Imagine what the world would be like if no one cared for their bodies. Wonder what it would be like? You can already see it on nearly any city street. There is an epidemic of obesity facing our society, and people must tune in to their own health and fitness needs.
There is no question that exercise is essential to living a healthy lifestyle. Exercise is the best way to lose body fat, as it boosts the metabolism and helps the body to burn excess calories. Exercise also revs up your heart and gets your lungs pumping at maximum capacity. People who exercise regularly have healthier bones. They look good and feel great about themselves. Exercise gives people increased stamina, so they are able to keep up with life's busy pace.
People are well aware of the many benefits of physical exercise. Why, then, do so many women ignore the facts and choose to remain out of shape? Of course, it's much easier to hit the snooze button, take the elevator and drive to work. Ours is a society of convenience and, as a result, we are suffering from a lack of health and fitness.
The following tips can be helpful in reaching and maintaining your ideal body weight. The specific issues that women face, like a higher susceptibility to osteoporosis, make health and fitness of particular interest to them. To maintain optimum health and keep your body strong, it is recommended that at least two of these tips be incorporated into all women's health and fitness routines:
1. You don't have to be Superwoman. Don't fret if you feel as though you're not doing enough. Women often have the innate feeling that they're letting someone down. Don't worry if you're not able to spend ten hours a week at the gym or go for a run every morning. All that really matters is that you can commit to improving your health and fitness, and stick to a program. Professionals advise working out three to five times a week in 20-60 minute sessions, but our busy schedules don't always allow this. You can easily become frustrated if you can't meet someone else's ideal. Working out twice a week at twenty minutes per session will put you on the right track.
2. Focus on your successes. Concentrate on how good you feel about your new health and fitness regime. If weight loss is part of your plan, and you're struggling to meet your goal, don't beat yourself up about it. Focus on what you've done to this point, and use today as a new starting point. You've made a commitment to yourself, and that is your biggest success.
3. Work with weights first. Don't make the same mistake as so many women, and begin your routine with cardio followed by weight lifting. You may spend too much time on cardio and miss out on weight training, which is critical component of your successful health and fitness routine. If you do this on a regular basis you can have a disappointing outcome despite countless hours at the gym. When you reverse the order and performing weight training first, you'll be more likely to realize a positive visible outcome.
4. Don't overdo it. The average women's health and fitness regime requires a workout of no more than an hour at a time. Spending too much time at the gym or doing the same exercises over extended periods can become tedious and boring. By focusing on the exercises and narrowing your time frame, your workout sessions will be more fun and more efficient.
5. Monitor your heart rate. It is recommended that women exercise at 75-85% of their maximum heart rate. Too low a rate means you're not exerting yourself to your potential. Too much, however, can be potentially dangerous. Sticking it out at 50 percent is not going to help you realize your fitness goals. Use a heart rate monitor or do a manual count incrementally during your workout to ensure that you're reaching and not exceeding the prescribed target heart rate.
6. Find a fitness friend. Support is so important when trying to stick to an exercise program. If you are currently working out to an individual regime with no fitness community, you may find that your workouts are lacking, or just not that successful. Having social support around you can bring a greater sense of camaraderie, kinship and even healthy competition. If you normally work out at home by yourself, try visiting a gym for a sample workout or join a yoga, Pilates or sailing class. Running clubs, golf courses and group sports such as bowling are all great ways to meet new people and stay in shape.
7. Be self-supportive. It's tough to take on a new health and fitness routine. You need to have commitment and discipline, and you need to be prepared to work hard. Give yourself a pep talk. Don't pressure yourself too much. You deserve a pat on the back, so go ahead and give yourself one. Others give you great feedback, so why not you?
Women's health and fitness has become a bigger issue than ever before. Fast food and sedentary lifestyles are robbing women of their good health and stripping them of their self-esteem. It's up to you to make the change to a healthier lifestyle. Go at your own pace, and you'll be amazed at how far you can go.
Article Source: http://www.orbitaloc.com/
Columnist Ernestine Clagge enjoys writing articles for a variety of popular Internet sites, and you can read more of his work if you visit here or click here.
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