Exercise Helps with Stress

One of the biggest reasons to start hitting the gym is because it helps release endorphins that make you feel happier and less stressed. When you’re exercising, you aren’t focusing on your problems, you’re focusing on the here and now through your body. Exercise is also fantastic for improving your sleep, which is also known to reduce stress.

Reduce Risk of Illness

Cancer, heart disease, and stroke all have something in common. Lifestyle changes can reduce the chance of them happening to you. Exercise is one of those lifestyle changes. Getting at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise every week can make you healthier and keep you in shape. Consider how you want to look and feel in ten or 20 years. Exercising can ensure you get your wish.

Path to Success

Joining a gym is a great way to start healthy habits, which can also offer the chance to practice setting and meeting goals. When you manage success in one part of your life, it’s easier to do it in other areas. Set small goals to begin with, like going to the gym two or three times a week. Once time passes, you can move on to bigger goals.

At Planet Health, we want to see everyone living and feeling their best. If you’re ready to join a gym and start changing your habits, come learn more at www.PlanetHealthCork.ie.

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But, what about winter though? Is it ok to just let yourself go because you’re all covered up with bulky clothes? No, you shouldn’t do that. You can stay fit in winter just like you do in the summer. You just may need to alter your workouts a bit if the weather isn’t being very nice. Let’s look at a couple of ideas to help you stay in shape during the cold months.

Tip #1: Look for the Stairs

Stairs are amazing for getting in some great cardio and for working out the muscles in your legs. You can run or walk the stairs of your apartment building, the ones in your house, or the ones in your office building. If you need to start slower, just take a break between a couple of flights by walking a hallway. If you want to pick it up, take two steps at once and sprint.

Tip #2: Join an Indoor Sports Team

There are others like you who want to stay active when it’s cold outside. Look for an indoor sports league and join a team. You’ll get to have fun doing something you enjoy, while at the same time you’ll be burning calories, and you’ll have the motivation that comes with being active with others.

Tip #3: Workout in the Cold

Don’t be afraid to be cold. Your body has to work to stay warm when it’s cold. It burns calories just by doing this. Get out in the cold and walk, run, or do the other types of workouts you do in the heat. It’s ok to be cold, just take care when there’s ice or snow on the ground.

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Try Sprinting

Whether you run outside or inside on a set of stairs or a treadmill, this is a great way to burn calories quickly. There’s no equipment needed besides a good pair of running shoes, and the activity can be done anywhere you happen to be. It’s a simple exercise that can burn even more calories if you ramp up the intensity or speed.

High-Intensity Interval Training

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) offers a well-rounded workout while burning plenty of calories and fat. This kind of workout can vary since you can choose the intensity as well as what variation of exercises you would like to focus on. Pair a cardio element with a body-weight movement and weighted movement, and you will be on your way.

Rowing

All you have to do is look at a rower to see how well it can improve the body. Roving incorporates use of the upper and lower body in low-stress exercises as far as your ligaments and joints are concerned. Even a moderate pace on a rowing machine can burn off tons of calories. Those with a higher intensity can only increase the fat burning possible.

Swimming

With swimming, you get a workout of your entire body as soon as you step in the water. You’re pushing against gravity, so your muscles work to keep you afloat the entire time you are in the water. However, type of stroke also matters. A butterfly stroke gets rid of more calories than a breaststroke, for example.

Not sure where to stay with losing weight in the gym? Try the exercises above to drop the pounds more quickly. You may be surprised how much of a difference it can make in just a few short weeks or months.

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Work Out in an Efficient Way

Choose a workout you can do anywhere and at any time if you want to get that exercise in. This should be something that needs little preparation and offers good physical gains in short amounts of time. Tabata training, high-intensity interval training, running, and body weight exercises are all great options.

Pay Attention to Your Likes and Dislikes

Maybe you hate running, or you don’t enjoy going swimming. That’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with focusing on the things you do like. Maybe that’s yoga, dance, or weight training. While exercise requires self-discipline, it’s a lot more fun when it fits your personality. If you aren’t sure what’s right for you, do a bit of experimenting to find out.

Make a Schedule and Use It

Being too busy is one of the most common excuses not to go in for a workout. However, you have to prioritise the things that matter to you. You wouldn’t skip out on work for no reason, and you shouldn’t skip visiting the gym, either. What you need to do is make a schedule and then do your best to stick with it. You might be surprised by how much it helps.

A workout doesn’t have to take a lot of time, and some exercises can be done nearly anywhere you are. If you want to become healthier, find the time to exercise. You can do it; you have to push yourself to do it even when you may not feel like doing it.

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Potential to Burn Tons of Calories

If you’re someone who wants to lose weight, spin class is a solid choice. Completing a hard workout can help you burn calories, and just getting through a spin class can make you feel great. Spinning can be hard and high intensity, but it’s also fun, so it’s easy to forget how much effort you are putting into your exercise.

Different Workouts Every Time

Getting on the elliptical or treadmill every single day can get pretty boring. You might start to dread going to the gym in the morning when you know you’ll be doing the same monotonous things. Spin classes offer a different workout every time you join a class. Some days might focus on climbing hills, while others focus on sprints.

Adaptable to Your Ability Level 

While spinning can be a hard workout, it doesn’t have to be impossible. If you’re new to things, you can spin without resistance and have some fun. The instructor will tell you when to add resistance, but if you’re having trouble, you can tone it down. This is a workout that can be tailored to anyone’s abilities.

The best part about going to a spin class is making it through to the end. You feel like you got something done and this can spill over into the rest of your life. Even if you aren’t sure it will be right for you, give it a shot. You never know what will happen.

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Who Morning Exercise Works Best For 

Are you the sort of person who has trouble sticking with your gym routine? If so, it may be best to do your exercising early in the day. There has been research done showing that where consistency is concerned, morning exercise works best. However, those who choose this option should take more time to warm up than you would later in the day. 

On top of that, if you experience insomnia, getting to the gym instead of hitting the alarm and snoozing may be the better option. The reason for this is because exercising or eating late in the day can make it harder for your body to relax and unwind so you can sleep. 

When Exercising Later is Better

Everyone is different, and just because some people are more consistent exercising in the morning, that doesn’t mean it will apply to you. Some people’s body rhythms make it easier to exercise a bit later in the day. For example, some people prefer to exercise at lunchtime, although you should eat after the workout instead of the opposite.

Finding Your Schedule

Not sure when is the best time to exercise for you? Experiment to find out. Try working out early for a few weeks and gauge how it feels before trying exercise a bit later in the day. It may be easier than you think to find out what works best for you. Once you know, you can keep to that schedule to stay on track.

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Setting up a workout program is a significant first step that may make you more comfortable inside the local fitness club. Trying a F.I.T.T. program can be the easiest option, and it’s sure to help you reach your goals. 

What the F.I.T.T. Principle Is

The F.I.T.T. principles involve setting up a workout program for strength training, cardio, or both. The principle lets you make changes to your workout as needed to progress to higher fitness levels and keep things exciting. Below are the elements of F.I.T.T. and how to work with each of them. 

• Frequency – This is how often you exercise. It might be doing cardio three times a week and strength training the other tree times or whatever else works for your situation. As time passes, you can make the cardio workouts longer and more intense.

• Intensity – This is all about how hard you are working. While beginning, a moderate-intensity cardio workout is going to be your focus. However, as you get better at exercise, you can ramp up the intensity level to meet your needs.

• Time – This means how long you spend working out. In most cases, cardio workouts start at 20 or 25 minutes. You can add a few minutes every week to see progress without working that much harder.

• Type – This refers to the type of exercise, like running, walking, or cycling. Starting with things you enjoy is essential but mixing it up will keep you more engaged.

As you work out using these principles, you will see changes in your endurance, weight, strength, and body fat. When your body gets used to the current workout, you can adjust it in any of the four ways to make the workout more successful.

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Aerobic Exercise

Cardio and aerobic exercise are among the best when it comes to fighting depression. Experts recommend spending about 20 to 30 minutes engaging in this kind of exercise a few times a week to get the results you want. These exercises can cause the body to release endorphins which make people feel good. It can produce a sense of joy or well-being and even increase physical pain levels.

Strength Training

Just like cardio, strength training may also help with feelings of depression. One study shows that a 10-week strength training program helped ease depression systems in stroke survivors with depression. This kind of workout is about control and mastery. It requires concentration and attention. However, start slowly, and don’t be afraid to use a personal trainer.

Yoga 

Another exercise that can help to ease depression is yoga. It involves mindfulness and offers improved flexibility but also helps break up repetitive negative thinking. Yoga can help improve balance, make you more aware of your breathing, and provide a meditative effect. Starting with a yoga class can give you insight into how to do the movements and poses the correct way.

Nobody wants to be depressed, and it can be hard to feel motivated to do anything when you have those feelings. However, getting up and trying some exercise may help lessen your symptoms and get you feeling better. Even if you don’t like the exercises above, there’s sure to be something else that fits your needs.

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Foot and Ankle Injuries

There are plenty of exercise options with a foot injury such as using the rowing machine, spending time in the swimming pool, or using a stationary bike with one leg. Your physician can recommend cardio exercises that you can still do to keep your body in good shape while you heal from the injury. Circuit training can also work if you do the right exercises.

Knee and Leg Injuries

Knee and leg injuries often limit you more than foot injuries. Nearly all endurance exercises require you to extend and flex the knee joint, so it may be harder to come up with a new routine. Kayaking, cycling with one leg, or using a handcycle are possible options. Swimming can also be done if you use a pull buoy to prevent kicking your legs.

Shoulder and Elbow Injuries

With elbow or shoulder injuries, there are many options since you can still use the entire lower body while you exercise. Stair climbing, walking, stationary cycling without using the hands, or the elliptical trainer are all just fine. Circuit training is another great option to maintain the power and strength of joints and muscles that are uninjured.

If it’s important to you not to lose gains after an injury, you may have to adapt your fitness routine. A personal trainer can help you come up with a new routine, and your doctor may have suggestions as well. With proper rest and relaxation, you may be able to return to your favourite exercises and sports quickly.

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Basics of Circuit Training

A circuit training workout often involves spending time at around 10 different exercise stations. Once you finish one station, you move on to another station instead of resting. There are endurance and strength circuits where you alternate the muscles you work on as well as aerobic and strength circuits that involve both resistance exercises and cardiovascular exercise. In most cases, you can complete a circuit in 30 minutes to an hour.

Why Try Circuit Training

Many people give up on hitting the gym because they are tired of doing the same thing, or they don’t have time to get everything done that they would like to. Circuit training handles both of those issues while ensuring muscular and cardio fitness. You can burn a large number of calories during a moderate circuit. Because you can change up the sequence of exercises, it can also be adapted to your training goals or mood.

Circuit Training at the Gym

Many gyms offer circuit training classes that allow you to have some company while working out. This can be a great option since moving from station to station may be difficult when other people are using the equipment. A personal trainer can also help you build the right training workout for your needs. 

You can keep things interesting at the gym by partaking in circuit training. You’ll get to burn calories while working out all the major muscle groups. The best part is that it takes very little time so you can get back out of the gym and enjoy the rest of your day.

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