By FitFarms Health and Fitness Editorial

Everyone aims to improve their fitness level and there are many options to do this. One of the classic exercise activities that people choose is aerobics. Like any other workout, the starting and preparation phase is very essential because it allows your body to adjust while doing the exercise.

Jumping into fitness training such as aerobics without preparing your body can lead to setbacks, such as muscle strains or even injuries. In order for your body to adapt the demands of aerobics, you should do warm up before beginning the training and do cooling down subsequently.

When you warm up before performing any workout activities, it allows you cardiovascular system to intensify gradually as it increases the blood flow to your muscles and elevates your body temperature. If properly executed, it will not only condition your body for the whole exercise routine but it also loosens your stiff muscles when doing heavier lifts.

In warming up, choose an activity that uses the same muscles you will use during the exercise. For instance, if you are planning to have skipping rope as an exercise, try skip slowly for about five minutes then gradually increase your skipping abilities. If with injured muscle, stretch the affected side after warming up. Then, hold the stretch for half a minute. Remember to keep it gentle to avoid inflicting pain; sudden or aggressive movements would contribute to another injury.

The importance of cooling down after workout is parallel to warming up. It slows your pace from a workout routine particularly the aerobics routine. Cooling down gradually decreases the temperature of the whole body’s muscles and lessens the chance of acquiring muscle injuries, soreness and stiffness. Also, it enables your heart to return to its beating rate and your breathing returns to normal condition. After exercise, continue the activity by gradually decreasing its intensity for ten minutes. For example, after your 30-minute session of jogging, cool down by reducing your pace then walk.

Stretching is another important aspect of aerobics. Your muscles are warm and receptive to stretching after you cool down. It will not only increase your flexibility, it will also improve your circulation and helps maximize your joints’ range of motion. In stretching, focus on those muscles and joints that your routinely use such as the calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders. Stretch and hold one side for about half a minute, then do the stretch on the other. You will feel tension while stretching, and if it hurts already, back off the point where pain is not elicited. Remember to relax and breathe freely during the whole stretching.

It can be challenging for those who finds time for a regular aerobic workouts, particularly those who have limited time because of their busy and hectic schedule. If tempted to skip the warm-up and cool-down routine, be creative. One must consider doing it prior to the workout routine to prevent occurrence of injuries while exercising. Keep it in mind that the time you spend preparing for the routine is as important as the routine itself. Help your body adjust the demands of workout. With these, you will surely enjoy aerobics while staying healthy and fit.

About the Author

FitFarms are fitness and weight loss retreat camps based in the UK and the Middle East. FitFarms run women only and man only courses that are designed to kick start a healthier lifestyle. FitFarms Fitness Camp in UK have been voted Best UK Weight Loss Boot Camp by The Sunday Times and awarded No. 1 Weight Loss Camp by Virgin.

Can you stay healthy during road trips? Let’s face it. It is very alluring to stop in gas stations and grab some packs of chips or sandwiches, right? In fact, these stopovers are great way to take a break from long hours of driving and sitting.

If you are one of those who enjoy road trips or simply compelled to go for long drive, it is recommended to read the article of Marisa Cohen entitled “Road trip! Eat healthy – anywhere”. The article highlights the common options we choose during road trips which oftentimes sabotage our healthy diet and it offers suggestions on how to stay track on your diet.

Read “Road trip! Eat healthy – anywhere” from CNN.com Health to learn more about healthier meals and snacks options when planning for long drives.

Fitness Editorial Credits to Marisa Cohen, Health.com.

Generally we exercise to stay fit and to lose weight, right? Drinking slushie on the other hand means gaining back the calories we lost from exercising. However, in the article “To Beat the Heat, Drink a Slushie First” written by Gina Kolata in New York Times, it features that pre-cooling effect which you get from drinking slushie before exercising can delay exhaustion.

If you are hitting the park for rigorous outdoor sports or exercise during a hot day, then take time first to read the article “To Beat the Heat, Drink a Slushie First”. Although you may wonder how you can put in vain the burned calories by sipping ice slurry, it is worth to find out and understand that sipping slushie can be beneficial to you too.

Read the full article ‘ To Beat the Heat, Drink a Slushie First ‘ from NYTimes.com Fitness and Nutrition.

Do you want to live longer? Then reading the article of Jane E. Brody in New York Times entitled “Even More Reasons to Get a Move On” is worth of your time. The message of the article is very straight forward –  daily exercise can prolong your lifespan. It also protects you from common illness of old age such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases.

The first sentence of the article is really striking as the author shares one of the comments from a reader in her previous article related to exercise and long life. It is about an 86 years old reader who conveyed a message that she has been walking everyday of her life. Interesting, right?

How many of you take for granted the benefits of exercise such as a simple daily walking exercise? Majority of the people nowadays have been living a sedentary lifestyle. Perhaps it is about time to move up and to start incorporating exercise in their lifestyle.

Read the full article ‘Even More Reasons to Get a Move On’ from NYTimes.com

There is no other better way to start a New Year but to aim for a healthier lifestyle. Staying fit and healthy does not imply fortune. In fact, Jacquelyne Froeber has written a very interesting article ‘20 Ways To Get Healthier For Free’.

She outlines simple and easy to follow tips on gearing up for a healthier you this year and it does not cost you a dime. Some of it is very practical advice such as engaging to a new sport. If you are living a sedentary lifestyle, perhaps learning the nuts and bolts of swimming or hiking can considerably improve your fitness level.

Another excellent idea is ‘Eat Healthier, No Cookbook Required’. Oftentimes you envy to watch celebrities drop their weight through the help of personal fitness instructors. Others even hire nutritionist or chef to ensure they are on track in their fitness and diet regimes. How you wish to have the means to do the same, right? But do not lose hope!

You can still stay fit and lose those extra pounds by eating nutritious foods. Stay active by increasing your physical fitness level like speeding up your walking pace or hiking to more elevated areas.

So, do you want to learn more on how to gear up for free for healthier 2010? Read the full article ‘‘20 Ways To Get Healthier For Free’ from CNN.com - Health.

Fitness Editorial Credits to Jacquelyne Froeber, Health.com.

By: Eric Wise

Health and fitness starts with a conscious choice, and the best place to start is…well, at the beginning!

In our aging society physical fitness is playing a major role in keeping people healthy. There are numerous fitness programs that are available to people. The main thing to consider with any program is to have a balance between nutrition and exercise.

Each physical fitness program claims to be the best. Not all programs are right for everyone. You do need to check with your physician to see which fitness program is best for you and your goals. Each person should develop goals that they want to achieve and review them with their physician. Keep your goals in mind as you are joining a fitness program.

Getting involved in a fitness routine does not mean that you need to spend money by joining a gym or purchasing equipment. There are many pieces of equipment that will improve your physical well being, but you can also achieve this without making purchases. Some people do find that purchasing equipment or fitness tapes are a way to motivate them to start using muscles that may need extra conditioning or to get started exercising. A variety of activities help keep you motivated with your quest for getting into shape. A variety of different exercises also help to condition all muscle groups. It is important to start out any exercise routine by stretching. This will help to avoid muscle strain and injury. A physical activity can be as simple as walking around the neighborhood, or biking on your favorite trail. By choosing to walk to do some of your errands or by parking further away from the door you can incorporate exercise into your routine without adding extra time.

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