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Daily Stretching: When Work Is a Workout Mar 10, 2010, 12:00 pm.

Filed under: The Good, The Fat and The Hungry, Fitness, Motivation

In a past work life many moons ago, I sat at a desk all day. I stared into the face of a monitor and only moved from that spot when I wanted or needed to. I was pretty much sedentary during the day, but worked out regularly to compensate. Running and lifting weights gave me extra energy that I did not miss until I stopped doing it. Looking back, I had it pretty good.

Fast forward to my current work life as a real estate broker in New York City, where I am up and down six-story walk-up buildings all day in addition to beating the streets akin to the postman — in rain, sleet or snow — and needless to say, I am exhausted.

Finding the time to exercise regularly has been near impossible. When my phone rings, I have to go. In a business where you eat what you kill, willingness to go is an absolute must. However, without exercising I don’t really have the energy I need to keep going at this speed. What I have done is form some semblance of compromise by committing to daily stretching. I know that stretching does not burn a massive amount of calories but it does keep me from feeling stiff. After hours of walking and stair climbing my calves and lower back were beginning to hurt.

Traditionally I have been taught to stretch before working out but never considered working an actual workout. I am aware of the benefits of stretching and the fact that it increases flexibility but had not considered the benefits outside the gym. Now that my work is so physically demanding I can not only see but also feel the benefits. Doing it daily has diminished the tightness in my calves and has alleviated all back pain. Not only has stretching increased my flexibility but the deep breathing also relieves stress. I feel better and am keeping up with the rat race at its impossible pace.

By no means is stretching meant to replace my exercise routine. Once I am on firm footing with my schedule it will once again be in addition to. However, right now doing something is better than nothing. The fact that I still am not at 100 percent is motivation to get back to an exercise routine that will help bolster my energy. I’m looking forward to a time not far away when all my running around will simply be for my pleasure.

While stretching may not replace a workout routine, find out how mastering the stairs can!

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How to Eliminate Arm Fat, or “Bingo Wings” Mar 07, 2010, 1:00 am.

arm flab

The problem area is known as the triceps brachii muscle. The triceps (used in both singular and plural) is a three-headed muscle that each of which come from different origins, but join together at the elbow. Extending the forearm and adducting the shoulder are the two main functions of the triceps brachii.

Below are several ways to help firm up those so called “bingo wings.” I recommend performing two to three sets of 15 repetitions at a medium weight for the following exercise routine. Good luck!

10 Ways to Firm up Those Bingo Wings

1. Add an early morning walk/jog to your daily routine
2. Diet: Low fat and low carbohydrate
3. Add a mid-day walk/jog to your daily routine
4. Control your portion sizes
5. Add an evening walk/jog to your daily routine
6. Cut out the fast food
7. Get a pedometer and set a goal for 10,000 steps a day
8. Eat a balanced diet (www.mypyramid.gov)
9. Find fun and exciting ways to spend more time outside
10. Follow the exercise routine below

Bingo Wing Eliminating Workout:

Fun Triceps Facts:

1. Three heads: long, lateral, and medial heads
2. Many mammals such as dogs and cows have a forth head called the “accessory head”
3. The triceps account for around 60 percent of the upper arm muscle mass

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

How to Eliminate Arm Fat, or “Bingo Wings”

The Ultimate Ice Hockey Workout Mar 05, 2010, 1:00 am.

ice hockey

There is more to hockey than just suiting up and playing. Physical conditioning is a huge aspect of the game. Ice hockey takes a toll on the body, thus extremely important to be in great physical shape. Hockey requires a great deal of stamina, muscular strength, and muscular endurance. Upper body, core strength and endurance is important for the handling of the puck, shooting of the puck, checking an opponent, and fighting (several fights break out during hockey games).

Lower body, core strength and endurance is vital for sprinting up and down the rink throughout the 60-minute game. The quadriceps, hamstrings, and adductor/abductor muscles are four of the main major muscle groups used in the game of ice hockey.

Below is a workout that incorporates all of the above muscles into an ultimate ice hockey workout. I recommend performing three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions at a medium to heavy weight (depending on your goal). Good luck!

Ultimate Ice Hockey Workout

Also Read:

The Shaun White Workout for Snowboarding

The Ultimate Pre-Ski/Snowboard Workout

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

The Ultimate Ice Hockey Workout

Start Out Slow… To End Up Fast Mar 02, 2010, 1:31 am.

One of the most common mistakes people make when trying to lose wight, is they start out too vigorously, they wind up getting burnt out within the first couple of days and then they give up.

Everyone thinks you have to start out like rocky balboa in order to lose some weight, this is imply just not true. In fact, the truth is just the opposite.

Starting out fast will generally cause the new exerciser to give up because they just simply don’t have the endurance to engage in difficult activities yet.  If you don’t build your stamina gradually, you can expect to experience difficulties in your exercises, including cramps, nausea, dizziness and just general fatigue. Also, your recovery time will be way longer than if you had built up your stamina gradually. You will find yourself laying in bed at every chance you get for 2-3 days after your exercises. Needless to say you can’t benefit from that type of workout.

The best way to start exercising gradually is to find something that is fun, yet easy, like swimming or walking. You can even try light aerobics to start out with. Everyone is different, so some of you may be able to start out with vigorous routines, this article is more aimed towards people who are in bad shape and are trying to escape obesity. However the same concept does apply to people with moderate stamina, you still don’t want to outdo yourself, because you could still injure yourself.

While it is good to set your goals high, if you have a goal of losing 50 pounds and you try to lose 10 in the first week through excessive exercise, you run the risk of setting yourself back another week in recovery. The main thing that you should take from this article is that you should never over exert yourself, regardless of how tough you think you are. It is easy to turn on eye of the tiger and be fooled into thinking you’re rocky…when you’re not. If you’re out of shape and you want to start exercising, taking walks around the block and a couple of jumping jacks is a good way to start. Don’t get ahead of yourself, because eventually you will catch up with yourself…and it won’t be pretty.

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