Exercising
Aerobics:
Aerobics means "with oxygen" the opposite of anaerobic. Aerobic exercise improves your heart/ lung, fitness
or stamina. Aerobic classes, which were really the start of the fitness boom here in the late 70's can be fun - exercising to music encourages you to keep going. A good aerobics session should consist of a warm-up, fairly intense activity that keeps the heart rate continuously high for at least 20 minutes to promote aerobic or heart/lung fitness, exercises to develop strength in major muscle groups, followed by stretching and a cool down. These days, partly because of the injuries people sustained at "high-impact" classes, low-impact aerobics are more popular.
Clothes:
For most exercise you won't need to buy anything new. Just wear loose, comfortable clothes - a T shirt and a pair of jogging pants are ideal. Once you're in the swing, you can choose a flash leotard or the appropriate sports kit. Invest in a good sports bra. For any activity which involves a great deal of running or jumping you will need a good pair of shoes to protect your feet, joints and back from injury.
Body Changes:
Women go through a number of body changes in their lives, all of which raise the question of exercise. Is it safe or should it be avoided? At puberty it's a good idea to take up or continue regular exercise, it sets a pattern for an active adult lifestyle. A wide choice of activities may uncover hidden talents and the chance to make friends. Exercise generates a feeling of well being and often eases lethargy or pain caused by periods. Walking, swimming and cycling are all good exercise during pregnancy. How much you do depends on how much you did before you were pregnant. if you've always been sedentary, introduce these activities gently, now is not the time to catch up on your sporty
sisters!! If you always been active then it's safe to continue but not to a point where you get breathless or feel over tired. Avoid contact sports or lifting heavy weights. The menopause can be a miserable time, but the fitter you feel the better you will be able to cope with hot flushes and sweats, disturbed sleep and irritability. Walking, swimming or golf will help you relax, sleep better and boost your self esteem.
Dance:
Dance is one of the most natural forms of movement and self expression. Fast or slow, it stretches and works the muscles in the legs and feet, the arms, head, neck and hips and, if you take to belly dancing, your tummy muscles too!! If ballet or ballroom are not your style there are many highly organised systems of recreational dance such as the well-established Margaret Morris Movement or modern Jazzercise.
Fat:
Fat, not muscle (lean tissue) is the only weight we need to lose. Women have a higher ratio of fat to lean tissue
than men because female hormones encourage our bodies to lay down fat and provide the curves which are synonymous with femininity. But it's our muscles that give firm shapeliness to limbs which fatty tissue cannot give. Walking, jogging and light weight training will tone and strengthen your muscles and help to whittle away that surplus fat.
Housebound:
If you're tied to the house by children or lack of transport, then put some vigour into your housework. Run up and down the stairs and use 12 calories a minute, scrub the kitchen floor and work off five calories a minute plus lots of stress and tension! Making beds expends about four calories a minute while you can work off as much as 450 calories in an hour weeding and digging the garden - an activity which will also improve your flexibility.
Jogging:
You can always spot regular joggers by their shapely legs and even breathing as they climb stairs! This convenient and easy exercise is also great for working off calories and, best of all, you'll feel good afterwards, even if you think you're dying at the time!! As with all exercise, start gradually, 10 minutes five days a week is fine and if you can't jog all the way, at least walk briskly. Remember warm-up exercises and keep warm, especially your upper body and cool down with some gentle stretching to keep you flexible.
|
