Exercise over 40 - The Infomercials!!! What to do?

We are bombarded with commercials on television showing us about the success stories of a video workout program, dance away the pounds DVD or the rules of a diet that has people shedding pounds and showing off their hot new bodies. Which one is best? Which one works? How can I prove to you which one is the best? It's easier than you think.

I have seen people get results from this program. It's one that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. You're on the edge of your seat with anticipation aren't you? It's the program that YOU commit to. The people that have success are the ones that have stuck with it and made a decision not to quit. You decide which one fits your lifestyle, and which one you can make part of your routine and stick to it!

Success comes when you make the decision to change your habits. A routine of eating properly with reasonable portions and regular fitness and activity will yield results. This has been proven and no one can deny it.

Weight Loss Over 40, or ANY age!!

Do you seriously think that popping a weight loss supplement is going to help this guy look toned and be fit and healthy?  Think again!   Sitting on your butt scarfing back high fat foods, high sugar foods and high calorie foods is a recipe for an unfit and unhealthy lifestyle.   Bottom line has and always will a simple math issues.  Calories IN must be less than calories burned to experience weight loss.  There is no magic pill that will undo horrible eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle.

Keep this picture in your head.  There is no quick fix or super pill that can give you your healthy.  That is up to you!

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Not OLD, it''s RETRO - Fitness Accessories Go Old School !!

Kettlebells are great tools to have when you are developing a new home gym.  They are compact and easy to use.  No electricity required, and no moving parts to break.  Never heard of them? This date back to the 17th century and seems they have be revived and now a popular and effective  strength training tool recommended by certified trainers.  

Like your basic dumbells, these come in various weights and some assortment on shape however all will take on the bell shape that makes them easy to use.  Being able to hold the handle and swing the kettlebell away from your body give you a large range of motion while forcing you to balance your core as well.   Being able to move through your weight training routine using this tool to hit several major muscle groups rather quickly will make this a good cardio workout to boot.

Simple guidelines to using these kettlebells will have you well on your way to improving your strength in no time.

Strength Training - 3 Common Errors

Common mistakes when weight training there are three areas to watch out for.  The first is the misconception that since you are training regularly you can eat all you want.  No my friends.  Calories are calories!  If you take in more than you burn then you will end up with calories that are turning into excess weight.

Second would be overtraining.  Going too hard and not allowing time to rest and muscles to repair is counter productive.  This healing process is how you strengthen muscles.   Also, you need to rest during your exercise program allowing for a break between sets.  Time to hydrate and catch your breath.

Lastly is the failure to change or challenge by increasing your intensity.  You cannot gain strength or muscle tone by repeating the same pattern, you need to change what you do to change the outcome.  More weight, more reps and changing your routine up to hit areas with new resistance programs will yield results.

These are some simple notes on what NOT to do and how to overcome these pitfalls so you gain the best results.

Women over 40 - Getting ready for a special day

Well it's only 2 days to go and weather has kept me indoors too much. This increases the chance of 'mindless eating' and also means I'm far less active. Knowing that I want to look and feel my best and how much work it takes to undo eating out of boredom, I think I have done well.

Drinking gallons of water to make me feel full, and using exercise videos to keep me moving when it's just not smart to be on the road to get to the gym.  I made the choice not to get discouraged and resort to emotional eating.  I chose to maintain the healthy lifestyle and respect all my efforts.

On Saturday I will put on my fancy dress, and my smile will be wide knowing that at 46 years old I am healthier, more active and showing myself far more respect than I did a decade ago.  2010 will be a new
beginning for a lot for me!

Womens Fitness Issues - the Wavy Upper Arm

Seems to be a problem area that sneaks up on us. Then it happens, one day we raise our arms to wave to someone and you can feel the back of your upper arm swaying around like a sheet hanging on the clothesline! OH NO!! Welcome to the club ladies, it's a sad reality that for many of us this has, or will happen. You now have two choices in dealing with it. You can wear long sleeves for the rest of your life or you can work the triceps and biceps to tone and improve texture with regular resistance training. If you opt for long sleeves, read no further.

Don't give up, it's not a lost cause you can have nice shapely arms again. This happens to us for three main reasons and you'll hear these three mentioned when it comes to many of the issues we'll have with our bodies as we mature. This can be a result of genes, age and hormones or a combination of these. The only way to combat this is with strength training that targets primarily the triceps,, which make up over 60 of the muscles in your upper arm. Many trainers seem to suggest that for the most effective results you train the biceps and triceps at least 2 times a week. There are several effective exercises including various forms of extensions that require your upper arm stay stationary and you extend from the elbow down. Proper form is critical for success with these so using weights too heavy for you may mean you end up swaying your entire arm and defeating the purpose. Start slow and light and make sure you are doing this properly. That applies to any strength training! Push ups and bench press with the arms in tight work this area as well. Dips are great and you can use your body weight and do these anywhere. Like a push up but you're facing upward, and with your feet closer to your bottom it shortens your lever and makes it easier. Moving your feet away from your bottom lengthens the lever and makes it more of a challenge. This movement is all about bending a the elbow, NOT raising our bottom up and down. Again, make sure you are doing it right

Many women consider the waist to the knees the problem area and tend to focus on the legs and abdominals and forget all about the arms. Even when you engage in cariovascular exercise you are strengthening the legs but they will do next to nothing for toning the upper arms in most cases. If you want strong and sexy arms, you need to target this area with some serious strength training. Say 'so long' to the jiggle and the wiggle !

Fitness over 40, my ongoing challenges

My exercise issues may sound a lot like yours. Some days it is more of a struggle than others and there are obstacles and set back we need to either get over, or let them hold us back. The holidays are no exception and while I followed my own advice to a large degree by staying away from the sweets, and drinking TONS of water a couple of pounds snuck up on me. Three to be exact. Not unreasonable when I just worked for months and lost 19 pounds however, I'm getting married in a week and being at my goal or below will make my smile even wider in those photos.

How will I deal with it? I have all ready taken the critical steps to put me back on track. Getting to the gym is a priority and nothing will stand in my way. When I am there I am making full use of my time there and planning my workout ahead of time to make sure I hit everything I need to.  My dress is sleeveless so I'd like my arms to look nice and some serious strength training will make them just a little better!   I have increased the intensity and duration of my cardio workouts to burn more calories.  I am also tracking my food intake which helps a great deal.  All the exercise in the world doesn't help if I sneakin' sweets and over eating.

Check back in a few days and I'll let you know how I am progressing.  It's an uphill battle but I WILL WIN!