Archive for April, 2011

Nix Workout Boredom

One of the most overly used excuses for skipping workouts has to be boredom. Once your brain has given up on a workout routine, then your body is sure to follow suit soon. If you feel like you and your workout is stuck in a serious boring exercise routine, or if you are deciding to start working out and your fear that boredom will soon overtake you, then you should follow these simple steps. The steps will keep boredom from overtaking your routine and keep you more motivated to keep on going.

  1. Use the buddy system when it comes to workouts. It is so easy to feel discouraged or skip out on exercising when it is just you. Find a buddy or a couple that you can share your workout with. If you find that you prefer walking, then find someone who is willing to walk along with you. Exercise classes are a great way to find exercise partners, as well as, learn new and different techniques that will also allow you to keep the boredom at bay. If you find that you are okay working out solo, but still want some motivation, then you can find buddies online that you can share your workout stories with.
  2. Change up the pace often. Runners and anyone who chooses to use the treadmill are subject to falling into the boredom that will probably happen after you go the same speed on the same incline day in and day out. Keep in mind the treadmill’s control panel is there for a reason. Use it to your advantage, and play with the controls. Get in your five minute warm up, and then change up the pace. Jog for a few minutes, then walk or sprint for a few minutes. Do this interval training for the entirety of your treadmill workout. Another way to get in your runtime without a dull moment is to incorporate the treadmill in a circuit. Place a set of dumbbells by the treadmill, after every three to five minutes of running, pause the machine and do a minute of arm toning.
  3. Use your mind power to nix boredom. Most people working out are there to improve one thing or another. Channel this into a positive mindset that will help you to keep going longer without feeling dull. Think about how you want to feel after a workout and keep that in your mind throughout the exercise. The strong positively could be just eh push mentally that you need to get through a workout.
  4. Make the elliptical fun again. When you are working out on an elliptical, change up your direction for a body and brain stimulating boredom buster. Warm up and stay at an even pace for a few minutes, and then take the direction backwards. Alternate going backwards and forwards for a few strokes, and do this for a couple of minutes, then return to your even and steady pace for a few minutes. Each time you change the direction you go, your core is even more engaged to help you keep your balance.

This is a guest post by P.D. who typically writes for and about Direct TV and is a lover of yoga and beginner runner training for her first 5K event.

The Right Way to Use Muscle Building Supplements

All of us have heard about a few of the popular body building supplements including protein powders, creatine monohydrate, nitric oxide, and others. However there are a number of people that just think all they must do to get the body they’re working for is to find the right supplement. It’s as though there is a fast solution which will give them what they want without the required effort. Have you ever heard of this attitude before?

Let’s face it; we are in an “I want it YESTERDAY” type society. Too many people won’t put forth the energy necessary to make what we want happen, but rather just want things to be done in a simple and easy fashion. Wouldn’t that be nice?

The fact is that creating a great physique requires a lot of work. It’s true that the right products can definitely make it easier to reach your goals. Modern science is helping supplement companies create products that can improve your workout and thus your results. Just keep in mind that supplements can help, they do not do the work for you.

So before you just go out and purchase the newest body building product, first decide how you plan to use it as part of your
routine. Remember that the supplement can only help to improve what you are already doing, not replace it.It’s also a smart idea to do some research about the supplement you’re considering buying to see how to use it properly. Don’t just listen to what some guy at the gym says, study and make sure that you’re using the product how you’re supposed to.

You should also find out if certain supplements can be used well together, or even if they should not be used together at all. For instance, many review sites have written that you shouldn’t blend caffeine and creatine. Look for these things before you just assume that you know how to use the product.

In conclusion, its great that we live when we can have the help of great body building supplements that can help us to reach our goals. But don’t forget that the supplement alone can’t make you get the body you want. Stick to a good workout and nutrition plan first, then use supplements to do what they can to help.

Anaerobic Exercise, What Is It and Why You Want It?

Anaerobic exercise is exercise of such intensity, that your body can’t process enough oxygen to continue to do the exercise indefinitely. In anaerobic exercise, your muscles must use a different process to get energy that doesn’t require oxygen. One of the effects of this different process is lactic acid accumulates in your muscles, which makes them suddenly feel heavy or like they have stopped working.

Weight-lifting and sprinting are anaerobic exercises. As you sprint or lift heavy weights you find yourself breathing heavily, followed shortly by muscle discomfort from the lactic acid. Finally you have to stop, but your heavy breathing continues for a bit longer as your body tries to recover from its oxygen debt.

So why, unless you are being chased by a big dog or in danger of missing your connecting flight, would you want to engage in anaerobic exercise? Because, anaerobic exercise builds muscle. Don’t worry, if you are a woman, you aren’t going to suddenly bulk up, but you will tone your muscles, improve your appearance and burn more calories.

Secondly anaerobic exercise takes a very short amount of time to get a lot of benefits. Some studies have concluded that as little as 10 minutes of intense exercise (which could be 20 repeats of 30 second sprints) can have as much benefit as hours of aerobic exercise.

Easy ways to get some anaerobic exercise include sprinting, weight lifting, vigorous dancing, or running up a couple of flights of stairs. Dashing up the stairs works well for those of us with desk jobs who really should get up from our reading or hunching over the computer and occasionally wake ourselves up with something other than another cup of coffee.

I’d love to chat more, but I think I’ll take my own advice!

Anne Emerick is a runner, mom, and creator of No-Work Spanish, an unconventional way to learn Spanish.

Exercise More Efficiently By Eating To Boost Your Energy

We all want to be full of energy; it makes life not only easier but more enjoyable. However, much of what we eat today has been processed to within an inch of its life, and there is little remaining in terms of nutritional content – exactly the stuff we need if we want to have energy.

The thing is that without energy, we can’t exercise properly. If we eat the wrong foods, or nothing at all, we’ll start our workout with the best of intentions, but within five or ten minutes we’ll find there’s no ‘go’ left in us, and we’re having to head home for a rest.

Yet if we eat right, we can have the energy we need, not only to get us through the day, but also to see us through a full workout, making sure that whether we want to lost weight, tone up or get fit and run a marathon, we’ll be able to do it.

Ideal foods to eat for a burst of energy before a workout are high fibre fruits, such as banana’s or the acai berry. Porridge or oatmeal as well as small amounts of wholegrain bread are also fantastic slow energy release foods. Protein rich eggs, nuts and lean meats are additionally great, particularly if eaten in combination with a light salad.

It’s also important to remember that it isn’t only what we eat an hour or two before exercising; we need to eat healthy throughout the course of the day, every day. That means a diet high in fruit, and particularly vegetables, as well as complex carbohydrates and protein. The reason fruits and vegetables are so important is because there are nutrients in them that our body needs to convert to energy. They also ensure that our immune systems are kept at a sufficiently high level, lowering our susceptibility to falling ill – clearly a sure-fire route to low energy and a lengthy break from the gym.

In order to ensure we never become deficient in any nutrients, there are safe and effective dietary supplements available. Multivitamins are cheap, cheerful and readily available, as well as being an effective way to top up our bodies levels of nutrients. Fruit extract supplements, such as that from the acai berry, can also be very beneficial to our health and energy levels. In fact, the acai berry is known to boost energy levels naturally, as well as improving overall health.

However, while dietary supplements like multivitamins and the acai berry can help, they are not a miracle cure, and should in no way be used as a supplement to a healthy diet.

Because the thing is, processed foods can be so harmful to our health and energy levels, that no amount of health giving supplement is able to off-set these effects.

Therefore, if we want the most energy, in order to ensure that we get the most from our workouts, we need to eat naturally. It’s the processed foods that sap our energy, and that even includes seemingly ‘good’ foods such as white bread and pasta. What’s also important is that we make sure not to eat too much before a workout – not only does this put us at risk of an uncomfortable case of indigestion or heartburn, but it will also leave us feeling sluggish, meaning we’re not going to be able to put the oomph into our workouts that we’d like to.

This article was written by James Harper on behalf of Which Acai Berry. James is a talented writer on a variety of subjects including the acai berry and other nutritional supplements.

 

What is Anaerobic Exercise and How it Benefits You

Exercise has evolved over the last decade with many people now participating in far more anaerobic exercises rather than endurance training, or aerobic exercises used in the past. Traditionally, many exercise scientists centered around aerobic
exercise that focused more on cardiac output rather than peripheral muscle contraction. However, studies have now shown that fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are activated during anaerobic exercises such as weight lifting, may burn more calories significantly quicker than slow-twitch muscle fibers, which are used in distance running and endurance training. During the present, many popular exercise routines are coupling short bursts of strength training while continuing an aerobic routine throughout the training session. A variety of weight training exercises are also being used before and after aerobic routines as well. This type of exercise can strengthen the back, core, and improve balance and coordination.

Resistance Training
Resistance training can be performed with either free weights or resistance machines. Both exercise regiments revolve around the person adding some form of resistance to certain ranges of movement. Traditionally, weight training has been the most popular form of resistance exercise. There are many anaerobic exercises involving weights:

  • Deadlift
  • Rear Slides
  • Benchpress
  • Chest Slides
  • Hammer Curls

All of these exercises are a form of resistance training that uses fast-twitch muscle fibers to stimulate anaerobic metabolism. Resistance training is really no different than weight training although it may involve different exercises. Resistance exercises also come in many different forms:

  • Rowing
  • Chin-ups
  • Push-ups
  • Swimming

For some, resistance exercises such as these may not be as convenient as simple weight training at the local training facility.

How to Make Anaerobic Exercises Effective
Anaerobic exercises are almost completely opposite of aerobic. Anaerobic focuses on short bursts of energy. This increases the body’s metabolism much quicker than slowly increasing one’s heart rate. Once the heart rate reaches a certain point, anaerobic exercises can maintain that rate to promote weight loss, build muscle mass, and develop a solid core musculature. However, anaerobic exercise does not necessarily create endurance. One who exercises anaerobically may not find a significant decrease in the amount of time it takes him or her to run a mile.

Stop Smoking with Hypnosis

People don’t usually set out to be heavy smokers. Most begin at a very young age, usually in their early to mid teens. They begin for a variety of reasons. Most notably to fit in, to appear more mature, as an act of rebellion, or due to peer pressure. Although not unheard of, it is very rare for someone to begin smoking as an adult. Smoking quickly goes from being a conscious decision to a subconscious one.

It is said that people rely on their subconscious mind to make about 90 percent of their daily decisions. This is why in one’s own power it is very hard to break bad habits. These habits are so automatic we can’t even fathom why we do what we do, or how to permanently make changes for the better. This is why in relation to smoking the patch and nicotine gum and fake cigarettes do not work. These methods rely on people to make conscious decisions. To stop smoking hypnosis is a viable and reliable option.

Hypnosis has received a bad reputation in years past mostly due to charlatan hypnotists using their skill for entertainment purposes. What hypnosis does is erase the tension and anxiety that triggers the need to pick up a cigarette. Those feelings of tension and anxiety are replaced with feelings of calmness and relaxation. An added benefit to this method of smoking cessation is that one is not compelled to trade one bad habit for another. For example many people trade smoking for excess eating, because they are looking for something to ease the anxiety and tension they feel. Without these negative feelings there is no need to substitute cigarettes with something else.

As with any type of smoking cessation program one wonders about effectiveness. Research shows that the success rate of stop smoking hypnosis is generally above 60 percent while nicotine patches success rate is around 10 percent and quitting cold turkey is a paltry 6 percent. As promising as this method is, it is important to stress that stop smoking hypnosis works for those who truly desire to quit smoking. Without a true desire to quit, any method is going to prove ineffective.

No one sets out to be addicted to cigarettes. Attempting to quit can be frustrating to say the least! Especially considering that one is working against his or her own subconscious to change this unhealthy habit. There is hope for a healthier tomorrow with the use of hypnosis to quit smoking.

Belly Dancing and Fitness Benefits

Pounding on the treadmill while watching cooking shows on the TV… Bicycling on the stationary bike… BORING!

Ladies, have some fun and mix it up by belly dancing! Depending upon your weight and your intensity, you can burn between 100 and 175 calories by belly dancing for just 30 minutes.

But it¹s not just the calorie burn where you will benefit. You’re going to work your body in new ways causing muscle confusion. As you may know, the body adjusts to your repetitive work-outs and thus, you hit a plateau. Belly dancing is a great way to make your core muscles really work differently. Feel the burn while being sexy!

As a dating advice coach, I counsel women to look their best and most sexy by getting fit. Belly dancing will help you achieve
that goal! Belly dancing will be a new skill that will make your partner more attracted to you.

Your gyrations will work your legs muscle as you lower into a partial squat that will also enhance the awesomeness of your booty. You might be surprised as you feel all your muscles working together to maintain your fluid movements.

HINT: Belly Dancing should in no way resemble “the robot” dance. :)

Another fitness benefit will be an increased sense of balance. It is really the slow, sensual movements that make belly dancing an intense exercise as well as an intensely sensual show!

As you master the belly dance, you will increase your dancing times to an hour, burning about 300 calories while toning your muscles and looking so incredibly desirable!

HogWild is the author of this post and he posts professional dating advice videos on his dating advice web site.

The Benefits of Belly Dancing

Belly dancing, also known as Raks Sharki, is a form of Middle Eastern dance that is increasing in popularity in the United States. Not only is it fun, but it has many health benefits as well.

Belly Dancing As Exercise

Belly dancing is becoming more mainstream as a form of exercise, even being done in group fitness classes in many gyms. It is classified as low impact exercise, which means that there isn’t any running or jumping involved. There is less risk of injury or joint pain. Therefore, people of any age or fitness level can enjoy this activity.

Belly dancing has all the benefits of traditional exercise. It strengthens and tones muscles throughout the whole body. The legs and glutes hold the body steady during movements. The arms and shoulders are toned through lifts, circles, and by being
held aloft for long periods of time. Belly dancing also isolates and works the muscles in the abdomen, pelvis, trunk, spine, and neck. Other advantages that come from regular exercise include:

  • increasing energy
  • aiding in digestion
  • reducing the risk of heart disease
  • an increase in the body’s metabolism
  • burning calories to aid in weight loss
  • improving body image and self-esteem
  • strengthening bones and helping to prevent osteoporosis

Belly Dancing For Back Health

More than half of all Americans have had back problems at some time in their life. Belly dancing can be a good way to keep the
back and spine strong and healthy. The gentle, repetitive movements increase the flow of synovial fluid which lubricates the joints of the hips and lower back. These movements also relieve disk compression that occurs from sitting. Posture is improved because the muscles and ligaments connecting the spinal column become stronger and more flexible. There is an improved sense of balance. Curving in the spine that is caused by weak muscles can be prevented. As the muscles get stronger,
back pain can be reduced.

Top 4 Fitness Trends for 2011–Live a Fitter Life this New Year

The start of a New Year will certainly consist of some resolutions to get in shape and stay healthy. But the truth is that among all the people who take such resolutions, most of them fail to follow it. Most people still don’t know how to start a fitness program that will help them live a better life this New Year. Here are some effective health tips for you that will help you kick off 2011.

  1. Set goals that are achievable: If you wish to figure out what your exercise program will look like, you need to set achievable goals. Understand your fitness objectives, why you need to lose weight, why you need to tone down and become stronger than ever before. Define each kind of regimen as this will help you offer the biggest success in the long run. You can stay certain about making your goals achievable and specific.
  2. Get in touch with a professional trainer: It is not always mandatory to hire a trainer but it’s generally advised that one must get in touch with an expert fitness trainer who can offer you best advice on the ways of achieving your fitness goals. There are some particular ways in which you must take care of your health and anything wrong can have an adverse impact on your life. Listen to the advice that the personal trainer gives you and practice the exercises mentioned by him. Also ensure that you’re performing the exercises perfectly to get best results.
  3. Take plenty of water: Water is the ultimate secret to a healthy and fit life. Drinking lots of water is a good sign of a healthy life as it is something that has the ability to eliminate all kinds of toxins from your body. Water also acts as a stimulant against diseases like high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. Drink as many glasses of water as you can and witness positive changes in your health this year.
  4. Sleep 8 hours a day: It has been proven scientifically that 8 hours of sleep a day can have the best effect on your health. A reasonable amount of sleep will help the muscles of your entire body to relax to a great extent and also ensure reduced mental stress and depression. You can remain fresh throughout the day with the required amount of sleep.

While living long is not a happy life, living fit is the true essence of a real life. If you’re unfit and you want to secure a fit life this 2011, follow the health tips mentioned above and stay strong to boost your confidence level.

Health Benefits of Belly Dancing

It is our firm belief that our bodies were designed for movement. We believe that not only can moving around, also known as exercising, be great for keeping in shape but that it can also be fun. It is, after all, what our bodies were designed to do and is therefore our natural state.

All of society’s screaming and bullying for perfection has contributed to a generation of fanatics who work their bodies out numbly and diet extremely while feeling no passion or fun in either activity. We, on the other hand, believe that exercise can be fun – a pleasurable experience instead of a routine – regardless of your weight, age, size, or personal goals. Movement is at the basic core of any exercise routine and dancing is essentially moving your body to a tune. It is not only a great exercise routine but can be a lot of fun! And, best of all, anyone can do it.

Belly dancing is, at its core, a fun, joyful experience. It involves some of the best music in the world and a constant party atmosphere. But it also offers a plethora of health benefits to your body – ones that are unequaled pound for pound by many other exercise routines in the world today.

Toning
When your muscles aren’t used very often they can begin to fill with fat. This causes your skin to stretch outward and your body to appear flabby. On the other hand, muscles that are used often look beautiful and toned. Belly dancing is a full-body exercise filled with energy and celebration that targets just about every muscle in the body. Your waist will narrow as your legs, buttocks, arms, and shoulders begin to look more toned and defined.

Not only are all the muscles used and exercised, but they are exercised in a way that is pleasurable and enjoyable. More overall tone is developed as muscle groups are exercised evenly. This works wonders to avoid that hardened, rock solid, monstrous look and instead give your body a beautiful, admirable shape. Upbeat music and an enthusiastic atmosphere ensure that you will be happy about your training, fully immersed in the art of dance, and maybe even forget that you are exercising at all.

General Fitness
Apart from having a great-looking body, it is important to your well-being that all your inner organs function well and are healthy. Even though this can’t be seen from the outside, staying fit is all about the inside and how well the heart, lungs, and other organs perform.

Because of the continuous physical nature of belly dancing, it is a great aerobic activity that targets your essential inner organs and keeps them sharp. Your energy levels will increase, you will contract fewer illnesses, and, best of all, you will be able to maintain low weight levels.

Belly dancing also provides healthy levels of stress to the bones and joints that will help you avoid injuries in later life. Focusing your body’s weight first on the left leg then the right helps to efficiently strengthen your hip, leg, and knee joints. The wide motions of belly dancing can also help to clear up chronic back pain. Belly dancing can even be a great way for the elderly to maintain their health as long as caution is used.

Nicole Rodgers has been blogging about fitness for 3 years; she currently contributes to blogs dealing with health insurance and helps people set up brokerage accounts.

Foot Orthotics for Plantar Fasciitis

Foot orthotics have a very high success rate as treatment for plantar fasciitis. In a number of trials and studies, orthotics have been found to be the most effect form of non-invasive treatment.

Orthotics are inserts that go into your shoes and are designed to treat bio-mechanical dysfunctions in the legs and feet. By using wedges to guide your step, orthotics can force a patient’s feet to land in a way that distributes weight more evenly across the surface of the foot, avoiding stress and strain on any one muscle or tendon.

Plantar fasciitis is an overuse injury, meaning that it is caused by stress to the plantar fascia connective tissue that runs from the heel to the ball of the foot. To treat this injury, and prevent its recurrence, it is important that plantar fasciitis supports provide arch support and shock absorption.

Shock absorption and padding is ideal for reducing the impact and pressure put on your feet. This is especially important when treating overuse injuries, like plantar fasciitis. Shock absorbing orthotics are ideal for both the healing process and the prevention of the condition.

The arch support acts as a wedge to force you to step in a way that keeps you from putting extra pressure on your plantar fascia (which runs along the arch). For this reason, it is important to purchase orthotics that are supportive and not just cushioning.

With proper arch support, less of your body’s weight will be put on the plantar fascia, allowing the tissue to heal. It is up to each individual how long you wish to wear their orthotics, but many patients find that continued use will prevent the recurrence of plantar fasciitis and other overuse injuries.

Weight Training for Women

Many women shun weights. Most of them go to gyms just to use cardio equipment or to join aerobic classes. It is as if they don’t even want to touch the weights and the other muscle building machines in there. One of the things that you will notice about these women when you look closer is that most of them are not getting the results that they want. A quick interview with these women and you will find out that the reason why they are afraid of weights is that they don’t want to get bulky muscles. They don’t want look like they are joining a body building contest. This article will tell you why women should not be afraid of using weights and how weight training can benefit them and make them reach their fitness goals faster.

Women should not be afraid of weight training. Lifting with weights will not make you look less feminine. This is a common misconception that has made lots of women miss out on the benefits of weight training. What women should know is that it will be very hard for them to gain bulky muscles even if they want to. This is because women are simply not designed to gain bulky muscles the way men are. Women do not produce the same amount of anabolic hormones that are needed for muscle growth. In fact, even some men do not produce enough of these hormones.

For most woman to develop muscle mass, they would have to use drugs and products that can increase the level of anabolic hormones. Without drugs, the best that most women can do is to tone their muscles and lose fat in the process. Women produce only 10 percent the amount of anabolic hormones that men produce. Even some men need to use drugs and different kinds of muscle-building products just to develop big muscles. Workout alone is usually not enough. Even spending long hours in the gym on a daily basis is not a sure way to gain big muscles.

Now that your fear about gaining big muscles is assuaged already, let us go to the benefits of weight training and why women should lift weights. The main reason why women should include weight training in their routine is because it increases the development of lean muscle mass that in turn can help women lose weight. What is the connection between lean muscles and losing weight? Having lean muscles can increase metabolic rate. You probably know by now that metabolism is important in losing weight. Simply put, the more muscles you have, the more fat you can burn. If you have an increased metabolic rate, you will lose weight not only during exercise but also while you are resting.

If you are not really into weights, then you can do other forms of muscle toning exercise such as rebounding. Just a few minutes on a good bounce back fitness chair can already tone your muscles especially those of the lower body such as legs, thighs and buttocks.

Author David W.
http://www.irebounder.com/

Fitness for Lupus

Hi, my name is Emily Stringer. I’m a wife, a mom, and Mrs. Oklahoma City 2011. I am also a blogger at itsthestringers.com. Through my fitness journey I have hoped to help motivate and inspire others to be physically fit. Being healthy is very important to me because I have SLE, also known as Lupus. Every day is a struggle with Lupus, but working out at a gym really makes me feel great! Lupus causes me to have joint pain, like arthritis, but certain types of exercise and good technique can strengthen and tone muscles without aggravating my joints.

Exercise is also a big stress reliever for me. I work full time and have a two year old, so I rely on my workouts to help me relax and to get ready for each day. Being Mrs. Oklahoma City has expectations so exercise and eating right are mandatory! Thanks to my amazing fitness instructors, I have a workout routine and diet plan that help me stay in shape. One thing that helps me with my fitness journey is having good discipline. I wake up at 5 AM to hit the gym and start my day off right. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish in a day when you wake up at 5am, but don’t forget to get enough sleep!

- Emily Stringer
Mrs. Oklahoma City 2011

 

The Role of ATP in Exercise

Your body’s metabolism breaks down food into its molecular components. How does energy actually come from this process? The answer is that ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is the body’s energy currency. ATP is formed by adding a phosphate group (PO4) to an inactive form of the molecule called ADP.

ATP and Energy

Despite common descriptions, it’s not like your body is exactly analogous to a furnace that burns fuel to directly obtain energy. The calorie, the unit of energy for how much energy is present in food, is actually named for how much thermal
energy can be obtained from food.

But in the body, energy must be harnessed more safely and efficiently; thermal energy is released and then it is gone, which is not very useful to cells. The energy from food is harnessed using a series of chemical reactions.

Food to ATP

It is most simple to understand the mechanism for how glucose, a simple sugar, is converted to ATP. The whole process will not be detailed here step by step, but an outline can show the general principle:

  1. Glucose is broken down in a process called “glycolysis” into two molecules of pyruvate. A little bit of ATP is generated.
  2. These products enter the Krebs cycle, also called the TCA cycle. This process generates lots of molecules called “reduced coenzymes” that can be used later to generate more ATP.
  3. Reduced coenzymes go through a process called oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria, which are the energy generating organelles in a cell. This step of metabolism is where the most energy payoff, or generation of ATP, occurs.

Other types of molecules found in food, like proteins and fats, are also metabolized to form ATP. The process is a little bit different, but the principle is the same: ATP is generated, and the cell can use this ATP to perform many different functions that require energy.

ATP and Muscles

ATP is directly required to cause muscles to contract. This is important in everyday functions and especially important in exercise. The more you exercise, the more energy is “burned,” and the more ATP is used up.

Exercise and Health

In order to stay fit, you need to burn as many calories as you consume. In order to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume.

Some of these calories are used up just doing things like breathing and keeping your cells alive. The rest are burned off by physical activity or stored as fat.

Even people who do not need to lose weight benefit from moderate exercise. Exercise improves cardiovascular health and reduces your risk of developing heart disease. For cardiovascular health, health organizations recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise each day for five days every week for people with otherwise sedentary lifestyles. Moderate exercise also improves mood and decreases symptoms of depression.

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