1.The secret of stretching. When you stretch, ease your body
into position until you feel the stretch and hold it for about 25
seconds. Breathe deeply to help your body move oxygen-rich blood to
those sore muscles. Don't bounce or force yourself into an uncomfortable
position.
2. Do your weights workout first. Experts say weight training
should be done first, because it's a higher intensity exercise compared
to cardio. Your body is better able to handle weight training early in
the workout because you're fresh and you have the energy you need to
work it. Conversely, cardiovascular exercise should be the last thing
you do at the gym, because it helps your body recover by increasing
blood flow to the muscles, and flushing out lactic acid, which builds up
in the muscles while you're weight training. It’s the lactic acid that
makes your muscles feel stiff and sore.
3. Burn fat during intervals. To improve your fitness quickly and lose weight,
harness the joys of interval training. Set the treadmill or step
machine on the interval programme, where your speed and workload varies
from minute to minute. Build up gradually, every minute and return to
the starting speed. Repeat this routine. Not only will it be less
monotonous, but you can train for a shorter time and achieve greater
results.
4. Running. If your ankles, knees, and hips
ache from running on pavement, head for the dirt. Soft trails or graded
roads are a lot easier on your joints than the hard stuff. Also, dirt
surfaces tend to be uneven, forcing you to slow down a bit and focus on
where to put your feet – great for agility and concentration.
5. Workout. Rev up your metabolism by
alternating your speed and intensity during aerobic workouts. Not only
should you alternate your routine to prevent burnout or boredom, but to
give your body a jolt. If you normally walk at 6.5km/h on the treadmill
or take 15 minutes to walk a km, up the pace by going at 8km/h for a
minute or so during your workout. Do this every five minutes or so. Each
time you work out, increase your bouts of speed in small increments.
6. Fruit juices. Don’t eat carbohydrates for at
least an hour after exercise. This will force your body to break down
body fat, rather than using the food you ingest. Stick to fruit and
fluids during that hour, but avoid beer.
7. Personal Trainer. Instead of flailing away at gym, enlist the help – even temporarily – of a personal trainer.
Make sure you learn to breathe properly and to do the exercises the
right way. You’ll get more of a workout while spending less time at the
gym.
8. Stop Smoking. Don’t smoke and if you smoke already, do
everything in your power to quit. Don’t buy into that
my-granny-smoked-and-lived-to-be-90 crud – not even the tobacco giants
believe it. Apart from the well-known risks of heart disease and cancer,
orthopaedic surgeons have found that smoking accelerates bone density
loss and constricts blood flow. So you could live to be a 90-year-old
amputee who smells of stale tobacco smoke. Unsexy.
9. Family History. Find out your family history. You
need to know if there are any inherited diseases prowling your gene
pool. According to the Mayo Clinic, USA, finding out what your
grandparents died of can provide useful – even lifesaving – information
about what’s in store for you. And be candid, not coy: 25 percent of the
children of alcoholics become alcoholics themselves.
10. Do self-checks. Do regular self-examinations of your
breasts. Most partners are more than happy to help, not just because
breast cancer is the most common cancer among SA women. The best time to
examine your breasts is in the week after your period.
