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Exercise and Diet
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Important Information About Exercise and Diet
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EXERCISE COMPONENTS AND GUIDELINES (re-read often)
Always wear aerobic or cross training shoes to reduce the risk of foot, ankle, or leg injuries.
Use correct posture, form, and technique. The choreography/floor work is designed to be safe, so perform the moves as directed. Watch the instructor for modifications in choreography for low intensity or low impact moves. Watch yourself in the mirror to see that your moves are like the instructor's.
Always warm up for 7-10 minutes before exercising strenuously. Be sure to use slow, rhythmic, large muscle group activities. This will increase the blood flow to the muscles and raise the core temperature, helping to reduce injuries and preparing your body to begin to burn calories, giving you a better workout. Plan to arrive at Body Tuning in time for the warm-up song.
Cool down in a manner similar to the warm-up. Walking after aerobics will bring your heart rate down gradually. Maintain an upright posture with the head above the heart.
Stretching before aerobics will extend comfortable range of motion and reduce stiffness. For most people, one 15- to 30-second continuous stretch will increase range of motion. Stretches should consist of only range-of-motion or static stretching. These should be performed during the last portion of the warm-up and cool-down periods. Never use bouncing motions or ballistic stretching to increase flexibility. "Bouncing" (repeated, brief, dynamic stretches) can increase stiffness and harm muscles. This certainly does not help to stretch the muscle and also could produce muscle tissue injury.
Perform flexibility, calisthenics, and aerobic activities during each exercise session.
Let your Body Tuning teacher know of any injuries/weaknesses that you have, or if you are pregnant. Choregraphy modifications will be demonstrated throughout the workout.
Remember to breathe through the aerobics and SAT exercises. Exhale on the exertion phase of the movement.
Perform fewer repetitions per set, and more sets of an exercise, rather than going for the "burn"
Do not lock the knees for any stretching exercise.
Try to bend forward from the waist and go no farther than the flat back position to protect the lower back.
Refrain from using momentum to complete an exercise to change direction during an exercise. Perform all exercise slowly so the muscles can receive the maximum benefit.
Do not perform any activities that require unnatural twisting of the back, such as the typical, standard windmill toe-touch
Do not hyperextend the back or any joint.
Stretch a muscle group after it has been worked.
Use your arms during the aerobic workout. Nice strong arm movements, elevated above your heart, will provide the best aerobic benefits.
Exercise at least three times a week to receive benefit, but there is no reason that some type of exercise cannot be performed every day.
Previously sedentary individuals should begin an exercise program slowly and proceed at their own rate. This will minimize the chance of injuries, overexertion, and undue fatigue.
Follow your own exercise prescription. Do not compete with or try to match the progress of others. Always stay within your target heart rate zone.
Remember to eat adequately. Consuming less than the calories you need can leave you tired, depressed, and more prone to eat erratically; and it also slows the metabolism.
Never go immediately from a static position (sitting or reclining) to a high level of vigorous activity or vice versa.
Set reasonable health and fitness goals for yourself that require some effort, but that you are capable of achieving. Do not expect instant results because fitness benefits require approximately 1-2 months to become noticeable. Your aim should be improving health, not just losing weight. Because muscle weighs more than fat, you might skew heavier as you become more fit. Mark improvement by the way you feel and how your clothes fit.
Twisting and side-bends are for stretching the waistline, not reducing it.
Stretching after a workout is as important or more important than stretching before the workout.
"No pain, no gain" is no longer true to achieve fitness. "Train, don’t strain" is more appropriate. You should be able to gain muscle tone without hurting yourself.
Don't land only on your toes during jumping exercises. First, land on your toes, then the ball of the foot, and then the heel, so the shock wave is spread throughout the foot.
Arrange to workout with a friend. You'll be less likely to skip a workout, and you'll have more fun.
(** Some of these ideas have been borrowed and paraphrased from "Working Mother" magazine, Feb. 2001)
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SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT CHOREOGRAPHY AND EXERCISES
Jogging: Remember to bring your heels down when you jog. Staying on your toes can cause shin splints. If you cannot jog, marching is the low impact move. Lifting your knees brings higher intensity, while remaining low impact.
Jumping Jacks: Ankles, knees, lined up, slightly turned out. Do not lock your knees. Shins should be perpendicular to the floor at the lowest dip. Using heels is the low impact alternative to jacks (2 jacks=2 single heels)
Crunches: Keep your lower back on the floor, abdomen tucked in. Look at a spot on the ceiling and lift your chin toward it. Lift your shoulders off the floor-you don't need large movement.
Arm/shoulder work: Let your arms do the work, not your whole body. Stand firm, feet out, knees slightly bent, pelvis tilted in--nicely aligned body.
Twists: Feet must leave floor to fully release body weight. Alternative is shifting hips side to side with no twist.
Turns: Must be able to fully release body weight. Alternative is to do side steps.
Lunges: Keep the head level, back straight, buttocks higher than the knees, and the knees directly over the toes.
Side Bends: During side bends, keep the opposite hip in and the near shoulder over the ankle.
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STUDENT LIMITATIONS AND SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVES
Knees, lateral weakness: Shouldn't do side steps or grapevines; Should do march or other steps in place
Knees, general weakness: Shouldn't do side steps or grapevines; Should do march or other steps in place. May find lunges uncomfortable; Should do modified range of motion to where comfortable, or just hold the lunge position.
Back, lower weakness: Need to be very aware of tightening abs to support the back. No arching. Especially important on arm work over head.
Back, general weakness or past muscle pulls: Need to modify the bouncing until they are strong; do relatively low impact
Ankle, lateral weakness: Shouldnít do side steps or grapevines; Should do march or other steps in place
Ankle, general weakness: Shouldnít do side steps or grapevines; Should do march or other steps in place
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Some Important DOs and DON'Ts:
DO remember to sign our daily attendance sheet whenever you come to Body Tuning. We can keep track of members who might need support calls, as well as discover which days and classes might need schedule changes.
DO look on the attendance sheet to see when your membership package is due.
We can pay our bills because you pay yours :)
DON'T skip your workout if you're feeling cranky. Exercise is almost guaranteed to lift your spirits.
DON'T keep Body Tuning a secret. Get a friend to join and get $5 off YOUR next package! That's our W.O.M.P. (Word Of Mouth Perk).
DON'T forget to smile. These are fun songs and dances--sing along, and enjoy your workout!
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Exercise and Diet: the Panacea of Health
HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH BEING OVERWEIGHT AND/OR SEDENTARY
cardiovascular disease and/or heart attacks
stroke
diabetes
high blood pressure
73% of American women do not get enough exercise
SHORT TERM BENEFITS OF EXERCISE
some additonal energy expenditure
stress reduction
improved attitude
more patience
some improved self-esteem
LONG TERM BENEFITS OF EXERCISE
lower blood pressure
lower blood cholesterol levels; improved blood cholesterol ratios
improved gas exchange in the lungs
strengthened heart muscle; increased stroke volume
increased muscle mass and therefore energy expenditure
raised basal metabolic rate
improved resistance to colds, etc.
stress reduction
improved attitude, more patience
improved self-esteem
increased energy
FUELS FOR THE BODY
glucose (sugar): 4 calories per gram
protein: 4 calories per gram
alcohol: 7 calories per gram
fat: 9 calories per gram
HOW THE BODY USES FUEL
fat is the primary source of energy (70%)
fat is stored in fat cells
fat is released into the blood by hormones, not muscles
glucose is the secondary source of energy (30%)
glucose is stored in muscles and the liver as glycogen
the brain can use only glucose as fuel
protein and alcohol are third sources of energy
AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC METABOLISM
aerobic means "with oxygen"
both glucose and fat can be burned aerobically
only glucose can be burned anaerobically
RESPONSE TO EXERCISE: FIT VS UNFIT
a fit body will burn more fat
an unfit body will store more fat
target heart rates: (220-age) x 65%= minimum
(220-age) x 80%= maximum
RECOMMENDED EXERCISES
anything that elevates your heart rate into the target zone!
walking, biking, running, swimming, raquet sports, aerobic dance, step workouts, etc.
3 times per week to maintain; 4-5 times per week to improve
warm up and cool down for 10 minutes each
latest research shows that there is enormous health benefits to being more active
ROLE OF DIET
you are what you eat...you store what you eat
do NOT diet...learn to eat well
eat 3 meals a day; don't skip breakfast
reduce fat intake to 30% of total calories; "no fat" diet is dangerous
drink lots of water...64 oz per day
avoid snacking
make small changes over time
SET REASONABLE GOALS
healthy, fit women DO jiggle
give your body some time to learn new habits: 6 months to a year
expect to increase your exercise as you lose weight and become more fit
expect to gain some weight when you start exercising, 1 pound a week (you are losing fat and gaining muscle--and muscle weighs more)
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RECOMMENDED READING
Covert, Bailey:
Fit or Fat
The Fit or Fat Target Diet
The Fit or Fat Woman
The New Fit or Fat
Smart Exercise
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For more info about Health and Fitness:
http://www.healthcentral.com/fitorfat/fitorfat.cfm
http://www.healthcentral.com
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What Is The Best Exercise For Fat Loss?
March 23, 2000
Q: I'm just getting started with exercise. What is the best exercise for me to do?
A: If you want to get fit and lose fat, find a twelve-year-old kid. Whatever he does, you do! Kids zoom here and there, getting fit while tearing up the house. They never stop to say, "Oh! I must do my jogging now!" or "I should go to my aerobics class now." If we all did what most young kids do, we wouldn’t need to worry about losing weight and getting fit.
Okay, I know that most of us don’t have the time to play like kids. We have work, we have obligations. We need the kind of exercise that pays big dividends with minimum time invested. I’m going to describe that kind of exercise. But, as I do, keep in mind that the BEST exercise is the one that makes you feel like a kid again –- because then you will smile, be happy, and do lots of it.
The most efficient exercise to get rid of fat, is gentle nonstop exercise. More specifically, you need to do exercise that...
Gets you breathing deeply but does not leave you out of breath
Is continuous and uninterrupted
Uses the big muscles of the thighs and buttocks
Right away you should be able to name several examples, such as walking, jogging, bicycling and cross-country skiing.
Exercises like these, which are gentle and nonstop, train muscles to burn fat. More importantly, they change your metabolism to help you keep fat off. Why wouldn’t hard, intense exercise have the same effect? The answer has to do with breathing. When you exercise to the point of breathing deeply but not getting out of breath, your muscles burn fat. When you exercise so hard that you get out of breath, your muscles stop burning fat.
Just remember: Muscles burn fat only in the presence of oxygen. When you get out of breath, fat burning shuts down.
Adapted from The Ultimate Fit or Fat by Covert Bailey and Lea Bishop. Copyright 1999 by Covert Bailey, published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Good Shoes are Important
Please wear appropriate aerobic shoes for your workouts, rather than street shoes. You will be protecting our special wooden floor from scuffs and scratches, as well as protecting your feet, legs, and muscles from possible injury.
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