Having Fun while Staying in Shape

Every time you watch television, you can hardly miss those advertisements that claim their products can help you lose weight.  They even assure you that they can keep you fabulously healthy.  From crackers to zero-sugar sodas, juices with L-carnitine and diet pills, you will probably lose count of how many products you are urged to try just to achieve the body that you most wanted.  Who wouldn't want to have Hugh Jackman’s six-pack abs or Jessica Alba’s ooh-lala figure? But how?  Are these products for real?

Of course, there’s no harm in trying these products if you really want to shed excess pounds, right? So indulge yourself.  But if you are the type of person who does not want to just lose weight in the form of fat, but wants to tone your muscles as well, and if you have issues with taking products or chemicals, you might want to try a new sport or outdoor activity.  Not only will you tone your muscles, you can also meet friends and visit new places as well.

For starters, try brisk walking or jogging early in the morning, an invigorating form of exercise.  You can do this from your home to a nearby park; a mall’s parking area or the beach where you can watch the sunrise.  Then you can do breathing and stretching exercises or tai chi.  

Some institutions also offer free exercise sessions in malls or car parks.  You might want to avail yourself of these to help you lose weight.  Or if you are heading to the beach, you can take a dip and do another form of exercise.  Swimming is one of the most trusted forms of keeping in shape. Or why not grab your bicycle and ride for an hour or two?  Cycling is good for blood circulation, too. These exercises are more fun if you take with you at least one family member or close friend.  So go and invite them, make it a group activity.

If you have work to do and just cannot exercise in the morning, you could try something like badminton after working hours.  A number of play areas now proliferate in the cities.  You can play as long as you want to, but you have to pay for it of course.  Be sure to bring your racket so you will not have to rent one.  Also, wear the proper attire.  You do not want to play badminton in  your office uniform, do you?

You can also plan for a weekend getaway.  You can go to the beach where you can try skim boarding, surfing, snorkeling or kayaking.  If you do not know how to swim or you find these expensive, you can play beach volleyball or Frisbee instead.  Be sure to put sunscreen on before going in the sun: you just have to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging ultra-violet rays.

If you are not a beach person, you can go to the outskirts and trek.  Not only will you tone your leg muscles and maybe lose weight, you can also see beautiful scenic views and try mountainous terrains.  You can do rock climbing and rappelling, too! 

But if you are way too busy to do these or your budget is not enough, there is still a way.  You can dance and sweat those excess fats out with your partner or friends when you go out on weekends to a nightclub or simply to hang loose.  Or you could just dance at home with your family at a weekend get-together.  Could there be a more fun way to lose weight?  Well, er...really?

Sweat More whilst Exerting Yourself Less

Many people tend to believe that the amount of sweat you produce is proportional to the amount of effort you are exerting. Although this is generally true, there is one instance in which it is not. If you are the type of person who likes to sweat it out but doesn't favor the strenuous, fast-moving exercise associated with it, keep reading.

Stretching, which is generally the main component in yoga, is a form of exercise that does not require one to do several repetitions of a routine. In yoga, a person only stretches out his or her muscle by executing a certain position properly. Accompanied by proper breathing, staying in a single position for a few minutes, like a breathing mannequin, can make one sweat just as much as a person who does more vigorous exercise.

Some say this is not exercise. The main argument used by the people who believe this is that since your body is not being forced then there is nothing gained. After all, no pain no gain, right? Well yoga experts beg to differ. Their main argument is “You try some yoga stretching and see for yourself if it it’s not something to sweat about.” Remember that when you sweat, you are exerting yourself therefore burning some calories and thus losing weight. Perhaps not as many calories as aerobic exercise, but Yoga has other benefits and in terms of calorie expenditure, every little helps.  What makes stretching a good weight loss technique is that you don’t stress yourself too much. Unlike other exercises, stretching does not push your body to the extreme and so it is harder to do damage to yourself when you are just starting out.

By just stretching, you don’t need to spend much of your time. However, you still achieve the same result. The key to success is finding a position that works your entire body. If this cannot be achieved in one position, then perhaps multiple positions will have to be considered. Besides that, the only other point that you must keep in mind is breathing. Remember to breathe through your nose. Do not let the air pass through your mouth while you are inhaling nor while you are exhaling. There are many benefits to stretching as opposed to doing outdoor exercise. It does not only save your skin from being exposed to the harmful sunrays, but it also helps maintain your complexion because you usually stay indoors.

As with any other activity that makes you sweat, don’t forget to drink water first before stretching. The best time to drink water is throughout the day and not to glug pints of it immediately before you begin your activity. The reason why drinking water right before your activity is bad is because all the water gets trapped in your stomach and has not yet reached your body tissues. Remember, water can also normalize your blood flow. Finally, do not stretch when you are full or have just eaten a large meal, this is not only bad for your digestion but can also cause you to cramp and acquire an injury. 

The best proven Weight Loss exercise programs that you should know

Most of the people are always on the search for killer weight loss exercise programs . Usually there are hundreds , if not thousands of programs that are available , and you can spend weeks on a program before finding out that it’s just not for you . In today’s fast-paced world , who really has that kind of time to waste ? This article describes a few popular exercise programs that you might be the right fit for you .

The most basic type of exercise program that you can undertake is to design your own . This type of program provides ultimate flexibility , as you can customize it to your own needs , goals , and schedule . Designing your own workout program takes some work and some research , however .

In order to properly for a personal workout program , you’ll need to understand how exercise affects the body . Obviously , it’s important not to go too easy on yourself – if you don’t work your body hard enough , you won’t burn fat , and you won’t lose weight . What some people don’t understand , though , is that you also can’t overwork your body . Exercising too hard cannot only lead to injury , but can also lead to a less productive workout overall .

A basic personal exercise program will consist of both cardiovascular exercise and strength training . Cardio exercise can be a simple jog outdoors , a run on the treadmill , or perhaps performing aerobics along to a video . Strength training includes weight lifting , and also activities like pushups , pull-ups , and crunches . It’s your choice to find the right mix of exercises that will challenge you and keep you motivated .

For anyone looking for something more structured , one of the most popular weight loss exercise programs is named ''Tae Bo'' . This program became famous for supposedly blending martial arts and self-defense techniques with an aerobic workout . Actual martial applications of the program are slim to none , but it does provide an excellent structured workout that you can follow along with at home .

''Tae Bo'' combines basic aerobic maneuvers like jumping jacks with various series of punches and kicks , sometimes done very quickly . Although some Tae Bo programs oftentimes use aids , such as resistance bands to enhance the workout , they are not necessary . People are often surprised by how much the simple act of punching and kicking the air can make you sore the next day !

One more extremely popular exercise program is called Pilates . Pilates bridges the grasp between intensity and relaxation , and shares some similarities with yoga . It uses slow , deliberate movements rather than quick repetitions to achieve weight loss and muscle growth .

One the major focuses of Pilates is on breathing – you might say it’s the most important part . Even if you don’t decide that Pilates is for you , this idea can be put to use in other weight loss exercise programs . Breathing is very , very important to any exercise program . Proper breathing technique can help reduce fatigue during exercise , allowing you to workout longer , which can only help to speed you along to your weight loss goals . 

 Check back often as we will be posting more of our quickest way to lose weight here on For a healthy weight loss website!