Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

The Heart of a Healthy Lifestyle

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Heart disease is still the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States. That does not mean it has to happen to you. You have the power to prevent heart disease, no matter if you are 17 or 77, you can make healthy lifestyle changes that will lower your risks of heart disease or stroke.

It’s important to make healthy lifestyle changes as early as possible since the risks of heart disease increase dramatically during menopause and after. But it is never to late to take action. Protecting your heart can be as simple as taking a brisk walk, eating more vegetables, and seeing your doctor regularly.

Diet and exercise are two factors that are prominent in creating a heart healthy lifestyle. Maintaining a healthy weight is important for a vibrant, vigorous life. Unfortunately, research shows that American women are eating more and moving less.

If you need to lose weight, the best approach is a gradual one. Don’t skip meals, don’t fall for fad diets, and don’t give up. Do eat 3 to 5 meals every day. Do make your portion sizes smaller. Do eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

There are many diets that can help you lose weight. If you have struggled with weight gain and loss in the past, take it day by day. Use a fitness journal to chart your efforts, recording your current weight and measurements. You will want to keep track of everything you eat and drink so you will know what food choices work and which ones don’t.

Exercise at least 6 days a week. Alternate your workouts between cardio activities and strength training exercises. Build up your strength and implement circuit training into your routine, adding weights and coordinating weightlifting with cardio. It has been proven that just 30 minutes of exercise each day will help to improve heart function and protect your health.

Regular physical activity not only improves heart function, it also relieves stress and depression, major factors for heart disease and other health conditions. Daily exercise is good for the body, mind and soul. It increases endorphins, opens your lungs, improves circulation, and energizes every cell in your body. Follow that up with adequate sleep each night, so your body has time to restore all that energy and give your heart the rest it needs.

Have A Healthy Happy Heart

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A happy heart is more than just a state of mind. Keeping your heart healthy and happy is one of the best things you can do for your body, mind and soul.
Unfortunately, heart disease is still the leading cause of death for both men and women. Surprisingly, one in four women will have a heart attack and because women experience heart trouble differently than men, many times women ignore or don’t fully understand the symptoms.
Exercising, eating a heart-healthy diet and getting plenty of rest are paramount to keeping your heart healthy. Monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol levels and follow your physician’s advice for taking care of your heart.
Regular cardio exercises like walking, jogging, cycling or rowing can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. These fun activities also burn calories and along with a low-fat, high-nutrition diet, can help you to lose weight and keep it off.
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of the two.
That’s about 30 minutes a day, five days a week. If that’s more than you can do, start with 30 minutes a day, three days a week. As you progress, you can add more days or exercise longer, aim for 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity.
Remember if you are short on time it’s fine to break-up your workouts into six 10-minute sessions during a day. You’ll still get the same heart-health benefits.
Interval training provides some great benefits and may help you reach your goal weight quicker. Try combining alternate short bursts of intense activity with intervals of lighter activity, for example, include short bursts of jogging or fast walking into your regular walks.
You can also add exercise to your daily activities with these tips.
• Take the stairs instead of an elevator.
• Walk or ride your bike to work or to do errands.
• March in place while watching television.
• Add weights to any exercise routine.
• Stand longer, sit for shorter periods of time.

Give Gym Germs The Brush Off

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The handles of gym equipment harbor a host of germs from each user. Equipment seats are often neglected when wiping down after a few sets. But every area that your skin touches could contain a virtual colony of germs. If your body touches it, chances are everyone else’s body is touching it, too. It is important that all of these areas be wiped between users.

There are other things you can to safeguard yourself from these community germs. Bring sanitizing wipes in your bag and wipe the equipment before you use it. Remember, it’s as important to wipe everything down before you use the equipment as it is afterwards.

Pack a small towel like a hand towel or soft shop towel in your gym bag to lay on the seats of the equipment and benches. The towel will help to guard against sweat left on the machines and keep you protected.

BYOM or Bring your own mat. Always bring your own mat to work out on. Even if your gym has built-in floor mats, you will want to bring your own mat to work out on. Your face, especially should be protected from coming in contact with other people’s sweat and germs.

Keep your hands away from your face while you are at the gym. Even though you are wiping down the equipment, sweat and germs will still be present on your hands. Remind yourself not to touch your face, as it is easy to transfer sweat and skin into your eyes or onto your face.

If you take a shower before leaving the gym, be sure to wear flip flops. The wet environment is a breeding ground for germs and fungus. Also, keep any open wounds covered before entering the shower.

Don’t get the wrong impression; I am not a germaphobe. I have three boys, for goodness sake, so obviously I am used to germs. However, the germs that you can pick up at the gym can cause nasty side effects including rashes, respiratory problems or even in extreme circumstances, disease.

Exercise is crucial to good health, and gyms are a convenient place to get a good workout and get to use a variety of exercise equipment. Don’t let a fear of germs keep you from enjoying a healthy workout. Just keep some of these tips in mind and pack plenty of protection in the way of your own mat, plenty of sanitizing wipes, and a couple of extra hand towels—one for your body and one to use as a barrier on the equipment.

Feel Fabulous Every Day

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Learn how to sync your schedule to your body’s internal clock and feel fabulous all day, every day. From the time you arise until the time you go to sleep, you can make the most of your day and never feel as if you are running out of time to do the things you want to do.

Busy women tend to feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. However, with a full 24 hours given to us each day, there certainly seems to be sufficient time for just about anything. It all has to do with making choices that work the best for you and your lifestyle and that includes having time for family and friends.

Awake each day around the same time, allowing yourself enough time for your morning routine. You can train your body to wake up at approximately the same time every day, if you give your body enough rest and relaxation.

Welcome the day and celebrate your existence with positive affirmations that help to guide and direct your mind and body to follow your goals. Follow these positive messages with some stretching to promote flexibility. Next, you will want to head to the kitchen and prepare a healthy breakfast, within about 30 to 60 minutes of waking.

If you work, be sure to already have your snacks and lunch planned for the day. During a regular 8-hour day, you will want to have 2 snacks and a lunch. To ensure you manage your weight successfully, you will want to always have healthy foods to take with you. Dining out is also an option, but be sure to write down everything you eat in your fitness journal.

As often as you can, stand up and stretch, take the long way around to walk, park further away, and any other ways you can move your body throughout the day. If it is feasible where you work, schedule a workout time during the day. This helps to break up the work day, relieve stress and gets your workout in without disrupting time with your family.

Of course, many women find time in the evening to work out, too. A regular exercise routine with your husband or children can provide the activity and social interaction you need to improve your health, reduce your waistline and help you to manage your weight.

Enjoy dinner with your family and spend time truly listening to what they have to say. Set a regular time for bedtime and stick with it. After awhile, your body’s clock will naturally readjust and you will get sleepy every night about the same time. Setting a schedule will help you find the time you need within the 24 hours you get each day.

The secret to feeling fabulous every day, is to plan your day in advance but be flexible and forgiving. Never feel guilty about the choices you make, just resolve to make better choices in order to attain the results you seek. It’s all about being in control of your life, when you take charge and seize the day, you are naturally going to feel fabulous.

Like Lycopene For Healthy, Beautiful Skin And Other Health Benefits, Too

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Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that can help to prevent sun damage and make your skin supple and beautiful. A brightly colored antioxidant, lycopene gives the skin an attractive, healthy glow. It has also been known to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol thereby to slow the development of atherosclerosis, a thickening of the arterial walls of the heart.

Mostly found in tomatoes, the lycopene content is increased when the tomatoes are cooked. Another good way to get the most lycopene from your tomatoes is to pair them with olive oil. Olive oil has many great health benefits, too. You can rub the tomatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and enjoy it as a snack or accompaniment to your regular meal.

Antioxidants help to combat free radicals and if you exercise outdoors you need the extra boost of antioxidants to help protect your skin cells from damage. Lycopene also protects against cancers of the cervix, pancreas and breasts as well as protecting against heart disease.

Pink grapefruit, also contains lycopene, although not as high of content as tomatoes, pink grapefruit is low in calories and helps to metabolize proteins so that your body can get the maximum benefit. If you are trying to lose weight, grapefruit is a great food to include in your diet.

Watermelon is another good source of lycopene. A fruit that is low in calories and sugar content, watermelon keeps your skin hydrated too. It’s such a sweet fruit, but its high water content makes it an excellent choice when you want to improve your skin’s suppleness and lose weight too.

Supplements containing lycopene are also available. It is always best to get your nutrients from the foods that you eat, however, if your diet doesn’t include some of the antioxidants you need, you may want to consider taking a vitamin supplement.

Fitness4Her is a diet, exercise program and journal designed exclusively for women’s fitness. With healthy recipes, step-by-step exercises and the support of an online membership site, members can access articles, reviews and blogs that offer tips and updates on the latest in fitness and health.