Whether it’s pounding the pavement, logging miles on the bike, or climbing those stairs that seem to go nowhere, it’s all about cardio exercise. But other than a sweaty t-shirt, what do you have to show for your workout? A slimmer stomach? Killer quads? Are you exercising for the right amount of time to reap the full health benefits of cardiovascular fitness, or often enough?

Exercise experts, including fitness maven Denise Austin, answer cardio questions for Medifast Health, so you can make the most of your muscle burn.

Cardio Exercise: The Heart of the Matter

“Cardiovascular exercise is any type of exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs,” says Tommy Boone, PhD, a founding member of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists. “Walking, jogging, and running are common forms of cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercise.”

From running and walking, to swimming, elliptical cross-training, biking, Stairmaster, and rowing — to name a few — the physical benefits of cardio exercise abound, explains says Len Kravitz, PhD, senior exercise physiologist for IDEA Health and Fitness Association. They include:

Reduced risk of heart disease

• Improved blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels
• Improved heart function
• Reduced risk of osteoporosis
• Improved muscle mass

“The American College of Sports Medicine and the CDC recommend, for health, that adults should accumulate 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week,” says Kravitz, who is also a coordinator of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. “And to improve cardiovascular endurance, they recommend 20 to 60 minutes on three to five days per week.”

Now that you know the benefits of cardio exercise, where should your heart-pumping fitness plan begin?

Getting Into the Zone

To help you make the most of your cardio exercise workout — help your heart, increase muscle, and lose fat — Denise Austin, fitness expert, author of seven books, including Shrink Your Female Fat Zones, and star of 50 fitness videos, gives us some tips.

“To reap all the benefits of a cardio workout, you should sustain your workout for 20 minutes or more — I do 30 minutes myself — on a schedule of about three to four times per week,” says Austin.

Not only that, but you need to get in the zone, which calculates into burning calories and fat.

“The best way to find out if you are burning fat is to take your pulse halfway into your cardio workout for six seconds, then add a zero to that number,” Austin tells Medifast Health.

This number is your heart rate per minute.

Next, calculate your zone.

“Take the number 220, then minus your age, then calculate 70% of that number for your target beats per minute,” says Austin, and that’s your zone. “If your heart rate halfway through your workout is over that 70% mark take it down a level, and if under, pick up the pace.”

Not a math wiz? There are easier ways to figure it out.

“Another great way to find out your zone is to get a pulse monitor, which takes the math out of it,” says Austin. “Or very simply, take the talk test: while you are doing aerobics, talk a sentence. If you are too winded to finish the sentence, you are overdoing it, or if it’s too easy to say, kick it up a notch!”

Getting Cut With Cardio

If you’re looking for ripped abs and toned arms, interval training will help get you there — especially if you throw in some weights.

“I love interval training because it consistently jump-starts your metabolism,” says Austin. “Let’s say you are walking — you could power-walk really fast for three minutes to get the burst of calorie burn, and then walk calmly and slowly for one minute, which offers recovery. By switching back and forth, you push the muscle and let it relax over and over and this gives you maximum results.” You can do interval training on any type of cardio exercise machine — alternating a high intensity with a more moderate level.

Austin suggests doing weights during your recovery time, such as bicep curls or tricep toners, to reap the benefits of both cardio exercise and weight training, and along with interval training, add dedicated weight sessions to your regimen to burn fat and sculpt muscle at the same time.

“Do cardio four days a week for 30 minutes, and add a weight-training workout at least two times a week at 20-minute sessions,” says Austin. “Cardio will burn the fat, and it’s the weight training that gives you the toned sculpted look that will have you bikini ready.”

Cardio’s Best Fat Burner

So you want the bottom line: Which cardio exercise will fat-bust the best?

“Running is the best option for calorie burning, in my opinion,” says Niki Kimbrough, personal fitness expert with Bally Total Fitness. “Whether it’s outside or on a treadmill, it’s the best exercise because you’re burning calories and you’re strengthening your legs and heart — it’ll get you nice and lean.”

Beginners should start with 20 minutes, explains Kimbrough, and work their way up.

“It takes about 20 minutes for your body to get going, and then your body starts to kick it to another level,” says Kimbrough. “Ideally, you want to run for about 30 or 45 minutes.”

For those with bad knees, Kimbrough recommends the elliptical machine as a good second choice.

In case running isn’t your game, Kravitz takes another track.

“I really feel the most important message is to chose a cardio modality or modalities that you like,” says Kravitz. “Because in the final outcome, if a person enjoys a mode of exercise, that is what all research shows they will choose.”

Splitting It Up

While it may not be the fastest way to a body built for the beach, splitting up your cardio exercise still has its benefits.

“In order to achieve the best results, and also in order to maintain a healthy heart, it is best to not split up your cardio workouts,” says Austin. “You need the consistency of 20 minutes or more of an elevated pulse to ensure great results. However, something is better than nothing. If all the time you have is 10 minutes or even five minutes, it is better than sitting still; you will still be garnished benefits and lose weight.”

Let’s be honest — cardio exercise can get boring after awhile. How can you jazz it up and make it interesting again? The experts recommend never letting it get stale in the first place.

“I believe you should do different types of cardio exercises during the course of a week, if possible,” says Austin. “The thing to remember is that too much repetition will fatiguemuscles and you will plateau, which will slow your results down. By adding variety to your workouts you give muscle groups a chance to recover on their days off and you can maintain a steady progress.”

Kravitz agrees with adding options to cardio exercise.

“Vary the mode, vary the place you train, vary the workout, vary the time of day, vary the intensity of the workout, vary the duration — vary, vary, vary,” says Kravitz. “That is what I have found to work the best for exercise compliance.”

Before starting a new exercise program, it is important to have a discussion with your doctor about types and levels of activity. Your doctor can advise on any limitations or restrictions you may have.

Spend a lot of time thinking about when your last bowel movement was? Constipation is actually a pretty common gastrointestinal health problem. Up to 80 percent of people are estimated to suffer from it at some point during their lives. Taking measures to stay regular will make living more pleasant, and certain types of fibre can offer additional health benefits such as reducing your cholesterol.

While the frequency of bowel movements varies for everyone, generally, you are constipated if you pass stools fewer than three times per week, they are hard and dry and/or you need to strain to have a movement. The root cause of constipation is too much water absorption by the colon or slow colon muscle contractions. Here’s how to prevent this from happening. Remember to add fibre to your diet gradually to help alleviate gas and bloating.

• Eat a high fibre diet. Consuming a diet in high fibre foods, such as legumes (beans and lentils), fruit and vegetables, and whole-grain cereals and breads, will help you reach the 21 to 38 grams of fibre you need daily.
• Try fibre supplements. Over-the-counter fibre supplement products like Metamucil help keep stools soft and regular*. They may also help reduce your total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein or LDL (the bad cholesterol) levels when taken with a low-fat diet**.
• Drink plenty of liquid. Staying hydrated is important for regularity, especially when you increase your fibre content -otherwise you may worsen constipation. Aim for up to eight glasses of caffeine-free fluid a day.
• Exercise regularly. Getting at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week – even walking – can help stimulate intestinal function. Of course, exercise is pivotal to maintaining a healthy weight, and has been shown to reduce risk for cardiovascular disease, depression and some cancers.
• Cut out low-fibre foods. You don’t want to counteract all the “roughage” you’re ingesting by loading up on foods that are high in fat and sugar, which tend to be low in fibre content. Avoid ice cream, cheese and processed foods, which can worsen constipation.
• Don’t wait to evacuate. Try not to delay nature’s call. When you delay the urge to have a bowel movement, more water is absorbed from your stool, causing it to become harder.

With a little planning, you can make sure to prevent the discomfort of constipation and reap the benefits of a healthier lifestyle, including a fibre-rich diet and more exercise. Incorporate the Medifast Diet into your healthier lifestyle and you’ll see even larger weight loss improvements!

* Use as directed. ** Consult a doctor if you are considering use of this product as part of a cholesterol-lowering program.

Are you bored of your workout routine? It is a common issue many experience and a hard feeling to overcome if you don’t know how. Here at Medifast Health we’ve put together some great exercises for you that are not only fun fitness exercises, but great for you. Check them out now.  Here are some ideas for you that should help make exercising a lot more fun then usual.

Fun Fitness Exercises

Get Fresh Air - Yes, make a trip to the outdoors. If you are like most people, you are in doors all day long and bored with the daily repetition. Take your lunges outside try jogging, biking or walking. If you are a regular hitter of the pavement, find new routes or parks.

Move with a Buddy - If you want to get personal insight on what sort of workout your friends enjoy doing, workout with them for a couple weeks. Training with a friend is a great way to learn new exercises or teach a friend something new. While doing cardio, walking next to someone on the treadmill is more fun than watching the clock tick. Plus when you have a friend meeting you, you will be less likely to cancel.

Update Tunes - Do you already train to music? If so, this is good, but it may be time to select new tunes to move to. Playing the really motivating songs near the end of your cardio can really keep you going, and help you boost through plateaus. If you don’t train to music – start! You may find it so much easier to get through those first 10 minutes on the treadmill in the morning or make it to 30 minutes total. Music is motivating!

Try a Class – You too boys. Check out the class schedule at the gym and show up for their next kickboxing or hip-hop class. There is so much more then the 80s leg warmer filled aerobics classes. In fact establishments such as Crunch gym have Disco Yoga, Cardio Striptease, African Dance, Fitness and Defense, House Groove, Cycle Cross, Masala Bhangra, Step & Strength, and Taebo Classes. For relaxation enjoy Abs & CandleLight Stretch, BOSU Progressive Pilates and Ashtanga Yoga. Your hour will fly by and you will leave the gym feeling far more exhilarated then after your regular routine which you may have been doing for weeks or years! Take advantage of what your gym is offering you, already in your membership.

Get Sporty - Remember in high school when you were on a sports team? Well even if you weren’t you have the opportunity to be, and this opportunity is still here for the taking. Join team sports like volley ball, or soccer, or hike and bike with friends.

Charity Walks - Do good while getting fit. Sign up for a charitable event such as a run or walk to raise money for a cause close to your heart. You’ll be energized by the contribution you’re making and can bond with others who care as much as you do.

Try Gymnastics - Learn to do a handstand or a back flip. Can you touch your toes? Work on it either on your own, or with a certified expert. Check your area for a gymnastics gym in your area and start at your skill and fitness level.

Yoga or Pilates - Your body will become strengthened and toned, and your posture will improve. Feel your stresses leave you, exhaustion diminish and enjoy improved sleep. Clarity and a sense of well-being will be coming place within your mind.

Pole Dancing - I personally lost over 20 pounds from pole dancing. Pole dancing is becoming common place in the media as fitness enthusiasts rave about the muscle toning and confidence building benefits of pole dancing. Included in classes are sensual dance and floor moves. Great for improving your coordination, abdominal and back strength and flexibility.

Martial Arts Classes - Have you ever seen an overweight person hitting the bag or skipping? Well, if you have they won’t be overweight for long. You can pick what you want since there are literally dozens of choices: judo, karate, kung-fu, kendo, etc.

Dance Your Heart Out - Hip-hop, Salsa, Break Dancing, Belly Dancing, Ballroom, or even Exotic Dancing. Who would think that dancing could be a great workout!? Spend an hour moving your body and you may find that you have a healthy addiction.

Capoeira - Combing dancing with martial arts. This African-Brazilian form of martial art/folk dance is a lot of fun since it is done in a group, where the focus is on cardio, coordination of body parts, and stability.

Rush Lovers - Enjoy the high you get from skiing, snowboarding, parasailing, jet skiing, hang gliding, and surfing. What other activities do you enjoy that pushes the limits of your comfort zone!? Try something new each year.

Water Bunny - Enjoy a drop-in swim or join any of the other water sports at your local swimming pool.

Gardening – Fire the local company that cuts your grass, blows your leaves, and maintains the yard. Do it yourself instead. Not only is it good physical exercise, you breathe some fresh air and learn about gardening.

Relaxation - Are you needing a break from all the excitement in your day. Many people have taken every cardio class under the sun but may benefit greatly from taking a relaxation course. Improve your joint mobility, and muscle flexibility.

Gridiron workout - Punt, pass and kick like the pros. This workout is derived from the practices used by football players and the emphasis is on speed and agility.

Bosu - Mearning “both sides up”. This training uses a Bosu balance trainer, which you can buy at many online shopping websites. The goal here is to adjust to an unstable surface. Try the Bosu in a group and have some fitness laughs too!

There are many fun fitness exercises that you can do to help improve your health. Remember, exercising is important, but exercising safely is even more important. If you are worried you are not doing it right, talk to a fitness professional or your doctor and have them help you in the right direction for the best results with your exercise routines. You can also check out more of our tips on How to Make Fitness Fun now!

Regular physical activity can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight. Being physically active can also make you more energetic, improve your mood, and reduce the risk of developing some chronic diseases.

Physical activity helps you control your weight by using excess calories that would otherwise be stored as fat. Most foods you eat contain calories, and everything you do uses calories, including sleeping, breathing, and digesting food. Balancing the calories you eat with the calories you use through physical activity will help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Calories in Food > Calories Used = Weight Gain
Calories in Food < Calories Used = Weight Loss
Calories in Food = Calories Used = Weight Control

Becoming Physically Active
Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, particularly after you have lost a large amount of weight, you may need to do 60 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity each day.

Physical activity may include structured activities such as walking, running, basketball, or other sports. It may also include daily activities such as household chores, yard work, or walking the dog. Pick a combination of structured and daily activities that fit your schedule.

If you have been inactive for a while, start slowly and work up to 30 minutes a day at a pace that is comfortable for you. If you are unable to be active for 30 minutes at one time, accumulate activity over the course of the day in 10- to 15-minute sessions.

Health Benefits of Physical Activity
Regular physical activity helps control your weight and may help:

• Reduce your risk of or manage chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and some cancers
• Build strong muscles, bones, and joints
• Improve flexibility and balance
• Ward off depression
• Improve mood and sense of well-being.

Aerobic Activity
You can meet your goal of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity by participating in aerobic activities. Aerobic exercise includes any activity that makes you breathe harder than when you are resting and increases your heart rate.

Experts recommend moderate-intensity exercise. At this pace, you may breathe harder and find it more difficult to talk, but you should still be able to carry on a conversation. If you are just beginning, slowly work up to moving at a moderate-intensity pace.

Get Started! To add more physical activity to your daily life try:

• Taking a brisk walk around the block with family, friends, or coworkers.
• Raking the leaves.
• Walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator when it is safe to do so.
• Mowing the lawn.
• Taking an activity break at work or home. Get up and stretch or walk around.
• Parking your car further away from entrances of stores, movie theaters, or your home and walk the extra distance when it is safe to do so.

Strength Training
Strength training is another way for you to meet the recommended minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each day. Strength training will also help you burn extra calories and build strong muscles, bones, and joints.

Experts recommend strength training 2 to 3 days each week, with 1 full day of rest between workouts to allow your muscles to recover. If you are new to strength training, or physical activity in general, consider hiring a certified personal trainer who can plan an individualized program to help you work out safely and effectively. A personal trainer who has a degree in exercise physiology or is certified through a national certification program such as the American College of Sports Medicine or National Strength and Conditioning Association may be able to help you reach your physical activity goals.

Get Strong! Build strong muscles and bones with strengthening exercise. Try:

• Lifting weights
• Using resistance bands
• Using stability or medicine balls
• Doing push-ups and abdominal crunches

Mind and Body Exercise
In addition to aerobic activity and strength training, you may wish to include other forms of exercise in your physical activity program. Alternatives to traditional exercise provide variety and fun. They may also help reduce stress, increase muscular strength and flexibility, and increase energy levels. Examples of these exercises include yoga, Pilates, and tai chi.

Keep Moving!
Move at your own pace while you enjoy some of these activities:

• Brisk walking
• Jogging
• Bicycling
• Swimming
• Aerobic exercise classes (step aerobics, kick boxing, high/low)
• Dancing (square dancing, salsa, African dance, swing)
• Playing sports (basketball, soccer)

Tips to a Safe and Successful Physical Activity Program
Check with your health care provider. If you have a chronic health problem such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure, ask your health care provider about what type and amount of physical activity is right for you.

• Start slowly. Incorporate more physical activity into your daily routine and gradually work up to the 30-minute goal to improve health and manage your weight.
• Set goals. Set short-term and long-term goals and celebrate every success.
• Track progress. Keep an activity log to track your progress. Note when you worked out, what activity you did, how long you did the activity, and how you felt during your workout.
• Think variety. Choose a variety of physical activities to help you meet your goals, prevent boredom, and keep your mind and body challenged.
• Be comfortable. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes, and ones that are appropriate to the activity you will be doing.
• Listen to your body. Stop exercising and consult your health care provider if you experience chest discomfort or pain, dizziness, severe headache, or other unusual symptoms while you work out. If pain does not go away, get medical help right away. If you are feeling fatigued or sick, take time off from your routine to rest. You can ease back into your program when you start feeling better.
• Eat nutritious foods. Choose a variety of nutritious foods every day. Remember that your health and weight depend on both your eating plan and physical activity level.
• Get support. Encourage your family and friends to support you and join you in your activity. Form walking groups with coworkers, play with your children outside, or take a dance class with friends.

Regular physical activity will help you feel, move, and look better. Whether your goal is to achieve and maintain a healthy weight or improve your health, becoming physically active is a step in the right direction. Take advantage of the health benefits of physical activity and make it a part of your life.

Are you frustrated of plugging away at the gym, following your daily intake recommendations and never seeing the pounds disappear from your body? We have the solution for you and they are simple tricks that will transform your usual workout into the ultimate fat-blasting routine. Because it isn’t just weight you want to take off, you want to lose your fat! Too many “weight loss systems” target water or muscle for weight loss and that can really hurt your body. You want to look good, not unhealthy. So, whether you use just two of these strategies or all seven, these “insider tips” will help you get the calorie-burn you deserve and flush that fat off your hips and belly!

1. Keep Your Cool: “You’ll be able to comfortably work out longer and harder if you’re cool,” says Len Kravitz, PhD, coordinator of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. “Being too hot stresses your body out, so you don’t perform as well.”

Translation: You burn less fat.

Do this: When exercising at home, put a fan in front of your workout area. Hitting the gym? Wait to use the treadmill that has a fan built into the console.

2. Track Your Heart-Rate: “Wearing a heart-rate monitor makes it easier to burn more body fat by showing you just how hard you’re really working,” Kravitz says. “Keeping your heart rate in the right zone prevents you from slacking off, so you make the most of every minute.”

Do this: Invest in a heart-rate monitor and wear it every time you exercise. One recommendation is Life Fitness’s new Dual Watch and Heart Rate Monitor ($60; at CVS stores nationwide). It’s simple to program and use. It doesn’t require an uncomfortable chest strap—just touch the face with your fingertips. And it comes in a variety of sizes too.

3. Take Time to Warm Up: “Warming up for at least five minutes before each workout helps you lose more fat weight,” says Heather Dillinger, an IDEA Health and Fitness Association elite-level personal-fitness trainer. “It not only makes your muscles more pliable but also increases their range of motion, so you end up using more muscle fibers as you exercise.”

Do this: Choose a warm-up routine that hits all of your muscles, not just your legs. The easiest option: Do three to five minutes of low-intensity walking while pumping your arms back and forth.

4. Don’t Save Your Energy For Later: “Saving your energy for the end of your cardio workout may prevent you from losing as much weight as you can,” says metabolism expert Dixie Stanforth, of the department of kinesiology and health education at the University of Texas at Austin.

Do this: Instead of starting out slow and then finishing up strong, do your high-intensity cardio early in your workout. After doing your warm-up, try exercising at a high intensity for 15 minutes before slowing down to a more moderate pace for the last 15 minutes.

5. Work Out Twice: “Two smaller workouts can be more effective than one,” Stanforth reveals. That’s because every time you do high-intensity exercise, your metabolism stays revved for an hour or more afterward. Splitting up your workout boosts your metabolism twice, giving you additional calorie-burning time from the exact same routine.

Do this: Divide your workout into two smaller, high-intensity sessions—preferably, doing one in the morning and one at night.

6. Make a “Mind-Body Connection”: If you’re convinced that you’re melting fat while exercising, you’ll make a mind-body connection that will actually help you lose fat faster, Dillinger explains. In a 2007 Harvard study, participants who believed they were getting a good workout showed greater reductions in body fat than subjects who performed the same activities but didn’t feel like they were really exercising.

Do this: The next time you do anything active, remind yourself every few minutes that you’re giving it your all. This little mental move may motivate you to push yourself harder, leading to even greater fat loss.

7. Rest Less Between Sets: “The less time you rest between sets when strength training, the more calories you’re likely to burn,” Dillinger notes. “Keeping rest periods short keeps your heart rate at a higher rate, which naturally increases the number of calories you’re using.”

Do this: The best rule of thumb is to take only a 30-second break between sets (meaning you’ll need a watch with a second hand).

Good Luck!

Note: This is NOT an April Fool’s Joke, This is Legit

People who can’t sleep come up with all sorts of crazy ideas, and some great ones, too. For instance, how about a workout that you can do right in your bed? I’m not talking about a gentle routine involving wiggling one toe and then another and taking deep breaths in between, or even an interlude of vigorous romance, but rather a real exercise program that gets your blood circulating, builds muscle and strengthens your core, all without getting out of your bed – yes, it’s true.

The “Get Fit in Bed” workout is the brainchild of Ted Kavanau, the founding senior producer of CNN. Having a difficult time falling asleep, he did what comes naturally to insomniacs, he tried to find an activity that would make him tired enough to sleep. He began exercising, in bed. An avid fitness enthusiast with a background in martial arts and boxing, Kavanau adapted some of the exercises he did at the gym for the soft surface of a mattress and then added a few yoga and Pilates moves. Before long, he noticed that he had more endurance, his muscle mass was increasing, his mood was good, and, yes, he was sleeping like a baby.

Adjusted by a Chiropractor

Kavanau took his routine to Genie Tartell, DC, RN, a registered nurse and practicing chiropractor, and asked her to fine-tune the routine for safety. Working with patients of different ages and a variety of health issues, Dr. Tartell tweaked the exercise plan, eliminating moves that might cause any injuries and refining many of the others to accomplish practical efficiency.

According to Dr. Tartell, the new workout plan was a hit. “My arthritic patients found that they were getting out of bed in the morning without feeling stiff, while others who hated exercise were now exercising in bed while watching the news,” she said.

Kavanau and Dr. Tartell collaborated on a book, appropriately entitled Get Fit In Bed, which provides instruction on 42 different exercises for a variety of abilities. The routine is organized into exercises to do on your back, on your stomach, on your left side, and on your right side. There are modifications for people with particular physical challenges. The exercises can be done at your own pace and, as you get stronger and fitter, you can increase the number of reps and the speed at which they’re performed.

The Starter Program

Always begin your “Get Fit in Bed” routine with a basic gentle stretch. Lie on your back, arms down by your sides. Open and close your hands several times. Then extend your arms above your head, stretching like a cat, and lengthen your legs, one at a time, extending each from the hip. Fan your toes, one foot at a time, and then point your feet (together) toward your head and then away from it several times. This stretching should feel good, like you’re waking up your muscles.

Minimal crunch: Lie on your back, arms at your sides, and then tighten your stomach muscles while inhaling. Slowly raise your head and shoulders very slightly (maybe an inch) off the bed, exhaling as you do so. Hold this position for a second or two and then slowly drop your head and shoulders to the bed. Repeat five times.

The bridge: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the bed, arms at your sides. Tighten the muscles in your buttocks while slowly lifting your pelvis toward the ceiling. Aim to bring your pelvis and thighs into a straight line, at about a 45-degree angle to your knees. Hold this position for a slow count of 10 (about 20 seconds) and then gently drop back to the bed. Repeat five times.

Crunch: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the bed, arms at your sides. Using your abdominal muscles, bring your knees up toward your chest and extend your arms so that your hands reach toward your knees, continuing to bring your upper body closer to your knees. Note: Do not pull up with your neck! Lower your upper body halfway down toward the bed. Hold for a slow count of 10 (about 20 seconds). Now repeat five times before lowering your upper body all the way back down to the prone position.

Elbow-knee piston: Lie on your back. Put your hands underneath your head, fingers laced, and bend your knees so that your feet rest flat on the mattress. Raise your bent legs in alternating motions, bringing your left elbow and right knee toward each other, then, as you bring them back down, bring your right elbow and left knee toward each other, raising your upper body to bring knee and elbow as close together as you can. As you get more proficient, increase your speed so that it becomes a pumping motion. Repeat each left/right combination three to six times.

Bicycle with crunches: Similar to the previous exercise, for this one you again lie on your back, arms at your sides. Start with your legs flat on the bed, then raise them and begin moving them as if you were pedaling a bicycle. At the same time, raise your body in a crunchlike position (using your abdominal muscles) and begin “throwing punches” at your feet in sync with your leg movements. Repeat the cycle of left/right punches with corresponding pedaling five times — your goal is to do a total of 10 punches, five with each hand.

For these next two exercises, turn over onto your stomach…

Forearm-supported body lift: Lie on your stomach, palms flat and under your shoulders, elbows bent in an acute angle. Push off your hands and lift your upper body off the bed, eyes facing forward. Hold this position for two seconds then return to the original position. Repeat five more times.

Cobra: Lie on your stomach, elbows bent, and hands placed flat on the bed in line with your shoulders. Straighten your arms to lift your upper body while curving it back like a cobra, if you’re unable to straighten your arms fully, just push up as far as you can. (A soft mattress may limit your ability to get full extension of the arms.) Hold this “up” position for a slow count of 10 and then slowly return to starting position. Repeat just twice for a total of three. Tip: Try this exercise with deeper breathing to improve relaxation.

The beauty of this exercise program is that it can be adapted in a variety of ways to fit into your life and can be done as an early morning and/or evening workout. It provides an easy way to work out while traveling, for instance, or (as in Kavanau’s case) a good way to put your awake time in the middle of the night to good use.

Personally, I’m an early riser, and the winter mornings are cold up here in Connecticut, so I’m finding that these exercises are a wonderful way to start my day!

Source(s):

Genie Tartell, DC, RN, a sports chiropractor based in Kingston, New York, who was team chiropractor for the New York Reebok aerobic team. She has been a guest on The View, CNBC, Fox News, WOR radio and various national radio shows.

Most people want two things when it comes to their health, less body fat and a more toned body! Right? Well…

“Toning” is an often highly misunderstood concept. You might think you know what toning is but you probably have gotten really confused when trying to achieve it. Right? Body toning is simply increasing muscle definition by burning fat through exercise. You have heard thousands of times the phrase: “Proper exercise and diet play an important role…” to the point that you are sick of hearing it. Guess what? It’s true. Ignoring it will just delay the results you so desperately want to achieve.

The amount of muscle definition you have is directly linked to body fat percentage which is linked to your recommended daily calorie intake. Typically, when you eat more calories than you burn, your body stores the extra calories as fat and your weight and body fat percentage will increase. That is typical, but not always the case as you have something called a “metabolism” which plays a key role in this too. The biggest problem with extra fat that is storedon your body is it typically is stored on top of muscle so it will obscure any muscle definition you had and that just makes a bad problem worse.

Now typically, if you eat less calories than you burn, your body will use its fat stores for energy and your weight along with body fat percentage will decrease. I do say “typically” for the same reasons above is you still have your metabolism to deal with. If it is low, then you can run into some problems. However, once your body fat starts to go down, your muscles will appear more defined because they are no longer covered by as much fat. You will start looking better and therefore, naturally will feel better.

The formula for getting a more toned appearance is pretty simple. It isn’t just cutting your calories and increasing your exercise. While the phrase “Eat less and exercise more” sounds simple, it isn’t that simple. What you need instead is eating the RIGHT foods, with the RIGHT amount of nutrients so your body is properly fed. Think about it, you can eat Twinkies all day and get on the tread mill and “burn them off” but do you think you are going to actually lose weight? No. Your body is going to store a lot of it as fat because it is “starving” for proper nutrition. You have to feed your body well FIRST!

This is why the Medifast Diet is so effective, as it gives your body the proper nutrition it needs in order to achieve a state where fat burning can take place and the extra fat on your body will just start melting off of you. If you are looking for Medifast Discounts or Medifast Offers to start your diet off the RIGHT way, we have them.

Exercise Properly

There are two main types of exercise that will help you achieve a more toned look:

1. Cardiovascular
2. Strength training.

Cardiovascular exercise is anything that gets your heart beating fast and continuously over a long period of time. Cardio burns plenty of calories which will help you create a large calorie deficit. You should do cardio 3-5 times per week at 30-60 minutes per session. The more weight you need to lose, the more cardio you should be doing.

Strength training is often ignored by those who are trying to tone, it has some real benefits. Strength training (aka weight lifting) builds muscle which can help you burn more calories throughout the day.

Muscle tissue burns calories when it isn’t even doing any work. You can be sitting on your sofa, watching TV and your muscle tissue will burn energy. The more muscle you have, the more energy your body will burn all day long.

When you increase your muscle mass, you also increase your body’s energy requirements which makes your calorie deficit bigger and will help you shed body fat quicker. Strength training should be done 2-3 times per week at a minimum. This doesn’t mean you need to be a gym rat, far from it. All you need to obtain is build a solid framework of muscle and that will help you achieve your weight loss goals. Without it, it is going to take longer and be more frustrating. Also, having lean muscle will make you look sleeker, even at a heavier weight. Remember, it isn’t what you weight that is important, but how you look!

Concentrate on compound exercises such as:

• Squats
• Deadlifts
• Bench presses
• Bent over rows
• Pull ups

These will burn more calories because they target larger muscles and a greater number of them than isolation exercises such as bicep curls or sit ups which will help you increase your calorie deficit.

Monitor Your Diet

Exercise will yield only minimum results if it isn’t coupled with a good diet. Even a long cardio session won’t burn enough energy to allow you to enter a calorie deficient state. To do that, you also need to cut your calorie intake.

Your calorie intake is the main part of your diet that will help you get toned. You can gradually lower it by cutting out junk foods that are high in sugar and refined flour such as pastries, cookies, chips and sodas. Soda is liquid death! Stay away!

The types of food you eat can also have a big impact on how toned you look. Foods that are digested quickly leave you hungry and going back for more way too soon. If you drink a 300 calorie soda, you’ll be a lot hungrier within the hour than if you had eaten a 300 calorie whole wheat bagel. Foods that are made from sugar and white flour get digested very quickly.

Foods that are high in fiber and complex carbs are digested a lot slower which will help keep you full and therefore reduce your daily calorie intake. Good examples of these foods include:

• 100% whole wheat bread/pasta
• Brown rice
• Vegetables
• Fruit
• Oatmeal

Foods high in lean proteins can also help keep you full (poultry, tuna, low fat dairy).

You should be consuming 500-1,000 calories less than you burn everyday to see results. You can get an estimate of how much your body burns daily by using a tool such as the calorie calculator.

Don’t Waste Time on Spot Reducing

One sure way not to get toned is by attempting to focus on your problem areas. When your body stores fat, it chooses the location and there’s nothing you can do to change that. The same thing happens in reverse when your body is burning fat for energy; it chooses where the fat comes from and there’s no way you can direct your body to burn fat from your thighs or your stomach.

If you’re doing sit ups in an attempt to improve your midsection, you’re wasting time. Sit ups and other exercises that target the abdominal muscles are good for strengthening that area of the body, but they aren’t good for burning calories.

The same rule applies to tricep extensions for getting rid of fat on the arms or a butt blaster for getting rid of fat on your legs. Exercises that target certain areas of the body will build that muscle up but won’t burn the fat that’s sitting on top of it. Strength training is important but it shouldn’t replace calorie burning exercises such as running, biking or swimming.

No Shortcuts Will Work

There are no shortcuts to getting a toned and defined body. Pills, creams and off the wall diets are all a waste of your time and can be detrimental to your health. By taking your diet and exercise routine seriously, you’ll get healthy and long lasting results.

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For those avid gym users, you’ve guaranteed utilized the fat burning program offered on just about every piece of cardio gym equipment. Before you think these programs are doing everything you need, you really need to understand why these programs are not the best options for toning your body and losing weight successfully.

The human body requires three different types of nutrients for energy. These are:

1. Fat
2. Carbohydrates
3. Protein

During physical activity, what your body burns will depend majorly on your body and what you consumed during your last meal before exercising. If you consume a meal high in fat, your body will burn more fat. If you consume a meal that causes you to exceed your recommended daily fat intake, your body will use more sugar for your energy.

What Exercise Routines Do What

Your body plays a major roll in what is burnt during exercises. There are several factors weighing exactly what is going to happen during your exercise routines. Here are some examples of what will happen during certain situations:

• Consume very little, your body breaks down muscle protein for energy
• Exercise at a very high intensity (over 85% max heart rate), body burns carbohydrates for energy
• Exercise at a lower intensity, body burns more fat for energy.

Many are led in the wrong direction with exercise a lot. Fat burning programs are based off of false information. When someone exercises at a lower intensity, more fat is burned opposed to other sources of fuel, resulting in better muscle definition. Well, so people are led to believe, but this is not the actual case.

What Doesn’t Reduce Body Fat

When you work out at lower intensity, sure you are going to burn more fat, but you are also burning less calories. If you are someone attempting to tone your body, lose weight or want those long awaited abs to appear, you will want to burn more calories, not just focus on burning fat.

This may be confusing for some. Let’s go through an example of why the fat burning program may not be a qualified option for those wanting to reduce body fat and have a toned body.

Consider the math. If during your fat burning program you use 200 calories, instead of 300 calories of various fuels at a higher intensity, (if all other variables remain the same) that’s 100 extra calories that your body holds onto at the end of the day. Everyday, any unused energy gets stored as fat. That extra 100 calories you didn’t burn will be stored as fat.

Calorie Burn is Important!

Losing weight is about creating a big calorie deficit. The more calories you burn through exercise, the larger your deficit will be and the faster you’ll lose weight, get toned and see your abs.

Fat burning programs are popular because they’re easier than more effective methods of working out and by using the term “fat burning” they’re making it sound as if you’ll get toned a lot quicker by doing it. When you work harder, you will lose weight faster. Worry about how much, not what kind of fuel your body is using.

Have you ever tried working out with kettlebell weights? They’re small, often brightly colored, oddly shaped hand weights that can give you a fun and effective workout. It’s true. I always like an easy way to get intense exercise in a brief amount of time. It allows me to stay focused on my tasks and still get in my needed exercise. After all, who isn’t busy these days? If these shorter days and colder temperatures are motivating you to take your workout indoors, kettlebells may be perfect for you.

Kettlebells are chunky round weights that look like cannonballs with handles attached. Trendy as they are today, they’re actually an import from 18th-century Russia, where the “girya” (as they were called) was used to build strength and endurance.

Kettlebells come in weights ranging from five to 106 pounds, and they’re sold in a rainbow of colors, but looks are beside the point. What’s great about kettlebells is that they build muscle, burn fat and boost endurance. Because the center of gravity is located six to eight inches from the handle, swinging kettlebells strengthens core muscles instead of muscles in your extremities. They are great at building you up for real-life physical challenges, such as carrying luggage or moving furniture.

Hollywood trainer and kettlebell instructor Gina Lombardi, NSCA-CPT, author of the book Deadline Fitness, recommends a sequence of exercises that delivers both cardiovascular and strength benefits. This workout is efficient and effective, provided you follow correct kettlebell form (as outlined below). Called Peripheral Heart Action (PHA), these moves (performed in this order) force blood to circulate from the small muscles around your heart to your extremities continuously throughout your routine.

Set Yourself Up to Achieve Success!

Let’s start with a note about safety. Swinging a kettlebell generates significant momentum. You can do some serious damage to yourself, bystanders or walls, furniture or windows if you aren’t careful, so choose a spot where you won’t bump anything when your arms are fully extended.

The workout is more intense than you might guess, so start with a weight that you can comfortably swing long enough to complete the exercises, women should begin with five to 15 pounds, men, 15 to 30 pounds. You can add weight as your strength and endurance increases, but always use the same weight throughout each workout.

Kettlebell workouts are based on time, not repetitions, so you will need to have a timer on hand or do your routine where you can see a clock. Beginners should do each exercise for one minute, taking time to catch a breath before going on to the next one. At the intermediate level, you’ll be aiming for two minutes per exercise, while advanced kettlebellers clock three minutes with each move. You can add difficulty by abbreviating how long you rest in between moves as well.

Getting Into the Swing of it

Since it’s mostly the powerful thrust from your hips, butt and thighs that propels the swinging kettlebell, not the motion of your arms or shoulders, it’s important to stand or squat correctly. Keep your back straight and shoulders back as you balance your weight on your heels. For most exercises, toes should be pointed straight ahead. When you squat, your thighs should be parallel to the floor, your knees should never extend beyond your toes, and you should sit back into your hips to get the full effect.

Two-Arm Swing: Place a kettlebell on the floor in front of you, then stand up straight, setting your feet a bit wider than shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and reach down with both hands to grab the sides of the handle (called the “horns”). Now stand, letting your arms hang down in front of the body, keeping your knees slightly bent. Slowly swing the bell back between your legs. Then thrust your hips forward, squeezing your glutes and straightening out your legs, using the momentum to swing your arms up until the bell is at chest level. Without breaking the rhythm, lower the bell smoothly back down between your legs, bending your knees slightly as before. Repeat the motion, again and again, without breaking the rhythm.

Upright Rows: Again, start with the kettlebell on the floor, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. This time, however, grasp the top part of the handle with two hands, keeping your arms straight down in front. Lift the kettlebell, keeping it close to your body, straight up toward your chin by bending your elbows so that they wing out and upward, your elbows should be higher than your wrists. Lift the kettlebell nearly to your chest and then lower to starting position and repeat.

Single-Arm Deadlift: Stand in front of the bell with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Squat down, keeping your back straight, and grab the bell with one hand and stand back up, keeping your arm between your legs and slightly in front of you. Your arm should not bend during this exercise. Slowly squat to lower the kettlebell back down to the floor, leaving it there. Use your other hand to pick it back up and once again stand. Repeat, alternating arms.

Be sure to end your training session with five to 10 minutes of stretching to cool down and prevent muscle soreness. Lombardi predicts that you’ll find your first kettlebell workout to be tough, but exhilarating!

Most gyms have sets of kettlebells, and they’re also easy to find at Walmart, in sporting-goods stores and online. Prices range from $13 for a single starter kettlebell to several hundred dollars for a graduated set.

Source(s):

Gina Lombardi, RDH, NSCA-CPT, author of Deadline Fitness (Wiley), and host of “Fit Nation” on the Discovery Channel’s Fit TV. She is based in Tarzana, California, and is former chairperson of the Personal Training Committee, as well as 2003 Personal Trainer of the Year for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. www.GinaLombardi.com.

Reprinted with the permission of:
Bottom Line Publications/Daily Health News
Boardroom Inc.
281 Tresser Blvd., 8th Floor
Stamford, CT 06901
www.BottomLineSecrets.com

What if you could practice a simple form of exercise that would benefit your heart, strengthen your lungs, help modulate stress, and- if you are an athlete and interested in such things- take your performance to a higher level, and you could get all these benefits without even getting out of your chair? Without breaking a sweat, I might add. How great would that be?

It’s not too good to be true, and though you can buy inexpensive devices to help you do this, you don’t need any fancy equipment for what I’m about to explain.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH …

A recent study at Indiana University demonstrated that doing simple breathing exercises can bring big health benefits for many types of people, including athletes, seniors and people who are ill with respiratory diseases, among others.

The study was small, but results were impressive. The test subjects were 16 male bicyclists, not professionals, but avid amateurs. Twice a day, half the cyclists took 30 breaths through a device known as an inspiratory muscle trainer (IMT) that made them work harder to bring air into their lungs. Another eight cyclists used the same type of device but set to a low level that required only a slight additional effort to breathe.

Researchers discovered that after six weeks of these daily exercises, the cyclists who worked hard to breathe now required about 1% less oxygen during low-intensity exercise and 3% to 4% less oxygen during high-intensity exercise, which indicated that their bodies were functioning more efficiently. The control group experienced virtually no change in their oxygen requirements during exercise.

So how important are these results? And who exactly can benefit from breathing exercises? Richard Firshein, DO, medical director of the Firshein Center for Comprehensive Medicine in New York City, oversees patients (including those with asthma) who are taught better breathing techniques through a program he developed called “Breath of Life.” Dr. Firshein, a former asthma sufferer himself, is author of Reversing Asthma and Your Asthma-Free Child. Basically, he knows his breathing stuff.

WHO NEEDS BREATH TRAINING?

Dr. Firshein explained that when we draw air into our lungs, we use not only the powerful muscles at the bottom of the rib cage (the diaphragm), but also the intercostal muscles that run between the ribs. Though we use these muscles with every breath, they only rarely get additional exercise (like the kind that arm muscles get when we lift weights) to strengthen them further.

But that’s a shame, he said, because exercising our breathing muscles more vigorously helps in two ways. First, stronger muscles are able to draw more air into the lungs, which then have more oxygen to utilize, and second, exercising enables these muscles to use oxygen more efficiently, delivering more oxygen to the rest of the body.

That’s especially important to:

• Athletes, whose performance is boosted by every bit of additional energy.
• People with asthma and other respiratory ailments.
• Older people, especially those over 50. Like other muscles, our breathing muscles atrophy with age so that they’re unable to draw as much air into the lungs, unless they’re strengthened by exercise.

DO-IT-YOURSELF BREATH TRAINING

Dr. Firshein was asked whether this type of exercise can be done at home, and he said it absolutely can. If you want to follow the same plan as in the study, you’ll need to purchase an IMT, which is an inexpensive plastic device used by athletes and people with asthma and other respiratory conditions to strengthen their breathing muscles. Dr. Firshein told me that virtually everyone can benefit from using one.

Though IMTs can cost up to $225, most people don’t need complex features and options and will do fine with the less expensive models, said Dr. Firshein. He likes one made by Expand-A-Lung ($29.95) and said that PowerLung is another good brand. Both are available online.

To use an IMT: Following the instructions on your device, Dr. Firshein said to start with the low resistance setting. Insert it in your mouth and breathe through it for two to five minutes, twice a day. Over a month or two, gradually increase the resistance level, working up to a total of 15 or 20 minutes per session. Note: Discuss this with your doctor first if you have a breathing condition such as asthma or COPD.

THE NO-TECH BREATHING PLAN

You also can strengthen your breathing muscles without equipment. Here are two exercises to try:

Breathing exercise #1: Twice a day, spend about five minutes breathing in slowly through your nose, letting your belly expand as far as is comfortable. Then, while exhaling, consciously push the air from your belly, up through your lungs and out through your mouth. Now, after you’ve exhaled (but not after you’ve inhaled), hold your breath for a few seconds, this increases the carbon dioxide level in your body. This is thought to be helpful in relaxing the muscles around the lungs to reduce strain and muscle spasm, both of which contribute to the pressure people with asthma often feel during exercise and even at rest. For the same reason, count slowly to five as you breathe in and to seven as you breathe out.

Breathing exercise #2: Now, to exercise the upper breathing muscles, again breathe slowly in and out, but this time through your mouth, expanding and contracting your chest instead of your stomach. Purse your lips to make it slightly more difficult for the air to get in and out. And again, count to about five as you breathe in and to seven as you breathe out, and hold your breath for a few seconds after you exhale. If you slowly increase the resistance by adjusting how tightly you purse your lips when you exhale, you will strengthen the muscles important to respiration and mimic the benefits of using an IMT. Build to doing both of these exercises for a total of 15 to 20 minutes per day, taking about a month to get there. Dr. Firshein said it’s not necessary to consult your doctor before starting breathing exercises unless you have asthma or another medical condition that affects your breathing or stamina.

Regardless of which exercise method you choose, he said that the result will be an overall increase in strength and endurance. That’s an advantage not just in sports but in everyday life.

Source(s):

Richard Firshein, DO, medical director of the Firshein Center for Comprehensive Medicine in New York City, professor of family medicine, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York City. He is author of Reversing Asthma: Breathe Easier with This Revolutionary New Program (Hachette).

Reprinted with the permission of:
Bottom Line Publications/Daily Health News
Boardroom Inc.
281 Tresser Blvd., 8th Floor
Stamford, CT 06901
www.BottomLineSecrets.com