The Daoist Diaries

Exercise Time: Crunching the Numbers

Regular exercise yields incredible benefits: You can lose weight, tone your physique, lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and increase your self esteem. But, finding time to workout is what prevents so many people from reaping the rewards of exercise.

So, how can you fit workouts into your already busy schedule?

Fitness experts say when you are first starting out don't overwhelm yourself by trying to find a huge chunk of time to workout. Rather, carve out a few minutes here and there and increase the durations of your routine as time progresses.

Also, look for ways you can burn calories without going to the gym for an hour. For example, park around the block from your meeting rather than directly in front of the building. Or take the bus an extra stop and walk back to your destination.

Another important step in creating an effective workout regime is understanding the difference between moderate and vigorous exercise. Moderate exercise is defined as a level of effort in which your breathing or heart rate increases. For example, walking briskly is a form of moderate exercise. Other moderate levels of exercise include dancing, swimming, and biking.

Meanwhile, vigorous exercise is defined by intense workouts that challenge your body. During vigorous exercises you should notice a marked increase in your breathing or heart rate, to the point where you can't carry on a conversation. Examples of vigorous exercise include jogging, spinning, high impact aerobics, swimming laps, biking uphill, carrying more than 25 pounds up a flight of stairs, and hiking while carrying more than 50 pounds.

In regards to how many minutes of exercise you should get everyday, the U.S. Department of Health And Human Services and Department of Agriculture recommends Americans participate in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least three times of week.

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Fitness Myths: Setting the Record Straight

Now that we know sit ups won't melt away body fat and building muscle doesn't necessarily translate into a speedier metabolism, let's debunk a few more popular fitness myths:

Myth: Lifting Weights Makes You Look Bulky

If you are a woman, who is concerned that lifting weights is going to make you look like Popeye, you can stop worrying. According to experts, women can't develop muscles like men. However, if you are still not convinced, then workout with lighter weights, or complete exercises that use your own bodyweight for resistance. Bottom line: The average woman doesn't produce enough testosterone to build significant bulk.

Myth: Stretching Prevents Injury

While there are few fitness experts who don't advise pre and post workout stretching, there's no conclusive research, which shows that stretching before or after your workout will keep you from injuring a hamstring or other muscle. However, studies show that stretching does increase your range of motion, which makes certain activities easier to complete. If you are really trying to avoid sports-related injuries, experts recommend doing a gradual warm-up that includes some cardio activity.

Myth: Muscle Turns to Fat When You Stop Working Out

Contrary to popular belief muscle never turns into fat. However, if you were ripped and suddenly stopped working out, your muscles will lose tone after 4 to 8 weeks. If you want to keep your toned physique without hitting the gym as much, then increase your cardio activity (walk more, take the stairs, etc.) and decrease the number of calories you consume. According to experts, muscle and fat are different types of tissue, and one can't morph into the other. In most cases when you stop exercising you put on fat and your unused muscles start to atrophy, so they are not as firm as they once were.

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More Ways to Get Fit After Giving Birth

You had your baby three months ago and now you are dying to get back into your old jeans, but your body is not cooperating. So what now?

The last thing you want to do is go on a diet. It may sound strange, but experts maintain that going on an official "diet" could derail your post-pregnancy weight loss goals. The reason: Studies show that moms who feel deprived of their favorite foods while experiencing stress from a new baby actually pack on extra pounds.

Rather than diet, experts recommend eating a healthy menu featuring a variety of fresh foods. This means when you feel like dipping your hand into the cookie jar you should be reaching for apple slices, carrot sticks, and wheat crackers instead. What's more, if you are breastfeeding you should not consume fewer than 1,800 calories per day.

While maintaining a healthy diet is important to losing weight, you also need to incorporate aerobic and strength training exercises into your post-pregnancy lifestyle. Daily (or at the very least, weekly) exercise provides a host of benefits to new moms. Not only does it help with depression, it also enhances sleep and relieves stress.

This is not to say that you need to find a sitter and hit the gym everyday. You can get in some aerobic exercise by taking a brisk walk with your baby in the mall or around the block. Experts recommend you get your heart pumping and muscles working for at least 150 minutes a week. Of course, with a new baby, finding 30 uninterrupted minutes to exercise might be unrealistic. However, you don't have to complete all your exercise at once. Consider breaking up the time into 10-minute increments. Then try to work your way up to 20- or 30-minute sessions.

Finally, new moms can also benefit from strength training. Look around your home for light weights such as soup cans or laundry detergent containers. Then, do a few bicep curls with your makeshift weights.

Note: Before you start any exercise program, get your doctor's approval first.

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Tips for Slimming Down Post-Baby

Just because it's been a year since you gave birth doesn't necessarily mean you've returned to your pre-baby body. After all, giving birth is only the beginning of life after baby. There are feedings to worry about, diapers, laundry, and new sleep schedules. So, when are you supposed to find time to workout?

Experts suggest easing back into your fitness routine after giving birth. In fact, leading obstetricians advocate a gradual approach to weight loss as opposed to crash dieting and exercising like a fiend to shed unwanted baby weight. Doctors say, typically it should take between 9 to 12 months to get back to your pre-baby weight.

By using a yearlong timeline to fit in workouts you should be able to shed the weight without drastically reducing the amount of calories you consume. Breastfeeding moms not should consume less than 1,800 calories per day.

In regards to finding time to exercise consider the following tips:

Bring baby along. Place your baby in a stroller or carrier and go for a 30-minute walk around your neighborhood or around a nearby park.

Hire a babysitter. Pay a babysitter to watch your baby for an hour while you walk, swim, or attend a Yoga class. Or better yet, have grandma come over for a while to watch her new grandchild while you step out to burn off some calories. Otherwise, have your spouse watch your baby while you get in a jog or a bike ride.

Exercise at home. Take 20-30 minutes while your baby is napping or content in a swing to complete the following exercises:

SQUATS

Stand with your feet shoulders width apart, chest up, arms in front with fingers resting lightly on the side of a counter.

Pull your abdominals in tight and squeeze your buttocks together.

Slowly bend your legs as if you are about to sit on a chair and lower your buttocks.

Squat as low as is comfortable and hold it for two seconds before retuning to the stating position.

Do three sets of 15 reps.

CAT STRETCH

Using your towel, place your hands and knees hip width apart.

Start with a flat back then try to lift your navel as high as you can (arch your back like a cat), using your abdominals to stretch your spine.

Hold this stretch for two seconds and slowly release making sure that you keep your tummy muscles taught.

Do three sets of 10-12 reps.

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Pilates Becoming Popular with Men

For years Pilates has been popular with women looking to improve their flexibility and strengthen their core. But, a new study out shows that the exercises designed for total body conditioning are now attracting a record number of men.

Some 12.5 million people participated in Pilates in 2006, the latest year for which figures are available, up from 9.4 million in 2003, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. What's more, of those 12.5 million more than a third are men. That's up more than half from 2003.

Experts theorize that the growing number of men who are supplementing their workouts with Pilates do so because they have a vague notion it will help them with back issues. But, aiding spinal issues is just one of the benefits Pilates participants gain from the exercises.

Back Benefits. Pilates focuses on the core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced. Since these muscles are essential in providing support for the spine, strengthening them can help alleviate and prevent back pain.

Alleviate Neck Pain. If you spend your day hunched over a computer keyboard, Pilates moves and poses can help alleviate neck and shoulder pain. The stretches involved in Pilates loosen tight muscles and brings relief to stiff joints.

Promotes Better Balance. One of the reasons Pilates is embraced by athletes and older folks is that it helps to improve balance and coordination. Older individuals often lose their balance and are susceptible to injuries from falls. Pilates also helps "rebalance" people who use one side of their body more often than the other, such as golfers, tennis players, even mothers who tend to carry their babies on one side of their body.

Low-Impact. Since it is low-impact, Pilates can be adapted to every skill or fitness level, from seniors to elite athletes. Pilates exercises focus on quality not quantity and targets muscle groups that best benefit the body.

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