Improving your oxygen intake
Many people misunderstand the term 'aerobic exercise'. They think it means 'movement in air.' Well, that would be more like ballet, wouldn't it? The term aerobic means literally 'movement with air'. Doing one hour of strenuous aerobic exercises without focusing on your breathing would mean little more than knifing a jersey at high speed. The wondrous effect of aerobic exercise and correct breathing is an increased oxygen intake, coupled with improved circulation, conveying the oxygen more effectively throughout your body.
Aerobics need not be strenuous to be effective. Experts say an hour's walking is as beneficial as a half an hour of strenuous aerobics. In fact, they say what really mailers, is not the intensity, but the duration and the regularity with which you exercise. Which makes it more achievable, don't you think? It makes sense, because the body burns fat during low-impact aerobics (such as walking), whereas it prefers using your glycogen (blood sugar) as energy when you are doing high- impact aerobics. Perhaps that is why many runners (running being high-impact) still look flabby and carry a little fat around the waist, hips and thighs, whereas the majority of serious walkers and cyclists (their exercise being low-impact) have firm, lean upper legs and hips.
- Walk for an hour 4 times a week. Ideally no more than 48 hours should pass between walking sessions - in other words, ideally you should walk at least every second day. Since walking in parks, on beaches and in the suburbs is no longer safe, join Run/Walk for Life, or become involved in a hobby or interest that entails walking: join a bird watching group or start playing golf. Alternatively you could walk on a treadmill or health walker while watching television, which would serve the double purpose of preventing boredom and providing exercise.
- Dance your heart out. Join a dance group or take a pair of earphones and a couple of feet-tapping music CDs and dance in the privacy of your own home. About 45 minutes of pleasurable movement every second day, while focussing on your breathing, will improve your weight loss efforts, your health as well as your general state of mind.
Stretch and tone exercises are fabulous to get you into shape, even during your fat- loss period. Done correctly, you will be astonished at how they improve your bodyshape within weeks.
- Yoga is a most effective way of reaching many goals, not only weight loss. Under the guidance of a good yoga teacher you will become focussed on your mental and creative capabilities, your personal survival and your spiritual growth and stress management. You will also be amazed at how your body responds to it. Your tone, posture and suppleness will improve within weeks. Combined, these benefits influence your commitment and determination and will enable you to reach your normal weight infinitely more easily and effectively.
- Again, let a personal trainer help you with stretch and tone exercises. Building fabulous lean thighs and firm upper arms requires a respectable amount of knowledge, something which most of us lack when it comes to anatomy.
- House- and garden work. Go ahead and laugh, but try it all the same. You will be amazed at how many muscles are used for mopping the floor, making beds and washing the bath. What's more, the boost your self-worth experiences once you've cleaned up the kitchen, mopped the floor and polished the wall tiles, is hard to explain but very real. Just try it and see what I mean. Especially if you don't have to do It! Then, somehow it takes on a different level of enjoyment. The same goes for raking up the leaves in the garden. The burning sensation in your upper arms will be proof that this is serious stretch-and- tone business. One more thing: do it often, about 4 times a week for 30 minutes at a time.
Improving your time management
Here's the golden opportunity for you to bail out. You say you don't have the time. Then fine, stay as you are. But if you want to shed that unwanted fat, you'll have to make the time. Time for yourself. It all depends on how strongly you desire a lean and healthy body. If you want it enough, you will find more than enough minutes in a day to spend exclusively on yourself,
Your minimum fitness plan should take no more 6 hours per week, if you do it properly. Going about your business wearing light weights doesn't count, because it doesn't take up any of your time. The 6 hours should be made up as follows: 4 x 1 hour for walking or dancing or any aerobic activity and a further 2 hours for either 4 x 30 minute stretch and tone activity or yoga. That is a total of 6 hours in a week of 168 hours! Think you can find the time? I bet you can.
Waking up earlier and going to bed later are not options with long-lasting potential. Do it by all means if you want to, but it is usually a better idea to utilise your daytime hours more selfishly and practically. Timesaving strategies may include walking on a treadmill while watching television or while listening to study tapes. Using your lunch hour for your own good instead of doing something for the boss is an enriching option. Delegating chores in the house is an excellent timesaving idea for you and a self-improvement idea for your family.
Just do it. You will be fairly fit within weeks, at which time you may decide to increase your fitness level and then join a gym for more intense and structured workouts, or keep it at the level you find comfortable. Regardless of the option you choose, believe me when I say that being fairly fit and active is one of the most effective ways to manage your health and weight permanently. And that includes your mental and emotional health and weight as well! As for your looks and especially your skin tone, those will improve as your fitness level improves. And finally, being constantly involved with activities to improve your fitness is a sure way to manage stress, getting rid of unwanted high blood sugar levels, to improve your sleeping patterns, and to manage your appetite naturally. That's true. Regular physical activity is a natural appetite suppressant. And oh yes, mood booster. It puts the twinkle back into your eyes!