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WHY EXERCISE?
*Exercise can impact how you feel. Have you ever noticed after a stressful day how taking a walk can make you feel more relaxed or how much better you sleep after exercising?
In as little as a few weeks after establishing a regular exercise routine, you may feel some of the following mental benefits:
-Increased energy
-Stress reduction
-Increased ability to relax
-Improved ability to fall asleep and stay asleep
-Decrease in depression and anxiety
-Improved overall mood
*Exercise can change how you look. Exercise burns calories and helps you lose body fat. So exercise, along with a proper diet can help you lose weight.
*Study after study has shown that exercise can reduce and in some cases prevent the risk of disease such as heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. |
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So you want to get into shape? There are 4 easy steps to doing so and REAL gurlz has got you covered!
1) Make the Commitment - Don't let your plan be negiotiable, make excerising a routine like brushing your teeth, taking a shower etc. Decide you want to change and keep that decision.
2) Eat Right- Be aware of your food intake(see Fast Food Facts). Eating junk food EVERDAY is not healthy, eating right involves eating good foods like vegetables, fruits, etc. The only way to lose excess fat is to eat less fat.
NOTE: Crash dieting doesn't work and will make you cranky. The problem with crash diets is that you will almost always regain the weight, creating a cycle of weight-loss/weight-gain that is even unhealthier than being steadily overweight. 
3) Do Cardiovascular Exercise
Walk, Bike, Jog, Swim, and Aerobics are all good sources of cardiovascular work-outs. You CAN make it fun! Shopping at the mall for a couple hours with your friends, for example. Or go swimming at your friend's pool for a day. Exercising does not have to be tedious and agonizing, it CAN be fun, you just have to make it that way! Do a cardiovascular work-out 3-4 times a week. 4) Do muscular and abdominal-targeting exercises- If you can't get to the gym, no sweat! If you have anything that weighs around 10-15 lbs you can use it, just do lifts on both arms, reps of 100 or more, 3-4 times a week.
Abdominal-Targeting Exercises- Avoid sit-ups, these old-fashioned exercises are almost always done incorrectly, putting extra unnecessary and unhealthy pressure on the lower back while failing to fully train the abdominal muscles.
Crunches are a more effective way to tone the abs. To do a proper crunch first lie down, then put you hands behind your neck (don't pull too hard on the neck), pull your knees in just above the hips with your feet flat on the floor, lift your shouders no more than 30 degrees above the ground and hold for 3 seconds. Repeat 50 times or as much as you can do for 3-4 times a week. |
