How are we all doing on our 2012 intentions? For all those who wish to improve their physical health this year, last week we learned how eating after 7pm affects our weight-loss efforts and this week guest blogger, Latasri, tells us about functional training, which helps make daily activities effortless! 

Any kind of exercise that is directly related to your routine activities is called functional training. So, if you are a cycling champ or a marathon runner, a cricketer or an athlete, or a simple homemaker who wishes to be fit, a mother of twins who wishes to carry your child(ren) without injuries, functional training is all that you need.

Aping the activities that we do in our routine life, therapists and physical trainers have developed exercises that put us in our comfort zone and yet help to change our lives. It is popularly known as functional training.

If your job involves a lot of running around or even repeated heavy lifting, functional training is the kind of rehab aimed at helping you perform the activity without affecting your body. As a widely accepted form of physical training, it is known to target the core muscles and strengthens them to adjust your work pattern and lifestyle.

Now, the buzzword of the fitness world, functional strength training has a broad-based meaning and significance. Therefore, it is crucial to understand it before one adapts to the regime.

Here’s a sense of what is being called the next level of fitness:

1. Works against body’s resistance: It is a routine that helps one to perform daily activities with ease. Whether it is walking, running, jumping, bending, standing, climbing, these activities need functional strength. And, in functional training it is vital that your body is trained to every specific movement of the muscles. Therefore, each time you take up doing squats, it increases your ability to rise easily from any seat, even if it’s yours from the floor.
2. Burns calories through unsupported movements: What began a decade ago, functional training is a simple discovery to physical strength by practicing movement training with resistance. These movements are objected to bring activity in the core muscle as they are mostly unsupported. For example, lifting a bag over the shoulder is equal to squat to shoulder press – a form of functional fitness training that burns calories through unsupported movements.
3. Part and parcel of our regular movements: Functional fitness is best known as a way to get our body accustomed to everyday rigorous pattern while it also helps to burn excess calories. Hence, functional training is the safest form of exercise, weight loss and to attain a fit body. If you’re unable to exercise, some trainers do suggest wearing a Flex belt or using trx training programs. This helps the body lose weight without any effort.
4. Exercise with all the safety: Functional training movements incorporate about 29 muscles of the body. It helps to continue exercising with all the safety ensuring you freedom of movement. Differing from the common forms of exercise that have one range of movement, functional training (like the most commonly used treadmill) ensure movements have resistance of planes and makes the complete body as one unit. This is also why functional training brings balance, co-ordination and focus, ensuring a mind-body connection.

Due to its simplicity and movements, which range from daily life to sports specific action, functional training is a regime that can be taken up by one and all.

About the Author

Latasri is a health and fitness enthusiast who likes to share her experiences with others. She is always on the look out for discounts and coupons for weight loss. In her website she makes available coupon for trx and flex belt coupons, two weight loss programs on Flex Belts and trx training.

I love functional training because generally you see and feel the results sooner because suddenly you notice your most common daily activities getting easier and easier to perform. What are some of your daily activities that you’d like to do with more ease and effectiveness? 

ince moving last spring, my routine went out the door. I’ve even been considering investing in a gym membership since we’re still in the middle of renos but after reading this guest post by Rahim (a.k.a. The Homebody), I’m pumped to save money and reinvigorate my home fitness routine!

These days we all have a hectic schedule. A lot of us are taking second jobs or helping out loved ones and there just isn’t enough time in the day to hit the gym on a regular basis anymore. So what do we do?

Well I figured out a few years ago that while I spent 20 minutes going to the gym, 2 hours IN the gym and 20 minutes back home that I pretty much eliminated 3 hours of my day to do something that should only last about 90 minutes tops.

One morning I woke up earlier than usual and as I was laying there I got the notion to roll out of bed and do 30 push ups. From there I did 25 burpees and that led into 40 squats. Then it hit me!

Why was I going to the gym (sometimes in rush hour traffic, thus stressing me out) when I could have a home fitness routine right here in my own home?

A home fitness routine can be just as effective as going to the gym if you approach it with the same consistency and dedication. There are no lines to wait in to use a machine, there’s no gym etiquette and there’s no expensive gym membership to worry about.

3 ways to have fun building a great home fitness routine:

1. Designate your space.

You’re working out at home now but you don’t want to put your safety at risk. You want to clear a designated space for yourself where you can do your workouts safely and efficiently. A spare bedroom, the living room or any space where you don’t have to worry about tripping on anything will do.

Make sure you’re comfortable in your space.  Do you have a mirror so you can see yourself? This is important for things like weight training exercises or any exercises where strength and form is crucial. A mirror also helps you build confidence while you train and see your progress.

2. Pick and choose your battle time.

Are you a morning person or are you at your peak in the evening? Whichever one you are, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is sticking to a set schedule. Working out randomly can interfere with rest time in between workouts which effect growth and development. Also, a home fitness routine will ensure that you have a 24 hour gym open to you at your pleasure.

If you’re a morning person, consider waking up an hour earlier so you can get a good workout in without worrying about time. A morning workout gets your blood circulating and will give you energy throughout the day.

If you’re an evening person, use that energy to get moving. An evening workout is great for working off built up stress that’s accumulated throughout the day. Whether it’s morning or evening, they’re benefits to both.

3. Establish your routine.

This is the fun part. What do you want out of your workout? You would ask yourself this question in a regular gym and the same question needs to be answered at your home gym. Now that you have your designated space and time, this question shouldn’t be hard to answer.

The beautiful thing about home fitness training is you dictate what goes in your gym. So what’s it gonna be for cardio training? Jump rope? Elliptical? Upright exercise bike? Tread climber? It’s all up to you, your space and your budget.

Victory loves preparation so make sure you do your necessary research before committing to a machine. Until then, there’s nothing wrong with calisthenic cardio (jumping jacks, running in place).

How about your strength training? Are you into free weights? Body weight training? Both? They each have benefits. Free weight training can sculpt and strengthen your muscles giving you a defined physique while body weight training relies on using your own body weight for resistance. Both methods are good for your bodies and can be done just as efficiently in your home gym.

A home fitness routine was the best thing I could have done for my busy schedule. I spend more time at home, it’s less stressful, I get a great workout and I’m saving a ton of money.

I like to get family involved when I workout sometimes. It’s fun to get in shape with the people you love. So get a partner in on it with you. The company gives great motivation and keeps you focused on your routine. If you’re loner, set up that play list on your stereo and really get moving.

However you decide to construct your home fitness routine, make sure it’s done for you and your needs.

About the Author

Rahim aka The Homebody decided to take his show on the…living room floor. After realizing how much time, money and energy he saved with home fitness training, he’s never been happier. Always looking for new and exciting ways of staying in shape, he never stops progressing.

Do you have a home fitness routine? What do you have (or wish to have) in your home gym?

Although Mother Nature dumped another whack of snow on us this week here in Toronto, in other parts of the world the weather’s warming up. Time to get outside and enjoy that green grass! Today guest blogger, Gordon Cherwoniak, shares with us the beauty of getting fit with golf.

Do you dread the idea of going to the gym or exercising in general? Don’t worry, most people do! It is really hard to start an exercise regimen, especially after not engaging in any physical activity for awhile.

The problem is, you are associating getting fit with specific types of physical exercise when you should be looking at ways to simply get active and have fun. Golf is voted as one of the number one social hobbies for anyone of either sex and any age group to do to get in shape and improve their health for a number of reasons.

Easy On Your Joints

Since golf is a low impact activity, anyone can do it. Many people have difficulty running or cycling because of bad knees or ankles but walking is something that can be done by anyone. Not to mention, golf courses have lovely greens which means extra cushioning too!

Burn Calories

Walking is voted the number one exercise to lose weight so before you get the idea that you’re going to just grab a golf cart, think again! Yes, you may need a golf cart for half the course if you are a beginner but eventually you can work your way up to walking the whole thing which will take care of your daily quota of 10,000 steps.

Golf bag a little heavy for you? Push carts are a life saver so you don’t have to carry that 20 pound bag with your Big Bertha Diablo drivers the whole time but you should get in the habit of carrying it a bit so you can build some upper body strength.

Mental Health

Not only does golf help sharpen your mind because you are actually exercising your brain through the whole game, it also improves your mental health.

Endorphins are released when you exercise which are essentially happy hormones. The endorphins are instant mood enhancers that will allow you to see things more clearly, control your stress and cope with any curve-balls that come your way throughout your day.

It is suggested that when the mind can be relaxed, the body can be healthy. The most dangerous type of weight gain is that which is stress induced because it typically gathers around your midsection, increasing your risk for heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer.

Golf is the perfect activity to enjoy to get in shape, calm your mind and achieve maximum health.

About the Author

Gordon Cherwoniak is currently completing a Master’s in International Trade when he’s not on the course using his new personalized golf gifts he received from his wife. He resides in Saskatoon, SK and also enjoys karate, computer gaming and is training for another triathlon.

Two weeks ago Canada revised their physical activity guidelines. Great new, right? Not so much considering they actually lowered their minimum daily requirements. And it’s got a few healthy folks spitting hellfire, like Dr. Ali Zentner, obesity expert on CBCs Village on a Diet.

The same day mainstream media announced Canada’s new activity guidelines (which failed to clearly state daily minimums were reduced in the revisions), I jumped into a conference call with three of the health pros who helped the town of Taylor, BC in reaching their goal of losing a ton of collective weight. (Check out my review of Village on a Diet.)

The call started early and I caught only a fraction of Dr. Ali Zentner’s passionate review of the new guidelines. She’s a physician specializing in obesity and cardiac risk management, and last Friday I had the pleasure of speaking with this vivacious spitfire about the subject.

(She confessed she was especially spirited during our interview with “vinegar in her belly” as she was on-call at the time, activating her “war mode.”)

Who’s Dr. Ali Zentner?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the new guidelines, I’d like to introduce you to Dr. Zentner. Besides her impressive medical credentials, there are few facts that make her special. She’s struggled with obesity all her life but when she hit med school, between stress, poor diet and long, irregular hours, she tipped the scales at nearly 330 pounds and became morbidly obese.

Since then, Ali has lost 180 pounds, runs marathons and triathlons, gave up her car in lieu of a bike in order to fit physical activity into her schedule and was recently an Olympic torchbearer! For fun, she’s a fictional novelist, “A Good Life” (described as, “Sex in the City meets ER“), contributes articles, is featured in others offering health advice and writes for her blog, Girlfriend’s Guide to Health.

The Issue with Canada’s New Activity Guidelines

While the Public Health Agency of Canada has taken down the old activity guidelines from their site (actually, they don’t have the new ones posted either, you must now go to the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology for them), GlobalNews.ca mentioned them in their article:

Previous guidelines recommended children and youth work towards getting at least 90 minutes of physical activity a day. The daily target for adults was at least 60 minutes daily, while older adults were recommended to accumulate 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days.

As for the new activity guidelines:

…children and youth aged five to 17 get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity daily. This should include both vigorous-intensity activities and muscle and bone-strengthening activities at least three days a week.

Adults aged 18 to 64 and older adults 65 and up are recommended to get at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more.

The decrease in minimum daily activity is apparent for kids, but what’s even more disturbing is how they’ve chosen to word their recommendations for adults: 150 minutes per week which works out to be a mere 21.5 minutes per day!

There are some perks to these new guidelines, specifically, informing Canadians that there are different intensities of exercise and muscle-building activities needed to realize health benefits (where’s calisthenics, i.e. stretching?), as well as suggesting “more is better.”

Despite these positive changes, Dr. Ali Zentner is seething about the reductions.

“Since when did we lower the bar to let more people into the club?” Apparently these new guidelines reflect more on what most Canadians are currently doing rather than on science. Ali looks at large population studies, like those published from the American Heart Association, to guide her recommendations:

For most healthy people: For health benefits to the heart, lungs and circulation, perform any moderate-to-vigorous-intensity aerobic activity for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week at 50–85 percent of your maximum heart rate.

To safely exercise, you must slowly increase your heart rate to its maximum and then slowly decrease it to avoid shocking the body. Considering this, with 5-minutes each to warm up and cool down, we’re looking at an effective cardiovascular workout lasting at least 40 minutes per session.

Of course, the following sentence on the American Heart Association’s website concurs with the Canadian recommendations:

You can accumulate 30 minutes in 10 or 15 minute sessions. What’s important is to include physical activity as part of a regular routine.

“We’re dumbing down the argument,” says Ali, and the message Canada [and America] is sending to its citizens is, “Anything is better than nothing.” While that is technically true, Dr. Zentner is concerned that lowering standards is the wrong approach.

“It’s like the government saying, `You can pay your taxes whenever you feel like it.’,” Ali said while half-laughing with barely disguised disgust. “Canada should be encouraging its citizens to be their healthiest and best!”

How Should Canada Approach Healthy Living?

When we’re discussing health, a life and death issue, we can’t afford to worry about hurting people’s feelings, says Dr. Zentner. Being overweight, obese or a cardiac risk (which many skinny-fat people are), is due to lifestyle choices. Telling people this often triggers them to blame themselves for their current situation.

Meanwhile, the truth may hurt but it’s a necessary evil in order for people to wake up and strive to be better. To help Canadians overcome guilt and blame, health professionals can empower people with the right information, tools, attitude and encourage them to take personal responsibility through small changes.

Ali is a strong proponent for a proactive solution. When asked about taxing junk and fast food, suggested by some health professionals treating overweight and obesity, like Dr. Robert Pretlow in Overweight: What Kids Say (read my book review), she vehemently disagreed with a sugar tax. She said it didn’t work in the past, citing England’s sugar tax, and that it was ineffective to punish those who don’t know better or who aren’t ready for a change.

Instead, Dr. Zentner suggests we use a tax relief system for healthy living. For instance, Nova Scotia has provided a Healthy Living Tax Credit for youth to cover the costs of organized sports and activities since 2005, and was about to expand it to adults in 2008 until it was deferred due to reelections and provincial budgetary restraints. (source: thecoast.ca)

Unfortunately, I failed to locate a current evaluation of the impact of Nova Scotia’s healthy living tax credit on its youth. However, I did find an interesting paper published by the Library of Parliament on the subject suggesting multiple economic instruments Canada can use to promote healthy living. By the way, it concluded that more research was needed. Surprise!

Some of Dr. Zentner’s suggestions:

• Make it difficult for industries to bed with government policy-makers.
• Tougher laws on food marketing initiatives/packaging. For instance, Ali says the `heart healthy’ labelling on many foods are a joke.
• Better health standards with fast food outlets, like posting calorie counts on menus.
• Forbid juice and pop machines in schools.
• Include nutrition and calorie information in home economics.
• Tax exemptions on public transit and tax credits for home gym equipment.
• Include obesity training in med school so docs are better equipped for treating patients who struggle with weight issues.

As we wrapped up the interview, Ali had some words of wisdom for Canadian government officials and health professionals, “We all must take a long, hard look at what we’ve been doing and ask if we’re part of the problem. If you find you’re not part of the solution, then you need to change sides.”

As for all of us as Canadian citizens, including policy-makers and health pros alike, Dr. Zentner asks us to reevaluate what we’re doing in regards to healthy living and ask for more.

So do you agree with Ali that Canada’s reduced standards are hindering progress? Or do you think by including more effort (intensity) in our activities as the new guidelines suggest, we would be using our time more effectively thereby reducing the total physical activity time needed to achieve the same results?

Fitting fitness in is always more fun when you’re trying new workouts. Guest blogger, Jamie DeSanto, tells us about CrossFit, a fitness routine that’s gaining in popularity because of it’s holistic attributes.

Simply put, CrossFit is everything! It’s strength, endurance, cardio, you name it. It’s about being so in shape that you can handle any physical obstacle that comes your way.

This type of training regimen is used by elite military and police units, mixed martial artists and professional athletes.  What might surprise you, though, is it’s also the type of training regimen used by grandfathers battling heart disease!

The key to CrossFit is a holistic approach to fitness. As much as bodybuilders with a gross amount of muscle mass are avoided, so are the marathon runners with zero muscle mass who are only fit to run long distances.

It stresses not only cardiovascular endurance but also strength, speed, balance, stamina, power, coordination, flexibility, agility and accuracy in repeating movements and processes. This form of complete fitness is not only prized in elite athletics and military operations, but in everyday life as well.

Think about it, how often does anyone need to run 26.2 miles? Only when they run a marathon, of course. Now think about the fitness required to carry your three-year-old for an extended period of time at the fair when she’s decided she’s had enough.

CrossFit achieves this complete level of fitness through interval training. What this means is there’s a focus on variance instead of repetition in each session.

Rather than just running or weight training, there’s an emphasis on activities that grow the 10 general physical skills listed above (flexibility, agility, etc.). This means activities such as gymnastics, throwing medicine balls in addition to lifting weights, and mixing in sprinting with distance running. This works to develop both aerobic and anaerobic fitness levels, when in past training programs, the two were considered mutually exclusive.

In addition, CrossFit dispels the myths of fad diets as a path to fitness. It prescribes well-rounded nutritional practices, including fat, proteins and carbohydrates. Without the proper fuel in your system, you won’t be able to keep up with even a lower level training regimen, and are only doing yourself harm.

The key here is that a good diet and a good fitness level are much better to overall wellness than a fad diet that might cause someone to lose weight, but not in a sustainable or healthy manner.

Finally, CrossFit is as right for grandfathers with heart disease as it is for champion martial artists. That’s because CrossFit’s lack of specialization, focusing on all areas of fitness, means that it’s just a matter of adjusting the level of intensity for the appropriate party. The grandfather and the martial artist have the same core needs, just like everyone else, it’s simply a matter of degree.

About the Author

Jamie DeSanto is a writer for Online Nursing Programs where you can browse the best online nursing programs in the country.

Have you tried CrossFit? How was it for you and can you add anything to this post?

We’re more overweight and less fit than 25 years ago, according to Statistics Canada. It could be from the rise of technology and convenience but whatever the reason, we need to move more and eat more healthy foods. Here are a few ideas for the busy person.

A few recent Live Lighter guest posts have revolved around fitness, like fun workouts you never heard of and can proper athletic gear improve performance? but after reading some startling statistics, I wondered if these posts were actually useful.

Did you know, again according to Statistics Canada, that active leisure time has been steadily dropping since the ’80s? For instance, in 2005, just 49% of women were active during their down time. This year, that number dropped to just over 30%.

So instead of just saying, we need to be more active in our leisure time, here’s a few practical ideas in how to fit fitness into your busy day:

1. Commit to being more active! By simply setting the intention that no matter what, you’ll be more active in your day, then you’re already 50% there.
2. Set realistic goals. Look at your available time in a week and schedule some workouts in. Try for 1 hour slots, three times a week for full strength-training and cardio workouts. If this just isn’t possible, then read on!
3. Step up your game. Are you completely inactive? Then try walking for 15 minutes a day and eventually increase it up to 30 minutes or walk up hills. Are you already walking half an hour a day? Then increase it up to 1 hour or if you lack the time, try doing lunges while you walk – hey, you may look funny but when I do it walking with my friend, we get a good giggle out of it (by the way, laughing hard strengthens your abs and burns calories!). If you’re already jogging 30 minutes, try interval training by sprinting for one minute and walking fast for three minutes.
4. Crank up the tunes. Basically what we’re trying to do here is motivate you into putting more effort into your physical time so that you’re using your limited time more effectively (without hurting yourself). Fast-paced music calls out to your body to go with the beat. Try it!
5. 5 minute strength-training. When you just can’t seem to get in even 30 minute walks or jogs, then try 5-minute sessions of push-ups, crunches, plank positions, chair dips and squats during the commercials of your favourite TV program.
6. 2-3 minute strength-training. When you just can’t get motivated while you’re resting in front of the tube, try tying exercise tubing around your staircase and when you pass it, do a set of triceps extensions, bicep curls, rows or leg lifts. Try getting at least 2-3 sets of each exercise in before you hit the sheets.
7. A few more 2-3 minute strength-training ideas. When you’re doing dishes, why not do a couple of squats? At work and before lunch, walk up and down a couple of sets of stairs (if you have them).
8. Use your down time wisely. Next Saturday, plan a hike with your family or friends, or go alone! Pack your backpack to the hilt so you can add a couple of extra pounds to step up your game. Make sure you have some high-quality fuel to keep up your energy with a healthy lunch and snacks.

It’d be great to get that full hour, 3 times a week but it’s just not possible for some people. As long as you’re doing something when you can, you’re improving your health. Hopefully the above suggestions will help the time-crunched folks out there.

That takes care of the physical fitness aspect but as we all know, nutrition is just as important to getting healthier and stronger.

Fitting Healthy Eating In

Organize and prepare some healthy snacks. This way you’re not grabbing unhealthy options when you’re hungry and you can keep your metabolism up. And you’ll keep your body from going into starvation mode, which stores fat.

• Healthy snacks that last are a combo of protein and good carbs. Even the healthiest carbohydrates burn in your system more quickly than protein. By adding protein, you’ll feel fuller longer.
• Plan & prepare your meals ahead of time. I like to do this over the weekend. On Friday, I take 15 minutes to scan my healthy recipe books for a couple of meal ideas. Then I write out a grocery list, filling in the rest of the meals with easy options, like tuna salad sandwiches and carrots. Saturday is shopping day. Sunday is when I make 1 or 2 of the bigger meals, doubling the recipes when I can so I can freeze them to conveniently grab during the week.
• Bake healthy, high fiber treats. Ah, it’s so easy to buy that cheap chocolate bar when you’ve got the munchies, isn’t it? One way to stop this is to use your Sunday prep day to make a batch of healthier treats to freeze and have handy when you’re hungry. Here’s a recipe for my healthy carrot love muffins and Hannah Keeley’s black bean brownies (which taste BETTER than traditional brownies, if you ask me).

If you’d like more healthy snack ideas, try these Live Lighter recipes and this gamut of healthy recipes (which includes a ton of raw food dessert recipes)!

Stay tuned for more fitness posts like this one next week when we find out about a new type of workout people are raving about, CrossFit. And in a few week’s time, “Top 15 Functional Exercises.”

Do you have any tips in fitting fitness and healthy eating into a busy lifestyle?

Editor’s Note: Ever wonder if sports clothes and accessories are worth the expense? Before you invest, read today’s guest post with Tony Benson as he shares a few thoughts and tips on the subject.

Can proper athletic gear improve your performance? Yes, it can. Will it? That is another question.

The ability to perform in situations that stress your mind and body (such as athletic endeavors) requires several factors that come into play and work together:

• You must be prepared (as in trained, well-versed, etc.) in the activity you are attempting to execute.
• Your body must be injury-free and in good shape.
• You must have the mental capacity to move beyond feelings of fear, uncertainty and frustration in order to compete at a higher level.
• And you must have the proper gear.

Now, dressing for the part is not necessarily a requirement for amateur athletes (unlike pros, who almost always have some sort of restrictions concerning their garments and accoutrements), but it really can make a difference in your performance, both physically and mentally.

Before you invest in athletic gear

If you are just trying a sport on for size, you may want to borrow some equipment until you decide if it’s an activity you will continue with in the long-term. For any sport that requires balls, pads, and so forth, just get a friend to loan you some of the items you’ll need to get started. Then, if you decide it’s something you want to pursue, you can lay out the cash to purchase the paraphernalia necessary to proceed.

What makes athletic gear proper?

Most sports have regulation sizes for balls, cleats and other gear, but the thing that really makes a difference for most athletes is what they wear. Having clothing that is specifically designed for a certain sport can make a world of difference.

Tennis, for example, entails a particular type of movement (often side to side). For that reason, shorts and skirts are loose and unrestrictive.

Marathon running, on the other hand, produces a lot of friction between the legs, so you’ll need tightly fitted shorts or pants that will wick away moisture and that won’t ride up, thereby exposing your inner thighs to chafing.

Then there are sports like football and hockey that require so much protective padding that the actual garments worn have to be quite roomy (and geared to either hot or cold environments).

Being comfortable can definitely make a big difference in how well you perform (and how much you can endure). But there is also a psychological aspect involved.

The psychology behind athletic gear

Just as smokers are trained to define themselves as “non-smokers” once they quit (and alcoholics are forever in “recovery”), athletes need to be able to set parameters for their athleticism if they want to realize improvement and success. One of the best ways to do this is through appearance.

Anyone can look at a crowd of people and point out who plays tennis, who rides horses and who’s been out catching waves just by recognizing their clothing.

In addition, purchasing the gear associated with your activity of choice is an excellent way to mentally commit to bringing your goals to fruition. If you jog in cut-offs and an old concert t-shirt, you are never going to view yourself as a devoted athlete and you may lack the motivation to improve.

If, on the other hand, you dress the part, you will not only feel like you belong (you are now a member of an elite club), you’ve already taken the first step towards becoming mentally and physically prepared to push your limits, and that’s what will really step up your game.

Guest post by Tony Benson: If you’re looking to create your own custom clothing, take a look at the selection Custom T Shirt Printing has to offer.

What say you, Readers? Are sports clothes and accessories worth the expense? Have you ever had a purchase help you commit or motivate you with a sport or physical activity?

Editor’s Note: Are you bored with your fitness routine? In today’s guest post, Julia Hammond shares with us 5 little known workouts guaranteed to add a little fun and excitement to your physical life!

You’ve done aerobics (if you’re being honest, you might have worn a spandex leotard and leg warmers at one time…thanks, Olivia Newton John).

You’ve spent time on the treadmill, the Stairmaster, the standing bike, and every other medieval torture device created to inspire weight loss and shape your posterior.

You may have even tried lifting, although watching the guy next to you bench his own body weight while you can barely lift the bar (by itself) leaves you a bit down-hearted and unmotivated.

But every new trend eventually loses its appeal (some quicker than others) and you are once again left wondering if there will ever be an exercise program that actually holds your interest.

Fortunately, there is a whole world of workouts that can turn things around for you, so here are a few you might want to try:

1. Zumba. If you thought dance was not a viable method of exercise, try one of these high-octane, Latin-inspired classes. If you make it to the end without collapsing or suffering dehydration, you’re in better shape than you thought. Zumba is a fast-paced and fun way to get your body moving and lose a few pounds. And the best part is, the booty-shaking moves translate well to the dance floor, so you can show off your smokin’ new bod at a local salsa club.
2. Bikram yoga. Okay, yoga is hard enough in a 70-degree room. How do people do it in 100+ degrees? Fun may not be quite the right word for this intense workout, but the heat will loosen up muscles you didn’t even know were tight and you get the added benefit of sweating out tons of toxins. You’ll leave one of these hot-house sessions feeling like you’ve just had a killer massage in a steam room. In short, it’s like being reborn.
3. Kettlebell. If you haven’t heard of this workout, it can be best described as aerobics with weights. But there’s a lot more to it. The sessions involve standard moves like squats and lunges for the legs and curls and raises for the arms (just to name a few). But what makes this form of exercise really unique and effective is that you use momentum to lift the weights (strengthening and lengthening at the same time) and it concurrently works your core. It’s like many workouts in one and you never have to do old-school crunches again, which is really all that’s required to entice most people.
4. Aerobic striptease. Carmen Electra brought the pole to the American home, but there are plenty of videos that will help you tone and tighten while you shake your money maker. In all honesty, it’s not as raunchy as you might expect. Most of the moves are more like choreographed dancing, especially if you opt for the Vegas Strip video from her series. At the very least, it’s a way to loosen up with your gal pals at a bachelorette party (although it’s also a darn good workout).
5. Insanity. Their mantra is “dig deeper” and what that requires is 60 days of total-body training during which you will burn 1,000 calories an hour (in daily hour-long sessions). No weights and no gimmicks make this exercise program appealing, but don’t think it’s easy. Interval and resistance training (not to mention the supplemental diet) will get you looking like a muscle-beach regular in just two months. It’s like having a personal trainer (or drill sergeant) at your disposal and everyone who tries it swears it delivers amazing results.

About the Author

Julia Hammond is a writer for the popular health website Nutritionist World where you can find a nutrition degree program or browse career listings in the health and fitness industry.

Have you tried any of these workouts before? What did you think of them?

You’ve heard of couples yoga, but Rebecca and Donovan take it to a whole new level!

These two performers almost made me blush with their sensual dance using yoga postures. Watch their grace, beauty and strength in this 4 minute video:

I wonder if this will inspire my Honey to start yoga?

Are you an exercise phobe looking for an activity that doesn’t seem like work? What if I told you that I knew of a low-intensity, highly effective workout that if practised, would give you the long, strong and lean body of a dancer or gymnast?

Developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920’s while incarcerated in a WWI German internment camp , Pilates is a series of muscle strengthening floor exercises. Many people like this form of exercise because there a very few repetitions, easily preventing boredom. And, you barely break a sweat!

Pilates is based on a holistic perspective and is a mind-body method that requires slow and controlled movements. The participant purposefully moves in and out of poses, strong from their core, concentrating on contracting and stretching the necessary muscles to perform each exercise.

In Pilates, the only equipment you need is your own body weight and a mat. But if you want, the exercises have several variations based on your experience level. More advanced movements incorporate weights and resistance bands.

Besides the improved posture, probably the biggest selling feature for me is the meditative benefits. The methodology, or as Pilates called it, Contrology , has 6 founding principals : centering, control, flow, breath, precision and concentration. Since regularly incorporating Pilates into my weekly routine, it has quickly become an essential method to manage my stress.

So, if you haven’t tried Pilates yet, what are you waiting for? And if you have, tell us about your experiences in the comment section.