Day 41!!! I can't believe that I have really stuck with it this long! Thanks to all you out there for your encouragement and support. In the past, it has been easy for me to just give up on my workout routine. The true test will come when Christmas break comes. It is so easy to break the routine when your schedule changes. I have ideas on how to keep it going though.
So today I did the Self: Bikini Ready Fast workout. This was more of a strength training workout. The main focus seemed to be on the upper body. It did incorporate the core and legs as well, but where I felt it the most today was in my arms and shoulders. I think if you are in need of shaping and strengthening the upper body, this is a great workout. There is not much if any cardio in this workout. So I would alternate this one with a higher cardio based workout on alternating days. Since I did Zumba yesterday which is more cardio, this worked out perfectly.
SPoH - Exercise has been broken down into two different types: Aerobic and Anaerobic.
Day 25 - Aerobic exercise is defined as "in the presence of air." This form of exercise forces you to breath in more deeply. Cardio workouts are considered aerobic exercise. Walking is one form of this exercise. You want to walk slow enough that you you can talk, but fast enough that you can't sing. Others include jogging, cycling, rowing, elliptical machine or glider, aerobic dance routines, stair stepping, skating, cross-country skiing, singles tennis, racquetball, basketball, ballroom and other forms of dancing, and swimming. Before you decide to do these kinds of workouts, make sure that you speak with your physician. If he/she has already given you the green light, then don't wait any longer. If you are considered obese, you should avoid running because you could cause injury to your back, hips, ankles and knees. Try the exercises that are easier on your joints. But you also want to sweat. Swimming is a great activity, but it is not conducive for sweating. Adults should be able to eventually do 30 minutes of moderate intensity workouts most days of the week.
Try not to exceed your target heart rate. Your target HR is calculated through 220-your age. Then multiply by .6 for your low target or .9 for your high target. If you are starting out, you want to stay close to your low target rate and work your way up. If you feel during your exercise that you are having a very difficult time breathing and your chest is tightening up, that is a sure sign that your body is not ready to work at that intensity. Take it slow. Don't rush your body or you could wind up in a worse place then you started.
If you are experiencing muscle pain there is a limited amount of things that you can do. First and foremost, make sure you are doing a warm up and cool down for each session of exercising. Go easy on the stretches. Build on your exercise, don't try to do something that is way beyond the intensity that your body is used to. Avoid making sudden changes in the type and the amount of time you exercise. Be patient with your body. The soreness should go away between 3-7 days if you overdid it. Do some low impact aerobic exercise. It will help the blood flow to your muscles helping to diminish the pain. Gently stretch and massage the area.
When exercising, it is best not to do so immediately after eating. Your body needs time to digest the food. If you have a light snack before exercising, that is ok, just not a full meal. Wait at least 2 hours after eating.
Day 26 - Anaerobic is obviously the opposite of aerobic, meaning "without air." Weight lifting and calisthenics (using your own body weight) are considered anaerobic. This type of exercise helps with muscle mass, metabolism, posture, joints and increases levels of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.
When lifting weights, just as you do with aerobic exercise, gradually increase your level as time goes on. If you are looking to gain muscle mass, you will want to increase the amount of weight you lift with smaller amounts of repetition. But if you are just looking for longer leaner muscles, go with smaller weights and increase the number of repetitions to get the toning you want. As I have mentioned before, if you are trying to get rid of the flabby arms, go with smaller weights and increase the number of repetitions. It will help to tighten up those arms. If you have not done any weight training yourself, it is a good idea to maybe schedule a time to work with a personal trainer to get all of the basics in order. I took weight training in high school and I still remember most of what I learned from that. The rest I have had to refresh myself on. One very important tip for weight lifting is that before you begin your workout, be sure to warm up those muscles. Do some jumping jacks or run a lap. Do something cardio for a few minutes before you start lifting those weights. And don't forget to stretch them out afterwards.
If you don't have weights, or you are not ready to workout with weights, you can use your body weight. That is the beauty of calisthenics. There are tons of exercises that can be done without weights. Try pilates moves. Many of them are great for building strength and muscles. Sit ups, Push ups, pull ups, calf raises, lunges, squats, etc. These are all examples of exercises you can do to build up your strength.
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