Optimizing Training Effect

• Consider how much energy you'll have to get more things done.
• Imagine how relaxed you'll feel after a workout.
• Promise yourself a reward for completing your workout.
• Remind yourself how good you'll feel by following through.
• Remind yourself of your weight-loss...

While we often focus on getting in as much exercise as possible, rest and recovery are also essential for reaching your weight loss and fitness goals. While you can often do cardio every day ...

Cardio exercise is any rhythmic activity performed continuously and can include activities like walking, running, aerobics, cycling, swimmi...

While stretching is often the most overlooked exercise, it's important for keeping us agile as we get older. And, unlike the rigors of cardio and strength training, it's relaxing and it feels good.

• Stretching can be done anytime throughout the day, but it's also impor...

While it's important to know basic exercise guidelines and principles, the most important step in starting an exercise routine is exploring the idea of motivation. Without that, all the advice in the world won't do you any good.

Motivation doesn't just happen. It's somethin...

We all know exercise is good for us. It offers documented health benefits and is probably one of the best tools we have to fight obesity, so...

The wonderful thing about exercise is that you don't need much to get the benefits. Even just a few minutes a day can improve your health and well-being. Here are just some things exercise can help you do:

• Boost your mood
• Give you more energy
• Help you sleep better

Strength training works the body in a different way than cardio and is equally as important for good health and weight loss. With strength training, you lift weights (dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands, machines, etc.) to strengthen the muscles, bones, and connective tissue.

Strength tra...

In order to improve your strength, endurance, and fitness, you have to progressively increase the frequency, intensity, and time of your workouts. A simple way to stimulate your body is to try different activities.

• If you normally walk on the treadmill, try riding the bike which will ...

When you work out at a sufficient intensity, time, and frequency, your body will improve (called the Training Effect) and you'll start to see changes in your weight, body fat percentage, c...

• Do static stretches with a focus on tight areas, such as the hamstrings and lower back.
• Hold each stretch for about 15 to 30 seconds and do two to four reps of each stretch.
• Stretch a minimum of two to three days a week. Even better would be every day.
• Stretch within ...

Use the FITT acronym to remember the exercise variables you can change to avoid plateaus and to keep your body challenged:

• Frequency: How often you exercise
• Intensity: How hard you exercise
• Time: How long you exercise

This principle is just what it sounds like. It means your workouts should be specific to your goals. If you're trying to improve your racing times, you should focus on speed workouts.

If your main goal is simply health, fitness, and weight loss, you should focus on total body strength,