Saturday, April 23, 2011

Five Quick & Easy Fitness Opportunities You're Missing Out On

If achieving greater preventive health and fitness was as easy as a few minutes per day, then wouldn't you take those few extra minutes to improve yourself and reduce risk for debilitating disease?

Below are five quick and easy ways to make yourself healthier and more energetic, with a very small time commitment:

#5.  Perform 30-60 seconds of a front plank exercise.

This exercise is rarely contraindicated for those of normalized blood pressure and spinal health, making it a generally safe, effective method of improving core muscles, balance, and posture.  Please breathe regularly while you hold this position, and be sure to check with your physician to be certain that there are no health concerns regarding this or any other exercise.




#4.  Divide your bodyweight (in lbs) by two.  This number is, roughly, your recommended amount of daily water intake (in ounces).  On days of heavy sweating, high juice or tea intake, or prolonged cardiovascular or strength training, then this number should be much higher.

#3.  Stretch your major muscles any time that you can -- during phone calls, television time, or whenever you find yourself available to perform  some stretching.  Twenty seconds or longer is usually sufficient for improving joint and muscular health and flexibility.  This may even help you to prevent muscle aches and cramps, and to sleep more soundly.

#2.  Consume green teas, green vegetables, beans, and other high-anti-oxidant foods and drinks.  Just adding one more serving to each day can make a tremendous difference in your health and wellness.

And the #1 easy fitness opportunity to aim for each day:  Devote more time to cardiovascular training!  Just 20 minutes per day is often sufficient for greatly reducing risks for heart failure, stroke, and heart attack.  If twenty minutes per day isn't attainable for you, then keep in mind that even five or six minutes each day is helpful at improving long-term cardiac function, and will burn roughly forty to eighty calories for most people.

There you have it!  As always, we recommend consulting a top-certified and degreed Perfect Personal Trainer for specific, personalized exercise science and nutrition.  Have a great Easter weekend!