Exercising in the Great Outdoors

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Fall is a season that brings a lot of natural beauty and pleasant weather. You may think when summer is over that outdoor activities stop too. That is not the case at all. Temperatures in fall may still go up into the 70’s during the day and pleasantly warm up mother earth. This is the perfect time for young and old to spend time outdoors. Whether it is to exercise vigorously or to simply walk and take in the fresh air.

Remember, exercising or walking outside are great stress relievers, which we can all use these days. The crisp, fresh air can help clear your mind.

outdoors

When the leaves turn and all the trees show their yellow, orange and red colors it paints a marvelous picture. Houses are decorated with pumpkins and hay balls. How more beautiful can it get?

When exercising outdoors always dress according to the weather and preferably layer clothes. Also remember to drink plenty of water.

Outdoor exercise and activity ideas:

Hiking

A perfect activity is a hike through the colorful woods out in the crisp, fresh air on a sunny fall day. Make sure you layer clothes since the mornings may be on the chilly side but when you start hiking you will warm up quickly.

Kayaking

Even though kayaking is on the water, it still is a great activity to do in fall. A sea kayak where you actually sit in the boat is preferred over an ocean kayak since you can put on a spray skirt, which helps to keep most of our body dry unless you were to tip over. Some of the parks allow kayaking on their lakes. For a longer excursion there are various kayak rental or touring places along the Delaware River.

Bicycling

Take out the road bike or the mountain bike and ride through the area enjoying the colors and the scenery. When the leaves start to fall down, be more cautious in curves, as the bike may slip away from under you especially when the leaves are wet.

Running, Nordic Walking or Walking

These are wonderful activities to do in the area. You can run or walk in one of the many parks or in the neighborhood. And do not forget about the beach. There is nothing more relaxing than a walk on the beach during off-season. You do not have to deal with the crowd and you can enjoy the calming sound of the waves. In addition, the sand calls for an extra strenuous workout.

Kite Flying

Fall usually brings stronger winds especially down at the beach. These are perfect conditions to fly a kite. Setting the kite up and maneuvering it once up in the air will get your heart rate up while having a lot of fun.

Fall is also a perfect time for family activities such as:

Farm visits and pumpkin picking

Take the kids to a local farm and have them pick their own pumpkin. Not only do they get to be out in the fresh air but they also spend time walking and running around the field to find their perfect pumpkin. They will also see where those pumpkins grow.

Raking leaves

Make raking leaves a family activity. The entire family gets to be outside in the fresh air and everybody gets a small workout. To incorporate some fun for the kids hide a lollipop in one of the leave piles and have them search for it. You can also have them find a few very pretty leaves that can be pressed and preserved.

Enjoy your fall. It is a wonderful season.

Tips on Cold Weather Running

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Your alarm goes off a 6:00 AM; you jump out of bed to get ready for your run. You look out the window and notice that it’s snowed, the thermometer says its 35 degrees Fahrenheit outside. For a fleeting moment you think about postponing your run, but just for a second, the avid runner that you are won’t let you miss a day, unless of course there’s a blizzard.

While being dedicated to your sport is admirable, here are some tips on cold weather running from a personal fitness & nutrition trainer, you should know in order to avoid injury and have a safe run. You might also consider using the expert skills of personal fitness & nutrition trainer.

running

What to wear?

Layer when your run. When you layer you will be able to take clothes off if you become too warm, keeping you safe and just warm enough.

Be Seen?

Make sure you wear clothes that are noticeable especially if you’re running at night or in the snow.

What is too much?

Before you leave on your run if you feel very warm and comfy you are more than likely overdressed for your run.

What type of clothing?

Pick clothing that is made out of a moisture wick material. This will help keep you dry and warm and will also prevent irritation and chafing from sweating. It also minimizes loss of body heat.

Extremities?

Make sure to wear a hat and mittens, (gloves are fine, but mittens are warmer). Heat tends to escape quickly through the top of your head. Be sure to wear a hat to keep your ears war and the heat in. Be sure to wear mittens, this will help to avoid frost bite.

Hydrate?

Whether you realize this or not you need to drink fluids just as much in the winter as you do in the summer. You’re running and your body is working vigorously expending energy, you need to hydrate, whether its water or a sport drink throughout your workout.

Warm up?

Remember to stretch before and during your run. Loosening up your muscles before you run raises your body heat helping to avoid injury.

Fuel?

Running on an empty stomach is like driving your car on a long trip without any gas. You need fuel for energy to have a great run. It’s best to eat simple fruit a couple of hours before your run. Simple sugars are easily digestible and change to fuel rapidly.

Now that you know the tips on cold weather running here’s something else recommended by a personal fitness & nutrition trainer Dallas you might like to know. Have you ever felt a sharp pain in your throat when you were running? This is caused by cold air hitting your lungs when you breathe: it doesn’t have time to warm up. You can help eliminate this by breathing through your nose. (This is also a good technique to learn whenever you run.) This technique will not eliminate, but will help decrease the painful sensation in your throat.

One more thing, try running in the middle of the day if you can, it’s the warmest part of the day when it’s winter. Follow these tips for cold weather running, use your common sense, keep warm, and have a safe run.

 

How to Eat Healthy During the Holidays

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The holiday season can be a challenging time to make healthy food choices. With all the office parties, family celebrations, and abundance of cake, cookies, and pies, it is easy to see why the typical American gains weight between Thanksgiving and the New Year.

With food as the center piece for most holiday celebrations and social events, it is very hard to avoid, but with a little preparation and planning, you can still enjoy spreading the holiday cheer without spreading your waistline.

holiday

Don’t go to a party hungry.

The hungrier you are, the faster you will eat. It is important to eat your typical breakfast, lunch, and snacks on the day of the party to avoid being famished when you arrive and therefore overeat.

Substitute traditional foods with healthy alternatives.

Most of the traditional holiday meals can be prepared in a healthier manner. For example, try our Low Carb Pumpkin Casserole (link to recipe) as an alternative to pumpkin pie.

Watch out for holiday spirits.

Alcoholic beverages can contain from 150 to 450 calories a glass. Limit your drinks to 1-2 glasses. The lower calorie, lower carb choices are dry wine, Bloody Mary’s, or spirits with diet mixers. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram (fat has 9 and protein has 4) and then is stored in the body as extra belly fat. Individuals who are overweight can gain weight more quickly when consuming alcohol.

Up Your Exercise.

Yes, you can bond with family over bread and wine, but you can also bond through a brisk walk or bike ride. Try to plan some holiday events around fitness such as entering the family into a 5K Holiday Fun Run, or walk together, or enroll in a fitness class together.

Plan Ahead.

Know what parties are you going to attend, what food you will be tempted by, what personal stressful triggers may drive you to eat, and make a plan on how you will deal with those situations. It is much easier to deal with difficult social eating situations if you already have a plan.

Practice conscious eating.

Most people tend to eat beyond their body’s physical hunger at holiday events simply because the food is there, it is good, and everyone else is doing it! To avoid over-eating, make one plate of food of the items you really want to eat. Sit down, and eat slowly. Chew and saver each bite. Set your fork down between bites and take your time. When you are finished eating, pop in a mint or a piece of gum to keep your mouth occupied and prevent having seconds.

Bring your own healthy dish to the party.

If you are not sure what you can eat when you get there, bring the food with you. Offering to bring a dish puts you in control. At least you know there is one healthy item on hand.

How to Have Better Breathing and Healthier Lungs in This Fall Season

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Ah the time of year again where the leaves change color, the air gets cooler, and the winter season is just a few weeks away. If you just read this and see these things happening outside then obviously you don’t live in Southern California.

Out here the leaves stay the same, the days get hotter and the Santa Ana winds return. We have seen this just recently and have seen the horrible affects of the wind with the recent wildfires, but what maybe isn’t seen to everyone but felt by a lot is the toll this wind, heat and lack of humidity is doing to people’s allergies and lungs.

season

Most of us either have or know people who have been coughing, sneezing, stuffy, constantly trying to relieve their dry throat, having more and more asthma attacks and just generally feeling pretty miserable. It’s no fun to be feeling this way, and we can expect just more of these days to come, but what can we do to help alleviate the symptoms and possibly prevent them?

 

Now all you people who aren’t in Southern California don’t stop reading, these tips are great for anyone suffering from similar symptoms; hopefully they will relieve your allergies and make for better breathing and healthier lungs.

First of all take care of any problems you may have indoors in your home.

  • Replace sheets and pillow cases with those that help to prevent dust mites from escaping the bedding and wash these bedding weekly in hot water.
  • Make sure and keep your rooms free from clutter and vacuum and dust regularly.
  • Try to avoid going outside during high pollen count or very windy days; most weather reports now include a pollen count that can be a good guide to when you should avoid outside air as much as you can.
  • Especially avoid exercise during these days, replace your routine with things that you can do in your home.
  • Make sure and keep your windows closed during these days, don’t want to bring inside the air we are avoiding outside.
  • Use saline eye and nose drops to keep your eyes and nose moist during days of very low humidity, drink plenty of water and if needed use over the counter antihistamines or decongestants.

Following these tips can dramatically help relieve your allergies and help you to have a healthy and happy fall season.

Diet Plan Questions Answered

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What is the best diet plan? Usually when we talk about a diet plan for good health, we quickly think it has to be a balanced diet. However, a weight loss diet plan doesn’t necessarily have to be balanced, but it does have to be healthy. So if you are looking to drop some pounds, then you need to follow a healthy diet.

Proteins, carbs, and fat all play roles in forming a healthy diet. You just need to be careful how much of each one you include in your plan. There should be plenty of proteins, a small amount of carbs, and a fractional amount of fats.

diet plan

When trying to lose weight, most people prefer to stay away from fats altogether, but this doesn’t always work for everyone. Your diet plan should also have a good amount of vitamins, minerals, and other supplements to keep you in good health and to help you lose weight fast.

Balanced Diet Plan vs. Healthy Diet Plan

There is some question as to whether balanced diet plans are good for someone who is trying to lose weight. You see, a balanced diet includes every form of food (and a large amount of these foods) in order to give your body all it’s needed nutrients.

However, some of these foods are counter-productive when trying to lose weight fast and so should not be included in your diet. This is why a healthy diet is more important than a balanced diet when trying to lose weight and burn fat. When eating a healthy diet, you are tailoring your plan to your own personal needs.

What is the best healthy diet plan for weight loss?

FRUITS AND VEGGIES

Vegetables and fruits contain small amounts of salt, cholesterol, calories, and are low in fat. Fruits also have good amounts of anti-oxidants like vitamins A, C, and E.

MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS

The myth that you should not eat dairy products while trying to lose weight is just that, a myth! There are plenty of non-fat and low sugar milk and ice cream alternatives in this day and age.

Dairy is our main source of calcium and a high-quality source of protein. Dairy also contains potassium, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin A, phosphorous, vitamin D, and vitamin B-12. Our bodies need these vitamins and minerals to survive and so we can’t afford to cut out dairy products altogether. Eat dairy in moderation and choose the non-fat or low sugar alternatives.

BREADS, CEREALS, AND POTATOES

Carbs, carbs, carbs! Carbs are an ideal source of energy when trying to lose weight. This energy is easier to burn off compared to fat so again, you do not want to cut carbohydrates out of your diet completely. Moderation is key!

Corn, beans, rice, cereals, and potatoes are all examples of grains and carbohydrates. They are rich in B-vitamins and should be included in a healthy diet.

MEAT AND FISH

Lean meat, like chicken, and fish are awesome for losing weight fast. They are low in cholesterol. Just don’t ruin them by frying them in butter or vegetable oil; this will add unnecessary fats and will sabotage your healthy diet plan.

Important Motives for Undergoing Regular Work-Outs or Exercises

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If you want to improve your health and fitness you need to do exercise or workout on regular basis. You can lose weight at the same time. That is not all. Slim and healthy body that you achieve due to meticulous exercise program also helps you to decrease level of bad cholesterol and increase amount of good cholesterol thereby reducing threats of attack of different diseases like cardiac attacks, high blood pressure level and the like.

Whatever the reason is, be it weight management or prevention of diseases or any other thing, one should stick to fitness regime to get desirable results. Here is the list of motives that may allow you to work out on regular basis.

fitness

Weight Loss:

Reduction of fat is one of the important reasons that compel people to go for stringent workout program. In order to get valuable tips to lose weight you may contact one of the best trainers of your region. The most common tip is to change dietary habit, participate in suitable programs and get rid of unwanted pounds quickly. There is one more suggestion. Always wear comfortable clothes during these sessions. In this way you can take up meticulous programs and accomplish goals with least difficulty.

Decreases Pain of your Joints:

Consistent workout program is the best way to get relief from acute joints as well as muscle pain. Strengthen your core, reduce back ache and stay safe from different kinds of injuries. Reports have shown that people were astonished to find that the back pain that they had endured for so many years were reduced due to active participation in exercise sessions.

Build your Muscle Tissues:

Development of muscle tissues is beneficial for your health. As compared to tissues of fat, muscle tissues help in burning of calories throughout the day. For increasing strength of muscle tissues, it is important that you would practice different kinds of resistance workouts.

Prevent Age Related Problems:

Gone are the days when senior people became home-bound and suffered from different ailments. Nowadays they are more conscious about their health. In order to avoid aging and associated illness they stick to rigorous workouts to remain healthy. Recent studies also conclude that relevant workouts reduce withering of several genes within human cells and therefore slow down the process of aging effectively.

Prevent Type II Diabetes:

There is another reason why people often go for workout session. People who suffer from Type II diabetes are greatly benefited from regular work outs. Exercise stabilizes the sugar level of body and thus allows your body to utilize insulin in effective manner. Plus, you can lose weight that also increases sensitivity of insulin to a great extent.

To Increase Energy level:

A regular workout program improves your level of energy and makes you feel good like never before. If you wish to achieve drastic results in terms of health management it is important that you should take help of an experienced instructor quickly. He or she will instruct you and show you proper tactics and strategies that will speed up fitness results.

Whether you wish to lose weight or just want to improve lifestyle to stay fit, you may find different reasons to work out. No matter what the reason is, make sure you would do it correctly and efficiently.

The Best Diet Plan Is to Develop the Best Lifestyle Habits

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People are always looking for short cuts. They’re all looking for “the one” – the quickest, the cheapest, and the most efficient diet plans. When people browse for different diet products, they automatically look for what makes this particular diet fad “different” from the rest. They keep on looking for what makes a particular diet “special.” This is the wrong approach.

It doesn’t take a genius to come up with a good diet plan. Don’t look for what makes a diet “different,” look for what it has in common with every other diet plan you’ve seen. Stop looking for the best diet plan. Any diet plan will work as long as there is an emphasis on consistency and the formation of correct habits. As long as you incorporate healthy lifestyle habits into your diet plan, weight management will never be a problem.

diet plans

1. Make daily exercise part of your way of life.

A person who regularly engages in physical activities of any kind rarely has trouble with weight management. Forget the best diet plan. Just make a daily plan that includes a lot of physical activity. You’d be surprised how much weight you can lose from having a daily habit of jogging. If you’re not a fan of jogging, there are other activities you can engage in like swimming, working out, or learning a martial art. The primary cause of weight problems is a lack of physical activity. You can eliminate your weight problems quickly just by making physical activity a part of your daily routine.

2. Eat whatever you want.

One of the most common reasons why people give up on their diet plans is because some diets demand a lot from an individual. If a diet tells you not to eat your favorite food, it’s only a matter of time before you give up on it. A lot of people all over the world are able to achieve a certain level of weight management regardless of what they eat. The secret is in portion control. When you’re having weight problems, you’re obviously eating too much. If this is the problem you’re having, then eat less. You don’t need the best diet plan to realize that you need to eat less to lose weight. Find ways to control the portions you eat and you will lose weight. One tactic that has worked wonders for many is to use smaller plates. If you have a habit of filling your plate, make your plates smaller so you would eat less.

3. Do things manually.

Technology has provided individuals today with the tools to do almost everything from home. We can shop from home, work from home, and keep in touch with friends from home. Unfortunately, all these benefits have also drastically reduced the average person’s tolerance for physical activity. One reason why a lot of people are having so much trouble with weight management is because they’re not used to physical activity. Even the best diet plan isn’t going to work if your daily physical activity is limited to typing on a keyboard.

4. Drink water.

There are several reasons why drinking water can help you with weight management. Water makes you feel full. Drinking water often can reduce your appetite, control the amount of food you eat, flush out the toxins from your body, and hydrate your body after workouts. One way to maintain optimum health is to drink plenty of water. Maybe the best diet plan is simply to drink plenty of water.

5. Eat right.

You don’t need the best diet plan to realize that including fruits and vegetables in your diet is good for you. Weight management problems are often caused by unhealthy diets. If your diet consists mostly of fat and sodium, chances are the food you’re eating is making you gain weight. It’s simple really. If you want to be able to manage your weight, don’t eat food that will make it difficult for you to manage your weight. You can always prepare your favorite foods with alternative ingredients. If you’re craving for a burger, find a vegan alternative. If you want pasta, use seafood instead of meat for the sauce. At the end of the day, your weight is the result of the little decisions you make every day.

There is no such thing as the best diet plan. People are different. We all have different bodies, different DNA. What works for one individual may not work for another. In fact, many of the cardinal rules the most popular diets promote – reducing carbohydrates, counting calories, going on juice fasts, eating apples exclusively – are unnecessary as long as you know the basics of weight management. Stop looking for drastic, unsustainable, inefficient weight loss plans and just try to live a healthy life.

Fitness Myths – Working Out Properly

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Working out properly can really help you to get the gains you expect in a shorter period of time. How many of these common misconceptions have you believed to be true?

working out

Fitness Myth 1: “Aerobics is better than weight lifting to get in shape.”

You hear this one a fair amount but the reality is, if you want muscle definition and a better “after burn”, you need to lift weights. You can burn calories just as effectively with weights if you work in super sets to help keep your heart-rate up. The more effective result is the fact that weight training will create an “after burn” effect. This is when your body continues to have an elevated metabolism for several hours after your workout which is difficult to duplicate with cardio.

Fitness myth 2: “When women lift weights, they will get bulky.”

This myth is unfortunately heard a lot. The science behind weight lifting says otherwise. Testosterone is the primary hormone responsible for large muscles. Women simply do not produce nearly enough of it to produce the “bodybuilder” physique some believe they will create. Female bodybuilders who are really built take extra testosterone to attain their size. They do not come by it naturally.

Fitness myth 3: Muscle grow during your workout.”

As you lift weights that put a strain on your muscles, you breakdown muscle fibers that will then need to be repaired. When this happens, they are slightly larger than they were before and more defined to compensate for the next loads they will need to lift. You tear them down when lifting but the repair process starts after your workout as they are rebuilt over the next 36 hours or so. The recovery process is really important to help your muscles grow.

Fitness Myth 4: “Training with 3 sets of 10 reps is the best workout for results.”

There are two issues with this myth. Using the same type of workout every time may cause you to plateau and stop seeing results as quickly. A change of pace is a good thing. The other problem is what your goal is for your training. Power versus strength versus endurance all require a different type of program. High reps with low weight to low reps and high weights will give very different results.

Following specific principles of weight lifting can really help you to tone, get muscle definition and lose weight if done properly. If you are not really sure what to do, get some advice from those who know.

The Importance of Good Nutrition in a Vegetarian Diet Plan

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Vegetarian diets are generally rich in antioxidants, healthy fats and certain vitamins/minerals. Meat based diets usually have higher levels of protein, iron, zinc, vitamin B-12 and calcium.

Maintaining a healthy veggie diet means you need to understand the key principles of vegetarian nutrition. Healthy vegetarian or vegan diets are not complicated, however you need to be aware of the main principles of good nutrition.

Vegetarian

Properly planned vegetarian nutrition can far exceed the healthiness of most meat based diets. Whilst a vegetarian diet plan may seem boring to many people, it definitely does not need to be dull! There are so many fabulous recipes that you can follow, especially some ethic dishes which are famous for their veggie and spicy ingredients.

One general misconception about vegetarianism is that their diet does not provide enough protein or iron. This absolutely need not be true. Legumes, beans, grains, soy, nuts and seeds are great proteins sources. They also provide various antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibers which are not present in a meat-based diet. So a vegetarian diet can actually be much healthier.

A veggie diet specifically designed for athletes or bodybuilders should contain the correct levels of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, proteins and good fats. However like all kinds of dietary plans, if you are struggling with which type of a vegetarian planner is good for you, you should seek help from a healthy vegetarian meal planner or dietitian.

Vegetarian diet plans are a popular weight loss option, as many of the foods in the diet plan are low in cholesterol and fats. Anyone looking to lose weight needs to limit foods with high levels of bad fats and cholesterol, and therefore adopting a veggie diet planner will help to achieve this.

A good veggie meal planning system can benefit you in a variety of ways. Healthy vegetarian diet plans will be well balanced with a whole range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. The plan should include a variety of foods in each food group, to be both balanced and to provide you with load of recipe options!

If you avoid poor quality food and stick to eating lots of fresh fruits, veggies, legumes and grains, especially whole-grains, this will provide you with almost everything you need to stay healthy. However, even veggie diets can have high levels of bad fats if they are excessive in whole daily products, fried or fatty snack foods.

As you can see a vegetarian or vegan diet should be well thought through and planned, to ensure disease prevention and a healthy immune system.

When following a vegetarian diet plan the key ingredient is in the planning. You should plan each of your meals to ensure that you are consuming the correct quantity of food, avoid meat based products (such as hidden ingredients) and that each meal has the right balance of nutrients and minerals.

Women Working Out in the Weight Room

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Some women have a fear of the weight room at their gym. Many women and personal trainers as well believe that if a woman works out in the weight room they will end up with a bulky manly physique. Myths like this are giving resistance training a bad name.

As personal trainers we have to remember that men and women are physiologically different. Men in fact increase muscle mass due to testosterone. While it is true that women also secrete and deliver testosterone just like men do, women do it at slower rates and much less volume.

women

This slower and lower dose of testosterone allows women to build a more tone and lean muscle while also increasing metabolism to aid in weight loss. Most women start an exercise program to lose weight and look better, but there is more to it than this. Resistance training has many benefits that will help women’s health, both now and in the future. Looking good is great, but exercise can do so much more for a women’s long-term health. Resistance training may also decrease day-to-day stresses from our fast paced lifestyles.

Stress is a very dangerous and often overlooked factor that can lead to decreased motivation and eventual increase in body fat. Studies have shown that proper exercise can cut stress dramatically. Another often overlooked health issue for women is bone mineral density (BMD). Because of a higher level of estrogen, women are at a higher risk of low bone mineral density than men. A consistent resistance training program can increase BMD in women and dramatically reduce the possibility of osteopenia and/or osteoporosis. A well planned resistance training program can also help posture, balance, flexibility and stability for all ages. These are all very important daily and long-term health.

Cardio vs. Weight Training

Anaerobic exercise may lead to to an increase of metabolism, but aerobic exercise is important too. Aerobic training is very important for the cardiovascular system (“heart health”). Some people have trouble combining cardio and resistance training. First, if the trainee wants to increase power and strength than including cardio exercises can make all the difference. This is because of an increase in the muscle capillary density, increased number of mitochondria, and a possible change in fiber type.

Additionally, if a trainee that wants to increase their aerobic power can do this by combining both cardio workouts with resistance training. This will allow for an increase in aerobic power due to an increase in VO^2 Max. VO^2 Max is the amount of oxygen exchange within a muscle for adequately supplying and keeping the muscle cells functioning properly.

For weight management and exercise in general, the goal is to combine both types of exercise by using circuit training. Circuit training will allow a trainee to increase their aerobic and anaerobic power by incorporating moderate to high intensity exercises with resistance training. This will keep your heart rate up and increase your metabolic rate.

Resistance Training Program Design For Women

A proper program design is specific to the person being trained. Each trainee will begin at different levels based on their condition, so a custom tailored exercise program is very important. Each exercise program should begin with some sort of active warm-up regime to help stimulate proper muscle activation for your workout.

To circuit train effectively, three to four multi-muscle, functional workouts are grouped together to optimize your heart rate and aerobic and anaerobic power output. Between 2 to 4 sets and 10 to 15 reps of approximately 3 or 4 exercises are performed in a continuous cycle with little rest (30 seconds to 1 minute after completing each cycle of the 3 to 4 exercises).

Each group of three to four exercises may primarily target different areas of the body. After the warm-up, the first group of exercises may focus on legs. The second group may focus on the upper body, and the third may focus on the core muscles. This exercise structure can help save time and effort with a busy schedule and may also maximize overall fitness results. Ending each workout with a form of static stretching may also be a good idea. Static stretching after exercise can keep the joints from getting too tight.