The Fit Way to a The Fit Way to a Woman’s Health

Fitness, muscle-building and gym work-outs have gone beyond the traditional all-male club. With the hype over fitness and health and a healthy lifestyle, women have joined the club as well. However, men and women have different fitness needs.

Women’s fitness and exercise needs are focused on the muscles of the upper back. Most of their exercise work-outs are also designed for the stomach muscles, especially those who have just given birth. At the same time, exercises for women are usually designed for weight loss. And while men tend to focus on muscle building whereas women work on toning their muscles, strength training is important for both.

Here are a few things to make you women out there go out and start building up your muscle strength.

Make the performance of your usual tasks easier with a physically strong body. Chores will be easier, lifting your kids, the grocery or the laundry will be a piece of cake. Consequently, it will reduce possible strain on the muscles and injury. Training can increase a woman’s strength by 30 to 50 percent.

Lose fat at the same time. A strength training done 2 to 3 times a week for a span of two months can result to two pounds of muscles and would mean a reduction of 3.5 pounds of fat. The more muscles and less fat, the faster is the metabolism, which ultimately means your body burns calories faster than normal.

Fight osteoporosis. Weight training increases spinal bone mineral density which means lesser chances of the risk of osteoporosis.

Fight heart disease and diabetes. Weight improvement improves cardiovascular health by lowering the bad cholesterol and blood pressure. It also improves glucose use in the body by 23 percent which reduces the risk of diabetes.

The road to a healthier you. Not only does it promote a healthier body, but it also develops a healthier attitude and a healthier heart. Women who engage in regular strength training are more confident, with a more positive outlook in life.

So how do you get started?

For those who lead very busy lifestyles, hitting the gym and starting on a regular fitness plan may seem the perfect way to keep fit. But for most, starting out on a regular walking exercise is the way to go. Start at a manageable rate. A 10 to 15 minute walk is a good way to start. Prior to a workout, make sure to stretch your major muscles. Work your muscles on the front of your thighs. Stretch your shoulder muscles by standing straight and rolling the shoulders backward in a circular motion. And of course, don’t forget to observe proper nutrition. Load up on water to prevent dehydration. Consume carbohydrates before starting on your work-out.

For those with joint and bone diseases, swimming may prove to be a less stressful activity for your muscles.

But the most important is, make time for your exercise. If you can’t hit the gym or start on a regular work-out plan, make sure that your day is filled with enough physical activity that keeps you going and always on the go. Women’s fitness is the key to your beauty!

Increasing Your Muscle Mass With 5 Simple Steps

By Russ Howe

If you are confused as to how to build muscle in the gym, today's post is specifically for you. Seriously, drop everything and read these tips. Because alongside how to lose weight effectively, this is undoubtedly the number one topic we're quizzed on at the gym by customers.

The basics work best when it comes to building lean tissue and keeping it. Today we're going to be laying down the foundations of a solid size and strength plan for you to follow.

1) Change Your Diet To Gain Size And Strength.

2) Understand Supplements Before Using Them.

3) Tailor Your Workouts.

4) Don't Forget To Rest Up.

5) Get Enough Sleep.

The five rules are very basic and, strangely, very easily overlooked in favor of needlessly more complicated techniques. Simply put, these are proven to work and have stood the test of time on the gym floor. Rule number one is about diet. That's right, you still need to diet if your goal is adding size and strength.

You're trying to build a physique the right way, after all, and there are two ways to get bigger we all know that.

Watch the video incorporated into today's post to learn how to sort out your diet. The simple system shown is proven to work.

Rule number two is about knowing your supplements. Too often, people are all too quick to take a product without truly knowing what they're actually putting into their body, what it's supposed to be doing for them or why they even need it.

When it comes to bodybuilding supplements it pays to stick to the proven basics. Creatine and whey protein, for example, are both proven and side effect free. Get the rest of your nutrients from your diet, don't over rely on pills and potions.

Tip three is about your time in the gym. If you want to get bigger, you need to train bigger. That doesn't necessarily mean longer, either. Stick to the hardcore basic exercises such as Deadlifts and Pull Ups. These multi-joint exercises are spectacular for building up strength and size.

You also need to take days off from training to maximize your gains. Rest up to size up, that's our motto. There is no point in training every single day and not letting your body to recover.

The same goes for sleep. Too few of us get anywhere near enough and as a result we unknowingly deprive ourselves of results. Growth hormone is released while you sleep, so this is an important time. Pack in eight hours each night and you have this base covered.

If anybody reading this also read our five step guide on how to lose weight fast and safely you'll notice that it was just as simple and easy to follow. Because despite all the hype and confusion surrounding how to build muscle the basics are still as good as it gets.

About the Author:

Publisher: Russ Howe PTI is the UK's most followed fitness instructor who teaches people how to build muscle and how to lose weight. Check out his free guide next to enhance your results in the gym.

Building a Better Home Gym

If you're looking to get fit and into shape, home gyms may provide the best option if joining a traditional gym isn't feasible.

A personal gym at home will allow for more flexibility in terms of your workout schedule, and if time is tight and you want to include exercise into the busiest of routines, a gym at home is definitely the way to go.
Unfortunately, many people only think of weight and resistance training based multi-gyms when they're considering home gym equipment, but the range of home exercise equipment now available extends to: Rowing Machines · treadmills · ab machines · orbital trainers · elliptical trainer, and much, much more.
This means that in addition to improving muscle mass and tone, you can now have a fat burning cardiovascular workout in the comfort of your own home, whenever it suits you best, perhaps even in front of your TV.

Plan your home gym carefully
Think of the type of workout you'd like, the areas of your body and overall fitness you want to work on.
Next, have a look at the space you have to set up your equipment. It could be an area as small as a section of a spare room to an entire basement or garage. These factors will dictate the types of fitness products are best suited to your goals.

At the very minimum you could get a few pairs of dumbbells to do resistance training, an exercise ball to do some great abdominal exercises, and a jump rope to get your cardiovascular or fat burning exercises in.
The next consideration is cost. Only purchase good quality home exercise equipment; the best you can afford for your specific needs. Doing so may be expensive, but it's a worthwhile investment for both safety, as well as the long term financial benefits associated with less maintenance costs.

I asked my team to compile a few links to help you quickly find the best prices on home gym equipment - here's a free list of discounted prices. [http://www.maximizeyourmetabolism.com/equipment.htm]
A normal cost to outfit your home might be compared to a two year traditional gym membership. With this amount of money, it's vital you choose your fitness products wisely. Only buy from reputable, specialist manufacturers.

Do your homework before you buy.
Take advice about your purchase from fitness experts, health and fitness magazines and website reviews or another relevant consumer based source.
Most home exercise equipment will come with a 30-day money back guarantee, so don't be afraid to try the equipment that will build your Home Gyms before you commit.
Give them a run for their money to ensure that you invest in the right equipment for you. If they're not right for you, send them back and continue the hunt for the perfect machine.
Once built, be disciplined and use your home gym regularly and safely.
Keep it well maintained and you'll see fantastic results in no time at all, all in the comfort and convenience of your own home.

BTW: As you may know much of the information I supply my readers is taken directly from questions that they send to my office. If you would like me to address a specific question in an upcoming newsletter or in one of my teleseminars, simply go to: www.AskChristopherGuerriero.com

© 2002-2005 Wisdom Books, LLC & Christopher Guerriero WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: Christopher Guerriero, is the founder of the National Metabolic & Longevity Research Center and a best-selling author, speaker, and coach to millions. He is creator of the award-winning 'Maximize Your Metabolism' system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for FR*EE how-to articles and F.REE teleseminars, visit http://www.MaximizeYourMetabolism.com

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