Exercise You Can Take Anywhere....

If you're anything like me I like to exercise even when I'm away. Doing some exercise as part of my weekly routine is important to me, so having items I can use to exercise with and pack easily into my suit case are a must.

I have recently been asked to try out a hula hoop. Not your solid circular hoop but a weighted, flexible type.

I really didn't know what to expect, let alone even see how it could possibly be effective but I was willing to give it a try.

My initial thoughts were that it would be difficult to use but I liked the idea of being able to take it with me on my travels AND it was easy to store at home, so I reserved all judgement.

It took me only a short time to get the hang of using it and because of the weight and design I could really feel it working. Not only did it work my waist and hips but I also felt like I'd had a cardio workout and felt slightly breathless and sweaty (all good signs in my eyes!!)

I was really impressed by this piece of equipment and could definitely feel a difference.

Not only could you use it to trim your waist but it was cleverly designed to enable you to also work other parts of the body including your arms (all will be revealed).

I'll be sharing a video on how to use it.

If you can't wait that long, then here is the link to the hula hoop HERE

It really is amazing, easy to use and store, so it ticks all of the boxes for me 👍

Quick Ways To Fit In 10 Minutes Of Exercise

Breaking exercise into small chunks on your overscheduled days can also keep your confidence up, since skipping it altogether can make you feel tired, guilty, or depressed. Keep in mind, though, that short bursts of exercise are meant to supplement, not replace, your regular fitness routine.

Here are simple, practical ways to work exercise into your day even when you're short on time:

Around the House

1. When you go outside to pick up your morning newspaper, take a brisk 5-minute power walk up the street in one direction and back in the other. 

2. If you're housebound caring for a sick child or grandchild, hop on an exercise bike or do a treadmill workout while your ailing loved one naps.

3. Try 5 to 10 minutes of jumping jacks. (A 150-pound woman can burn 90 calories in one 10-minute session.)

4. Cooking dinner? Do standing push-ups while you wait for a pot to boil. Stand about an arm's length from the kitchen counter, and push your arms against the counter. Push in and out to get toned arms and shoulders.

5. After dinner, go outside and play tag or shoot baskets with your kids and their friends.

6. Just before bed or while you're giving yourself a facial at night, do a few repetitions of some dumbbell exercises, suggests exercise instructor Sheila Cluff, owner and founder of The Oaks at Ojai and The Palms, in Palm Springs, CA, who keeps a set of free weights on a shelf in front of her bathroom sink.

While Waiting

7. Walk around the block several times while you wait for your child to take a music lesson. As your fitness level improves, add 1-minute bursts of jogging to your walks.

8. Walk around medical buildings if you have a long wait for a doctor's appointment. "I always ask the receptionist to give me an idea of how long I have left to wait," Cluff says. "Most are usually very willing to tell you."

9. While your son or daughter plays a soccer game, walk around the field.

10. Turn a trip to a park with your child into a mini-workout for you. Throw a ball back and forth and run for fly balls. 

Keeping Active Doesn't Have To Cost A Thing!

Some of you may be familiar with my mode of thinking that exercise shouldn't have to cost.

There are so many ways to exercise and get fit without paying a penny.

I have found this quick routine which works the body and improves fitness.

Exercise At Home - All Weather

If you have read my previous posts you will know that I enjoy my exercise. There is not a day goes by that I don't do some form of activity (some days I do more than others).

I love nothing more than walking and a bit of a jog with my beloved pooch to jumping on my bike and cycling through the open country - weather permitting of course and this is were the problem can arise.

My Wheels 

I have never let the rain, cold and wind stop me getting outdoors but there is a limit to what I will do when the weather is doing its worst.

For one the dog hates going out in the rain so I tend to take myself for a walk on these days and two there is no way I will jump on my bike to get soaked and come back feeling miserable, cold and wet.

I still get out there but it is not as much fun in the rain now is it? :(

I have always had some weights and ankle weights which I use on a regular basis but felt I needed to do more cardio, so I decided to turn one of my rooms in to a small gym area. I had been wanting to do this for some time but ummed and ahhed about it. My 16 year old daughter had just joined a gym and kept asking me to go with her. I love the gym and spent some years working in one until having my daughter but the time factor was a real problem for me. Half an hour to get there, an hour in the gym and then half an hour to get home, 2 hours out of my day!!!

Creating a small gym at home seemed the most logical option and would also save my daughter a bit of money in the process. So that's what I did.

As space was tight and I wanted room to do floor exercises aswell as using a barbell and also keep cost down, I decided to just buy a cross trainer and barbell (my next post highlights the benefits of using a cross trainer).

Now I can get a good varied workout AT HOME IN ALL WEATHER. Brilliant :)

4 Ways Walking Adds Years To Your Life

Want to know the best workout for a longer, healthier future? You don't need a fancy gym or pricey trainer: A growing body of research proves that slipping on a pair of sneakers and going for a stroll is a great way to squeeze more quality years into your time on this planet. And you don't have to commit hours a day to benefit. According to a study published in the journal PLoS Medicine, walking for 11 minutes a day is enough to extend your lifespan by 2 years. Meanwhile, research from Australia's University of Sydney shows swapping one hour of sitting for an hour ofwalking can slash your risk of early death by about 14%—that could mean roughly 9 additional years!
 
Need even more motivation to start stepping? Read on to learn about the different ways this simple form of exercise can turn back the clock.

1. It counteracts the damage caused by sitting.

You've already heard that staying seated for long stretches can slow your circulation, raising your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health issues. But even a short stroll can counteract these harmful effects. In study published in the journal Experimental Physiology, researchers found that people who sat at a desk for 6 hours experienced reduced blood flow in their legs—and a 10-minute stroll was enough to reverse the effect.
 
For even more benefits, stretch your legs at least every hour. Researchers from the University of Utah School of Medicine that people who did a light-intensity activity, such as walking, for 2 minutes each hour had a 33% lower chance of dying during the study than those who didn't.

2. It safeguards your heart.

Walking gets your blood pumping, strengthening your ticker with each step. It can also help you blow off steam and reduce the amount of stress in your life, says James O'Keefe, MD, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. “Walking may protect your heart by as much as running.” In fact, Harvard scientists found that strolling for at least 3 hours a week can reduce your odds of heart attack and cardiac death by 35%.

3. It puts you on a path to a healthy weight.

An hour of brisk walking can torch up to 460 calories, making it an effective slim-down weapon. What's more, it can target the most harmful form of fat: Regular stepping can help shrink belly fat and increase insulin sensitivity, two precursors to diabetes. In fact, research shows that a 30-minute stroll a day can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by about 30%, while a one-mile daily walk lowers diabetics' odds of dying from the disease by 39%.

4. It can help your body repair its DNA. 

Walking and other forms of exercise can help put the brakes on the aging process. In a study from Germany's Saarland University, researchers found that regular walking increases activity of telomerase, an enzyme that helps the body mend its DNA. This effect could help you live longer, says study author Sanjay Sharma, MD. He estimates that just 25 minutes of brisk walking or slow jogging a day could buy you 7 additional years of life.
 

And that my friends are some of the reasons I am the biggest fan of walking daily :)









Source: prevention.com/fitness/4-ways-walking-adds-years-to-your-life

3 Moves To Whittle Your Middle

Enough with crude crunches. Pretty is just as powerful. Refine your ab workout with elegant plank dips and a seated twist. This floor routine will whittle your waist, strengthen your back, and elongate your spine, giving you a tall, graceful look. While doing these moves (3 or 4 times a week is best), keep your abs, obliques, back, and legs contracted as you make smooth, even movements. 

Side Plank Dip

A. Lie on left side with right foot crossed over left and right hand behind head. Rest left forearm on floor perpendicular to body, elbow under shoulder. Lift hips so legs are off floor, keeping forearm on floor for support.

B. Slowly lower hips to 1 to 2 inches off floor. Do 10 reps. Switch sides and repeat.

A. Sit on floor with legs in front, knees bent, and feet on floor. Grasp both ends of a 3- to 5-pound dumbbell and extend arms out in front of chest.

PHOTOGRAPH BY HILMAR HILMAR

B. Lift left leg and, keeping arms straight, contract abs and obliques, twisting to the left and bringing dumbbell down toward floor. Return to start position, then twist to the right. Continue, alternating sides. Do 10 reps.

Oblique Stretch

PHOTOGRAPH BY HILMAR HILMAR

Sit on floor with both legs bent to the left in a comfortable position, right foot by left knee. Hold left shin with left hand, and extend right arm overhead. Look up at right hand as you gently stretch toward the left. Switch sides and repeat.

Source:prevention.com/fitness/whittle-your-middle?cid=OB-_-PVN-_-ARR

Off The Floor Ab Exercise #4

4. Lunge Run

(PHOTO BY ERICKA MCCONNELL)

Why: Tones your rectus abdominis, the long muscle that runs from your ribs to your pelvis, to give your abs super definition.

How: Lunge with left foot in front and right foot about 2 feet behind it, arms bent at sides. Keeping left knee bent and torso still, lift right knee toward chest and lower, swinging arms back and forth. Switch legs and repeat. 











Source:prevention.com/fitness/6-floor-ab-exercises

Lazy Britain.....

Almost half don't do ANY brisk exercise meaning the UK has some of the worse fitness levels in Europe 

• New figures show that 44% of adults never do any moderate exercise 
• Five million British adults spend more than eight hours a day sitting down 
• One in ten adults admit that they never walk for longer than ten minutes
• Britain is ranked 16th when compared to 26 other European countries

Nearly half of all Britons do no moderate exercise, figures show.

With moderate exercise defined as enough to raise your heart rate or cause you to break into a sweat, the figures reveal that British fitness levels are among the worst in Europe.

The British Heart Foundation statistics show that 44 per cent of adults never do any moderate physical activity.

About five million adults spend more than eight hours a day sitting down, and one in ten Britons admit they never walk for more than ten minutes at a time.

As a nation, we are three times less active than the Netherlands. Overall, Britain is ranked 16th out of 28 European countries for fitness levels – on a par with Slovakia, Romania and Ireland.

Catherine Kelly, director of prevention, survival and support at the BHF, said: ‘The figures are a worrying indication of the overall picture of our nation’s heart health. 

Alongside funding research into improving outcomes for heart patients, we need to create environments that make it easier for people to better understand and cut their risk of heart disease.

‘Research has shown that even making small, more active changes to your daily routine can improve your heart health.

+2

‘With the warmer nights and lighter evenings, the summer is the perfect opportunity for people to start making these changes.’

The figures were compiled by Oxford University researchers who looked at national surveys on exercise and sedentary behaviour.

They show that only 10 per cent of British adults regularly play a sport or physical activity compared to 15 per cent in Sweden, Spain and Slovenia.

And 9 per cent said they never walked for more than ten minutes at a time.

Earlier this year a report by MPs warned that millions of women were too embarrassed to exercise for fear of being judged. Members of the health select committee said women worry they will be ‘ridiculed’ for being sweaty and out of breath, or for struggling at the back when out for a group jog.

NHS guidelines state adults should undertake at least two and a half hours’ moderate activity a week but fewer than a third of women and less than half of men actually do.

Last year NHS officials said a lack of exercise was to blame for one in six deaths – including from cancer, strokes and heart disease – a similar number to tobacco. They said our sedentary lifestyles are not only causing obesity – they are directly responsible for muscle and joint complaints, depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, dementia, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

n Elderly men who exercise for just half an hour on most days of the week can extend their lifespan by five years, a new study has found.

The research suggests that older men who boost their physical activity levels do as much good for their health as giving up smoking.

The study found that carrying out 30 minutes of exercise six times a week was linked to a 40 per cent lower risk of death in men in their 70s. By comparison, giving up smoking resulted in a 41 per cent lower risk of death.

Men who exercised regularly at any intensity lived up to five years longer than those who did not.

The research by the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences in Oslo is published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Source: dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3082439/Lazy-Britain-half-don-t-brisk-exercise-meaning-UK-worse-fitness-levels-Europe.html#ixzz3aCHPbAiD

Get More Active At Work

HOW YOU CAN BOOST YOUR ACTIVITY AT WORK

• Make a few extra trips to the water fountain – good for hydration, too

• Set your alarm or use a personal fitness band to remind you to move every 30 minutes

• Get up and talk to colleagues rather than sending an email

• Stand up and wander around for that phone-call

• How about a walking or standing meeting? It is supposed to help the creative juices flow and avoids those painfully long conferences.

• Consider using a standing or treadmill desk – studies show they can help

• If you can get outside, even better… fresh air leads to fresh ideas and boosts vitamin D.

• When you are sitting, adjust chairs to keep you supported and upright

• Alter screen height and brightness to suit you. A poorly positioned keyboard and mouse can contribute to wrist, arm, shoulder and neck pain, so make sure your keyboard and mouse are not too far away from you.

Source: dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3064131/Can-t-bothered-exercise-Just-WALK-Doctor-reveals-simple-tricks-undo-damage-sitting-day.html#ixzz3ZvTG9s42

10 Minute Bottom Toning

Running Tips For Women

Ace your next race with these top tips

Going for a run is probably one of the most popular ways to get your workout on, whether it's hitting the roads or jumping on a treadmill when the weather's gross outside. If you sometimes find running a little tedious, why not challenge yourself to go faster or further?

Here are our top tips to smash your run.

To the gym

Weight training could make you a better runner. A Norwegian study found that resistance training three times a week for eight weeks significantly improved running efficiency and endurance in well-trained, long-distance runners.

Uphill battle

Want to conquer the hills? To race uphill, run with a short stride while pushing off the balls of your feet and pumping your arms. Then relax your arms and use a longer stride to go downhill.

Ready, set, splash!

Getting wet could make you a better runner. Swimming increases your upper body strength, making your runs more efficient, while aqua jogging mimics your usual movement sans impact –reducing the risk of injury.

Bright idea

‘Watch your stance when running,’ tips Fitness First trainer Andy Hall. ‘Leaping forward and striding too far will drain your energy fast. Instead, make sure you stand tall and lean slightly forward, so when you feel like you’re going to fall, you step forward just enough to catch yourself. This should be the length of your stride.’

Take five

Listen to your body! If you’re feeling under the weather or if your body is sore and ready for a rest, take a recovery day. Only you know if those aches and pains are from a good run or the sign you need to rest.

Sand storm

Here’s a good excuse to book a beach getaway – running on sand can improve your speed and muscle tone. A study from St Luke’s University Clinic in Belgium found that pounding the sand requires 1.6 times more energy than running on pavements as your body has to work harder to deal with the soft, unstable surface. That adds up to more defined muscles and a swifter run when you get back to solid ground. Neat!

Drink up

Hydration is key for runners, but plain old water is best if you’re only doing short runs. Upgrade to a sports drink if you’re running for longer than an hour to help shuttle glucose to your muscles and combat fatigue.

Source: womensfitness.co.uk/fitness/583/running-tips-women

2-Minute Workouts: Exercises Even You Can Find Time For

No time to exercise? That's no longer a good enough excuse for skipping the physical activity we all need. Here are four great exercises you can do in two minutes or less each. Squeeze them in throughout your day:

1. When you're at the supermarket, get your shopping cart and push it—empty—around the perimeter of the store before you begin shopping. If you're used to a bit of exercise, wait until the cart is half-full and then push it around the store circuit. And don't get side-tracked in the bakery section!

2. Use a stability ball to build strength safely while doing squats. Place the ball behind your back, against a wall. With hands on hips, bend your knees slowly, as far as is comfortable, then return to a standing position. (Don't let your knees move past your toes.) As you do this exercise, the stability ball rolls along with you, making the movement easier. You can do this at home, in the gym or in the office—the stability ball makes a great chair as well and helps you burn a few more calories while you're seated.

3. Boost your balance by stepping over a small plastic cone, soup can or child's beach bucket. Stand about 6 inches behind the cone. Lift one leg and step over slowly, transferring weight to the front foot. Then lift the other leg and step over. Step back over the cone the same way, one leg at a time. Repeat 10 times. When this exercise becomes easy, add a side-stepping movement or increase the height of object until it is no more than 12 inches high.

4. If you live in a two-story house or an apartment building with several floors or you work in an office with a stairwell, you have all the equipment you need for a great two-minute workout. Climb those steps! When you do, you burn more calories per minute than when jogging and can get good cardiovascular benefits as well. Make multiple trips up and down at a moderate pace, breathe regularly and be sure to rest if you feel any discomfort. When using an enclosed, public-access staircase, you may want to bring an exercise buddy along for safety and companionship.

Source:healthywomen.org/content/article/2-minute-workouts-exercises-even-you-can-find-time?context=ages-and-stages/10612&context_title=

Gym Free Work Out

These exercises cost nothing and can improve your health and tone the body.



If you have any health problems, it is advisable to consult your Doctor before beginning any exercise routine










Source:www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/gym-free-workouts.aspx 

6 Minutes To A Toned Waist

Start off gentle and only do what you feel capable of. 

Not recommended if you have any back problems.

Three More Reasons To Keep Walking

It's one of the easiest, most effective ways to stay in shape — and now science says there are additional health benefits.

1. Sleep Even Better
Put aside worries that being active at night might ruin sleep: People who walk or jog in the evening often report sounder slumber, says a study from Sleep Medicine. A 15-minute post-dinner stroll can also help prevent heart disease and diabetes, finds a George Washington University study. Walkers who did short bouts after each meal saw a healthier dip in blood sugar than those who strode for 45 minutes consecutively. The biggest benefit? You get a good night's sleep and stable blood sugar to keep cravings at bay, helping with weight loss.

2. Burn More Calories
Add a set of special ski-like poles to blast fat and tone your arms at the same time. The fitness craze is called Nordic walking and, yeah, you might feel a little goofy at first, but compared to regular walking, it burns 20% more calories while also increasing upper-body strength and lower-body flexibility. It's a two-for-one workout that actually seems easier thanks to the poles. Tip: Spring for Nordic-walking poles, which have no-slip tips and start at $70.

3. Unleash Creativity
Europeans have taken walking vacations for years and now the trend is catching on here. For good reason: A new study from Stanford University shows walking increases creativity by 60% and doing it outdoors is best for sparking your imagination. Sign up for a destination — we like the sound of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia or the California coast — and leave all other details to the tour operator. Countrywalkers.com is a great place to start your research.

Source:www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/fitness/health-benefits-of-walking

5-minute Wake-up Workout

Start your day feeling on top of the world with this five-minute bedroom routine combining strength and flexibility exercises.

This routine from physiotherapist Nick Sinfield starts with some gentle in-bed tension-releasing stretches and finishes with a series of energising power moves.

Try to do this workout every morning to burn calories, ease away aches and pains, boost your mood and feel more alert.

Overhead stretch

Extend your arms over your head, feeling your body stretch from your toes to your fingertips. Take three to four deep relaxing breaths.

Knee to chest stretch

Bring one knee to your chest, keeping the other leg bent. Don’t raise your head or tense your neck. Take three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling the stretch in the buttocks and lower back. Repeat with opposite knee.

Hamstring stretch

Grasp one leg and pull it towards you, then straighten it as far as is comfortable. Keep the other leg flat or bent on the bed. Take three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling your hamstring lengthen. Repeat with opposite leg.

Knees to chest

Bring both knees to your chest and gently grasp your legs. Don’t raise your head or tense your neck. Take three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling the stretch in the buttocks and lower back.

Knee rolls

Slowly roll knees to one side, keeping them together and ensuring both shoulders remain in contact with the bed at all times. Take three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling the stretch in your lower back. Repeat on opposite side.

Trunk rotation

With your feet parallel and shoulders back and down, rotate your upper body to one side as far as comfortable without moving your hips. Repeat six to eight times on both sides, taking a deep relaxing breath on each side to release stiffness in your lower back.

Chest stretch

Shoulders back and down and hands on hips, push your chest up and out. Take three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling your chest muscles lengthen.

Upper back stretch

Clasp both hands and extend arms out in front of you at shoulder level. Look down and slightly round your back. Take three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling the stretch between the shoulders.

Seated hamstring stretch

Sitting upright with both legs straight and hip-width apart or closer, bend from the hips bringing your chest towards your thighs, keeping a straight back. Take three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling your hamstrings lengthen.

On-the-spot power walking

Walk on the spot for about 30 seconds, raising your heels to your buttocks while bending both elbows together into a bicep curl.

Squats

With your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart, lower yourself as far as is comfortable or until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Don't let your knees lean over your toes. As soon as you touch the bed come up and repeat. Perform eight to 10 slow and controlled squats.

Side stretch

Hands on hips, cross your left leg in front of your right leg. Raise your right arm and reach towards the left side. Hold for three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling a stretch across your side. Repeat on the opposite side.

Forward bend

Feet parallel and hip-width apart, bend from the waist, bringing your chest towards your thighs, keeping legs and back straight. Hold for three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling the stretch in the hamstrings.

Source: nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/Wake-up-workout-morning-exercise-routine.aspx