Fitness Time as a Family

It’s important for every member of your family to get their share of physical activity in their daily lives. Exercise is not only a ‘must’ for people who are trying to lose weight, or get a more sculpted body. One of the best ways to have ‘family time’ and stay healthy is to schedule a family fitness time.

These days, even our kids are busy. They have homework, afterschool activities and friends they want to hang out with. Our days are super-busy too. When we actually do get the chance to get together, this family time is important. To ensure that you get family time each day, even though everyone is busy with their own thing, let that time do double-duty.

When your schedule is packed, any time that can serve dual purposes is a ray of light. Instead of trying to find time to exercise by yourself, why not get the entire family together to exercise? This way, each person gets the physical activity they need, and you can use the time for bonding as well.

Hold Each Other Accountable

One of the downfalls of working out by yourself is the lack of motivation or accountability. Friends may work out with you on occasion, but they have families and other responsibilities too. When you include your own family, you have built-in motivators for each other. What used to be seen as a chore is now fun family time together, because you are tackling it as a team.

The many benefits of family fitness:

• Everyone participates together to gain better fitness

• It’s easy to create challenges for one another

• You’re tackling eating well as a family, and are more likely to pay more attention to it

• You can schedule family fitness around other commitments

When you take on family fitness habits, you end up with constant support 24/7. If your schedule only permits 30 minutes several days a week, that’s fine. However, Instead of thirty according to the time you have to spend together, you can stretch that time to an hour if you want to. Let’s take a look at some ideas for family fitness workouts:

• Work out to a DVD or video

• Go bike riding together

• Lift weights together

• Play video or other games which allow you to get up and move during play.

Each member of your family can pick an exercise they love to do, introducing it to everyone else. On different days, let a different member of the family decide on the workout routine. This way, each member of the family stays involved AND has a chance to show off a new favourite exercise.

By turning exercise and fitness into a family affair, chances are you’ll stick with it longer and enjoy it more than if you were to simply do it on your own. Why not give it a try, and get everyone in your household fit at the same time?

Stop Taking the Easy Way – Take the Stairs Instead

Many people, especially those who live in congested cities, work in office
tower blocks. They use the elevator every day of their lives to get from the
ground to whatever floor their office is on.
Still others use elevators in department stores, apartment towers and so on.

Forget the elevator and take the stairs, because climbing stairs is one of the
most effective forms of aerobic exercise that you can ever do.

This was clearly proven by a British study some ten years ago, when
researchers discovered that for averagely sedentary people, just a few
minutes climbing the stairs every day demonstrably improved their
cardiovascular health.

This study was of particular interest because it supported the idea that
taking several short spurts of exercise every day will make a significant
difference to your health (hence the idea that you can walk for ten minutes a day three times, rather than just one thirty minute session).

The study required 20 college aged women who lived relatively sedentary
lives to climb up 200 steps in less than two and a half minutes. This represented a ‘brisk but comfortable’ pace according to the researchers
conducting the study, but the first time that they did it, it nevertheless
served to shoot the test subjects’ heart rates up to around 90% of the
anticipated maximum heart rate.
Despite this, the test subjects moved from making one climb per day during
the first week to six per day in the sixth and seventh weeks.  This therefore meant that the test subjects were climbing stairs for around thirteen and a half minutes per day by the conclusion of the test, which (in case the point is not clear) represents less than a quarter of an hour of reasonably rigorous exercise every day.
By the end of this relatively modest (and completely free) exercise program,
the women being tested were measurably fitter than they had been before.
Every indicator had improved significantly. Their heart rate immediately
after the climb had decreased markedly and their breathing had slowed as
well, indicating that they needed to take in less oxygen to ‘fuel’ their efforts.

On the other hand, their HDL levels had increased, which is a good thing,
because high-density lipoprotein is also sometimes known as ‘good’
cholesterol. High levels of HDL in the blood seem to play a role in reducing
the risk of heart attack, while low levels seem to do the opposite by
increasing the risk of heart disease.

It is clear just how effective climbing the stairs can be as exercise, and it is
even more so if you take the stairs that you are climbing two at a time.
This significantly increases the work that your leg muscles have to do, and
that in itself increases the aerobic effects of your exercise by a noticeable
degree.

You do not have to exercise for hours at a time to enjoy the benefits that a
‘work-out’ will bring. Less than 15 minutes of stair climbing a day will
improve your overall aerobic health significantly, and will cost you nothing at all.
So, the next time you go to the office or the department store and feel
tempted to get into a packed, hot and sweaty elevator, think about it for a
moment.  Does that really seem like a better option than giving your whole body a good workout?

Couch to 5k Fitness

Running is a highly beneficial form of exercise, can easily be turned into a

HIIT routine and also costs very little to achieve. It provides a great workout for weight loss, toning and cardiac health. Unfortunately, more often than not some women can’t run across the front yard without becoming winded. This can often leads to mistaken beliefs that we just can’t be successful runners.

The truth is, almost anyone who can walk can run for exercise. Those of us who are out of shape just need to build up slowly but steadily. Too many people try to run long distances at top speed when starting out, and that only leaves them out of breath and makes them more susceptible to injury. A better approach is found in great fitness plan, such as the the Couch to 5k.

How it Works

Couch to 5k is designed with couch potatoes in mind. It starts out at a slow pace, at first doing more walking than jogging. The same amount of exertion is used consistently for a week, then add a little more jogging to the workout. If the program is followed, anyone can be will be running 5 kilometers (about 3 miles) or 30 minutes after two months.

The Couch to 5k program is easy enough for anyone to follow. I chose to talk about this one today as it only requires working out for 20 to 30 minutes three times a week. Each level begins with a brisk 5-minute warm-up walk, and progresses as follows:

* Week 1 – Alternate 1 minute of jogging and 1 1/2 minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
* Week 2 – Alternate 1 1/2 minutes of jogging and 2 minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
* Week 3 – Jog 200 yards (or 1 1/2 minutes), walk 200 yards (or 1 1/2 minutes), jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes), and walk 400 yards (or 3 minutes). Repeat.
* Week 4 – Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes), walk 1/8 mile (or 1 1/2 minutes), jog 1/2 mile or 5 minutes), walk 1/4 mile (or 2 1/2 minutes), jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes), walk 1/8 mile (or 1 1/2 minutes), and jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes).
* Week 5 – Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes), walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes), jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes), walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes), jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes).
* Week 6 – Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes), walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes), jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes), walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes), and jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes).
* Week 7 – Jog 2 1/2 miles (or 25 minutes).
* Week 8 – Jog 2 3/4 miles (or 28 minutes).
* Week 9 – Jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).

Couch to 5k provides a way for even the most experienced couch potato to get fit. It requires no classes or special skills, just a pair of running shoes and some motivation. A good idea might be to bring along your MP3 player, and listen to music or even a motivational speaker while you’re working out. By the time you reach your goal, chances are you’ll be ready to come up with all new fitness challenges for yourself.

Fitness, Dieting and Weight Loss

There’s a lot of general information about fitness, dieting and weight loss that people, especially women, aren’t aware of. Being that my goal is to help get everyone healthy and active, I thought I would take some time today to go over some important facts that you may not be aware of.

When it comes to dieting, some of the statistics are pretty scary. First of all, for those who are frequent dieters, they are putting themselves in the line of fire for long term health issues. The worst part is, most women who follow the fad diets, or are frequent dieters don’t even need to lose weight. The yo-yo dieting practiced by many women is frequently a short-term solution. They don’t make permanent changes – they diet until they lose those few pounds they want to lose, and then start to eat as they were before.

The ‘dieting’ industry is now a massive, global industry. From books to plans, courses to pre-packaged servings, this billion dollar industry is aiming their sales pitches to an audience of 90% women.

Women often will diet due to social pressures, or because of preconceived notions of how they should look. Fortunately, as Muslim women this is not an issue for us as much as it is for the rest of the population.

In comparative testing, women are twice as likely as men to develop eating disorders are a result of yo-yo dieting and social pressures. And on any given day in the United States, half of the female population (women and girls alike) are on some sort of diet – usually some fad that will claim they will lose X number of pounds in 4 weeks guaranteed.

For women with a BMI (body mass index) over 28, their chances of developing serious illnesses such as diabetes, fertility issues, polycystic ovarian syndrome, hypertension, heart disease or a very serious combination of any of these.

Obese and overweight women are more likely to receive unclear or suspicious results from breast screening and mammograms.

Weight problems and obesity levels are higher among women of minority groups. Those who are not Caucasian Americans have a much higher risk of obesity – that includes us ladies!!

Exercise, Fitness and Working on Your Weight

Did you know that more than 60% of the US population of women don’t get the required amount of physical exercise recommended daily? For a simple matter of 30 minutes a day, many women are walking into a trap they don’t need to. And one in four women aren’t active at all!

Some examples of the bonuses of regular exercise are as follows:

- Reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes

- Lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol

- Exercise reduces the amount of stress put on your heart

- Women who exercise regularly are less likely to suffer severe symptoms of PMS and/or menopause

- Walking and riding a bike are just two of the simple ways you can increase the density of your bones

- Those suffering from back or other pain can find relief in exercise, instead of having to resort to medication for their chronic pain

We’ve discussed before how you can exercise without having to go to the gym. While that’s always the best motivator, it’s understandable that you may not be able to attend every day. For those days that you can’t make it, try these exercises at home or outdoors instead; yoga, pilates, walking, running or jogging, cycling, rollerblading, swimming and many other available options. They don’t need to cost a fortune in order to be helpful to you.

There are even things you can do to get yourself moving that don’t involve sports or actual ‘fitness’ training at all. Did you know that you can burn many calories by doing your household chores to a fast-beat music? Or how about taking the stairs instead of the elevator?

Outside work, such as raking the leaves, working in the garden and even mowing the lawn are great forms of physical activity. And if none of these seem to be right for you, be creative! There must be some chore or activity you can be spontaneous with, turning it into a physical activity as well as a chore. Dusting to music makes this tedious task much more fun, don’t you think?

Get out there, get active…and get HEALTHY!

Quick Workout at Home – Using a Video Game?

Anybody who already owns a Wii console claims that it is the greatest thing

since sliced bread. It is what we have all been waiting for – a true virtual reality for the entire family. As we move, so do the characters on the television. Parents and children alike are bowling, racing, playing guitar, and other games using the Wii controllers, and a lot of body movement.

Well, there are more than just bowling and fishing games on this console. The company went one step further, designing a Wii fitness program. Since everyone was up and moving, they decided to capitalize on it. The Wii Fit is another attachment for the Wii console, which has the appearance of a flat board. Using this board, Wii owners can perform a variety of exercises and get in shape.

Let’s first examine the cost. With any exercise program, there is always a cost, and if the cost seems unreasonable you’ll lose people right there. The Wii Fit board costs a whopping $90 but people are willing to pay for the chance to see if it is as much fun as the other Wii games they’ve tried. And when you compare it to other fitness equipment, it’s really not that expensive at all.

Good news for new exercisers: The Wii Fit board can hold up to 330 pounds. That’s not saying that you weigh 330 pounds, but if you are a bigger person, you can still use the Wii Fit board. Many new gadgets don’t allow for weights in all ranges, and that is a problem for many people. Especially those who might feel uncomfortable at the gym, or don’t have the space for larger exercise equipment in their home.

The Wii Fit uses several exercises to get people in shape. One of the exercises is the Wii Fit Ski Jump. You know how the people jump on the Olympic ski runs? That is what you are doing. The board is sensitive enough to pick up your movements and track your fitness workout. With the ski jump, you are squatting in position for the jump and standing to jump.

Try beating your kids at a hoola-hoop competition, or “running round the track” without leaving your living room.

The Wii Fit board also teaches balance, and that works the abs and strengthens the other core muscles. While the Wii Fit may not be a total workout program, it is a place to start. It does offer a workout, but you will need more cardiovascular work than what is provided with the Wii. It functions as a supplement to an exercise program but not as the whole thing. However, there are more cardio exercises with the Wii Fit Plus, and other additional games you can get which use the Wii Fit board as well.

How long will this new fad last? Who knows, but as long as people are playing the other Wii games, they are getting at least some activity in each day, which is never a bad thing. And what a wonderful idea for those days when you can’t make it out for your regular workout! Even the kids can get involved, making sure “mom” gets in her video game time as well.

Using Stability Balls in Your Workouts

While it’s true that many people will purchase hundreds, if not thousands of dollars worth of training equipment for use in their home, not all of us have that possibility. When it comes time for you to purchase some type of exercise equipment for use when you can’t make it to the gym, or when weather doesn’t permit you to go for walks or runs, often simpler is better. Simple equipment can be used in a multitude of ways, so there really isn’t a necessity for a huge budget, or additional choices if you want to try something new (such as working a different group of muscles for example). And probably the most simple exercise product you can find is a stability ball.

These balls found their birth back in the 1960s, and were used primarily for physical therapy purposes for people with orthopaedic issues. However, it’s popularity grew quickly as a tool which could be used for various fitness training needs, and you will find them today in both home and commercial gyms just about everywhere.

Commonly used for strengthening muscles, the stability ball provides an unstable surface to work with, forcing your muscles to readjust on a continual basis in order to not only maintain balance, but posture as well. The back and abdominal muscles are those which most often benefit from this type of fitness routing.

You can use stability balls in just about any type of exercise, as they are not associated with any one particular type. From weight training to yoga, Pilates to do-it-yourself exercise plans, they are of great use in any exercise which targets the core of your body. Sit-ups can be made easier (or for others, more challenging) by using a stability ball. Exercises in balance can be practiced time and again, including balancing your entire body on the ball. No matter what your choice of exercise is, there is likely a way to enhance it with a stability ball.

There are various sizes of stability balls available, and not all are suitable for every person. Some of the factors determining the appropriate size of your stability ball are your height, your weight and more importantly, the length of your legs. Generally speaking, anyone under 5’ should be using a ball measuring 45 cm. For people 5’ to 5’7” the ideal size is 55 cm, and any taller than that you should be choosing a stability ball measuring 65 cm.

When you’re sitting on the stability ball, your legs should always be placed at a 90-degree angle. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor, and your hips should find themselves at the same height as your knees. This position should feel natural, and you shouldn’t need to have to stretch in any direction for your feet to comfortably hit the floor. If you do, your ball is the wrong size. The same applies if your thighs aren’t parallel to the floor.

The more firm the stability ball is, the most benefit it will provide you. The reason for this is the amount of challenge there is for you to remain balanced. However, there are certain conditions where a softer ball is more beneficial, such as for those women who are seriously out of shape, elderly or disabled and those who are overweight. Most sporting goods stores, as well as department stores carry a variety of different balls. You can also order them online.

No matter what your fitness level is, you’ll find the stability ball to be a great starting place, or addition to your present fitness routine. While it might take getting used to, once the habit has been mastered keeping your balance will become second nature. It will also assist you in other aspects of your life as well. If you can only get yourself one piece of sporting or fitness equipment, consider a stability ball. It will get you more bang for your buck for the beginning of your new fitness adventures.

The 30 Minute Exercise Motivator

If you’re like many other women out there, you have already made that oh-so-easy to make decision that you just don’t have the time to exercise. Why, there are the kids, your job, errands, chores, just being plain tired…these are all perfectly good reasons not to get that exercising into your day, right? Wrong! There is time; and we’re about to help you find it.

Managing Your Time

Anyone who has worked in a fair sized company, or any company at all for that matter, has probably had their share of experiences with time management. The concept of getting the most done in the least amount of time is something most companies strive for. It not only saves them money, it also allows them to see where there is time and/or resources being wasted.

Now, what if you were to apply these same tactics to your own daily life? Calculate how much down time you have, and how often you have it. This could be any amount of time you spend waiting on something, or someone. Such as the time  it takes your assistant to draft the report you asked for. Or the time it takes for the casserole in the oven to finish cooking. It could even be that amount of time (however short it may seem) that your baby has finally fallen asleep for her nap. With enough though, I’m sure you can come up with, at the very least, 30 minutes a day where you have absolutely nothing life-threatening which needs to be done.

Is there any reason why you can’t make that chunk of time your personal exercise time? Nobody ever said you needed to work out 2 hours a day in order to keep fit. You just need to realize that time is available, and then you can schedule some exercise in to fill the slot.

What Type of Exercise do YOU like?

Think of an exercise that you don’t mind doing. It could be as simple as dancing or as complex as martial arts. The fact of the matter is, if you engage in a physical activity you enjoy, the chances are much more likely that you’ll stick to it. If you really aren’t fond of bicycle riding, I really can’t recommend that you choose that as a way to use your 30 minutes of exercise time. You’ll get tired of it, bored, discouraged…you’ll find any number of reasons NOT to have to go out there and ride that bicycle.

If you like to dance however, it will be much easier to keep up with this new routine of adding 30 minutes of physical activity to your day. Why? Because it’s human nature to make time to do the things we actually enjoy. Besides, dancing is an easy one. You can dance with your kids, you can dance around the kitchen while drying the dishes (ok, maybe not with the good china), or you can even dance while your ironing your husband’s shirts.

And do you want to know the best thing about exercise?  It’s cumulative. Take your thirty minutes while ironing shirts, plus another fifteen there while you walk up and down the stairs with laundry baskets and it all beautifully adds up to an increase in your personal fitness level. There is absolutely no reason to let the factor of time be discouraging. Short bursts of more intense exercises often work better for overall fitness. So, if all you have is 10 minutes to spare, go for it, and give it all you’ve got. Run in place as fast as you can, or take the stairs at a faster pace, instead of waiting for the elevator. Just remember if you’re going for short, intense workouts to give it your all the entire time.

Making time for exercise might not be the easiest thing you do today, but it is probably the one which is the most necessary. Sit and think of where you can save a few minutes here and there from your schedule, and make yourself and your health an earnest commitment to use that time for exercise. Once your mind is set, and your habit well cemented into your lifestyle you will find additional opportunities for working out popping up all over the place!

HIIT: Cardio or Resistance

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a theory of exercise that pushes the body to reach a maximum performance for short spurts of time. This method has been proven to burn more body fat, while at the same time also help maintain muscle integrity.

There are two main directions for HIIT workouts. Some choose the cardio HIIT which focuses on increasing the level of output for short periods of time – for instance a walk, jog, run interval.

Resistance HIIT maintains an even pace for the workout, but increases the resistance for short intervals – for instance biking at the same pace but choosing to increase the resistance to push the body harder, or jogging at the same pace but choosing to increase the incline on the treadmill for a short interval, and then returning it to the original state.

Both types of HIIT workouts are great methods for fat burning. They are also good for time management, since HIIT workouts generally last only around 15 to 20 minutes (although it’s important to remember that this is a time limit which beginners may have to work up to). HIIT cardio and resistance training also carry over the benefits of the workout for up to 36 hours after the workout is complete.

The major difference between the two types of HIIT workouts is stress. Because the resistance training remains at an even pace, there is less stress exerted on the joints. The increase in intensity comes from the increase in the resistance.

The path to a HIIT workout is not as important as reaching that intensity level. Resistance training and cardio can both be beneficial choices. Mixing up the HIIT workouts between the two might even help to stimulate interest, as it can easily take the ‘mundane’ out of practicing the same old workout time and time again.

No matter how you choose to get in your HIIT workout, be sure that you consult a physician before you begin. HIIT can be tough on the body, and it is always a good idea to be checked out by your doctor before beginning a major exercise regime. You want to give yourself every possible benefit of this type of program, and it all starts out with a YES from your doctor.

Videos, Pictures and Sore Muscles

Videos, Pictures and Sore Muscles

(2/21/2010) It’s been a long weekend.  But I got a lot accomplished.  I spent Saturday and Sunday Morning recording more than 50 videos in preparation for the workout club membership site I am launching this week.  I am so proud of the program I have put together.  After years of people asking me what to do, how to lose weight, how to shape this body part and that body part, I found a way to answer them ALL… at once. 

The best workouts you can get.  30 exercises completely illustrated (that’s pictures yall) and videos that both describe them and show how to do them.  The concept is 30 minutes a day to reshape your body.  I have combined 30 of the most effective exercises that will burn fat and build muscle.  These thirty exercises can be combined in hundreds of ways so you’ll never get bored and never hit a plateau.

I have to say that taking pictures and recording videos with a 14 year old wasn’t an easy task.  Ever tried to hold a pushup in lowered position while a 14 year old figure out how to make the camera flash.  Yeah, even I began to question my own strength. Despite the periodic technical problems we finished all the exercises and all the poses.  I am so excited about this!  It may be one of best projects I’ve done so far. 

This week it about editing and getting everything up loaded.  The launch will be an online EVENT not to be missed.  Stay tuned . . .

A Week of Travel

I am back home and it has taken a few days to get back on track with my eating.  Being on the road has taken a toll on my eating.  I made salmon on Friday and I think it was the first home cooked meal in 10 days.  Despite the hectic travel and the subsequent readjustment I am proud of myself.  Here is a recap of my proudest and not so proud moments.

Tuesday (2/9/2010) Left for Atlanta,  the middle of a snow storm.  I95 was shut down going to through Maryland and Virginia so we had to check in a hotel in New Jersey.  I was very stressed so decided to work it out by going to the hotel gym 6am Wednesday morning.  It was basically a converted hotel room with one bike, one treadmill and one multiuse machine.  So I warmed up then did a modified version of a 300 workout.  I didn’t feel like repeats so it worked out well. 

Ate turkey and pastrami sandwiches on the road, a few Odwalla protein shakes and a bag of sunflower seeds I got from the gas station, and lots of coffee, just because.  My husband drove the entire way, so I didn’t need the caffeine but it’s a bonding thing to get coffee together J

Thursday/Friday (2/12/2010) Arrived in Atlanta 1am on Friday morning.  We spent the night at some friends’ house.  I went to the hotel for a 1pm pre-conference meeting with hotel administration.

Friday-Sunday – STRESS! STRESS! STRESS!….okay lots of FUN between that but I worry a lot when it comes to the Fit Muslimah Summits.  It’s my baby so I want it to be perfect.  I think I can get over that notions after this Summit.  The snow and cold caused everything from missing participants to presenters cancelling due to delayed trains, car accidents and simply “I can’t drive in this weather”. AHHHH

Sunday (2/14/2010) – It’s over and despite of and in spite of all the problems I am so happy I came and did it.  So after everyone left my daughter and I went across the street to Ruby Tuesday’s for dinner.  We both ate only about 1/3 of our meal.  Neither of us really liked what we ordered.

8:pm – I hadn’t exercised in days, time to hit the Gym.  I got on the treadmill, cranked up my ipod and just ran until the machine said 500 calories.

Monday (2/15/2010) – 6:00am – Heck I’m up so may as well hit the gym again.  Went down and got on the elliptical until it read 300 calories.   I would have stayed until it said 500 but I was bored and had some computer stuff to do.  It was my husband’s birthday so I went to hotel gift shop and got him a card and an Atlanta Mug.  He collects mugs.  Just a temporary gift so he’ll know I didn’t forget.

11:AM – Check out and on the road to South Carolina to visit my sister and her family.

4:00 PM OMG – The food is ready!  Steak, Fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, garden salad and red rice and beans.  I haven’t had steak in almost a year.  I don’t eat red meat that often.  So I had to debate.  Fried chicken or steak? I settled for the steak because I cold separate the fat from the meat and I hadn’t had any in a long time. Had a tablespoon of macaroni in cheese, rice and bean and some salad.  My husband looked like he was in heaven as he had a little bit of everything.

My sister said she cooked all that because she knows my kids and husband don’t get it at home.  They appreciated it.

12: Midnight  Back on the road!   Straight through no stopping.  I slept most of the way.  Woke up every couple hours when we had bathroom stops.

Tuesday (2/16/2010) – Back just in time for ANOTHER snow storm.  The snow is really stalking me. 

By the time we cleaned out the van and returned it to the rental company I was pooped.  Ordered Pizza for dinner and went to bed.

Wednesday (2/17/2010) – Still pooped….Travel does this to me. ..who’s cooking dinner? Not me.  A protein shake will work for me.  The kids are having pasta.

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