For most people, weight loss and management is an ongoing, unforgiving and challenging part of life. Eat like a rabbit for a month, exercise religiously, give up sugary or fatty foods, and most of us can tip the scales in our favor. However, it seems that a few indiscretions like a bowl of ice cream or a few missed workouts will reverse this process in a hurry; The fight is tough and constant. Fair work is the only way to win the day. The good news is that the battle won’t be so difficult if we get creative with the ways we use the strengths we have on our side: food choices and exercise.
There are a myriad of weight loss schemes, drugs, pills and promises out there. Some promote food combinations, others restrict certain foods, and even more sources promise to give the customer everything they want: weight loss without deprivation or strenuous exercise. The truth is that there is no magic bullet that will get you the results you want. The fine print always says, “Use with the attached diet and exercise plan.” The way we achieve a physique that includes tone with more muscle and less fat is to find a balance of activity and food choices we can live with.
Of course, it’s essential to develop a healthy friendship with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins in order to replace “idle” fatty tissue with its lean muscle counterpart. Pick the ones you love, eat them everyday, and find new ways to prepare them that keep your interest. But what about exercise? How can we prevent workouts from becoming repetitive, boring or downright exhausting? Let music be your coach. Choose from a variety of exercises to go with it. Call it circuit training, the “boot camp” philosophy, muscle confusion, or grab-bag exercises, if you will. Working all your muscle groups for five to six “blocks,” for a few minutes at a time, will keep your workouts fun and different each time. You’ll be looking forward to exercise for a change.
First, pick five or six songs from a few different sets that you like the most. This is your “set” for the day (do these workouts every other day for best results). Invest in some hand weights, power bands, and leg weights. Find a cardiovascular exercise you enjoy (a treadmill is best, but you can use your neighborhood block or local school track): fast walking or running, aerobic dancing, kickboxing or even a Stationary bikes also work well. For your music player, MP3s or even cassette tapes in a portable player are fine. The key is to have your song queue ready, your equipment close at hand, and a half hour to work. Find some exercises for the muscles of the arms, legs and abdomen. Map out your plan in a way that is comfortable for you.
Begin your circuit workout with a light cardio warm-up to a song. Then move on to leg exercises (with weights if you want): lift, kick, and circle. Alternate feet and gait types for this song. During the next song, do some more cardio work. When the song changes again, move on to abdominal exercises. More cardio for the following song. After that song, work the arms and upper body with your weights or power bands. Finish with a light cardio cool-down. After your half hour of changing target areas, you’ll have challenged all possible muscle groups.
It’s easy to modify this workout to your fitness level and ability. It changes something new every few minutes. You can choose different songs at different speeds to keep it fun. A bonus that comes with using an MP3 player is the shuffle button, which shuffles songs around so you never know which one will be next. Music can train you because it provides a subtle structure and intensity that you can’t follow when working in silence or on television. Best of all, you may look forward to this workout because of its variety — and the way it makes you feel. Using all the muscle groups in the steps brings fresh oxygen throughout your body. There may be no “free ride” to successful weight loss, but there are ways to make the ride more enjoyable…and effective!
Source by Bonnie Joy Cox
