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3 Summer Surfing-Based Alternatives to the Traditional Gym Workout

May 23, 2013 By Melissa Cameron

Working out is something that everyone needs to do to stay fit and healthy. You body is your own temple that needs looking after, and with a healthy diet, keeping fit will be the best way to look good and feel good. However, traditionally everyone feels like the gym is their only option. With busy work schedules and high gym membership fees, this can feel like a drain both physically and financially.

However, the best way to get fit is to enjoy doing it. This provides the motivation and inspiration to stay on top of your health and to encourage you to get involved in your own destiny. Tapping into a fun fitness resource will allow you to enjoy the time you spend on yourself without feeling like youâ€™re wasting money or time on something you consider a chore.

For many, surfing is the epitome of freedom. On vast open water, many feel in touch with the power of nature; something that seem much bigger than ourselves. So why not use this as a resource to keep fit and healthy this summer. Ditch the treadmill and pick up a surfboard as a way to enjoy the summer sun and get your body in shape. Try some of these alternatives to the traditional boredom of the gym.

1. Wave Machines

Wave machines, often associated with the big brand Flowrider, are an amazingly fun way to stay fit. The machines themselves work by pumping large amounts of water at high speeds and pressures. This creates a manmade surf in a small place. This surf allows you to be able to participate in the sport on land. A very popular concept, these machines are popping up all over the country.

A relatively difficult task, surfing on a wave machine requires focus and concentration. Not only will it help you get fit, but it will also help you narrow your concentration skills into something practical. Aside from that, it demands the use of core muscles to be able to stay on the board. This strengthens those core muscles in the same way that yoga or weight training would. Equally, the speed of the water forces you to compensate for any movements of the board, increasing your heart rate. This increase of heart rate is the epitome of cardiovascular exercise which directly corresponds to burning calories.

2. SurfSET Fitness

SurfSET is an indoor workout on mechanically moving surfboards that combines yoga type skills with surfing skills. Performed on a board inside, the sessions last 45 minutes long and are performed in groups. You have the chance to learn some of the basic maneuvers which are inherent in surfing, as well as combining them with some of the yoga moves which dominate your core muscles, increase flexibility, improve balance, and increase agility. A more efficient workout than actual surfing, the company estimates that an experienced surfer would need three full hours on the water to achieve the same benefits of this 45 minute session.

The company itself was started by a guy who played hockey. He attributed his ability to stay in shape in the off-season period to surfing. He felt that surfing enabled people to work on the muscles needed to keep overall body strength and a trim figure. The fact that you can do this workout indoors, means that you can participate all year round, not just in the summer. Whatâ€™s more, there are 42 locations all over the USA offering this class.

3. Windsurfing

Surfing itself is a great way to work out and an extremely fun activity. However, not everyone has access to a coast that gives good enough surf to truly allow you to stay in shape. Due to this, it may be worth trying to find parks and lakes in your area that run windsurfing classes or that hir out windsurfing equipment.

Windsurfing has a little more control than surfing and is arguably easier to learn. However, it demands a full body workout due to the nature of the sail attached to the board. It increases concentration and balance, as well as homing in on upper body strength and core muscle building.

Surfing can be a great way to tone the whole body and to stay trim. It demands use of your whole body while improving balance and coordination through the technique. Not only is it outrageously fun, it can be done with the whole family and beats a boring evening in the gym.

Author Bio:

Freelance writer Emily Jenkins has never had a passion for gyms. However, she loves the outdoors and has always found water sports to be a great way to keep in shape. Aside from that, she attempts to eat well and keeps on the straight and narrow by following advice from http://livinghealthytimes.com/ on how to live a more healthy lifestyle every day.

Need to Lose Weight? Avoid These Unhealthy Ideas

May 3, 2013 By goldieann14

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Need to Lose Weight? Avoid These Unhealthy Ideas

Who doesn’t want to drop a few pounds? You may have a big event coming up or you might have re-entered the dating scene after a long absence. No matter the reason, getting thin is striking you as a fabulous idea. While there’s nothing wrong with losing weight and getting fit, doing it incorrectly can put your health at risk. There’s no sense getting skinny if you end up too sick to enjoy it. Here are the five worst ways that you can utilize to lose weight:

1.Crash Diets

You’ve undoubtedly heard of crash diets. According to Linda Bacon, Ph.D., a California-based nutritionist, bathing-suit season brings with it people who are desperate to drop a few pounds. From fasting to starving, crash dieting can slow your weight and deprive your body of essential nutrients. A much healthier way to lose those last five pounds is to turn your diet around in the early spring. Adjust your caloric intake and aim to lose a pound or two a week.

2.Surgery

While weight-loss surgery is a valid option for some people, it is not a quick fix for most. While surgery can shrink your stomach, it does nothing to alter your attitude towards food. Many people find themselves gaining the weight back due to their psychological addiction to food. Unless your health is at serious risk due to your excess weight, surgery should never be considered as a way to get skinny.

3.Diet Pills

Diet pills work in such a way that they suppress your appetite. While some people have had success with diet pills, most people find themselves riddled with the side effects that come along with these tiny pills. Hypertension, heart valve damage and even stroke have all been linked to appetite suppressants. Looking for a natural way to feel fuller when you eat? Drink a glass of water 15 to 20 minutes before you sit down for a meal.

4.Fad Diets

Atkins, South Beach and even The Zone are all diets that many people have used with much success. So what’s wrong with them? They don’t last. Very few people are able to limit themselves in such a strict manner long term. Additionally, diets like Atkins encourage high consumption of fat and protein, while discouraging carbs; even healthy ones. The initial weight loss is exciting and people follow the diet for several weeks or months. Once the weight is gone and you start eating bread again, your weight will come back with a vengeance. Instead, limit your calories in a healthy, well-rounded way.

5.Exercise

“Exercise?!” you say. Before you misunderstand, there is nothing at all wrong with exercise. What is wrong, however, is becoming obsessed with exercise in lieu of adopting a healthy lifestyle. Some people get fanatical about moving their bodies and run the very real risk of ruining their health. Instead of chowing on doughnuts thinking that you can work them off with an extra 45 minutes on the elliptical, pay attention to your caloric intake. 30 minutes of exercise each day, or even every other day, is considered healthy when accompanied with a positive change in eating habits.

We all know the healthy way to lose weight: diet and exercise. Unfortunately, many of us are simply too lazy to do things the right way. Whether you’ve got a few pounds to lose or hundreds, doing it the wrong way will only harm your health. Instead of dieting, adopt a new, healthy lifestyle. Not only will you avoid becoming ill, you’ll be more likely to keep the weight off long term.

Edmund Taylor is a guest blogger for ephedraoutlet.com. If you are trying to lose weight, check out other articles he’s written.

Sudden Exercise Can Be Harmful for Inactive Individuals

November 23, 2012 By Roger Pahuriray

Sudden Exercise Can Be Harmful for Inactive Individuals

By Roger Navidad Pahuriray

It is a well known fact that you need exercise in order to stay healthy and fit. Staying healthy and in shape lowers your risk of developing diseases and medical conditions. Experts suggest that exercising for at least 30 minutes a day can be beneficial to your health. In order for you to achieve the best results in terms of fitness, health buffs recommend including cardio exercises and weight training in a workout routine. A fitness regimen that combines these two types of exercises will help you burn fat and build muscle. However, there are times when exercises can be dangerous for your health.

Fatigue and Injury

If you have been sedentary for a long time, a sudden burst of exercise can hurt you. Your joints and muscles are not used to exerting so much effort. If you suddenly put them through a rigorous workout routine, it could result in fatigue and injury. You could also expect to be in a world of pain a few days after an intense workout. These things combined may discourage you from pursuing an active lifestyle and send you back to being sedentary.

Heart Damage

Pain, fatigue and injury are not the worst things that can happen though when you suddenly become active after being sedentary for a long, long time. Research has indicated that a sudden burst of activity after being sedentary for a long period of time increases your chances of having cardiac arrest. In another study, it was found that people who have been extremely inactive for a long time and who started exercising all of a sudden are 30 percent more likely to have a heart attack, while those who are just plain sedentary only have 21 percent risk. Just like any other muscle in your body, the heart is not ready for that much exertion. You will feel pain in your quads and biceps when you work out after being inactive for a long time. The same goes for your heart, only the consequences can be very dangerous or even fatal.

If you want to pick up an exercise after a long inactive spell, experts suggest consulting your doctor first especially if you have a pre-existing condition or if you are over 40 years old.

Pace Yourself

The increased risk of having a heart attack or cardiac arrest when you exercise after being inactive for long time should not deter you from trying to burn fat and get fit. The important thing is to pace yourself. The rush to perform intense workout routines is not necessary. Gradually increase the length and intensity of your training sessions. From brisk walking on the treadmill, you can progress to jogging or running. Eventually you will be able to put in some weight training by lifting light weights or using resistance machines.

Monitoring your heart rate can also help you pace your exercise progression. Keep your heart rate to about 65 percent of the maximum. If you speed past it, slow down. It is also important to listen to your body. If you feel pain or discomfort, slow down and take a breather.

5 Minute Exercises at your desk

November 21, 2012 By Angela

Here’s a great video for all of us office workers; some simple exercises that you can do at your desk. If interested click here….

5 Steps to Becoming a Morning Exerciser

November 14, 2012 By Angela

Getting up early before work to exercise is dreadful for the majority of people who barely even squeeze in six hours of sleep per night. Even though it may be daunting to work out in the morning, it just so happens that it’s the best time of the day to work out for your health. Need a little extra motivation besides staying fit this winter? Try these five steps for the easiest transition into a morning workout routine.

Start going to bed earlier

Sure, this one’s easier said than done. Going to bed earlier means cutting out time in the evening. This could cut out important activities including watching your favorite TV shows, writing blog posts or even spending quality time with your significant other. Regardless of what you have to cut out, it’s important to do this. What you need to be mindful of is that going to bed earlier doesn’t mean going from a regular bedtime of midnight to 8pm. Rather than making a big jump, slowly change up your schedule by going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night. This way your body can slowly transition and it won’t be a shock to you.

Come up with a realistic strategy for success

If you’re not a gym-goer, chances are you won’t have the ambition to get up at 6am to hit up the gym at that hour. Instead of dragging yourself to the gym, there are plenty of other options you can consider. With hundreds of different workout DVDs effective for targeting certain body parts or the entire body, these are great options for indoor exercise. If you prefer being outside, try going for a jog or look into morning boot camp classes. Choose something that you enjoy doing and can see yourself sticking with long term.

Plan for failure

This might sound like a funny tip, but it’s true. If you prepare for failure, you’ll always be prepared. If your workout plan entails running outside and it’s raining, what are you going to do? If you have a backup plan in the pipeline, it won’t ever be a problem. Your backup plan could be to pop in a DVD or hop on the treadmill for a quick run. By having options, you can’t excuse yourself from a workout just because the weather isn’t cooperating.

Bribe yourself

Just like bribing kids, sometimes bribes are the most effective way to get yourself to do something. Whether it’s that extra 10 minute sprint for a piece of cake or 100 extra crunches for a piece of chocolate, this method works. When it comes to getting up in the morning to workout, you better believe that making a deal with yourself will help you get out of bed and get moving.

Prepare for before and after the workout

Planning your workout regimen is one thing, but finding your clothes before the sun comes up can be challenging some days. Rather than fumbling looking for what to wear before and after a workout, plan it out the night before. If you have all of your workout clothes piled together and all of your work clothes hanging in one spot, you’ll spend less time thinking about what you’re going to wear and more time actually working out.

Attached Images: License: Creative Commons image source

Alicia Simone is a freelance writer who focuses on health and fitness. She’s been researching programs for healthier living, including rn to msn online programs. She hopes to share her knowledge in the health industry with those who are looking to improve their way of living.

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