Four Rules to Grow Younger, Stronger, Sexier

Filed under: Fitness , Fit After 40 Chris Crowley, Workman Publishing If you’re over 40 and still haven’t found that single motivator to convince you to embrace exercise , how’s this: the odds are in your favor that you’ve got another 40 years ahead of you, and if you’re not strong, that’s a really long time to feel frail and stale. This premise is the driving force behind the popular book series ” Younger Next Year, ” by co-author Dr. Henry S. Lodge. Here are some of his straight-to-the point directives for making your life extraordinary and youthful all the way through. Join a gym: Even though you may do non-gym activities like biking , skiing and running , you still need to drag yourself to a place twice a week to lift some weights so you can continue to build muscle. And FYI, curling three-pound dumbbells isn’t weight training . “The weights should feel heavy and challenging and require you to engage your legs, back, arms and core. You should also have access to a variety of machines and props so you can work your muscles in all sorts of ways,” said Lodge. Which is the best gym for you? “The one you’ll go to,” he said. “In most cases, the gym closest to your home or office is best. That said, if you don’t like that one, look farther away. Your muscles could care less where you go. Ideally you want a gym with members of all ages.” And if you’re self-conscious at first, the author promises you’ll eventually get over it. Work out — hard: “The ‘park further from the mall so you can walk more’ advice is stupid,” Lodge said. “Or it’s a viable strategy if you’re planning to die just short of your 70s. But for those of us who plan to live well into our 80s, a higher level of fitness is required.” It’s true: All the science says your level of brain function, energy, optimism and sex drive is directly tied to your level of fitness. “Sure, being a little bit fit is better than being sedentary, but why stop there?” said Lodge. “That’s like saying, what’s the least good life I can have versus what’s the best?” If you’re not sure what vigorous, respectable exercise means — and here’s a hint: It’s not a brisk walk — take a spin class. Celebrate your fit body and sharp mind: Obviously Helen Mirren knows she’s a knockout in a bikini, and I’m guessing it makes her feel young and incredibly cool. Do the same for yourself. Whether you speed through your first tri or just feel sleek walking down the street, take pride in how you feel and appreciate your efforts. I take particular note when I bound up the subway steps while everyone around me is trudging and how sexy I feel when I’m drenched in sweat after a five-mile run. Maybe for you it will be noticing greater performance at work or an increased libido. Working out translates to a better version of you by a huge margin. Just do it: You don’t have to like the investment; you just need to like the reward. “When it’s not fun, so what? You have to have the discipline to do unpleasant work sometimes. The bottom line is the payoff is enormous,” said Lodge. “Your body’s cell turnover provides you with brand-new muscle cells every 100 days. It’s like getting a new body every few months. Whether that body is better or worse than the old one is up to you.” Learn how yoga can also help you live longer . Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Four Rules to Grow Younger, Stronger, Sexier

To Build Muscle, Lift Lighter Weights: This Week on AOL Health

Filed under: Fitness jupiterimages New research suggests that if you want to build muscle, it’s all about light weight training . A study found that people saw better results when they pushed their muscles to the limit doing more reps with lighter weights to achieve muscle fatigue , rather than using heavier weights for less reps. Fitness expert Dr. Pamela Peeke told AOL Health that using heavy weights actually poses a greater risk for injury. “People end up with ligament tears and joint inflammation ,” she said. “You have to be very careful because certain parts of human body are much more susceptible for joint injuries.” Learn more about this study and about finding your own fitness professional at AOL Health . Want to tone your arms in just 10 minutes? Personal trainer Denise Austin shows That’s Fit readers how. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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To Build Muscle, Lift Lighter Weights: This Week on AOL Health

Work Your Gams With 3 Printable Workouts

If you’re looking for ways to tone up your legs, we have you covered from cardio to yoga. Here are three different workouts all focusing on the lower half of the body. Mix up weight training with running to strengthen your legs, then add a little yoga for lengthening your muscles while working them. Each workout has a downloadable PDF for you to print and take to the gym. Be sure to review the details of the Lower Body Yoga Sequence and the Legs and Glutes Workout prior to working out. Did I mention the treadmill printout has four different workouts for you to try? Legs and Glutes Workout Lower Body Yoga Sequence 4 Treadmill Workouts

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Work Your Gams With 3 Printable Workouts

When Lifting, Switch Up Your Routine Every Session

No one wants to waste time at the gym, so to make your strength training workouts more effective, you’ve got to keep your muscles guessing. Not only is it important to work your muscles in a different order , you also need to mix up the types of exercises you do. While push-ups and squats are great go-to moves because they target the upper and lower body beautifully, there are other ways to work those areas. Try variations of your favorite moves, or try new moves altogether and you’ll end up toning your muscles in different ways that will make your body stronger, your muscles more sculpted, and will also help prevent the dreaded plateau. If you’ve been doing the same strength training workout forever, here are some new ideas. Choose an entirely different routine to do each time you hit the gym, or pick a new exercise to add to your existing routine. Total body: Head-to-Toe Strength Training Routine Arms: Back to Basics: Tone Your Guns Legs: 5 Moves to Make Running Hills a Breeze Abs: 5 Crunchless Ab Exercises Tush and legs: Glutes and Hamstrings Workout Shoulders and upper back: Shoulder Shaping Strength Training Routine Tush: 8 Dynamic Booty Exercises Total body: Full Body Circuit Workout With Weights Back: Back Plan Finish up with these 6 Essential Post-Workout Stretches

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When Lifting, Switch Up Your Routine Every Session

Strike a Yoga Pose: Down Dog Dancer

Balancing poses challenge our muscles as well as our minds. Some are harder than others, and if your back and hamstrings are flexible, you’ll love this one, which is a combination of Downward Facing Dog and Dancer . Sanskrit Name: Adho Mukha Svana Natarajasana English Translation: Downward Facing Dog Dancer Pose To learn how to do this pose read more. Begin in Downward Facing Dog with equal weight on your hands and feet. Raise your right leg up in the air and bend your knee. Then lift your right arm up and reach for your right foot. Arching your spine and kicking your foot away from you will help you stay balanced. After five breaths, release your hand and foot to the floor, coming back into Down Dog. Then repeat this pose on the left side. This is one of my favorite balancing poses because it’s so challenging, but once I can hold my body in a stable position, it really calms my mind. Head on over to the Yoga Stretch and Tell community group and tell me, what’s your favorite yoga pose?

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Strike a Yoga Pose: Down Dog Dancer

Shoes to Run Barefoot In

Barefoot running has slowly been gaining momentum amongst mainstream runners. Proponents say that modern-day running shoes hinder performance and cause injury. Shoes, it seems, constrain our feet, and cause us to move in ways that aren’t natural: we strike our heels, run with bad posture, and don’t engage with our environment. But barefoot running is not something to try blindly. Luckily, there’s been a huge push to design minimalist shoes that mimic the feel of barefoot running. These shoes engage the muscles of the feet, encourage good posture, and help train the wearer to land correctly. If you’re thinking about giving barefoot running a try, here are a few selections to get you started. Use these shoes as training wheels on your way to true barefoot running or as guidance to becoming a chi runner . Source: Thinkstock View Slideshow ›

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Shoes to Run Barefoot In

Lifting Tip: Don’t Always Start With Your Guns

You met with a personal trainer who outlined a killer strength training routine to tone your entire body. You learned correct form and the order of the exercises, and you’ve been doing this exact routine twice a week for a month. That’s awesome, but if you continue to work out the same way each time, you’re sure to reach a plateau when it comes to seeing results. In order to strengthen your muscles effectively, you’ve got to keep them guessing. The easiest way to do that is to mix up the order you work your muscles. If you’re used to starting with bicep curls and triceps dips to work your arms, start with squats and lunges instead, and work your arms last. Tiring out your muscles in a different order will not only be more challenging, but varying your routine will also prevent boredom.

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Lifting Tip: Don’t Always Start With Your Guns

Make This: Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

At Nopalito - a Mexican eatery in my neighborhood - they start every table off with a complimentary bowl of spiced chickpeas. This snack is full of heat and crunch and sort of reminds me of spicy wasabi peas or corn nuts. Because I am addicted to them, I decided that I would try and make them myself. Like kale chips , roasted chickpeas are a great way to satisfy a chip craving, minus all that fat. And you get all the nutritional benefits of chickpeas - namely, fiber and protein. See the recipe when you read more. Spicy Roasted Chickpeas Inspired by Nopalito Make sure the chickpeas are completely dry after draining and rinsing them. Otherwise they’ll end up chewy and soggy. Ingredients 1 15 oz. can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 2 teaspoons of spice mixture (a curry, Morrocan, or Mexican spice mixture work well) Directions Preheat oven to 400°F. Drain and rinse chickpeas in a colander. Pat dry. Toss chickpeas in a medium sized bowl with olive oil, sea salt, and spices. Arrange chickpeas on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until crispy. While baking, shake pan or stir chickpeas to avoid burning. Transfer to a serving bowl. If desired, sprinkle and toss with more spices. Print recipe with images | without images Serving Size 1/4 of recipe Calories 294 Total Fat 4.4 g Sat. Fat 1.1 g Cholesterol 93 mg Sodium 325 mg Carbs 45 g Fiber 8 g Sugars 4.4 g Protein 19.5 g If you have a tasty and healthy recipe to share, post it in the Healthy Recipe Group . We could all use some new dishes to try.

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Make This: Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

Quick and Easy Kitchen Workout

Filed under: Fitness Many times, life and our busy schedules get in the way of our exercise routines. But even if you don’t have time for the gym or a dedicated half-hour workout, there are lots of ways to get in a workout while multitasking. Enter my quick and easy kitchen workout. The best part about these kitchen moves are that you can fit them into your schedule while doing other things. They can help to burn extra calories by simply adding toning exercises to everyday life. My favorite kitchen move is the one for chest and shoulders, countertop push-aways. It’s a push up against the sink or kitchen counter. Women don’t realize that the push away really works chest and arms. These seven exercises will burn up extra calories and firm your muscles. The great thing about your muscles is that they don’t care where you are or where you work out! We spend a lot of time in kitchen, three meals, a lot of time that you could turn kitchen time into toning time. It’s important to move your muscles wherever you are and whenever you can. In this case, you can do all of these moves while standing at the kitchen sink. You don’t need equipment or workout gear for these moves. Also, while you may need 20 minutes of cardio or aerobics daily, toning and stretching is totally different and can be done at one-minute intervals throughout the day as a way to firm up muscles. Here, the moves for my quick and easy kitchen workout: 1. Sink ‘n’ Squat Stand about an arm-length away from the sink with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down and hold for five seconds. Hilmar Meyer-Bosse / Denise’s Daily Dozen 2. Leg and Butt Lift While standing at the sink washing dishes or scrubbing veggies, lift your right leg up behind you and pulse it up and down. Switch legs and repeat. Hilmar Meyer-Bosse / Denise’s Daily Dozen 3. Saddlebag Slimmers Stand with your left side to the counter and place your hand on it. Lift your right leg out to the side about a foot off the ground and pulse. Turn so that your right side faces the counter, then switch legs and repeat. 4. Inner-Thigh Toner Stand with your left side to the counter and place your hand on it. Lift your right leg off the floor and bring it across the front of your body toward the left side. Pulse. Switch sides and repeat. Hilmar Meyer-Bosse / Denise’s Daily Dozen 5. Countertop Push-Aways I do these while waiting for my toast to pop up! First, place your hands on the counter a little wider than shoulder-width and step a few feet away with your legs. Bend your elbows, bringing your chest toward the countertop, then push back up to the start position. Hilmar Meyer-Bosse / Denise’s Daily Dozen 6. Down Dog Stand about two arm-lengths away from a countertop. Place your hands on the counter, bend forward at the waist so your body forms a ninety-degree angle, and keep your back straight. Hilmar Meyer-Bosse / Denise’s Daily Dozen 7. Leg Stretch Place your straight on a countertop. Keeping your back straight, lean forward, reach for your toes. Hilmar Meyer-Bosse / Denise’s Daily Dozen Denise Austin has helped millions of people lose weight. She’s sold 20 million exercise DVDs, authored more than 10 books, and starred in the most-watched fitness show in history! Denise’s mission is to help America get fit - and now she’s online at DeniseAustin.com to motivate and educate people everywhere to eat right and exercise. Visit DeniseAustin.com to lose weight! Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Quick and Easy Kitchen Workout

3 Important Building Muscle Mass Myths you should know

Do you remember that game that we played as children when the teacher would whisper a story into the ear of one student, and that student would repeat the story to the next student, and so on around the circle? When the story was told by the last person in the circle, it had very little if any resemblance to the story the teacher whispered into that first little ear. The people have lots of muscle building myths in their head.The objective of the lesson was to teach kids not to gossip, but that is the same way in which all kinds of myths develop about all kinds of things, including building muscle mass. When you are searching for how to build muscle, you should always consider this muscle building myths. Here are three bodybuilding myths that are totally false and that you should not accept: Myth #1: Building muscle will cause you to become “muscle-bound” and thus slower and less flexible. Fact: This myth was obviously started by a 100-pound weakling who was having no luck at getting bigger or stronger; sort of a sour-grape reaction to failure. The fact is that more muscle actually makes you more flexible and faster. Muscles will speed you up, not slow you down. Myth #2: If you don’t use perfect form for all of your lifts, they are useless. Fact: Horse feathers! Being overly concerned about form can actually be detrimental to your bodybuilding efforts. Yes, form is important, but everything doesn’t depend upon form. Moving naturally is more effective than striving for perfect, textbook form. So what if there’s a little sway in your back when you are doing bicep curls? You’re DOING the bicep curls. Myth #3: You have to “feel the burn” if you want your muscles to grow. Fact: This is simply not true. Lactic acid (a metabolic waste product) is what causes that burning sensation. It has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with making your muscles grow. Hope this muscle building myths would be useful for you .If you like to add more just take part in the comments and add more muscle building myths . Add this link to Box.net Subscribe to the comments for this post? Share this on del.icio.us Post this on Diigo Share this on Facebook Add this to Google Bookmarks Post on Google Buzz Submit this to Hacker News Share this on Mixx Store this link on MyLinkVault Share this on Reddit Submit this to Script & Style Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Tweet This!

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3 Important Building Muscle Mass Myths you should know

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