumba has tempted you to give it a try. I’m Caitin and I am a dance and fitness nut. I’ve been Zumba dancing for about 10 months now. It took me a few lessons to really get into the swing of things but then I was hooked. I write for www.poledancingpoles.info when I’m not or hanging upside down on my pole which is my other dance passion. Let me know how you get on at our blog or on twitter at @poledancepoles. Zumba classes are offered at most gyms now, so it should be easy to find a class near you and get started.

The Golden Rule to Losing Weight – Don’t Just Diet, Exercise.

These days, more and more people are trying to lose weight. In the media we’re bombarded with images of the perfect body, and in the news we’re constantly told of the health implications of being overweight… so it’s no surprise that the fitness bug has really caught on.

There’s a massive range of diets to choose from, all of which make great claims about how much weight you’ll lose. To get the most out of any diet, however, it should be accompanied by a suitable exercise program – you’ll need to choose an aerobic (cardiovascular) exercise, which means anything that will raise your heart rate and oxygen intake over a sustained period of time, and perform this exercise for at least twenty minutes three times a week. One of the easiest aerobic exercises that almost anyone can do, is jogging.

For many people though the idea of jogging out on the street can be off putting – whether this is because of the pollution and congestion of our towns and cities, or simply because you feel self-conscious of exercising out in public. For these people, buying a treadmill for use at home is a great idea, and not necessarily an expensive one – most high street retailers will have a selection of cheap treadmills for sale.

Running on a treadmill will give you a great workout – and not just your legs. The action you perform as you run means that you’ll be working out your stomach area along with your arms and chest too, as well as getting that all important aerobic exercise. For some people though, pounding into the treadmill stride after stride can take it’s toll on their joints – anyone who’s prone to sore ankles or knees would be better avoiding this kind of exercise. For them, crosstrainers are perfect replacement machines. You still get a full all-over workout, but a much more controlled motion prevents any jarring of the joints, and stops any pain developing.

So follow the simple golden rules – a calorie controlled diet, combined with moderate levels of exercise – and in no time at all, you’ll be feeling good and looking great all at your ideal weight.

Why You Need to Include Strength Training into Your Exercise Routine

Strength training.
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Do you run for miles on the treadmill every day? Do you suffer through those cardio classes at your gym? Are you seeing the results that you are looking for? If not, it may be because you aren’t including strength training into your exercise routine. Many people, especially women, don’t pick up those weights because they are afraid they’re going to end up looking like a body builder. Well, put away those fears, because that isn’t about to happen.  However, strength training can give you the tone and definition you are looking for. It can make you look fantastic in your favourite bikini, skinny jeans or little black dress.

Cardio alone will help you lose fat, yes; but it will not shape and redefine your body. Only strength training can do that. You will also increase your metabolism – Your BMR (basal metabolic rate) increases, meaning that your body can burn fat much more efficiently. Your core will become stronger and you’ll have improved posture, greater strength and your bones will have an increased density.

So, do you need to give up your cardio routine altogether? No, absolutely not! You just need to add strength training to the workout you’re already doing. This doesn’t mean you have to spend another hour in the gym. A good strength training program can take as little as 15-20 minutes. Kettlebell workouts are becoming quite popular, because they incorporate both strength training and cardio at the same time. There are several DVD’s on the market that are quite effective.

If you’re just starting out, it’s important to use lighter weights, no more than 5 pounds. If you prefer, you can use the machines at your local gym. The machines are great for reducing the risk of injury and they will give you a good idea on proper form and posture while you’re performing the exercises.

When you are designing a routine, make sure you work opposing muscle groups; don’t just do your biceps, do you triceps as well. Work your lower body along with your upper body. This will give you a balanced physique.

Reassess your workout every four weeks; chances are you’ll need to increase your weights a bit. It’s also important to change up your routine; your body is so efficient that it gets used to the exercises, and that’s one of the reasons you hit a plateau. Change your program so that your body is always challenged.

While it’s ok to do cardio every day, it’s best to limit your strength training sessions to every other day. This gives your muscles a chance to recover in between sessions.

Eating protein with every meal will help in your strength training efforts as well. Your muscles need protein in order to develop and stay healthy. Have some almonds, organic peanut butter or other protein source with each meal. Protein shakes also make good meal replacements or mid-afternoon snacks.

When you add strength training to your overall exercise routine, you will notice a big difference in how your body looks and feels. You’ll finally have the tone and definition you’ve been looking for.

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How to Burn Unwanted Body Fat the Right Way

Doesn’t it feel great when you are able to reduce extra weight, or rather that extra fat to obtain a healthy weight? Many people, men and women, both young and old have had trouble in getting rid of that unwanted body fat that they have tried so many ways that have been claimed to work fast and effectively. But the results? Yes, that unwanted extra fat has been reduced, but at the risk of their health. So in the end, it all comes to, how we can reduce that extra fat without risking our health.

The question still remains to be as to how to burn stomach fat without having to spend so much money, effort and at the risk of our health. The answer is simple. With the commitment and determination we can effectively work our way into achieving results we wanted and being healthy and fit. Firstly, we cannot simply focus on one certain body part, to burn fat. It is an overall effect on our body, unlike muscles that can be built on certain areas by working out. Stomach crunches are not an exercise that can burn that extra fat on your tummy with great results, but it can strengthen your tummy muscles. What you need is to work out with aerobic exercises such as brisk walking or jogging 3 to 4 times a week, for about 30 minutes each. Then you have to consider your nutrition. Even if you take up these exercises, and you eat the wrong food, then it is hopeless. It is best to avoid junk food, take out food, sweet drinks and sodas. Drink plenty of water; eat plenty of vegetables and unprocessed foods.

Body fat is essential to our body, but too much is unhealthy. Follow natural methods on how to burn stomach fat and see results you have wanted. Becoming slim is not worth it, if you are not healthy inside.