Tag Archive for: #wonderfullyfit

High Impact Aerobics

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No matter what the age, people these days bent upon different fitness regimes. Some people join the gym, others start off with yoga classes or aerobics sessions, others take up jogging and some others just get into any sports.

Most people can vouch for high impact aerobics that have helped them get that toned look. You can go for these aerobics classes at any of the fitness institutes near your locality.

high impact

Before joining any form of aerobics, you should first be aware of what aerobics is all about. Also, you should make an assessment of yourself and your work, and be able to schedule a work out time for yourself. Aerobics is basically a form of exercise that involves a session full of rhythmic, large muscle exercise, accompanied with music, usually with an instructor.

For most people, it is more than just exercise. It is a form of dance, movement, and even a lifestyle. These aerobics are classified into two types, based on the levels of intensity – low and impact aerobics.

Low impact aerobics involves at least one foot in contact with the floor during the complete session. High-impact aerobics is one wherein both the feet regularly lose floor contact. It involves running, jumping and hopping. This form of aerobics involves high energy, continuous exercises. Since high intensity aerobics involves a lot of foot usage, it is advisable for people with joint problems in the legs to not attempt these exercises.

Many people find aerobics as a good option to shed those extra kilos in a quick and easy way. You can find many people who can confirm that aerobics is a fun way to workout. These high impact exercises not just help you to reduce weight, but it also helps in strengthening the bones, joints and muscles. If you want to lose weight, or are looking to improve your cardiovascular fitness, then this is the best form of exercise for you.

High impact aerobics usually offer more intense and stressful workouts. In order for you to get maximum benefits of these aerobic exercises, you should ideally have an aerobic session for at least 30 minutes for 4-5 days a week. If you are just starting off with this form of fitness, it is better to start off with low impact exercises first. Aerobics also serve as a good form of stress relievers.

15 Weight Loss Superfoods

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Here at Wonderfully Fit, we decide to combine a quick list of 15 superfoods to help with everyday weight loss. Of course there are more than listed below.

But we hope this list of Superfoods helps you along the proper path. Enjoy:

superfoods

 

1. Egg Whites

Egg whites are the perfect way to start out your weight loss day! They are low in calories and fat, yet high in protein. Add some peppers, onions, spinach, lean turkey, or tomatoes for endless meal possibilities!
Best for: Breakfast, or Dinner

2. Low Fat Yogurt

Yogurt contains bacteria that help to improve your digestion – flushing your system and aiding weight loss! Avoid yogurt with added sugar and fruits at the bottom. Can be mixed with berries & flax seeds for an extra boost.
Best for: Breakfast, or Snacks

3. Turkey

Turkey is a naturally very lean meat. It is high in protein and low in fat and carbs. Turkey breast is very versatile and can go well with soups, salads, veggies, and omelets.
Best for: Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner

4. Broccoli

Broccoli contains soluble fiber and is a very low-calorie food – great for fat loss. It also contains iron and other vitamins to improve your overall health. Eat other green veggies too!
Best for: Lunch, or Dinner

5. Spinach

Spinach is a great substitute for the typical iceberg or romaine salads that everyone is used to. It is very dense in vital nutrients, low-calorie, and incredibly flavorful!
Best for: Lunch, or Dinner

6. Carrots

Carrots are a great snack or side dish. They are another low-calorie food that has a high nutrient content. Eating raw carrots taxes the digestive system which causes a greater calorie burn and faster weight loss.
Best for: Lunch, Snacks, or Dinner

7. Tomatoes

Studies have shown that tomatoes can prevent certain types of cancer. Not only that, but they are a great source of natural energy and pair nicely with most healthy meals.
Best for: Lunch, Snacks, or Dinner

8. Oranges

Oranges can naturally satisfy your “sweet tooth” cravings. They are refreshing, inexpensive, and are the perfect travel food. They contain vitamins and anti-oxidants which boost immune system function and even help to lower blood pressure.
Best for: Breakfast, Snacks, or Dessert

9. Apples

Apples contain pectin, which helps you to feel “full.” They contain vitamins and loads of anti-oxidants to improve your health as well! Another good travel food.
Best for: Snacks

10. Berries

Many berries contain relatively high amounts of fiber – causing you to feel full longer. They are also a great source of anti-oxidants.
Best for: Snacks, or Dessert

11. Quinoa

Many people still haven’t heard of quinoa… But it’s popularity is unsurpassed in the diet and weight-loss community. Quinoa is high in fiber and protein. It is gluten-free and is viewed as “healthier” than rice and oats.
Best for:  Lunch, or Dinner

12. Oats

Oats are a great source of fiber and healthy complex carbs for long-term energy. Oats fill you up much better than cold cereal and, with the addition of berries and spices, can make a delicious and satisfying meal.
Best for: Breakfast

13. Almonds

A handful of almonds can quickly put an end to any food cravings that might pop up throughout your day. They contain protein and healthy fats and are a great addition to your desk for snacks.
Best for: Snacks

14. Water

Your body retains water if you don’t drink enough of it… Drinking water actually prevents water retention! It also helps rebuild muscle and prevents dehydration. Be sure to drink at least two glasses of water at each meal!
Best for: Every Meal and Snack!

15. Green Tea

Strong antioxidant and natural diuretic. Green tea speeds up fat loss, prevents cancer, improves insulin levels, and increases circulation. Make the switch for coffee to green tea today!
Best for: Anytime!

So… Eat protein, veggies, fruit, and healthy fats every 3 hours, drink 2 glasses of water with each meal, and you’ll be a fat-burning machine in no time!

Muscular Endurance Training

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Increase you stamina with muscular endurance training, short bursts of exercise and the long tedious endurance are both beneficial to the heart, don’t think the endurance training is only for marathon athletes simply playing football , swimming or cycling is classed as endurance training.

It has been found that a person who cycles stationary at a moderate intense speed for 40-60 minutes 3 days a week or 6 sets of shorter busts at 30-40 seconds allowing a recovery period of 4 minutes improves the arteries function and helps prevents the risk of disease, this builds up your stamina without this any exercise over a long period of time will be difficult with the lack of endurance.

endurance training

Aerobic endurance with this training the body is pushed to meet the intake of oxygen and fuel, as the body will only cope without oxygen for a short period of time that’s why endurance exercises are important as it helps produce energy for the body, which in turn improves the cardiovascular system and helps the blood flow and oxygen to circulate around your body.

With the modern sports of today stamina has become more recognized that’s why it is very important to engage in endurance training especially for sports like football, swimming or basketball where you are involved in short bursts of endurance over a long period in a game or race, but like any exercise only push yourself to what you body can cope with as you do not want to cause injury to your body, also remember to couple your training with the proper nutrition for your body to sustain any type of endurance training.

Aerobics… High Impact or Low Impact?

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Aerobic exercises are activities which raise your heart rate to about 60% to 80% of it’s maximum rate and sustain that rate for a minimum of 15 minutes. The more fit you are, the longer you can work out without becoming breathless.

There are two types of aerobic exercise: low impact and high impact. Let’s talk about some of the activities that fall into each category.

impact

Low Impact

1. Walking

Walking is an easy aerobic activity because it requires no special equipment other than some comfortable, supportive shoes. It can be done on a treadmill if you prefer to exercise indoors. As you are able to walk for longer distances at a quicker pace, your weight loss benefits increase.

2. Step Aerobics

This is a rhythmic activity that incorporates the use of an aerobic step bench.

3. Bicycling

Cycling uses the large muscles of your legs to increase your endurance in a non-weight-bearing manner. If you are worried about your balance or simply prefer exercising inside you can use a stationary bike.

4. Swimming and Water Aerobics

These activities can really speed up your heart rate! Because of the resistance of the water, you burn more calories swimming than you do walking or running the same distance. For the same reason, any exercises done in water also burn more calories than those done on dry land.

High Impact

1. Aerobic Dance

This is the exercise of choice for many women because it is so much fun! You can find a class to join or workout with a CD or DVD. To make dance into a low impact activity, make sure you keep one foot on the ground at all times.

2. Running

Because you are obviously putting forth more effort, running burns more calories than the same amount of time spent walking. It is extremely important to wear shoes that fit well and are made specifically for running to protect your body from the repeated pounding.

3. Rope Jumping

This is another high impact activity that can have excellent cardiac benefits as long as it is maintained at a moderate pace for at least 15 minutes.

It is recommended that some type of sustained aerobic activity be done for 20 – 30 minutes three times a week. In order to stay motivated and not become bored you should vary the activities.

Ask your health care professional before starting an new exercise regimen. And remember, when engaged in aerobics, if you’re breathing too hard to be able to carry on a conversation, you need to slow it down!

Weight Loss Foods to Eat for Energy

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What are the best weight loss foods that act as fuel for your body? You want to make sure that you eat healthily, and that your diet is in the right proportions. This means that you need plenty carbohydrate foods such as potatoes, grains and pulses, enough protein foods such as lean meat, fish and poultry, and a little fat, preferably from fish or vegetable and seed oils. It also means plenty fruit and vegetables. It means cutting back on the ‘bad foods’ such as chocolate, potato crisps, cakes and pastries for example.

Some nutrients are very important to maintain high energy levels and those are obtained from what we like to call weight loss ‘superfoods’. Incorporate as many of these energy enhancing superfoods in your diet:

foods

Anti-oxidants

Anti-oxidants strengthen the immune system and fight free radicals, which cause cellular and tissue damage in the body resulting in accelerating the aging process. Vitamins A, C and E contain high levels of anti-oxidants as well as these foods: Red grapes, Garlic, Spinach, Broccoli, Berries, Green Tea and Carrots. Several degenerative diseases such as Alzheimers, heart disease and cancers can be prevented by including high quantities of anti-oxidants in your diet. Anti-oxidants are also beneficial for helping to counteract the effects of modern day pollutants in our foods, such as pesticides, chemicals and radiation.

Vitamins E and B

These are essential for maintaining healthy red blood cells. Some foods that contain vitamin E are: Nuts, Seeds, Sweet Potatoes, Avocado’s, Brown Rice, Asparagus and Green Vegetables. These are some of the foods that contain vitamin B: Wheatgerm, Soya, Oats, Banana’s, Wholegrains, Meat, Fish, Eggs, Mushrooms, Pulses, Soya and Yogurt.

Zinc and Iron

These are both vital for maintaining energy levels and healthy red blood cells especially if you are exercising more or if you menstruate heavily. These are some foods that contain these two mineral: Meat, Eggs, Wholegrains, Dark Leafy Greens, Dried Apricots, Peaches, Fish and Seafood, Nuts, Seeds, Wheatgerm and Pulses.

Magnesium

A deficiency in this mineral is linked to chronic fatigue, low energy levels and fluctuating blood sugar levels. Some foods that contain magnesium are: Green Vegetables, Nut, Seeds, Pulses, Meat, Fish and Seafood, Figs, Banana’s and Brown Rice.

You will note that many of these weight loss foods contain all of the above nutrients, so eat as much of those as possible to ensure that you have optimum levels of energy in your weight loss program.

How to Increase Your Muscular Endurance

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Most people do not have very high muscular endurance. This is the ability to keep your muscles going over long periods of time without getting too tired. For many, it’s not something that is ever attained as it’s not trained hard for at all. Find out what you can do to improve this in your body.

You have to train with endurance and really push yourself for you to ever get to these types of fitness levels. There is nothing wrong with normal routines for overall health or weight loss, but endurance routines will be pushing you each time that you do the workouts. Do a little more each workout to push yourself a bit further.

endurance

You can train this type of endurance through cardio workouts. These would be things like jogging, ellipticals, cycling, jumping rope, or other forms of cardio. You need to be doing these multiple days a week for best results. Each time you workout push for a little more distance in less time. You want to go further faster. The best way to train for this is through high interval training. This means that you have periods of very high intensity that you are going all out mixed with intermediate intensity where you are taking more of a break.

You can also train this endurance through weight lifting as well. When you want to build endurance, you are going to use lighter weights. The reason is that you are going to push yourself until you can’t do another repetition at all. This is best done with lighter weights as opposed to heavy ones that you can’t lift that much of at all.

You can also focus on the foods that you are eating especially before needing your endurance. Get in food into your body like carbohydrates to help fuel your body and give you a bit extra energy that can turn into more endurance.

Aerobic Workouts are Just What the Body Needs

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We hear it all the time, on the news, the radio and all over the internet: We are getting fatter with each passing year, and the adverse health risks associated with our sedentary lifestyle and eating habits are killing us faster than almost anything else.

Aerobic workouts are just what the body needs to cleanse, strengthen and tone itself while sharpening the mind and improving mood.

Aerobic

Diet and exercise are two fundamental tools that each one of us has at our disposal to promote overall health and well-being. However, it seems that these things are also two of the hardest things to control and gain the upper hand with. Aerobic workouts are fantastic because they are simple to do, hardly cost anything to begin, and they are highly effective in melting fat.

Aerobic workouts rely on the principle that the faster the heart pumps and air moves in and out of the lungs, the more your body metabolizes. This means that you are burning more energy when active then when you are not. If you are interested in losing weight and sharpening mental skills, aerobic workouts are the perfect way to accomplish both.

Diet is also important, and the less junk you eat, the less weight you will gain. Combining healthy eating with exercise can quickly turn your body into a healthy machine that is optimized for strength, stamina, endurance and overall well-being. The less calories you take in every day, coupled with the more you burn from aerobic workouts will lead to fast results that will amaze and encourage you to continue achieving.

Whether or not you want to do high impact aerobic classes at the local gym or some simple things like jogging or intense walking on your own, there are plenty of options and techniques to explore and develop. As you become more accustomed to working out on a regular basis, you can adapt your routines to fit your preferences and tastes. If you don’t like running but love to dance, then dancing can be an excellent source of fun, exercise and toning that will leave you feeling wonderful.

Another benefit to aerobic workouts is that you are condensing the time it takes to burn calories. The harder you apply yourself, the more you burn. That means if you can increase the level of activity during the routine, you can shorten the amount of time it takes to complete it. Also, the more you work out in the day, the more your body will burn at night. Ultimately, you set your goals and work to achieve them, and the more effort you put into it, the more you will receive.

Foods for an Easy Weight Loss

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An easy weight loss can be aided by eating the right kinds of foods.

3 types of foods that will accelerate your weight loss are:

weight loss

1. Lean chicken & fish:

Chicken is one of the best weight loss foods you can eat! It contains a lot of protein with little fat (once you have removed the skin). Protein intake is essential to build muscle and one ounce of muscle burns three times as many calories as one ounce of fat. Not only is the fat burning rate of muscle higher than fat, increased muscle mass raises the body’s metabolic rate resulting in more calories burned. Turkey can be eaten as well as chicken to add a little variety to your diet.

The consumption of fish is also good for an easy weight loss. Fish such as salmon, tuna and trout contain Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential acids necessary for human health. These fatty acids cannot be manufactured by the body and must be added to the diet. Not only do these fatty acids help to lower the risk of heart disease, aid brain function and improve the mood, they have also been shown to increase the body’s sensitivity to Leptin. (Leptin is a hormone that makes the body feel full.)

The more obese a person is, the less sensitive the body becomes to Leptin, causing you to eat more to feel full. Eating foods with Omega-3 fatty acids causes the body to respond to lower amounts of Leptin, in turn, causing the body to feel full with less food.

2. Olive oil:

Replace your regular cooking oils with olive oil. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and its consumption promotes heart health by lowering the bad cholesterol without lowering the good cholesterol. (There are some health practitioners who also believe olive oil also acts to lower the risk of some cancers). There are several research studies that tend to indicate that consuming olive oil (instead of other types of cooking oils) helps people lose weight without changing any other part of the diet or increasing their exercise levels. (Of course, eating healthier and exercising will, unquestionably, make a quick weight loss plan even quicker.

3. Berries:

Berries are also good for losing weight. Eating strawberries, blueberries and blackberries, (among other types of berries) will help you to lose weight. (Studies have also shown that consumption of these berries appears to help reverse age related memory loss and other mental decline).

Blueberries are low in calories, low in sugar and contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol. Blueberries are also high in fiber which helps you feel full quicker. Studies have shown that eating blueberries aids in the reduction of belly fat.

Strawberries are low in calories, high in fiber and contain vitamin C. Studies have shown that eating strawberries increases the body’s production of hormones that make you feel full while as well as those hormones that increase your metabolism. In addition, eating strawberries helps regulate blood sugar spikes. Studies have also suggested that strawberries may aid in reversing age related brain disorders as well as inhibiting the growth of liver cancer cells.

Blackberries are also low in calories and high in fiber and have been alleged to have cancer preventing properties. They have also been shown to relieve menstrual and menopausal related symptoms.

As with all berries, the fresh fruit is much lower in calories than the frozen or canned varieties. Fresh fruits have higher vitamin levels too.

There is no diet easier to follow than one in which you can eat foods you like and not feel deprived. Adding these three types of foods to your diet will supercharge any diet you undertake or can even help you to lose weight without making any other radical changes. Not only will adding these foods to your diet help the pounds come off, you will be healthier for having added them to your meals. Note that these are only some of the weight loss “superfoods” that you want in your diet. In future posts, other foods will be discussed.

If you want an easy weight loss, add these foods to your diet today and watch that belly disappear.

How Muscular Endurance Can Benefit Your Health

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Muscular endurance is necessary if you are involved in strength sports like bodybuilding and weightlifting. However, it is also a must even for those of us who aren’t into any kind of endurance sport but depend on mobility and flexibility every day of our lives. Having good muscle endurance influences how we move about doing our everyday activities and how well we do them.

Everyday, people work out to achieve certain fitness goals and to have good overall health. One of the ways we determine our overall good health is to test our muscular endurance. Athletes work out and do intensive exercise routines in order to build up mass and strength so they can perform at their best.

Muscular endurance

They are tested for their it based on their age, gender and physical abilities and to be ready and prepared, they follow a healthy diet in addition to doing their exercises regularly. In addition, they also take sports supplements to enhance their performance, increase their energy and to take care of their muscles. This is the overall concept on which sport nutrition is based.

The body adapts to how it is trained. Training for muscular endurance for a cyclist is different from that of a runner, a swimmer or a bodybuilder. The amount of sets, weights and reps will vary as well as the time for recovery between each set and session. However long the recovery time is, it is important that the muscles have ample time to do it and this means ingesting quick-absorbing protein to help this process along. The quicker the muscles recover, the better it will feel for the next set of reps.

Muscular endurance is when your muscles are able to withstand a force exertion greater than being at rest for a significant amount of time. Athletes challenge their muscles to do just that but not without the help of sports supplements of course. Resistance training requires rest and when you exert force like lifting weights for example, certain nutrient stores in the muscles get depleted (like glycogen) and when you rest, your stores get replenished. Not resting between sets will force your body into a state of lactate production. It is training the pathways of energy production that use oxygen, so you can do your reps longer and without feeling tired easily.

It also benefits your health by helping you fight fatigue, reduce physical ailments like back injuries and slows down the aging process. Taking supplements that contain creatine, BCAAs and beta alanine ensure that you maximize your training by increasing your muscular endurance so you can keep working out to achieve your fitness goals faster by strengthening your muscles and delaying muscle fatigue. You achieve a well-defined physique as well because most supplements available today inhibit fat stores and just lets you develop lean muscle.

So when do you know you have good muscular endurance? The results vary really, because not all of us are created equal in the fitness department. However, good muscular endurance may be determined by committing yourself to doing a well-rounded routine on a regular basis.

3 Vital Steps to Take When Starting a Fitness Program

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If you have decided to eat healthier and start a workout program to lose weight there are 3 vital steps you must take in order to be successful. If you do not take these steps you will set yourself up for serious trouble in the future.

Most people start with good intentions to start a fitness program but life happens and their well intended quest for health and fitness gets sidetracked once again. If you want this to be the start of a great journey to health and fitness then these three steps are vital.

fitness

The three steps that lead to a successful start to a good fitness program are important, so that you can stay motivated and focused on your fitness goals. They are first to Decide, then to Commit and finally have Support.

1. Decide

Most people think just saying “I’m gonna start working out again” is enough to start a successful workout routine, but it’s not. If it were that easy we wouldn’t have the obesity problem that we have today. You have to first establish your “Why” for beginning your workout routine. “Why” have you decided this time to start working out. You need to come up with enough reasons so that when life happens and you feel you don’t have time or you don’t feel like working out, you have something to fall back on to keep you going. For example my “Why” to finally start my fitness journey was when I was put on high cholesterol medication by my doctor, a problem with sleep apnea and I was getting older. What is your “Why”? The more “Why’s” you have the greater the chances that your weight loss will last and your fitness journey with be a successful and lasting one.

2. Commit

Now that you have the motivation and reasons to get healthy and fit you must now “Commit” to a fitness plan. The key word being “Plan”. To lose weight and lead a healthy lifestyle you have to be consistent. If you are just flying by the seat of your pants and don’t have a plan of attack you will not be able to maintain your good results. Have a knowledgeable person design a program for you or invest in a good DVD/Online workout program. There are many choices of DVD workouts available and you can do the program over and over again. Just make sure you find a DVD/Online fitness program you like and that you can grow with.

3. Support

The most vital step of all three steps is to have a good support base. Family, friends and group of people. Whatever you do you want the support to provide motivation, accountability, and comradery. All of these things are important when you get discouraged and want to quit your workout program. It has been proven that people with a foundation of support have greater success when participating in health and fitness programs. This is why Weight Watchers is such a popular option. So find yourself a person or group of people with like minded goals and commit to support each other to meet each others goals.

There you go, 3 vital steps to take when starting a fitness program. By following these 3 steps you will give yourself a better chance at completing your program and seeing great success. When things start to look bleak and you want to quit your exercise routine, remind yourself of these 3 steps to keep you on track.