- 06/23/09: Newsletter
- 05/05/09: Newsletter
- 10/22/08: Newsletter
- Strengthening Your Legs
- Working Out on Empty Stomachs
- Making Cardio Less Painful
- Avoid Crashing
- Coping With Sweets
- Increasing Metabolism
- Organize Your Training
- Eating Habits
- Visceral Belly Fat
- The Best Running Shoe
- Strength or Aerobic Capacity?
- Toning Legs with Cardio
- My Doctor's Scale is Off
- More Reps and their Effects
- 04/24/08: Newsletter
- 1-08-08: Newsletter
- 11-08-07: Newsletter
- 10-03-07: Newsletter
- 8-29-07: Newsletter
- 6-20-07: Weight Loss
- 6-13-07: Back Injury
- 5-08-07: Friendly Pressure
- 4-27-07: Running Routines
- 4-20-07: Cycling Cardio
- 4-10-07: Back Injury
- 4-03-07: Lunges Quads Butt
- 3-27-07: Running Off Fat
- 3-27-07: Runners Diet
- 3-23-07: Eating Late
- 3-13-07: Abs for the Obese
- 3-07-07: Supplements
- 2-21-07: Carbs Weight Gain
- 2-14-07: Accurate Bodyweight
- 2-07-07: Weight Fluctuations
- 1-30-07: Best Oatmeal
- 1-21-07: Winter Cardio
- 1-14-07: Training Children
- 1-10-07: Sick Bay
- 1-03-07: Shin Splints
- 2006: Archives
- 2005: Archives
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06-23-09// An active lifestyle
How important is an active lifestyle?
Chris:
You often talk about how do cardio properly when working out in the gym but how important is it to be active the rest of the day. I understand that I need an organized training routine to be at my best but does staying active help burn fat or am I wasting my time walking, riding my bike and other fun activities I enjoy doing outside in the summer months? Do you have any other suggestions on how to add more useful activity into my daily routine?
Jen
Jen:
In addition to regular workouts the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend at least 60 minutes of moderate a week.
Living an active lifestyle is a great way to insure you exceed this requirement.
Here are a few clever ways to add useful activity in everyday life.
Take the stairs.
If you live or work in building that has an elevator avoid it like the plague and chose the stairs instead. Walking up and down a steep incline a couple times a day can be an excellent way to get your heart pumping blood as well as tighten your legs and butt.
Enjoy an after dinner walk
Most Americans eat late dinners and do little to no activity before going to bed with full stomachs. It makes better sense to wind down from the days stress with a nice walk to help burn additional calories and give your body a chance to digest your meal with a little physical activity.
Turn lunch time into an early workout.
For many people the trick to staying in shape is learning how to find time to work out. A good solution might be to slip in an early lunchtime workout before life has a chance to throw a monkey wrench into your afternoon plans. The added activity will help keep you more consistent when you have little time to hit the gym.
Use your bike to run errands.
What do you think people did in the days before cars were invented? That’s right, they walked and you can too. Don’t waist 2 dollar a gallon gas going to the corner store or driving a couple of blocks to visit a friend. Use the most reliable natural resource ever invented, your legs. You’ll be amazed how many calories a week one can burn by applying this rule.
Cut your own grass.
Years ago I learned the cardiovascular benefits of grass cutting while working for my brothers landscaping company. I burned so many calories pushing a lawnmower a couple afternoons a week that I found myself in the best shape I’d ever been in.
In conclusion I believe the average American is lucky if he or she gets half of the activity recommended by healthcare professionals. It’s no wonder obesity had reached epic proportions.
Adding activity into everyday life is a perfect way to make sure you get exercise needed to maintain a healthy metabolism.