CHOOSE THE CORRECT SHOE

Proper fitting shoes can enhance exercise performance and prevent injuries. However, wearing the right shoe for your activity is more important. Sport-specific shoes provide appropriate support to help protect against injury. Basketball shoes, for instance, provide extra ankle support because the player’s movements from side to side put strain on the ankles.

  

Check Support

Shoe sizes, like clothes sizes, can vary from brand to brand. You want to buy a pair of shoes that fits comfortable on the first try. Find a store that carries the best brands in comfortable shoes for athletics and exercising. The best shoes support your foot, front and back. Also, look for shoes that give support in the middle but bend at the ball of the foot.

Check for Signs of Wear

When your shoes start to wear out, it is time to buy new shoes. Check the tread and the cushion on the sole. If there are signs of uneven wear then it is time to replace them. Athletic shoes need to be replaced more often, depending on use. It can be hard to choose from the many different athletic shoes available. There are differences in design and variations in material and weight. When you buy athletic shoes make sure you are getting good quality and value for your money.     

  

www.debrabakerfitness.com  Ray gives tips on training. Bicep Curls

Fitness is Achievable if You Want It

If you are ready to start an exercise and weight loss plan, you must start eating healthy meals and exercising regularly. Many have wanted to start getting in shape, but just lacked motivation. Losing weight and exercising can be a challenge for anyone who is normally sedentary. So, try a different approach. Instead of making excuses why you didn't exercise today, start with the right motivation. One of the best places to begin is by setting personal goals. A well thought-out goal can help you achieve what you really want in life, that is, to be healthy and to feel good about yourself.

Set Specific Goals

Be specific by setting a measurable goal. If you want to define your abdominal, then make a goal to perform a certain number during your workout. You can then count out every repetition. Your goal could be "I will work on my abs three days per week and perform two sets of thirty each workout. " This goal is measurable. Write it out in a place where you are sure to see it everyday. This works and it has a way of holding us accountable. 

Make it Realistic

Start out with a short term attainable goal. Instead of saying "I want to lose 30 pounds by the summer," simplify it to two pounds a week. Be realistic when you set goals. If you have been a coach potato for the last three years, just getting off the coach is a challenge. My advice is to get up and start walking. Walking is the easiest way to get started. Get a pedometer and set a goal for the amount of steps per day you will accomplish.

Just Do It!   

If you truly want to achieve your fitness goals this year, believe in yourself. You have to want it! Don't give up when the scale doesn't show any weight loss. It happens. Don't be tempted when people offer you food and drinks that will add excess calories. This will happen. Don't say "I exercised last night for an hour so I deserve a treat." No you don't! Once you get into a pattern of eating healthy and exercising on a daily basis, then one cheat day should not sabotage your progress. Get back on track and do it right the rest of the week. Just do it.

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      What is nature's best multi-vitamin to help maintain a healthy metabolism?
       ________ Baobab, the super fruit.

Lose Weight With Yoga

Yoga is one of the most effective workouts for fighting stubborn body fat. Studies show that yoga lowers levels of stress hormones and increases insulin sensitivity. This action signals your body to burn fuel rather than store it as fat.

Yoga promotes fat loss. Studies also show that when you choose a form of yoga that raises your heart rate enough to burn calories, and you practice it two or three times a week, you will see results. The practice of yoga is credited to many health benefits, such as enhanced flexibility, muscle toning, stress reduction, and improved physical and mental health.

However, yoga should be part of your total weight loss program, not the sole component. You must still include in your workout a time for cardiovascular exercises; indoor and outside. A brisk walk outside for twenty minutes or more, in fresh air, does wonders for your overall well-being. Include some type of resistance training using free weights or machines. Above all, choose a diet that is low in saturated fat. Signing up for a yoga class could be the motivation you need to stay on track and lose stored up body fat.   

Are you Almost There?

Why can't you lose those last ten pounds? You cleaned up your diet and started eating whole grain foods. You walked, jumped, leaped and sweated off twenty pounds or more. Now, just ten more to go and you will reach your goal weight........(crickets)......Stepping on the scale every morning for the last three weeks and it has not budged. "What's up?"

You are not alone. We all have reached a plateau at some point. The last ten pounds are harder to lose than the first ten or twenty. The reason is, for every pound you lose your metabolism slows down by up to 20 calories per day. The slimmer you become, the less calories you burn.

To adjust for this change, you must rev up your cardio workout. Start doing cardio workouts 4 or 5 times a week instead of just 3. Increase your intensity and burn more fat using interval training. Incorporate low, moderate and vigorous cycles in your workout. Power walk by pumping your arms when walking outside or on a treadmill. Change your workout music to tunes with a faster beat and try to keep pace.

Remember, if you keep doing things the same old way, you will continue getting the same old results. So change your workout routine often to avoid the plateau effect.

If you had success reaching your goal weight, what helped you lose your last ten pounds? I invite your comments.                                                      .                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Lose Weight By Reading Nutrition Labels

According to a new study, just by taking an extra minute to read the nutritional labels on food purchases could help you lose nearly 10 pounds. A United States National Health Survey examined 25,000 consumer's shopping and eating habits. After analyzing the results, the study found on average, women who read the nutritional facts weighed up to nine pounds less than women who did not check the label on their favorite foods.      
      
First they analyzed those who read the nutritional label when purchasing foods, then they moved on to the relationship with their weight. Women who read labels had a body mass index 1.48 points lower than other women, meaning they had less body fat proportional to their height and weight.
    
Fifty eight percent of men read food labels as opposed to 74 persent of women, according to the research. The men who read food labels had a body mass index of 0.12 points lower than men who did not read the labels.
  
In summary, if we take the time to read nutritional labels, we can make informed healthy food choices that enable us to lose weight and keep it off.  

LEG CURLS

Lying leg curls and seated curls are both exercises that work the hamstrings. However, which is better at targeting the inner hams? The more popular of the two is the lying leg curl. It is the go-to move for hitting the  back of the thighs.

Lying Leg Curls

There are a few ways to make the most of this exercise. First, keep a slight bend in the legs at the start of each repetition. The slight bend will not only maintain constant tension on the hamstrings, but it also helps to protect the knee joint from injury. Second, for the majority of the set, try to keep hips down and close to the bench while focusing on the hamstrings. Third, avoid trying to look up from the prone position. Protect your cervical spine by keeping your head neutral and eyes focused forward to alleviate neck strain.

Seated Leg Curls

The seated leg curl puts an immediate stretch on the hamstrings. Many leg curl machines allow you adjust the settings for the back support, the quad pad and the arm for your legs. You want to avoid over-extending your legs at the start of each rep and keep the quad pad snug to your quadriceps. A snug position helps to keep your legs in position throughout, but just loose enough to allow some room to move. Last, the back support should allow for solid support of your lower back. Some lifters sit up or bend forward holding tight to the support bar in front of them. This position puts an even greater stretch on the hamstrings at the start of each rep. It is fine to use this position as long as when you sit back your support is properly placed to support the lower back.

Which Has Advantage?

The seated leg curl has the advantage. When doing seated leg curls, your legs are bent at the hips about 90 degrees in relationship to your torso. This motion stretches the inner hamstring muscles more than lying leg curls. So, if your inner hams are lagging behind, just take a seat.

Journey To Fitness: SWIM WHILE YOU EXERCISE

Journey To Fitness: SWIM WHILE YOU EXERCISE: A way to stay cool while losing inches and toning muscles is swimming. Swimming is a good choice when you want to add variety to your exerci...