5 Quick and Easy Fun Ways to Get in ShapeWritten by Emily Clark
Getting and staying in shape doesn’t have to be dull and boring! Try some of these fun fitness activities to make your workout time more enjoyable. MUSICAL EXERCIES – Put on your favorite music and do some yoga! No need for slow, elevator music. Move to your favorite beat. Or pop on headphones or earphones and grab your MP3 or cassette player or handheld PC and bike to a nearby park. Too cold or rainy? Then head to a mall or other enclosed area where you can walk. Caution: make sure you are alert while listening to music with headphones or earphones. FUN IN THE SUN – Check out latest tanning solutions and try fun, scented versions with funky, multi-colored sunglasses. Grab your cassette player or MP3 player and favorite tunes. And pack some flavored water, new flavored health bar that you’ve been dying to try and some frozen berries in your carryall for breaks and have a “sense”-ational time. FITNESS CLASSES – Try out a new fitness class for fun. Enjoy a full water aerobics workout with less stress on your joints. Grab some colorful water gear and swim to beat. Or try a dance or Jazzercise routine. No need to commit long-term, just ask about popping in for a class or two to check it out and enjoy. Meet new friends and get fit all at once. VCR / DVD – Head to library or local rental store and grab a fun fitness video or DVD. Crank up sound when your favorite tunes come on and join taped workout participants in privacy of your own home.
| | Keeping Fit & Healthy Doesn't Have to Be a ChoreWritten by Emily Clark
Some people have fought many years of their lives to preserve rich heritage of outdoors and nature we now enjoy. That dedication and effort have been rewarded by fantastic hiking opportunities in our local, state, and national parks systems. In honor of their efforts, let's break out of our winter hibernation and venture into crisp, clean outdoor air and hit some of those dirt trails. Here are 4 steps to an enjoyable hike, no matter where your feet decide to take you. 1. Know area you will be going into. Although many states, like California, Colorado, or Wyoming have exceptional hiking hot spots, even your local park will have some kind of useful information. Whether it's a website with information and trail details, or a map at park office, trailhead, or visitor center, always check before you head out on your hike so you know what to expect. 2. Know conditions you will be facing, wherever you go. Nothing is worse than traveling to a hiking destination only to miss hike, because it was raining or freezing and you weren't prepared. If trail is flooded out, or snowy conditions have shut it down for an extended period, you should be able to find this out as well. It is also good to know if there are any plants or animals to watch out for at your hiking location. Wiping with poison ivy won't feel good in morning. 3. Wear clothing that works and fits terrain and hike conditions. There are many options in your clothing arsenal, to keep yourself comfortable, here are a couple of pointers: - Try and stay away from cotton. Instead, look for synthetic and natural fibers that pull moisture away from your body, or at least stay warm when wet. - Also, go for layers to keep yourself warm, versus carrying around a huge parka, in case you are hit by a freak snowstorm. - The two most important pieces of clothing for any hiker, are good socks and good shoes. Don't underestimate pain a hike can cause with uncomfortable shoes and socks. Finally, a hat in cold weather is a great addition, since your body loses over half its heat through your head.
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