9 surprising fitness tips
Try these expert tips to rejuvenate your exercise routine and keep your body healthy and strong
By Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen
1. Go barefoot for whole-body health
If
you refuse to wear shoes in the summer, you may enjoy better blood
circulation, a happier mood, stronger bones and better posture.
According to
Barefoot in Toronto, a group that promotes a barefoot lifestyle, barefoot walking increases skin health, reduces
foot calluses, builds arch strength and enhances sensory stimulation. Going barefoot also creates healthier toenails and reduces
foot odour.
http://www.besthealthmag.ca/get-healthy/fitness/9-surprising-fitness-tips
2. To burn fat, don’t sweat it
Sweat
signals a rising body temperature, not necessarily an increased calorie
burn (although most of us will sweat as we work harder). “In the sauna
you’ll sweat buckets but you aren’t burning fat,” says Brad Schoenfeld,
author of
28 Day Body Shapeover. “The best indicator of calorie burn is either
heart rate
or a rating of perceived exertion (RPE).” RPE is a self-report scale
that ranges from 1 (complete rest) to 10 (maximum effort). High
intensity equals increased heart rate, which equals more fat burn.
3. Yell to increase fitness levels and self-confidence
IntenSati
is “active meditation”—a fitness program that uses the voice and mind
to intensify physical workouts. Participants say or shout empowering
affirmations while kicking, jumping or lunging. For example, while
punching, they yell, “I. Am. Strong. Now!” These motivational phrases
boost confidence and distract participants from feeling fatigued, which
increases the workout benefits. If you can't join the program, you may
want to try this one in the privacy of your home gym.
4. Choose interval training for best results
“You can do too much cardio,” says fitness lifestylist Susie Shina, author of
60 Second Circuits: 1000 Ways to Get Your Body Back.
“To burn fat effectively, one-minute sprint/recover repeats (interval
training) on any cardio machine for a total of 20 minutes can be more
beneficial than exercising at a steady rate." Or tackle your intervals
outside by walking, running, biking or skipping.
5. Bond to increase motivation and focus
“It’s
not necessarily resistance training, cardio or core work that keeps you
fit,” says Florida-based John Kent, owner of Adventure
Boot Camp
for Women. “It’s meeting with others.” Healthy bonding moments—such as
running hills or attending Pilates classes in a group setting—keep you
motivated and focused on your fitness goals. (Learn about how one reader
found motivation in a cycling fundraiser, and in group spin classes.)
6. Take celebrity fitness advice with a grain of salt
“Don't believe everything you read about how the stars stay fit,"
says Los Angeles-based fitness instructor Torri Shack. "Many celebrities
work out four to six days a week for up to 90 minutes each time, have
professional trainers and eat a clean, very calorie-restrictive diet.
They don’t ‘just’ do Pilates or yoga twice a week.” When you compare
yourself to a svelte movie star, remember that it’s her job to stay
beautiful.
7. In a time crunch? Get a better workout!
“People are surprised at how little exercise they need to get and stay fit,” says personal trainer Keith Morton, founder of
CityWide SuperSlow
in Chicago. “It’s the quality, not quantity, of exercise that counts.”
Mississauga-based fitness trainer Marc Lebert adds that his best
workouts occur when he’s pushed for time. “If I give myself 20 minutes
to work my legs, I know I have to increase my intensity,” he says. “A
time limit makes every set count.”
8. Food packs more punch than exercise
“When
it comes to changing the size and shape of your body, exercise is only
30 percent of it,” says Ariane Hundt, a New York City-based certified
personal trainer and instructor at
Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp.
“The rest needs to come from proper nutrition and a positive sense of
self.” It only takes a few minutes to consume about 1,000 calories (one
Quiznos Classic Italian sub, for instance)—but it can take hours to burn
that sandwich off.
9. Tackle the best time to burn fat
Hundt
advises doing cardio in the morning, on an empty stomach, if you’re
looking to shed some weight. “Since you haven't eaten since dinner, the
carbohydrate stores in your muscles and liver will be nearly depleted,”
she says, “so your body has to reach into your fat stores for energy."
She encourages lean people to eat easily digested carbs before morning
workouts, such as oatmeal and fruit—or risk losing lean muscle mass
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