Healthy » Cardio

5 Ways to Stay Motivated for a Workout

Poonam Advani — Wed, 25 May 2011 03:43:08 +0000

You have been going to the gym everyday now to lose that extra flab but it is just not showing the results you want to see! You are naturally frustrated with your workout and tired of running on the treadmill because you are not getting what you desire out of your regime. Giving up is not an option. So, what you need is motivation to maintain the regularity of your workout!

The most common reason to give up exercise is not losing weight or not getting the desired results. This leads to laziness and erratic workout schedules. You need to find the best way to keep yourself motivated to run that extra mile so that you can be regular for your daily workout. Here are five ways you can use to keep yourself pumped up and not avoid your gym schedule:

Set Realistic Goals: Set weekly goals, but realistic ones. If you are working out just once a week, make it a point to go twice this week and then thrice the next week and so on. Try and mark your days on the calendar so that you know when you went last and when you have to go next. This way, you can reach your target quite easily without adding unwarranted frustration to your life.

Reward yourself: Once you fulfill you weekly goals, make sure you gift yourself something you like. For instance, a healthy dinner at your favorite place down the wharf should do the trick. Another good way of keeping yourself motivated is, buying new workout clothes, like the t-shirt that never fit you last year. In this way, you would know that your workouts are working.

Change your Workout: Once you have regularized your workout, don’t get stuck up with the same exercise regime. Change is always good. Challenge you body by changing your cardio days with running outdoors along the beach. Try some variations by doing Pilates or yoga or even aerobics.

Get an exercise buddy: The thought of getting out of the house to go and sweat in the gym ‘alone’ is very distressing. Rope in a friend from your neighbourhood or a colleague for your workout. Also, if one of you is lazy to get up for your workout, the other one easily motivates the other to get up and run to the gym. Make sure you don’t get work to the workout; the workout can get very stressful then!

Get out of the gym, go Outdoors! If you feel that the gym is the only place you can lose weight, then you are totally wrong. After a point you may not be motivated to go and just run on the treadmill for 20 minutes. At such a point in your exercise life, go outside your workout place. Even an hour of sports like tennis, daily, gives enough cardio and strength workout. Trekking on weekends is a great getaway and a great workout!

ePharmacy Specials

Winter fitness ideas

Health Guru — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 05:31:03 +0000

The winter season is a perfect excuse for a sedentary lifestyle. With the weather so cold, nobody would want to get out and exercise. But exercising and keeping an active lifestyle in winter doesn’t necessarily require you to stay out chilling in the freezing cold.

Here are our indoor winter fitness ideas:

1. Indoor Swimming. Talk to the local council about finding your nearest indoor pool. If you do not know how to swim, try water aerobics.

2. Invest in Fitness DVDs. There are loads of different forms of indoor fitness programs. We like pilates, yoga, aerobics, zumba and belly dancing. There’s also the internet where you can download videos for free! Now, all you have to do is to turn the living room into a make-shift gym.

3. Jump rope. When we were kids, we used it as a form of fun and play. Now that we are mature, jump rope is an inexpensive yet excellent way to burn calories and fats while staying indoors. A rope and a vast area like the living room or garage are the only things you need for this fitness activity.

4. Do household chores. 10-15 minutes of house cleaning is equal to a warm-up exercise. Stretch, bend and move your entire body as you clean windows, sweep the floor, dust furniture, rearrange household items, etc. Doing so gives you two benefits: a tidier home and boosted health.

Top 5 Zumba Classes in Sydney

Health Guru — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 05:02:24 +0000

Depending on your location in Sydney, you can almost find a Zumba class held nearby. Enthusiasts of Zumba in Sydney have formed different groups to provide Zumba trainings to individuals who love to get toned while dancing. Contact them and they will organize Zumba classes at their designated areas in Sydney.

Here is a list of centers that offer top-rated Zumba Classes in Sydney:

1. Zumba Fitness- This center was founded by Diana last April 2010. Their headquarters is located at New South Wales. But wherever you may be in Sydney, whether in the North, East or West, there are packages that you can avail of depending on your requirements and budget. You can inquire about their services online at www.zumba4u.com.au.

2. Zumba Alegria- Also located at New South Wales, is managed by a licensed member of the Zumba Instructor Network. There are different class schedules that you can choose from. You need to book your classes in advance to control the number of students in each session. Contact the instructor via email at greer@zumbaalegria.com.

3. Natalie Anne Beck- She’s not only a professional dance instructor but a good Zumba teacher as well! She and her team offer Zumba classes held at Wetherill Park or Castle Hill Dance Studio. A single class costs $15. But if you avail of the 10 pack classes, you’ll only pay for $100. Book your lessons now and sway your way to fitness and health.

4. Sydney Zumba Fitness- classes are held weekly at Fitness First Gyms in Boni Junction, Darlinghurst, King Cross, Neutral Bay and Sydney CBD. The program is conducted by qualified Zumba Instructors and utilizes salsa, merengue, cumbia, reggaeton and other international rhythms that truly make the exercise exciting and fun-filled. Contact them to arrange a Zumba fitness class at your local gym. Personal training sessions are also offered regularly by Kib Fitness, sponsor of Sydney Zumba Fitness.

5. V-club- the perfect gym for the best workouts for an affordable price. Aside from Zumba classes, it also offers other fun fitness programs like Exotic dance, Hot Yoga, Pilates, Contemporary dance, cardio circuit and many more!

Top 5 Zumba Classes in Melbourne

Health Guru — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 04:59:15 +0000

Party while shedding off some excess calories and fats in your body using the latest aerobic dance craze, the Zumba! Accompanied by lively soundtracks, this routine work-out is infused with a combination of Latin and hip-hop dance moves. It’s a timeless exercise that young and old alike will surely enjoy.

Here are our top 5 Zumba classes in Melbourne:

1. DANZFIT- Claims to be the home of Melbourne Zumba, this fitness club is the largest Zumba business in Melbourne. The company has focused on specializing the Zumba Fitness and now caters Zumba students from areas in Bundoora, Abbotsford, Essendon, Prahran, East Doncaster and Wantirna.

2. ZUMBA UNITED- Party towards fitness with their professional and entertaining instructors for an additional $10 per class. Their schedule provides you with 24 classes that you can choose from. They also provide Zumba classes for children and private events. Check their website at http://www.zumbaunited.com.au/ for more details regarding their services and promos.

3. FERNWOOD FITNESS- There are 22 Fernwood gyms that you can find in Melbourne and each has its own pumped up versions of the Zumba dance. Come on board with the other gym-goers and experience a new and exciting way to stay in shape.

4. ZUMBA WITH KEREN- For just $10, you can avail of 24 Zumba classes in a week with Keren. There are no commitments and you need not reserve your slots in advance. With the skills combination of an Aerobic Instructor and Personal Trainer, Keren will surely get you hooked with her effective and safe workout.

5. CURVES- Curves is a gym and health haven for women. With its high-end work-out facilities and effective weight loss programs, Zumba is an additional member of their powerful line-up of fitness services.

Top 5 Zumba Classes in Brisbane

Health Guru — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 04:55:53 +0000

There are many teams of certified Zumba Instructors that you can find in Brisbane. They offer Zumba classes for beginners through to experienced dancers. You need not be familiar with the Latin Dance to join their program. Your skill and knowledge in this fitness routine will naturally be enhanced once you regularly attend Zumba classes.

Here are some top-rating teams that provide quality Zumba classes in Brisbane:

1. VIDA LATINA DANCE CO. – One of the well-renowned Zumba dance fitness provider in Brisbane. The company offers 35 Zumba classes in 15 different locations in Brisbane. Anyone who wants to burn up to 1000 calories can attend their Zumba sessions for as low as $9.

2. JILL’S JIVE- Coupled with good company and great facilities, this fitness club will surely give you the most out of your money, time and effort. Jill’s Jive started as a family last 1997. It is located at the Northern Suburbs of Brisbane near the Melton Rd. in between the Nundah and Northgate train stations. They offer Zumba lessons every Mondays and Wednesday at a rate of $12 per session or $100 for 10 sessions.

3. GROOVE DANCE ACADEMY- Add some twist into your dates by availing a Zumba class from one of the well known one-stop shop partner dancing studio in Brisbane. Indeed, this is a unique and romantic way to stay healthy and fit for you and your loved one!

4. RIO RHYTMICS (LATIN DANCE ACADEMY) – The largest and most comprehensive latin dance school in Australia is found at the West End of Brisbane is providing their students with Zumba dance courses. Their certified and passionate Zumba instructors will get your heart pumping and dance fitness improving when you enroll in their 45-minute classes. This routine is good for dancers and non-dancers alike.

5. DANCEVOLUTION- Is composed of instructors who not only love to dance but most of all love to teach others how to dance. They offer group and private lessons on Zumba fitness classes and other Latin American and contemporary styles of dance sports. They conduct sessions at Perry’s Dance Academy and St. Paul’s Uniting church. Check their website for details: http://www.dancevolution.com.au

Why is Zumba so popular?

Health Guru — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 04:36:29 +0000

What makes this new trend of fitness so popular among health enthusiasts? How effective is this exercise in keeping your body in shape and healthy? Zumba turns the usual exercise routine into an exciting and dynamic fitness program with the fusion of dancing in the tunes of international and Latin rhythms. The steps are very easy to learn that even non-dancers will effortlessly sway into the music and routine. It is one of the easiest ways to tone your body and sustain that perfect shape. That is why Zumba DVDs and programs are very popular in the fitness business nowadays.

An hour of calorie burning and heart pumping moves provide followers of this workout long-term health benefits that will keep you hooked and coming back for more. The entire body is toned with the use of interval and resistance training. The abs, arms, gluts, legs and heart are the areas to which this exercise is focused on. Aside from its physical effects, it is also a new way of relaxing the mind and soul.

Zumba fitness is an exercise routine that suits all ages. Kids, adults and senior citizens alike will surely find it an exhilarating way to be healthy and stay healthy. People are often afraid to try Zumba because of the thought that it is a fast paced exercise. But there are different levels of Zumba that will be tailor fitted to go with your needs. For starters, you can take it slow with Zumba gold. For the moderate level is the Zumba Basic while an intense workout is classified to the Zumba toning.

The dance steps introduced to Zumba followers vary from instructor to instructor. But basically, simple steps from Latin dances of cha-cha, meringue, flamenco, mambo and salsa accompanied by International dance moves of belly dancing and hip-hop comprise every routine of this work-out. Once you start doing the Zumba fitness program, you’ll not notice how much you have moved and exercised your body since you’ll get hooked on the fun and enjoyment you feel while exercising and learning how to dance.

Try out Zumba fitness at your local gym or DVDs and zoom your way to health and happiness!

Rock Climbing

JBric — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 03:35:03 +0000

Now rock climbing probably isn’t the kind of sport you could make a global name for yourself in, well, unless your Sylvester Stallone in the movie Cliffhanger, but otherwise it is a great sport that will challenge you, entertain you and give you many benefits to your health.

For those of you still asking yourself what rock climbing is, and if it is even a sport, the answer is yes and no.

While there are world championships and world events, it is very much just a past time done between groups of friends in a local rock-climbing centre.

In short, it can be done outside in natural cliff faces, or indoors in a man built arena, these are more common.

The title pretty much outlines what it’s all abut, you climb up a wall, or cliff, using rock faces and ledges, and yes, you are attached to a safety harness!

Indoors, there are many different routes to take, some of which are harder than others, and some, which are easier.

If heights scare you, this might not be the sport for you, but it is extremely fun for those who aren’t afraid of being high off the ground.

Physically, you will develop very strong core strength from rock climbing and you back and arm muscles will get larger as a result of constant training.

It is definitely a kind of sport that will leave you exhausted, and gives your body a full workout, without any major impact or risk of injury.

All in all, rock climbing is a great sport to increase your health in and a great past time for mates of all levels, from beginner to expert.

Hash House Harriers

JBric — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 04:34:01 +0000

Now you might not have heard about Hash House Harriers, but those of you who have, you will be sure to always remember them.

Hash House Harriers, or hashers as they are more commonly known, are those who are part of a social club that run, socialize and drink weekly.

Now there are plenty of running clubs around, but what makes these so unique is the fact they refer to themselves as drinkers with a running problem, not the other way around.

Basically a standard hash run involves around 20-100 members of a hash group meeting at a certain location, where they will then take off on a 6-7 kilometer run through testing terrain.

Along the run there are many different directions you have to pay attention to that are drawn onto certain landmarks along the way.

To a degree, a hash run is a bit like a scavenger hunt, and most of the time you have no idea where you are running to before you take off.

Once the run is complete, all members will begin socializing and drinking together.

At the end of every run, a circle takes place. A circle is like a team discussion, where hashers are punished, recognized, new hashers are inducted, nicknames are given and news and upcoming events are spoken of.

In case you were thinking Hash clubs are more of a little known cult, guess again. There are hundreds of hash clubs across the world, and it is so popular they have international competition every four years.

The Interhash is a worldwide event culminating all groups across the globe for a massive run/socialize/drink together.

For those of you who are keen to join, there is sure to be one in almost every major city around across Australia, and numerous regional groups as well.

For more info check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_House_Harriers

Playing Music

JBric — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 07:31:47 +0000

There seems to be a misconception of the musicians these days and just how healthy they are.

Most of what we hear about rock and pop stars is there controversial moments like Brittany Spears and Michael Jackson, as well as the drug culture made famous by some of the big bands in the 80s.

But, it is often overlooked just now fit some of these musicians are, and just how healthy playing music can be for us.

Let us take a drummer for example.

The drummer, admittedly, sits down while playing, so there is less energy burnt in that department, but when you realize just how much movement is involved when playing then you will think twice.

Think about this. A drummer is moving all four limbs non-stop for the duration of a song, which is about three to four minutes long.

Yes, there are times when the beat will be slower and playing will be easier, but there are also times when the beat is fast and the drummer will burn a lot of energy to keep in time and keep tight.

By the end of a song it is common to see most musicians build up a pretty big sweat, and be huffing and puffing a fair bit.

But it is not just drummers who do it tough. Guitarists certainly are not short of energy when on stage and when performing live, energy is essential and calories will be burnt.

On top of all of this, we forget the fact that in most music concerts, musicians are performing under some pretty bright lights that will be sure to make you burn and sweat.

So, if you are looking at finding a nice exercise that will also possibly lead to a career out of sport, then music is a decent option.

And, the best part is, it keeps you healthy!

Shooting

JBric — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 04:32:29 +0000

With the 2010 Commonwealth Games just around the corner in Delhi, it’s a good time to start remembering some of the lesser-known sports around the world that will be participated at the event.

One of those is Shooting.

Now shooting has a special place in Australian sporting history largely because of its rich history and the many medals it has had in past Games.

Some of the big names in the sport down under include Michael Diamond, Russell Mark and Sarah Bollagh.

If you had no idea about the sport and what was involved in competing, I can tell you now, it is not a violent, contact sport, or even one that involves simultaneous participation.

While it may sound like a barbaric sport, it is actually one of a strangely peaceful aura.

There are many different classifications in the sport, ranging from trap, double trap and different events involving shotguns and barrels.

The basic principal in all of these is to beat your opponent one on one.

One at a time you will step up to the plate and shoot down as many targets as you can, trying to score better than your opponent.

From a spectator’s point of view, the sport can be interesting, and not interesting, as it is not really an action packed event.

It can be very loud, and as competitors it is advised to wear earmuffs and/or earplugs while competing.

If you were interested in getting into the sport, it can be hard to know the right places to go and the right places to speak to.

As guns are illegal in many parts of the world, a license of some sort will need to be obtained, and it will also be quite an expensive sport to take part in.