Tips to make your workout work!

Prepare and fuel up

Preparation sets you up for success. I consider being fully ready to work out just as important as the workout itself. There are three things I check off to make sure I am ready to get started: rest, nutrition, and workout routine.

Rest up

Being well-rested not only energizes you through every sprint or push-up, but it also keeps your hunger hormones at bay, so you’re not undoing your efforts in the gym by overeating the rest of the day. When you have a full or high body battery, you are more likely to push yourself harder through the session.

Know what you’re getting into

Next, have a routine prepared even if you’re doing it on your own. Actually, it’s even more important to have a plan when you’re doing it alone, as compared to joining a class. Don’t waste your time with an ineffectual workoutor half-hearted commitment. If you don’t know what to do or don’t want to plan, join a group class.

Drink up

It’s also extremely important to be hydrated and fueled for your workout. Although there are cases for fasted workouts, the general rule of thumb is to have some protein and carbohydrates (either a meal or small snack) at least 45 mins to an hour before working out, especially when lifting weights and HIIT. This allows you to have the energy to push yourself and make the most of every rep and sprint.

Dress the part

Also, I highly encourage wearing proper active attire. Wearing the right clothes—sweat-wicking and proper fitting—allows you to be comfortable while you exercise. If you’re not comfortable, you’ll be distracted from your routine, and we don’t want that! And, don’t forget to warm up—a dynamic warm-up. This means to warm up through movement. Go through the muscle groups you’re going to use to make sure areas like the shoulders, knees, and wrists will be warm and ready.

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The best home yoga workout to do first thing in the morning

Wake yourself up in the morning with our Rise and Shine yoga workout – which is perfect to do in your bedroom, straight after rolling out of bed. Yoga is a fantastic way to build a healthier body and work towards a calmer mind. The ancient Indian practice has become increasingly popular over the last few years, and it is little wonder with benefits including increased flexibility, better posture and reduced stress. But if you live in a big city, regularly attending yoga classes can get really pricey, really quickly. So if you can’t afford to go to a session every week – turn your bedroom into a yoga studio. All you need is a little bit of floor space and you can follow our expert tutorial. This week our yoga sequence is all about waking up.

Becky Crepsley-Fox, instructor and studio coordinator at MoreYoga, walks us through her energising Rise and Shine flow. You can do it every morning before work to give you an extra spring in your step. ‘This sequence is perfect to do first thing in the morning, the gentle movements help to wake up and the body and help to get rid of any tension that might have built up through the night,’ says Becky. ‘Giving yourself this time in the morning is important to prepare your body and mind for the day ahead.’ Yoga Challenge: Rise and Shine Play Video Loaded: 0% 0:00Progress: 0% PlayMute Current Time 0:00 / Duration Time 2:30 Fullscreen.

Part of the appeal of yoga is its accessibility. You just need some open space and a mat, you can essentially do it anywhere. And with the growth of apps and online tutorials, more people than ever are opting to teach themselves the moves and practice yoga from the comfort of their living room. But it’s really important to do it safely – particularly if you’re unsupervised. How to practice yoga at home safely Always warm up Every yoga class starts with breathing, stretching and smaller postures that articulate the spine, create space in the body and stretch the fascia to prepare you for your practice. Start small There is no point jumping into inversions or some of the more ‘Instagram-able’ poses. Especially if you don’t have trained eyes keeping you safe. Nail the basics Some of the simplest postures are the most difficult to do, and the easiest to do incorrectly. It’s important to get the essentials correct before progressing to a more challenging practice.

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How to motivate yourself to workout when you really don’t want to

Working out consistently can be really hard. You may have bursts of enthusiasm – at the start of the year or before a big holiday, but inevitably life will get in the way and throw you off course. So what’s the secret to year-round, dependable fitness motivation. 

How do you shift your mindset so you can spring out of bed as soon as you hear your alarm? It isn’t easy – but it can be done. We spoke to the experts to find out how to effectively hack your motivation levels. If you struggle to feel motivated then the first thing to address is your schedule.

Practical motivation tips 

1. Book into a class Booking a class can be a great idea when you are lacking motivation – having an instructor there to guide and motivate you can be that extra incentive you may need to help you complete your workout for that day. There is an abundance of fitness classes available for all interests and levels of fitness – and so many opportunities to try something new. 

2. Work out with a friend Working out with a friend provides extra accountability – you may find you are less likely to cancel on your friends, it also provides an extra social opportunity. 

3. Work out before work It’s a great feeling when you have finished your workout before the day has even begun. Getting your movement in before work has anecdotally shown to boost production levels for the day – and should your day go off track, your workout is already done. 

4. Schedule movement into your diary Scheduling your exercise in your diary like an appointment ensures your workout time is protected – working out on regular days/times can also help establish a routine. 

5. Hire a PT Hiring a PT offers the best accountability there is – as well as a personalised programme, they also provide buckets of motivation and hopefully a lot of fun along the way. 

Hannah Lewin, personal trainer

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5 mistakes that are ruining your elliptical workout

You only ever use the elliptical

Using the same equipment at the gym in the same way every single time is not only monotonous, it can also hinder your ability to meet your fitness goals in the long run.

“Working out your body the same way every day can lead to overuse of certain body parts that may result in injuries,” says Ryan Halvorson, senior editor of Idea Health & Fitness Association and a personal trainer in San Diego, Calif.

You always use the ‘fat burn’ button

Don’t let that “fat burn” button fool you into thinking that the weight will melt off quicker. The fat burn option helps you burn more fat at a lower intensity, but the problem is that you’re not burning nearly as many overall calories.

You pay too much attention to the numbers on the machine

 

Most cardio machines can only detect weight and age, and that’s only if you plug in your own information. But overall, they can’t detect who is using it in terms of body type, fitness level, height, or body fat percentage, which means the numbers on the machine during your elliptical workout may not be accurate to you.

You lean on the static handles

Leaning on the static handles in the center console is one of the most common mistakes trainers see at the gym. If you’re slouched over the handrails constantly, your body doesn’t work as hard because the handles act as your support throughout the workout instead of your body.

You never change the resistance

Once your body starts to get comfortable with a workout routine, that’s when you know it’s time to kick it up a notch. Increasing your resistance is the best way to ensure you keep progressing.

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Is Morning The Best Time To Workout For Weight Loss?

Weight loss: Is morning the best time to workout for weight loss?

The study evaluated 375 adults who were trying to lose weight. The participants were involved in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity. The timings of the exercise of all the participants were noted. The early morning was the most common time of the day noted during the study.

 The findings of the study were published in the Journal of obesity. The study concluded that a consistent time dedicated to physical activity gives a better result. As per the study a person can exercise during the morning, afternoon or evening but the person needs to ensure consistency regarding the timings of the workout.

Maintaining consistency in exercise is important for weight loss

Weight loss requires a lot of patience. Regular exercise can give you the desired results. But you need to follow your exercise regimen on a daily basis. The right exercise can help you shed those extra kilos in no time. If you are also trying to lose weight here are some weight loss exercises you must try.

Best exercises for weight loss

1. Jogging

Jogging will make your whole body move. It will provide a complete workout to your body. You can spare some time in the morning for jogging. It will also keep you energetic throughout the day.

2. Squatting
Squatting can also help you lose weight. It a great exercise for your lower body. It will also help in toning your muscles. You can practice 2 sets of 25 squats each day.

3. Plank

Plank is another great exercise, especially tone the muscles around the stomach. Plank will help you reduce belly fat if practiced on a regular basis. It will also burn a huge amount of calories.

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Are You Skipping This Crucial Type of Workout?

Spinning. Check. Barre. Check. Yoga. Check. If you’re a regular at the gym, chances are you’re getting in your cardio and strength training. But one type of workout you’re likely overlooking is balance. And moves that specifically target balance aren’t just for seniors.

“Balance is key to functional movement as it is necessary to perform your everyday movements like lunging, squatting, bending, pulling, pushing, rotating and locomotion,” says Michaela Raagas, Master Educator at Technogym. “These fundamental movements are used in everyday activities and a variety of sports. Improving balance can contribute to better performance and help with preventing falls and injuries.”

To improve your balance, try incorporating a few balance moves into your regimen. How often you need to do them to reap the rewards varies from person to person and depends on how their balance is to begin with. “These balance exercises are easy to incorporate into your daily workouts, even as part of your warm up,” Raagas says. “Strength training should be done two to three times a week and can help improve your balance by working the muscles that keep you stable.” Raagas recommends giving one of these exercises a try:

Pistol squat

1. Stand on one leg.
2. Squat down on the standing leg while the opposite leg straightens out to the front.
3. Come up to return back to standing position on the one leg.

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Benefits of Treadmill for Abs, Legs and Weight Loss

The treadmill can be the best bone strengthening exercise that you can try out every single day without hassle, as it seems to be easy for even beginners. If you want to add some resistance, you can utilize the incline option, which helps maintain the resistance to your workout. By practicing Powermax treadmill for running at 20 minutes a day, you may burn about 200-300 calories. It helps you burn the unsaturated fats and help you slim down.  The more calories you burnt, the slimmer you are. Here are some benefits for legs and abs that you can get from practicing the treadmill.

Engages Your Abs

Running is the easy exercise that even a child can do but it requires you to balance on alternate legs. Interestingly, your leg bears most of the weight alternatively.  Moreover, the speed and incline of running give the weight of the body.  If you want to run for just 25 minutes, your core body is active the whole time, thus abs muscles are activated. If you do it regularly, not just your core muscles will get activated but also your skin tone, posture, exercise stamina, etc.

Improves Heart Health

Since treadmill can be a great cardio exercise machine, even adults and elder people can try out. For elderly people, all they require is just to step up and walk on the machine. Hence, you should buy the one that comes with basic features and avoid advanced settings such as a speaker, internet connectivity, etc.. as seniors never use it.  Whether you are walking or running on the treadmill, your heart rate increases which in turn the lungs gets activated. So, it improves the overall health of your heart muscles and increases the blood circulation. Thus, the treadmill can do a lot for your body apart from abs, and legs.

Warm-Up and Cool-Down

If you have not exercised for a year or more, or if you have health issues that can make cardio-style exercises unsafe for you, consult your physician before starting a treadmill exercise regimen. Spend five to 10 minutes bicycling or walking on a treadmill at a low intensity. After your workout, do both upper- and lower-body stretches to lengthen muscles and increase flexibility while allowing your body systems to return to a near-resting state.

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Difference Between Walking Vs Running

Walking is a great Cardio Vascular exercise just like walking on the treadmill. It can be great for your mental health.  A recent study states that if you practice walking for just 30 minutes every single day for a month, it helps reduces stress, depression, and anxiety. Moreover, walking can boost your confidence and self-esteem indirectly boost your shape.

If you hope burning out nearly 3,500 calories to lose a pound, you have to choose running over walking as it is the best choice.

Walking vs. running for weight loss

Have you ever tried speed walking? It usually 3 mph to 5 mph, power walkers can reach good speeds of 7 to 10 mph. Interestingly, walking burn out more calories as running. For instance, power walking for one hour can burn the same calories you burnt as jogging at 4 mph for an hour.

If you find an alternative workout, try pace training. Later, you can increase your speed for just 2 minutes at some time and then slow back down. Nevertheless, speed walking doesn't remove as many calories as running, however, it can be a good workout to boost up your heart rate and then mood and increase the aerobic fitness level.

Walking with a weighted vest

The more you walk with the weighted vest, the more the number of calories you burn. In order to stay safer, you have to wear a vest so that you can be comfortable with the pace which can be more than 5 to 10 % of your body weight.

In recent times, there has been an increasing case of various workout techniques that are often tried by so many fitness experts. While you are looking for an alternative way to tone your muscles and lose abs weight, you can try various interval walking. If you are not interested in walking, you can simply use the light dumbbells in each hand while making major movements.

Incline walking vs. running

Unlike regular walking, incline walking is something that gets you cool mind as it involves walking uphill. General walking can be sometimes boredom especially if you are not interested in doing easy movements for some basic exercises. In such cases, incline walking would get you cool pace.  With this amazing incline walking, you can burn out more calories quickly.

Well, just look for the hilly area or such a walk-on on an incline on the treadmill workout. You can gradually increase the incline by 5, 10 or 15 percent. But you have to practice incline walking for some period of time. If incline walking is something that is new for you, it is advisable that you can start working it for a few minutes and then increase it up to 15% incline. 

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5 mistakes that are ruining your elliptical workout

You only ever use the elliptical

 

Using the same equipment at the gym in the same way every single time is not only monotonous, it can also hinder your ability to meet your fitness goals in the long run.

“Working out your body the same way every day can lead to overuse of certain body parts that may result in injuries,” says Ryan Halvorson, senior editor of Idea Health & Fitness Association and a personal trainer in San Diego, Calif.

You always use the ‘fat burn’ button

Don’t let that “fat burn” button fool you into thinking that the weight will melt off quicker. The fat burn option helps you burn more fat at a lower intensity, but the problem is that you’re not burning nearly as many overall calories.

You pay too much attention to the numbers on the machine

You can’t help but feel victorious when the “calories burned” window on your elliptical dash hits triple digits. But there’s a catch – those numbers may be skewed.
Most cardio machines can only detect weight and age, and that’s only if you plug in your own information. But overall, they can’t detect who is using it in terms of body type, fitness level, height, or body fat percentage, which means the numbers on the machine during your elliptical workout may not be accurate to you.

You lean on the static handles

Leaning on the static handles in the center console is one of the most common mistakes trainers see at the gym. If you’re slouched over the handrails constantly, your body doesn’t work as hard because the handles act as your support throughout the workout instead of your body.

You never change the resistance

Once your body starts to get comfortable with a workout routine, that’s when you know it’s time to kick it up a notch. Increasing your resistance is the best way to ensure you keep progressing.
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How to Choose a Treadmill For Seniors

1. Good Cushioning
It is not surprising that walking and running are easy and essential exercise, however, if you do it without much care, you can harm yourself without hassle. This is the reason why old aged people need a simple treadmill for seniors that fits your need. It is important that aged people can harm their joints easily so the treadmill that you choose should come with simple weight to ensure that the impact on their joints is reduced because their joints are weak. so, proper cushioning is essential to do things perfectly. A treadmill that comes with proper cushioning can help you reduce the fatigue and will improve the overall fitness performance and result.
2. Solid Construction
Next, to the cushioning features, you need to consider the construction support that the treadmill boasts.  It should be sturdy and long lasting as well. when it comes to purchasing the gym equipment, quality should be your first priority. so, just look into the warranty period so that you can get to know if it supports your weight, height and other essential safety features.
3. Incline Capability
Buying a treadmill for seniors does not mean that you are getting it with no features. It should enable them to do better exercises while having simple features. The incline capacity ensures giving proper fitness result as you incline your body to the fullest.
4.Manual or Motorized
Which one would your grandpa like the most- manual or motorized? Well, both are available out there in the market. While some experts think that manual treadmills are better for seniors, some prefer motorized one as it completely depends on the choice of the senior.
5. Workout Programs
As you know seniors would not be interested in trying out different varieties as they never use the multi-functioned system. All they need to do is just step on and walk. Running at a faster pace is not easy for most seniors. so the treadmill for seniors should come with all kinds of major adjustments such as incline, interval, distance, cardio workouts.
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Should you exercise before or after breakfast?

The benefits of exercising on an empty stomach

Scientists have said that exercising on an empty stomach may 'promote more favourable' changes in body fat. The team from the University of Bath studied 10 overweight male volunteers. The participants were asked to walk for 60-minutes at 60 per cent maximum oxygen consumption first on an empty stomach and, secondly, two hours after consuming a high-calorie carbohydrate-rich breakfast.

The scientists took blood samples after fasting and the high carb breakfast and then after exercise. They also took adipose (fat) tissue samples immediately before and one hour after the walking exercise.

They discovered that the expression of two genes (PDK4 and HSL) significantly increased when the men fasted – but decreased when the men ate a high-calorie breakfast before they exercised. The increase in these genes suggested that fat was used to fuel the exercise, instead of the food consumed at breakfast.

Dylan Thompson, corresponding author of the study explained that this fat tissue often faces competing challenges. After consuming food it is busy responding to the meal and 'and a bout of exercise at this time will not stimulate the same [beneficial] changes in adipose tissue. This means that exercise in a fasted state might provoke more favourable changes in adipose tissue, and this could be beneficial for health in the long term.'

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Why You Should be Actively Stretching for a Better Workout

You know you’re supposed to stretch both before and after workouts, but you were running late for your appointment with your trainer or to meet your workout partner. You’ve gotta head out to an early meeting at work or don’t want to be late for dinner. Once again, stretching goes out the window. “I’ll foam roll while I’m watching The Masked Singer,” you tell yourself.
“We are constantly researching fitness methods,” says Torres. “But we’re finding that no matter how fit our clients were, they were still getting injured from time to time. They’d tweak this or that and we’d send them to a physical therapist.”
Every year around the holidays, Torres would get a nice bag of oranges from the therapist for all those referrals. Torres developed his current training method and “now I don’t get oranges anymore.”

Why You Should be Stretching

Torres found that people have injuries like golf or tennis elbow, but don’t even play those sports. Clients would resist stretching or rely on the same stretches they’ve been doing since high school, like grabbing one foot behind you to stretch the hamstrings or pushing an arm held at a right angle against a door frame. Neither are particularly effective.

“Stretching has all sorts of connotations for men … they usually think it has to be about yoga. We actually don’t recommend yoga. It doesn’t provide active flexibility. For guys especially, you’re also at the mercy of an instructor who, more often than not, is focused on women and women’s bodies,” says Torres. “We encourage a direct, focused strategy to open up muscles, emphasizing active flexibility. Every strength movement should be complemented with a counter stretch. Stretching should also be done between sets to allow more blood flow, not left for the end. What’s most important is that stretching strengthens connective tissue, cutting down on the strain and tear of tendons. It’s about education; informing and inspiring movement. There are benefits to a properly executed handstand that you’ll never get from an overhead barbell press where you don’t straighten your arms.”
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Choosing the right exercise bike

When you re exercising, it is necessary to choose the perfect Exercise bike. Choosing the wrong one will not only affect your exercise but will also affect your health. Therefore, you should choose the best exercise bike. here are some of the things that you should take a look at when you are choosing an exercise bike.
The flywheel weight
You should take into consideration the flywheel weight, it is because that determines the comfort as well as the fluidity of the cycling. Choosing proper weight is important to work if you are new and just beginning to exercise, you should choose the bike that has only 7 to 9 Kg of flywheel weight. Whereas, for the intermediate, you should go with the one that has 9 to 14 kg. In the same way, if you are experienced enough, you can go with the flywheel that has more than 15 kg of weight.
Bluetooth is must
When you go to choose the running bike, you might notice that there are certain bikes in which console doesn’t have Bluetooth support. Whereas half of them does have. Therefore, many of the people will go without Bluetooth because it is more affordable. However, you should only go with the one that has Bluetooth support. This is how you can manage all the programs directly from your smartphone. You can add the exercise and even customize them. Therefore, make sure the bike you are going with has Bluetooth support.
Comfortable sitting and handling
Exercise is not all about the pain, you should see the comfort as well. There are certain comfort things that you should take a look at. Among those, the first one is the handlebars. The handlebars must be adjustable and you should set it as per your convenience. This is the must-have a part in any bike that you are choosing to go with. Many of the people don’t take this into consideration.
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Here's What You Should Eat Before, During And After An Intense Workout

While we all know that an intense workout can help you lose the right amount of weight, what you eat before, during and after you exercise plays a huge role in your fitness regime.
The right kind of food can make or break a workout routine and possibly affect the desired results. So what to munch on? According to experts, quality carbohydrates are important pre-workout and lean proteins post-workout.
Before you start with your exercise, eat carbohydrates, but not too much, said Nancy Cohen, a professor specialising in nutrition, reported CNN.
Cohen recommended consuming 1 to 4 grams of carbohydrates per every 2.2 pounds of body weight if you are planning to exercise for longer than an hour. Eating about an hour to four hours before working out is perfect for your fitness regime.
A review paper by researchers at the University of Sydney in Australia suggested that carbohydrate ingestion can improve endurance exercise performance. The paper was published in the 'Journal of Nutrition'.
The researchers assessed 50 randomised studies on carbohydrate ingestion and endurance exercise. The researchers found that the data in the studies provide evidence that consuming carbohydrates can enhance endurance exercise performance in adults.
"By eating carbohydrate-rich foods that are low in fat and low or moderate in protein, you can make sure you have enough muscle glycogen as fuel for your physical activity. This might include low-fat granola bars, fig bars, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, banana, yoghurt, pasta or other high-carbohydrate foods," Cohen said.
Staying hydrated is equally essential, consuming lots and lots of water can do the trick.
"Sufficient fluids are also important. In general, you can consume 5 to 10 millilitres of water per kilogram of body weight in the two to four hours before a workout," she said.
If you prefer to exercise in the morning, experts are divided on whether you should eat ahead of time.
It should be your own decision on whether to eat breakfast before or after exercise, said Stuart Phillips, a professor.
"I work out before breakfast every day because that's when I like to work out. I don't take in anything other than perhaps a cup of coffee most times or perhaps a slice of toast. My big breakfast comes after. But that's not to say that's good or bad. That's just what I do," Phillips said.
However, Cohen said that it's important to not make a habit of exercising on an empty stomach.
"If you haven't eaten in a long time, your body is in a fasted state. Normally, your body will use glucose for fuel and begin to break down muscle glycogen to deliver the glucose your body needs for exercise. In a fasted state, the muscle glycogen will be depleted sooner. Your body will then turn to breaking down fats for the energy it needs," Cohen said.
"This can lead to ketosis, or keto-acid buildup in the blood, which can be harmful to the kidneys over the long term and cause fatigue and dizziness," she said.

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These Are The Best Times To Workout For Your Goals

Best time for weight management: morning workouts

 

There are some physiological perks to morning workouts in general. Working out first thing on an empty stomach may be more conducive to burning stored fat, because of your body’s hormonal composition, Hackney explains.

Best time for intense training: afternoon workouts

 

Hackney says afternoon workouts can also be beneficial. The perk of these workouts is that by the afternoon, you’ve had time to get a few good meals in, which can raise your blood sugar levels, making it easier to do more high intensity things. A Journal of Physiology study noted that working out between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., like a morning workout, can shift forward your body clock and help you recover from things like jet lag more easily.

 

Best for stress management: evening workouts

 

There’s some conflicting research out there about evening workouts, and how they impact your sleep. The Journal of Physiology found working out between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. may delay the body clock, making you go to sleep later. But a paper published in the journal Experimental Physiology found nighttime exercise wasn’t disruptive to sleep, and could even reduce levels of the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates hunger. Hackney says the recovery period after exercising could suppress appetite and make you less likely to crave evening snacks.

Best time in the month: workout on your period

 

Hackney did research looking at how working out at different points in your menstrual cycle may impact the way you exercise. The research found that, in some cases, the second half of your menstrual cycle after ovulation may cause you to metabolise more fat as an energy source, compared with the early part of the cycle. He says this is because oestrogen tends to spikes after you ovulate. "So, when you go to the gym during this time you may actually be burning more fat," Hackney explains.

 

Best time overall: when it works for you

 

Ultimately, the best time to workout isn’t about small physiological gains. It’s about carving out time for yourself, and accommodating your schedule and chronotype. If your work and life schedule doesn’t align with your chronotype, you can train your body to workout at a new time, Hackney says. Say you’re really a night owl, but you don’t have time to workout at night because that’s when your kids need help with homework. You can train yourself to be a morning exerciser by easing into it.

 

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How to get back into a workout routine after an injury

1. Keep things low intensity

If you’re used to crushing your local CrossFit or other HIIT (high-intensity interval training) style workouts, it’s best to find a more relaxed alternative until the injury has fully recovered.

2. Find a workout buddy

Working out with a friend is always more fun, but can be especially important if you’re recovering from an injury.

3. See a physical therapist

This can be a no-brainer if your injury is severe, but even those with minor injuries can benefit from the expertise of a professional.

4. Focus on nutrition

Proper growth and recovery cannot happen without the proper diet. The right conditions for healing start with overall wellness, and what we eat and drink impacts how well our bodies heal after an injury.
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Got 10 Minutes? Blast Your Arms With This Dumbbell Workout

When it comes to your gym time, it's important to remember that you don't have to spend hours and hours in the weights room to get noticeable results.

Similarly, you don't have to go on a safari around the gym and use endless pieces of kit to get the physique you want. In fact, some people don't even need to go to the gym.

The workout, above, ticks all of these boxes and more. As it's only 10 minutes long, the workout's especially handy if your arm routine or upper-body finishers have got a little stale.

 

Follow the coaching cues in the video above and make sure you own every rep — don't rush through them. Now get to it.

Round 1

• Bicep Curl 21s

7 reps low-to-mid, 7 reps -mid-to-high, 7 full range

• Bench Dips

20 reps

• Skullcrushers

20 reps

Round 2

• Bicep Curl 21s

7 reps low-to-mid, 7 reps -mid-to-high, 7 full range

• Bench Dips

20 reps

• Skullcrushers

20 reps

Round 3

• Bicep Curl 21s

7 reps low-to-mid, 7 reps -mid-to-high, 7 full range

• Bench Dips

20 reps

• Skullcrushers

20 reps

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7 post-workout hygiene habits we all must follow

Post-workout hygiene habits we all must follow

Sweating out is natural while gymming. It is a sign of accomplishment and gives a sense of satisfaction. But we also know that a gym is full of sweaty bodies and sweaty clothes, which is an ideal environment for breeding of germs and bacteria. In such a situation, it is important to follow good post-workout hygiene habits. Skipping these can put a person at the risk of developing harmful diseases. Here are some important things you should do without fail: 

Wash your hands properly

As soon as you are done with your workout, immediately rush to the washroom and wash your hands properly. Public places, including the gym, are full of harmful bacteria. Hundreds of people touch the equipment every day and germs present in their hands get transferred to the equipment.

Wipe down your equipment

Wipe down the gym equipment after you are done with your workout. Most of the people overlook this important gym hygiene habit, which can prove to be harmful to others. Sweaty gym equipment is an excellent place for the multiplication of germs. Use a spray or wipe down your equipment before and after using it.

Clean your yoga mat

Do not forget the yoga mat after coming back to home. The mat in which you practiced yoga to calm your mind and body is full of germs and sweat. Various studies prove that yoga mat which has numerous small holes are a potential breeding ground for fungus and bacteria. It is even better to take your own yoga mat and avoid the communal yoga mats. 

 

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7 Signs Your Workout Is Too Intense, According To Experts

1. YOU’RE FEELING THE WRONG KIND OF BURN

You know that age-old saying, "If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen"? Well, if you're body's feeling the wrong type of burn, it's time to re-evaluate your workout.

2. YOUR FORM IS WAY OFF

When a workout is too intense, that's usually a sign that it's also too advancedfor your skill set. If the moves you're performing are outside your comfort zone, it'll show in the strain on your face, and through your incorrect form.

3. YOU’RE OVER-EXERCISING A SPECIFIC MUSCLE GROUP

Keep in mind that too much of anything is never a good thing — especially when it comes to exercise. There are certain styles of exercise that, if done on a regular basis, will no doubt lead to a state of physical exhaustion. The golden rule of thumb, master SoulCycle instructor, founder of East Side Dance Companyas well as #MoveWithMell at Bandier’s Studio B, Trammell Logan says, is to not work one specific muscle group more than once a week.

4. THE RECOVERY PROCESS IS LONGER BETWEEN WORKOUTS

Listen, I love a rest day just as much as the next person, and if you don't feel like working out today, tomorrow, or the next day, then do you, boo. But if your workout is too intense, rest days become a necessity — not a luxury. And in order to fully recover, you might benefit from a few extra days of rest and relaxation.

5. YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS SHOT

Feeling under the weather? Your workout might have something to do with it. That might sound contradictory, considering one of the many benefits of exercising on the reg is to build up your immunity. However, Eric Bowling, a NASM- certified personal trainer at Ultimate Performance Los Angeles tells Elite Daily that the more you work out, and the harder you work out, the more difficult it is for your body to repair itself, thus resulting in some negative side effects, like a weakened immune system.
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The 12 best chest exercises to add to your workout ASAP

1. Chest Press
How to: Lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet placed flat on the ground. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and extend your arms upward, palms facing toward your feet. Slowly bend your arms and lower them to the side, parallel with your shoulders, until your elbows nearly touch the ground. Slowly reverse the movement and return to start. That’s one rep. Complete as many reps as possible in 50 seconds.

2. Chest Fly
How to: Lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet placed flat on the ground. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and extend your arms upward, palms facing toward each other. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lower your arms to the side of your body, parallel with your shoulders, until your hands are about six inches off the ground. Slowly reverse the movement and return to start. That’s one rep. Complete as many reps as possible in 50 seconds.

3. Inner Chest Press
How to: Lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet placed flat on the ground. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and extend your arms upward, palms facing toward each other. Keeping the weights together, bend your elbows and bring your hands to your chest. Slowly reverse the movement and return to start. That’s one rep. Complete as many reps as possible in 50 seconds.

4. Bridge With Chest Press
How to: Lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet placed flat on the ground. Lift your hips so your body forms a straight line from your knees to shoulders. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and extend your arms upward, with palms facing toward your feet. Slowly bend your arms and lower them to the side, parallel with your shoulders, until your elbows nearly touch the ground. Slowly reverse the movement and return to start. That’s one rep. Complete as many reps as possible in 50 seconds.

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5 ways to get the most out of your lunchtime workout

1. Prep your lunch the night before-  Making the most out of your lunch hour starts the night before with your meal prep. The last thing you want to be doing is spending 10 minutes in a queue or deciding on what to eat after you've trained. Instead, take your lunch in with you, stick it in the fridge and grab it at your desk after your workout. And to save time in the evenings, cook in batch, this way you’ve got plenty of food to keep you going for a few days!
2. Choose your exercise wisely - There are a plethora of exercise options out there for you, from a brisk 15-minute walk to a 30-minute spin class. But the best one has been under your nose this whole time...
3. Stay close to home - Scope out areas close to your office that could work for your session. All you need is an open space – and a bench if you're planning on doing exercises such as step-ups or tricep dips. The closer you are, the longer you can spend working out – or enjoying your lunch after! And you can even integrate your warm-up into your travel by jogging to your chosen location.
4. Don't skip the warm-up - Talking of...you may be tight for time, but by not preparing your body for a workout, you put yourself at risk of getting injured. If you don't plan on running to your location, run on the spot for a minute or two to get your heart rate up, increase body temperature and circulation.
5. Keep a diary to track your progress - To get stronger and faster, you need to be progressively overloading (making them harder) your workouts each week, so aim for that extra rep or add another second to those split squats on the bench. Plan these session goals by writing them down in a diary – and keep a record each week of how you've got on, so you can keep track of your progress.
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How long would it take to lose 60 pounds

It is not surprising that the treadmill can be a great exercise to lose weight to an extent. This is the reason why we people would like to choose the treadmill to burn the fat in the easiest way. There are a lot of tricks out there to lose weight, however, the user should be consistent with the treadmill workouts in order to lose unsaturated fats and to create a deficit to burn weight. It was rumored that if you walk at least 4 miles per hour during the treadmill workout, chances are that you may burn 170 calories during each session. It is also said that you can create 3,500 calories deficit about each and every 20 workouts, which makes you feel comfortable and it motivates to do a lot in your workout session.

Walking

Walking on the treadmill is one of the easiest ways to burn fat without doing much effort. You might be surprised to know how it is easy to walk on the treadmill just like the way we walk on the road. You would not feel as walking or riding on the roller coaster unless you walk on it at the slow and steady pace. If you walk at a rate of 3 miles per hour, you can burn at least 277 calories per hour, which means that you can even burn out at least 1,939 calories per week.

Jogging

Who hates jogging? It is highly recommended that jogging is one of the easiest options that give you happiness while burning out unsaturated fat as well. However, some researchers state that jogging is not recommended for women yet they can try it at a slow pace to avoid any further ovary related risk in the future. While jogging, you can lose 60 pounds a day. Yes, you can easily lose that much fat if you don't hesitate to jog for at least an hour for about 52 weeks continually. if you jog at 5 miles per hour, you can increase the speed above 3,5 miles per hour to lose weight gradually.
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Why Your Head Hurts After a Workout — & What to Do About It

From staying slim to that post workout high, regular exercise comes with plenty of perks. It can even reduce your chances of having a headache or migraine. But, it can also have the opposite effect and cause a whopper of a head banger, too. While experts aren’t completely sure what causes them, some of us tend to be more susceptible. “They are more common in individuals who also experience migraines,” says Rashmi B. Halker Singh, MD FAHS, headache neurologist at Mayo Clinic. In a study published in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, women disproportionately experienced more migraines than men.

Exertion headaches usually occur during or right after an activity that causes tension in the abdominal muscles or increased pressure in the chest from straining during heavy lifting, sneezing, and sexual intercourse. There are two types of exercise headaches: primary and secondary. “Primary meaning there is no known underlying cause and secondary meaning there is an identifiable cause,” says Zubair Ahmed, MD, assistant professor of Medicine at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine Director of Headache Research and Outcomes. Sufferers of primary headaches can experience pulsating and throbbing pain throughout their entire head lasting anywhere between five minutes and 48 hours, though primary headaches are usually short. But if this is your first time experiencing this type of headache, check in with your physician because secondary headaches can be linked to other underlying causes. “It is important to rule out things such as tumors, cerebral bleeding, vascular abnormalities including cerebral aneurysms or abnormal connections between the arteries and veins, and abnormal constriction of the blood vessels, so that they can be treated,” says Ahmed.

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How Is Drinking Alcohol Affecting My Workout Routine?

There are few worse feelings in a pickup basketball game than blowing a layup, which is doubly true when the punishment for the blown layup is to sprint to the other side of the court and take a swig of a 40 while everyone else is still playing. This tough (but fair) set of rules was strictly enforced at a recent GQ charity pickup game, and I would be lying if I said I did not have to pull from the 40. The faintest sensation of unwelcome liquids sloshing around my stomach—even sans any actual impairment to my motor skills—was more than enough of a warning, ahem, shot that alcohol is not a performance-enhancer during athletic activities.

Avoid drinking before cardio

Separate and apart from dealing with a hangover, which I’ll get to shortly, there is concrete evidence that imbibing in the hours leading up to any sort of endurance training—namely, cardio—will hamper your workout. You’ll fatigue quicker, and take longer to hit your usual goals. As sports dietitian Claire Siekaniec notes in a 2015 research paper examining the interactions between alcohol and athletic performance, the extra fatigue that accompanies drinking is the result of the citric acid cycle slowing down—the pathway known as gluconeogenesis is inhibited, which effectively means less glucose (less energy) for the body to use.

 

Avoid drinking after resistance training

Alcohol and weightlifting actually interact in a very different way than alcohol and cardio exercise, says. Dr. Jakob Vingren, a professor of exercise physiology and biological sciences at the University of North Texas.
When we spoke, he wanted to first make clear he absolutely does not endorse drinking before pumping iron. That said, “alcohol ingested before a workout does not appear to affect strength and maximum power,” he explained. Of course, being wasted affects motor performance, and studies have mostly examined alcohol’s effect on maximal strength, so it’s not known if it impedes one’s ability to do a high-reps, low-weight routine. Vingren’s gut feeling is that too wouldn’t be greatly affected by drinking. (Perhaps this is how former Yankees pitcher David Wells allegedly managed to throw a perfect game while simultaneously buzzed and hungover from a bender.)

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5 reasons to exercise during your lunch break

1. There’s no need to get out of bed at the crack of dawn

You have to set your alarm for crazy o’clock as it is, in order to rise, shine and be at your desk on time. Trying to fit in a pre-work fitness session as well is sometimes just too overwhelming. Save your workout for lunchtime, and make the most of catching a few more zs in your cosy bed each morning

2. It will break up your working day

Everybody knows that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy (and if there’s a proverb about it, it must be true). So shut down that spreadsheet for an hour, step away from your desk and do something fun – be it running, walking, yoga or a spin class. Basically whatever sets your soul on fire.

3. It will reinvigorate you

It’s safe to say no-one has ever returned to their desk after a fitness session feeling more lethargic than when they left. Studies have shown that exercise can reduce feelings of fatigue, so if it's been a busy morning, a lunchtime workout could be just the ticket to help get you through an afternoon of back-to-back meetings.

4. It will offer up new activities and/or surroundings

Have you run around your local park 2,158 times? Does the gym close to your home offer a great spin class, but no boxercise sessions? By checking out the options available close to your workplace instead, it could open up a whole new world of fitness opportunities. Suddenly, you’ll get to explore a variety of new walking and running routes, and the nearby gym might put on classes you’d never considered before. Even having a different instructor can mix things up a bit, as you’ll find they may challenge you in new ways, helping to improve your strength and fitness.

5. You can enlist your colleagues

The only thing better than exercising in your lunch break? Exercising in your lunch break with friends. Seriously, a run chat with colleagues is one of the best ways to let off steam, seeing as it ticks off two big happiness hits – exercise and social interaction. Or why not organise a game of five-a-side football or rounders in a nearby park – a great way to interact with people from the office you wouldn’t normally hang out with.

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5 Things to Know Before Working Out on the Beach

1. Every workout will feel more challenging.

When you do an exercise on a hard floor, like pavement or a wooden fitness studio floor, the surface stays put underneath you. When you do that same move on soft sand, the sand shifts and moves. Your body has to respond to this movement by firing up muscles and tendons that can help create stability, says Bethanie Bayha, D.P.T., O.C.S., of Real Rehab in Seattle, Washington.

2. The unstable surface is actually more taxing on your joints.

Any instability or injury in the knees, ankles, hips, or lower back can be exacerbated by exercising on sand. Since sand is generally soft, there’s a little more give and shock absorption, which will make it gentler on your joints in terms of impact force. But even though the compressive stress (impact) will be lower, the shear stress will be higher, “so you’re kind of trading one for the other,” says Bayha. Compressive stress is more like when the femur hits the top of the tibia, whereas shear stress, she explains, is “a translation across joint surfaces, so for example, the femur sliding across the top of the tibia.”

3. Always start slow so your body can adapt.

“The importance of beginning slowly cannot be overstated,” says Campbell. “If an athlete has spent most of their time on hard surfaces and then goes directly to the same workout on soft sand, the stabilizing muscles will not be strong enough to support the movements and injury can occur immediately.”

4. Beware of sharp objects.

Barchi stresses that you should always check the area before you get started to make sure there are no sharp objects hidden in the sand. “Be careful about what you’re stepping on,” she says. The last thing you need is a sharp shell or broken glass puncturing your foot.

5. Avoid slanted ground during runs.

Many beaches are slanted in the area between the soft, dry sand and the wet sand closer to the water. Campbell says that where she is in Hawaii, most beaches have a slant, which makes it difficult to do a lot of running. “We keep our beach runs in a shorter area where I can control for slant; either going up and down the slant or finding a small flat area with deep soft sand,” she says.

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How to Reduce Your Hips and Thighs using a treadmill?

You must be dying to woo your beloved with your killer looks.  Since, you have put on vacation weight the dress you’re planning to wear on the D-day isn’t fitting well, right?

Then, my friend, it is time to get back to your daily schedule, tighten up your belt and hit the gym sharp at 6 in the morning. The best way to get rid of the kilos is doing cardio. More or less, cardiovascular exercises are the wholesome solution for your body. Running on a treadmill for 60 minutes a day can do wonders to your body and how. It is easy to use, comfortable and can be done anywhere, provided you own a treadmill. Whether it is your office, house or the gym itself, treadmill makes exercising more fun and effective as well.

Running or walking on a treadmill can not only strengthen your core muscles but gives you a great physique and posture. Experts have opined that running on a treadmill tones and strengthens the legs, strains the quadriceps and Glutes. It can be even better if you do it with proper care and concern.

Treadmills are the best if you’re aspiring to reduce fat from your body. The reason being, running on a treadmill helps you burn calories which is the prime requirement for fat reduction. Of course, your diet plays an important part in fat reduction. Thus, eating healthy and on time too affects the process of losing fat from hips and thighs.

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How to Find a Workout That Works for You

When we’re looking to make a healthy change but not sure where to start, we often take cues from what other people are doing – we think that if it worked for them, maybe it will work for us. While looking at other people’s successes can be a good way to get motivated, it can also be overwhelming and confusing because there are so many different approaches to exercise – how do you know which is right for you?

In my experience, the best plan is a personalized plan.

That might sound intimidating, but creating your own plan is simpler than it may sound. There are three basic components to an effective exercise routine: activities that increase heart rate, strength training to build muscle, and down time to rest your body.
To create your personal plan, simply choose activities that satisfy each of the three areas. And, most importantly, for each activity that you try, ask yourself two questions:

• Do you enjoy it?
• Does it make your body feel good?

It’s important to avoid exercise that you feel like you should be doing but you hate it. There are so many formats and modes out there to choose from, so you might as well pick the ones that make you feel energized, strong, and excited to come back.
Here are the building blocks of an effective fitness routine and some specific activities that you may want to incorporate:
Heart-pumping activity – 150 minutes each week. If you work out 5 times each week, each session should be 30 minutes. You don’t necessarily have to go full-throttle cardio; the aim is to elevate your heart rate and make you break a sweat (but you shouldn’t feel totally winded afterwards).

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5 common mistakes that can kill your workout

Using bad form

Just getting yourself to the gym to exercise is an accomplishment, but if you do it the wrong way, you might be wasting your efforts. You know that doing 50 pushups with your body shaped like a pyramid isn’t nearly as good as doing them with a straight back with your hands placed correctly. Likewise, use the correct form for other bodyweight exercises like squats, planks, lunges and so forth. And if you don’t know how to use a particular machine at the gym, scrounge up the courage to ask someone so you can get the most benefit from your workout and avoid injury.

Letting health conditions interrupt exercise

Some health conditions may seem like they would get in the way of exercising, like pregnancy or arthritis. The truth is, exercise can often improve these health conditions. Instead of abandoning your workout plans, talk to your doctor about how to adapt them to fit your new circumstances.

Focusing on cardio and leaving out the weights

The key to a good workout plan is variety. It’s great to find an exercise you enjoy, but make sure to change it up once in a while to work your whole body. Both aerobic exercise and weight training are important for your health. Weights can help you maintain a healthy weight, improve your balance, and strengthen your bones and muscles. Adults should make a workout plan that includes 150 minutes a week of aerobic exercise and at least two days a week of muscle strengthening exercises.

 

Forgetting to pair diet with exercise

Some people hate to exercise, while others don’t mind the workout but don’t want to give up their favorite foods. If you want to have a healthy lifestyle, you can’t pick and choose a good diet or a solid workout. The best way to lose weight is to exercise and eat well. Not only will this combination be the most effective if you want to lose a few pounds, but you might have an easier time sticking with it.

Skipping the warmup

A warmup isn’t just a good excuse to wear awesome tear-away pants. Adding a proper warmup to your exercise routine helps get your muscles and cardiovascular system ready for a good workout. While you are at it, don’t forget to cool down either. A cooldown at the end of a workout helps your muscles and heart gradually slow down and can help you avoid injury. Take the time to slow your heart down and stretch your muscles out and you will have an easier time convincing your body to exercise next time.
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Here’s what workout is best for your personality type

Introverts

Not many people can be described as complete introverts. Most people fall somewhere in the middle of the introvert-extrovert scale. However, you can follow the introvert workout routine if you lean more on the introvert end. People with this personality type don’t experience a lot of pleasure from social interactions or other external sources of pleasure. Such people can benefit tremendously from regular solo runs.

Extroverts

Extroverts are at the opposite end of the spectrum. They derive pleasure from mingling with people and participating in group activities. A simple way to determine where you lean on this scale is to consider your preferred activity after work? Do you go straight home to relax as you watch a movie? Or do you first go to a restaurant or bar with your friends?
If you answered ‘Yes’ to the second question, you probably enjoy people’s company and do not like to be alone.

Architects and intellectuals

The architect personality is quite rare. It actually accounts for less than 2 percent of the population. People with this personality type enjoy reading and thinking about complex subjects. They are also known to be very determined, confident, and decisive. If you fit this personality type, you should engage in workouts that have a lot of freedom of movement. The exercises should be flexible in case you want to change it a little. People with this personality will also appreciate exercises with quick movements.

Adventurous personality

Some people find it relaxing and interesting to explore new ideas and places. If this is your personality type, you can avoid gyms and home workouts altogether. Instead, you should consider going for hikes in untouched areas. If you get a good place for your hikes, you are unlikely to even feel like you’re exercising. You can also choose to go mountain biking. This can be done with friends or on your own. An advantage of mountain biking is the fact that it will not wear on your joints.
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Pre-Workout Foods That Build Endurance

Fresh Fruit

Fresh fruit is a class pre-workout staple for a reason. It contains natural sugars and offers a range of medium to high glycemic index carbohydrates, meaning it will give your blood sugar a nice boost. Fruits are perfect to eat before shorter workouts that are of an intensive nature.

Yogurt

Yogurt is another one of the most excellent pre-workout foods because it is full of healthy protein, and the options are limitless. The carbohydrates in yogurt are on the lower end of the glycemic index, which makes it a great snack for longer endurance workouts, but if you pick a yogurt with fruit at the bottom, it’s a great fuel for high intensity, brief workouts as well! You can’t go wrong here!

Fresh Juice

Fresh juice, if sipped for at least thirty minutes before a workout and followed by some water, is an excellent energy booster to imbibe before you exercise. Most freshly squeezed juices contain high glycemic index carbohydrates, so you’ll get that quick boost of energy, and following it up with some water will help prevent any unwanted cramping. Do note that it’s always better to enjoy raw fruit over fruit juice since juice delivers a high sugar content without the fibre of fruit, but as mentioned it can give you a good energy boost to carry you through your workout.

Energy Bars

Some energy bars are an excellent pre-workout snack, but you have to read the label carefully. Any bar that has over 5 grams of fat, 5 grams of fiber, or 10 grams of protein is better after you work out, since the body has a tougher time digesting fat and fiber. Otherwise, shoot for a protein bar with around 40 grams of carbohydrates an hour or two before you engage in exercise and feel fantastic afterward. Once again, remember that a lot of the energy bars you’ll find are packed with added sugar, which is not something you want to include in your pre-workout foods.

Bagels

If you’re going for a morning workout, a bagel is a great option, especially if it is whole grain. Whole grain bagels give you carbohydrates that are on the lower end of the GI spectrum and help you power through a longer workout.
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Running in place for weight loss: Know how this 5-minute workout will benefit you and help burn belly fat

Loading up on nutrient-rich foods can help you jumpstart your weight loss and reach your fitness goals faster. But adding exercise to your daily routine is the best strategy to shed the pounds and avoid gaining back the weight you lost. Whether you want to reach or maintain your goal weight, or simply improve your health and lifestyle, you must find time to exercise. The good news is that a simple 5-minute cardio workout each day to help you burn fat and increase your heart rate.
For example, running in place can be an effortless solution when trying to burn some calories and lose weight. In fact, it is one of the best and effective home cardio exercises that can contribute to your goal of burning fat and losing the pounds. For a 135-pound person, running in place for 30 minutes can burn 292 calories, as per the University of Maryland Medical System.

Can a 5-minute workout really aid weight loss?

According to Rob Fletcher, creator of ‘ANGT – America’s Next Great Trainer’, a simple five-minute workout routine can actually make a big difference. He says making simple commitments, such as setting aside just five minutes each day to work out, helps to ignite healthy habit changes and nurture a positive mindset.

While the number of calories you burn during a five-minute workout depends on the type of your exercise, Fletcher told Verywell fit that a high-intensity interval workout can help you burn up to 20 calories per minute. Although your workout may only last five minutes, you can continue to get the benefits of fat-burning throughout the day after an intense workout. This process is generally referred to as the ‘afterburn effect’, which the exercise physiologists called it ‘post-exercise oxygen consumption’, or EPOC.

Benefits of running in place: How to do this exercise

Running in place is a great aerobic exercise that warms up the body, burns calories that your body converts into fat, and improves the health of the cardiovascular system. This exercise is very convenient and can be done anywhere and at any time. But to get a bigger boost for your effort, you would want to run in place using a treadmill.
To do running in place correctly:

• Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart, face upward and open up your chest.
• Now, engage your core muscles and pull your knees up, slowly land on the balls of your feet, keeping your breathing as normal and as steady as possible.
• Repeat until the set is complete.

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A Total-Body HIIT Workout You Can Do in Under 15 Minutes From Celebrity Trainer Jeanette Jenkins

Here’s how to do the six-move HIIT circuit.

Because “this isn’t a beginner-level circuit,” says Jenkins, if you’re new to fitness, you should follow her suggested modifications below . They’ll make the moves lower-impact and easier to execute.

For a full workout, perform the following circuit two to three times through. Note: Core engagement is important for all six moves, so make sure to keep your core muscles tight and active throughout the entire workout.

1. Tuck Jump to Plank

• Stand up straight and clasp your hands in front of your chest.
• Bend your knees and press your hips and glutes back slightly, then press through your feet and swing your arms to jump up as high as you can, engaging your core and bringing your knees into your chest as you do so.
• Bend your knees as you land. From here, bend forward at the waist to place your palms on the ground and then jump your feet back into a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked over your wrists, back straight, legs extended, and core and glutes engaged. Pause for a moment in this position and then jump your feet forward and stand back up.
• This is 1 rep. Continue performing reps without pausing for 30 to 45 seconds.

2. Triple Knee to Side Lunge

• Stand up straight with your chest lifted, feet hip-width apart, and arms resting by your sides.
• Starting with your right knee, quickly drive your knees one at a time into your chest as high as possible while pumping your arms three times. As you do so, keep your chest lifted and core engaged, and land on the balls of your feet.
• After three knee drives (two with your right knee, one with your left), pause with your right leg lifted and knee bent, and then step out to the right side about 2 feet.
• From here, hinge forward at your hips, push your butt back, and bend your right knee to lower into a lateral lunge. Your left leg should stay straight.
• Pause for a second, and then push off your right leg to return to standing.
• Repeat the triple knee sequence, this time beginning and ending with your left knee. Then do a lateral lunge to your left side.
• Continue this pattern, alternating sides, for 30 to 45 seconds.

3. Squat Jump Heel Taps

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes angled slightly out.
• Bend your knees and push your hips and butt back into a squat, keeping your core engaged and chest lifted. As you lower your body down, raise your arms straight out in front of you.
• Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement and then press through your heels to jump up as high as you can, swinging your arms as you do so and tapping your heels together at the top of the jump.
• Bend your knees as you land and immediately sink back into a squat.
• Continue this movement for 30 to 45 seconds.

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