Aerobic Fitness Tips for Busy Moms

We are always reminded that exercise could do wonders for the body. Aerobics, a kind of exercise which helps your body use more oxygen while maintaining your target heart range, can definitely help a person live longer and healthier. There are studies showing that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every day would benefit the body a lot.

Performing regular aerobic exercises would gradually make the heart larger. A bigger and larger heart would be able to provide more oxygenated blood which can be used by the muscles. This could also mean more energy whether for longer or shorter periods of exercise or physical activities.

* Weight loss (this is my big battle)

Aerobic exercise and any kind of physical activity could surely help control and reduce weight. It is most successful when combined with a healthy diet. Including physical activity and exercise with your daily routine will surely help you achieve better built, healthy lifestyle and increase in energy. Aerobics would help your body burn the calories consumed and prevent them from becoming accumulated fats.

* Stronger resistance against sickness

Aerobic exercise can boost the body's immune system. This would prevent illnesses like colds and flu from happening. It could also help the body manage existing health problems like high blood pressure and blood sugar. Excessive weight and obesity could cause serious health problems like diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Aerobics could help in reducing the risks of these diseases. This kind of exercise could help in clearing the arteries of the heart from bad cholesterol.

* Elderly benefits

Aging could have different effects on the body and exercise could help you deal with these changes. It could help your body become stronger and more mobile when you grow old. Common problems of the elderly would be flexibility and mobility.Aerobics and maintaining other forms of exercise even when older would help reduce these problems.

* Increase in stamina and energy

Contrary to what some people think, aerobic exercise wouldn't leave you breathless and less energetic. It could boost your stamina and energy. Continuous and regular exercise could result to muscle development and increase in body endurance. Aside from that, aerobics could also reduce fatigue and decrease shortness of breath. Aerobics could help the body achieve better sleep at night, making the person more energetic and fresh the next day.

* Promote better mental health

Exercise does not only calm and help the body, it could also help in boosting a mood of a person. Achieving better health and physical results through aerobics could increase self-esteem and self-confidence. It is even used to reduce stress, anxiety and depression.

Aerobic exercise has numerous benefits. In fact, some would say that aside from physical and mental benefits, aerobics could also help in improving sexual performance. There are also different types of aerobic exercises which could capture the interest of people with different ages and characteristics.

However, aerobics may not be safe for everybody. Those with certain illnesses and those that are pregnant should take necessary precautions when performing aerobic exercises. Before trying any aerobic routine, it is important to consult with a doctor first especially if you have an existing or past medical condition.

I carry around too much weight, I know it and I know that I need to do something to get rid of it.

Although dieting is one of the most popular means of losing weight, more and more nutritionists say that this method is not the safest and healthiest way to lose weight. This is because too much dieting alters the balance of nutrients and elements in a person's body. To avoid further illness due to reckless dieting, experts say that people who are in the process of losing weight should try to find other means for weight loss such as aerobic exercises.

Loosely defined, aerobics refers to exercises performed at moderate levels of intensity for extended periods of time. Aerobic exercise is physical exercise that intends to improve the oxygen system. Aerobic means "with oxygen", and refers to the use of oxygen in the body's metabolic or energy-generating process.

Unlike in other forms of exercise where much time, effort and energy is needed, aerobics exercises need nothing more but the amount of time that the person can dedicate to the exercise and of course, the discipline to carry out with the routine for as long as needed, until he or she has achieved the desired weight goal.

Experts say that losing weight through aerobic exercise can be so much easier if a person would:

- Know his or her calorie intake and learn how to deal with it since the first way to lose weight easily and safely is to find out how many calories your body really needs by using a simple step through calculating your body's BMR or basal metabolic rate and your body weight;

- Go for naturals like fruits and vegetables since four to five servings of fruits and vegetables daily can make you feel full because it fills up your stomach fast and aside from being low in calories, fruits and vegetables are packed with beneficial fibers, vitamins, and antioxidants that can help balance your body's metabolism;

- Keep an eye on food servings because watching out for the portion or serving size of the food you eat will help you develop a healthy eating routine;

- Eat properly because skipping meals will only make you crave for big food servings. To avoid being hungry, try to eat small sizes frequently to balance your body's calorie intake. Instead of eating three big meals, opt for four to seven small meals daily;

- Go for the water since drinking at least 8 glasses of water daily will nourish the body. Veer away from sugary drinks such as juices, shakes, and creams. Aside from keeping you away from sugar and added calories, drinking water will also hydrate your body and make you feel more full; and

- Opt for fresh instead of pre-packed or prepared foods because when buying groceries and food stocks, these processed foods are high in sodium and fat content.

It is also best to keep in mind that you are doing exercises not only to lose weight and look good but also because you want to help your heart and lungs function properly, get good sleep and veer away from the tensions brought by the modern times.

Aerobic exercise is one of the most popular types of exercises in the market. Its use of music, dance, equipment and other facilities have contributed to its popularity. Aerobic exercises are workouts that intend to increase the heart rate for a period of time. This would cause the body to have higher intake of oxygen which would result into better blood circulation, weight loss, faster calorie and fat burning.

Other physical activities can also be considered as aerobic workouts, like swimming, running, walking, jogging, and cycling. An aerobic exercise would start with a 5 to 10 minutes of warm-up stretching and exercises. After the warming-up, the routine proper would follow, lasting for about 20 to 30 minutes. The last part of the workout will be the cooling-down process.

There are different types of aerobic exercises for different levels of individuals. Skill, health and comfort are things to be considered when choosing what type of aerobic exercise would fit with the individual's needs and abilities. Some of the types are :

* Low-impact aerobics (excellent for all health levels)

As the name implies, low-impact exercises don't include activities which could harm the bones and joints like jumping and bouncing. Exercises performed had lower intensity, thus reducing the risks of injuries and leg overuse. In this exercise, one or both feet should always be in contact with the ground.

With low-impact routine, you do not start with a high note. An individual could start performing the exercises on a slower rate and gradually increase its intensity. Low-impact aerobics is ideal for seniors, obese and overweight individuals and of course, pregnant women.

* High impact aerobic exercise (not good for those with health problems)

High impact aerobic exercises use different movements. It could include jumping, turning, shuffling, doubling, etc. This kind of workout intends to develop the abdominal area, calf, and also the cardiovascular system. If an individual is agile and active prior to working out, then high-impact aerobics may be the best option. But for beginners, slower and low-impact exercises is recommended first. When the individual is already comfortable with this low-impact level, then it would be safe to proceed with the second level. Keep in mind that doctor's discretion is always important.

* Step Aerobics

Step aerobics uses step benches for working out. This kind of aerobics is actually low in impact. There are studies showing that step aerobics can help a person reduce weight, given the fact that its impact is only half of the impact used when riding a bike at home. Overall, this process or workout is dedicated for the development of the lower body.

* Aerobic kickboxing

It is also called cardio boxing. This is one of the most effective workouts for losing weight. Although, aerobic kickboxing is tiring, its effects on the body are great. It could definitely help in building more energy and longer stamina. It is also called cardioboxing and can burn about 800 calories in an hour.

* Water aerobics (my favorite by far)

Another low-impact exercise but delivers huge results, whether it is for weight loss or improving over-all health. Water aerobics, according to experts, burns calories faster compared with land-exercises because of the water's resistance.

Aerobic dancing combines exercises and different forms of dances like ballet and jazz into an exercise routine. They are usually considered low-impact exercises and slower paced compared with other aerobic routines, although there are also fast-paced routines. Because of these characteristics, they are very ideal for those who need low-impact routines like the elderly, overweight and those who are pregnant.

What makes aerobic dance an interesting routine is, of course, its music. There are different types of music which can be used for different aerobic dances, there are different speed and style variations of aerobic dances. There are guidelines for aerobic music. It is usually about 120 to 124 beats per minute for step aerobics. For low-impact exercises, it is usually about 136 to 148 beats per minute. Beginners would dance or sweat it out with slower beats.

Aerobic dance could be classified into high-impact exercises, low-impact, step aerobics and water dance aerobics. High impact exercises, as its name implies, would involve intensive exercises which includes jumping actions synchronized with the music. Step aerobics uses the step bench, and the water aerobics is performed in waist-deep water.

Aside from the movements along with the music, aerobic dance is also combined with fast or aerobic breathing. This pumps more oxygen into the blood stream, rejuvenating the body. Aerobic dances are usually done from 20 to 30 minutes, practiced for three times a week. The routine is performed just like rhythmic dances, with counts essential in setting the rhythm.

Before proceeding with the routine, getting warmed-up is important. It would usually last for 10 to 15 minutes. These stretching exercises will lower risks of injury and at the same time prepare the body for any extensive movement. After the routine proper, relaxing or cooling down movements for another 5 to 15 minutes will be performed to help the heart and the muscles relax.

Aerobic dancing has many benefits even though they were done or practiced in a fun way. This kind of aerobic workout is a great way to lose weight and at the same time, tone body muscles. It would also help the body develop strength among bones who carry most the body's weight and also toughen cardiovascular muscles.

Just like other exercises, aerobic dance can increase the circulation of the blood, reduce the levels of blood sugar and cholesterol. Because aerobic dancing would include proper breathing exercises, more oxygen is circulated in the heart, lungs and blood vessels which makes the body to function better, produce higher energy and stamina. Its physical benefits would also include boosting of the immune system, preparing the body against colds, flu, etc.

Aerobic dancing is also a great way to keep stress away. This could break the stressful and monotonous routine we have at home, school or in the work place. It can even allow you to develop or practice your creativity, since you can create your own dance steps or routine. If you cannot leave the house to go to a gym, you could do the aerobic exercises at home, learn the steps and pick your own song. How fun it is to stay healthy with aerobics by swaying your hips!

People are now becoming more and more conscious about their physical appearance and their overall health. Knowing that obesity can affect not only their lifestyle and social lives but their total well-being as well, people are finding ways to lose weight and live healthy. One of these ways is aerobic exercise.

These days, people are into a lot of popular weight loss activities such as engaging in weight loss diets. However, little do they know that these may affect their overall health if done too regularly and without proper monitoring from the experts.

Why choose aerobics exercise

If you are one of those who are trying to look for means to lose weight, then one of the best ways is to get into aerobic exercises. Unlike other weight loss techniques that are focused on meals and rigorous physical exercises, aerobic exercises zero in on not only losing weight but also in changing one's lifestyle.

People often associate weight gain with food intake. This is the reason why more and more of them take dieting as the ultimate solution to weight loss. Although it is a fact that eating a lot affects weight gain, it is not the sole reason why people become overweight. Other factors like the nutritional content of the food they eat, eating behavior and patterns, and laziness are the major reasons why people become obese.

Many people don't realize it but when they diet, they lose nutrients that are significant to their overall health and growth. Experts say that instead of cutting down too much on food, why not indulge in a physical exercise that does not bring it too much stress and fatigue.

Another thing that sets aerobic exercises from other forms of losing weight is that it promotes and encourages versatility. Since aerobic exercises mean that one is doing physical activity with lesser concentration, he or she can do other things. That way they can be more productive.

Unlike other physical activities that require strenuous movements or those that require one to go to a gym or a workout center, one can do aerobic exercises just about anywhere. Simple aerobic exercises would include simple biking, regular jogging, swimming, and cross-country skiing. You can also attend simple aerobic exercises at your nearby fitness center where classes are being held.

One good thing about aerobic exercises is that it aids the lungs and heart. Since most aerobics exercises have been proven to increase oxygen circulation in the body, it makes people have better lung and heart functions. And, it also enables the body to utilize oxygen well and makes the person's heart use oxygen supply more efficiently. If done properly, aerobic exercises can also help people prevent and even cure illnesses of the heart.

Aside from conditioning the heart and the lungs, aerobic exercises can also help control the body's fat along with proper diet and strength training, increase the body's resistance to fatigue resulting in the supply of extra energy, helps achieve toned muscles and could increase a person's body mass, prevents stress, vital to good sleep and can generally the person's stamina.

1. Park a few blocks away from work or where you are shopping. If it takes you 5 minutes to walk from your car to your desk and another 5 minutes back, then that's ten minutes of exercise a day right there.
2. Do simple exercises such as jumping jacks, sit-ups, pushups, etc. during the commercial breaks of your favorite program.
3. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
4. Play with your kids outside, or if you don't have kids play with the neighbors kids.
5. Turn up the radio and dance in the privacy of your home.
6. Only watch your favorite shows while riding a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill.
7. Go for an evening walk after dinner. Bring the family with you.
8. Walk the dog around the block (two or three times is best).
9. Walk around your building on your lunch break at work. Invite a co-worker to join you.
10. Keep items you retrieve on a daily basis, clothes for example, in your basement so you have to walk up and down the stairs.