Is Exercise Once a Week Enough?

Not the usual recommendation

I've seen a few articles recently on doing a power packed workout just once a week to cut down on time spent exercising. This is an unusual suggestion, it's usually accepted that workouts should be more frequent, ideally at least 3 times a week. Is working out just once a week effective, though and, more importantly, are there any risks?

The ASCM recommends...

For many years a lot of fitness advice has been based on the position stands of American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Their current stand on exercise frequency is that, for cardio we should do either:

• moderate intensity work for more than 30mins at least 5 times a week

• vigorous work for 20 minutes or more at least 3 times a week

• or a combination of the two for a total energy expenditure of 500-1000 MET minutes at least once a week

For a rough idea, using figures from the Compendium of Physical Activities ( https://sites.google.com/site/compendiumofphysicalactivities/Activity-Categories/running ) 500 MET minutes would be, for example, around 45 minutes of running at 6.7 mph

As far as strength and flexibility training are concerned, at least twice a week is recommended. This is because once a week wouldn't be enough to maintain the muscle adaptations caused by exercise, so you would make very little progress.

Is it safe?

So, based on this, for cardio at least, it seems that once a week is enough if you're prepared to work hard. Very hard. The other thing to think about is whether there is any risk. I couldn't find any reference to this, but I would be concerned that working out vigorously once a week would be more likely to result in muscle soreness, stiffness and injury than more frequent exercise. Maybe this wouldn't be the case for fit, young individuals, but I'd say anyone else should be very careful trying this.

Conclusion - a good idea or not?

On the whole, I don't think it's that good. For young, fit people who want to maintain their cardiovascular fitness and don't have a lot of time it could be a good compromise, but even so for all-round fitness they would have to do some strength and flexibility as well, plus an extra strength/flexibility session during the week. It would be better to go for the 20 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 times a week option, maybe doing cardio/strength intervals.

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Making Exercise Fun

How to Make Exercise Fun

One of the top five reasons that people give to prevent themselves from exercising is that they say it is 'too boring'. But we would definitely disagree - there are so many things that you can do and also many activities that burn calories out there that will not only keep you fit, but will have you smiling too!

What confuses a lot of people that want nothing to do with exercise, is what exercise actually means - it's not just about lifting heavy weights over and over and working up a sweat - exercise is about getting involved in an activity that gets your heart racing and also burn lots of calories at the same time... and if you can have fun whilst doing that, even better.

Get Outdoors

Being outside has a good psychological effect on your brain - there are no walls, which means there are fewer confinements, less obstructions and because you are out of the house, there are fewer distractions such as the TV or the kitchen.

Take up gardening, go jogging, play football, walk the dog, cycle, or play games in the park with your kids - there are many ways of exercising outdoors that are fun as well as great for you.

Reward Yourself

Have something to look forward to after you have exercised. If you really can't find an activity you like, you may as well reward yourself with something nice after you have reached your targets. Complete your day's exercise and THEN watch TV, listen to music, read or watch a film. Just try to avoid rewarding yourself with food or this will defeat the object of working hard to lose or maintain your weight.

Make It Social

Exercise doesn't have to be a lonely activity - a lot of people prefer to have someone there to motivate them. Whether it is a friend, colleague or family member, getting someone to workout with you is a great way of staying motivated and supported. Even if you both have different goals such as losing or maintaining your weight, your support for one another could be the kind of lift you need to make the exercise much more enjoyable.

If you are quite competitive in nature, you might find that working out with a friend at a competitive sport such as racquetball might be the perfect way of boosting your workout routine and blasting that fat.

Dance

The great thing about dancing is that you don't need to be good at it to enjoy it. Whether you are just putting on some energetic music at home and dancing around your bedroom or taking a class at a local venue, dancing is a great way of letting off steam, relaxing, exercising and above all having a good time.

For example, an hour long Zumba class, where the emphasis is on having a 'party' and not the exercise itself is fun for any ability and you can burn between 500 and 600 calories in a session.

Hi I am Gary Abernathy author of this article Fat Loss Factor Program and many more. I am an avid Health and fitness nut. I have had a weight problem all my life up to about 5 years ago, when I finally done something about the weight problem. I now write articles such as this one, and have a web site set up so that people can read more interesting articles about weight loss. Please go to Fat Loss Factor Program for more information.

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Stress - Its Effects and How to Deal With It With Exercise

Stress is something that will never completely go away in almost everybody's life. Even for those in retirement living out the "golden years", there is always something to be stressed about. Even for those few who have financial security, relatively good health and a close family to spend holidays together, they will probably worry about and concern themselves with how they can help their loved ones. It makes no sense to try to eliminate stress, but there are plenty of things we can do to control it before it consumes our life and ruins our health.

Stress isn't really a bad thing. It is the body's way to protect us, and these defense mechanisms have been developed as we have evolved. When we are stressed, hormones such as cortisol are released by the body, allowing us to physically and mentally prepare ourselves to confront the situation. Blood flow and heart rate increases and the lungs take in more oxygen, making our senses ready for the challenge.

But your immune system temporarily shuts down, making our response to toxins and other foreign invaders reduced. Nothing is wrong with this, as long as it is temporary. But if your system remains on this "high" for too long, the immune system becomes desensitized to cortisol. Because cortisol also has a regulatory effect on our response to inflammation within the system, things get out of control, our immunities break down and we get sick.

As medical science examines this further, this situation of chronic inflammation is being associated with a great many disorders. In medical conditions such as dementia, cancer and heart disease we are finding how important a role the immune system plays. It has been estimated that 85% of all diseases have an emotional element to them. Stress plays a role in the health problems of many individuals.

Stress relief of course is easier said than done in many cases. Some of the coping mechanisms that have traditionally been used are smoking and taking antidepressants and sleeping pills. These of course are not cures but only mask the problem, and can cause even greater health problems in their own right.

So what is the optimum way to cure stress and keep us in a healthy state as we age? Finding those release valves that are right for you will be key. We will never be able to eliminate stress completely, but everyone's system has built-in tools to compensate for these stress-related issues. Regular exercise is probably the best release, and everyone should make every effort to do something physical.

Any physical activity is good to relieve stress. It gets your feel-good endorphins flowing and gets your mind off your troubles, at least for a while. It can decrease the stress hormone mentioned earlier: cortisol. Plus it really does help us sleep, which in itself is a great stress reliever in that it allows the body some time to recover and regroup. Some other wonderful ways that many people have learned to use for stress control laughing, doing yoga, meditation and religious faith.

When going on a http://muscle4weightloss.com/ program, alleviating stress can be a big help. Weight training, cardio workouts and many other forms of physical training can be accomplished better with a professional trainer. Rich Carroll is a writer and health enthusiast living in Chicago.

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What Influences How Much You Weigh More: Diet or Exercise?

You already know you need to workout and eat something balanced to maintain your weight. The truth is, studies show that whenever people dedicate time to just one healthy and balanced practice, they devote much less time on the other side. Therefore which is certainly more essential when you're concerned about the size of your waist: your regular workout or perhaps your diet plan?

Looks like, people today who believe that weight loss program is the most crucial element in weight management are apt to have a lesser body mass index (BMI) compared to those who actually assume that exercising is an essential tool, as mentioned in six new research published in the publication Psychological Science.

Within the scientific studies, specialists questioned at most over 1,200 people within the U.S., Canada, China, France, and South Korea regarding the primary factor which enables people obese. In addition, they grabbed members' height and weight dimensions to determine their BMIs. Surprisingly, people who stated it's essential to remain energetic to avoid overweight experienced greater BMIs versus individuals who mentioned the right diet is the vital thing in order to manage weight.

As you may anticipate, people's weight-control concepts influenced their diet. In two experiments, the moment research workers supplied individuals countless chocolate, the individuals who stated they believe keeping yourself energetic is vital to keeping your desired weight consumed most.

"Our own opinions assist our approaches," states research co-author Brent McFerran, PhD, an assistant professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Think it over: If you believe workout is the answer to fat regulation, you may push much more concentration not so on the amount you take in. Whereas physical exercise can actually help body weight loss-and cause you to feel great, amidst some other benefits-people usually overrate the level of calories from fat that they burn up while working out and make up for the additional exercise by consuming more, says McFerran.

On the other hand, if you think that eating balanced and healthy diet is the better option to sustain your fat, you may concern not so regarding exercise-but carefully observe your food intake. And also, that's wise, particularly since most people really undervalue the quantity of calories from fat that they take in, says McFerran.

The challenge: A lot of people presume they may be able to get rid of additional pounds-but there's a lot of medical proof to aid the truth that altering your weight loss program is a far more efficient way to decrease pounds, says McFerran. "Whenever we consume a 3000-calorie meal, almost nobody offers adequate spare time within the entire day to work out it off," he says.

Fortunately, McFerran's best recommendation for the fat control doesn't consume a lot of time: stay away from foods with high levels of calorie consumption, and swap great dishes and bowls for smaller ones to make certain you complete all of them with much more controlled servings.

Nevertheless, you must likely keep your fitness subscription, too. Though it's challenging to drop a few pounds through workout alone, keeping energetic helps alongside body weight control-and it's completely vital to improve your health, said Keri Glassman, RD, a Women's Health weight reduction professional. Not just will physical exercise generate endorphins which raise your rate of metabolism and keep you motivated to consume better-it likewise helps cardiovascular wellness, fortifies your bones, will help you relax, lessens anxiety, and improves psychological state. Almost all amazing reasons why you should strike the health club when it's possible to!

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Some Exercise Is Better Than No Exercise

Exercise is any physical activity that gets your body moving, and when it comes to exercise any exercise is better than no exercise.

The latest publication on this topic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans that states that a total of 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of combined moderate-intensity aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening activities done every week, and spread out over at least 2 days a week (i.e. 75 minutes x 2 days, or 50 minutes x 3 days, etc.), are needed to maintain your health. Add to this a simple stretch routine and you have a workable formula for protecting your health in the present and preventing disease in the future.

There are 3 categories of exercise:

• Cardiovascular Exercises
• Weight or Strength Training
• Stretching Routines

Participation in all 3 categories is essential to fitness and good health.

Benefits of Cardiovascular Exercises

Cardiovascular relates to the heart and blood vessels and is often referred to as aerobic exercise because it denotes exercise that improves the efficiency of the body's cardiovascular system in absorbing and transporting oxygen. Aerobic means requiring the presence of air or oxygen. Aerobic exercise improves the condition of your heart which is a muscle like any other and in order for it to be strong and efficient it must be worked regularly. An inefficient cardiovascular system deprives all the cells of the body of an adequate supply of essential oxygen which over time can cause a variety of negative health effects.

Aerobic activity or "cardio" gets you breathing harder and your heart beating faster. Walking is the simplest, fastest way to accomplish this; just open the door and take the first step. No training is necessary and no special equipment is required except perhaps a good pair of tennis shoes. Pushing a lawn mower, swimming, and cycling are other examples of cardio exercise, but are somewhat weather dependent. Others are treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes, but these require special equipment or a gym membership. There are many, many others.

Whatever activity you choose simply start off slowly and gradually build up. For most, ordinary activities such as shopping, cooking, and other routine household duties won't count toward the guidelines. Why? Because your body isn't working hard enough to get your heart rate up. Moderate-intensity aerobic activity means you're working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat. The easiest way to tell that you're achieving a cardio benefit is that you'll be able to talk during the work out, but not in complete sentences; you won't be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath. A more scientific way is to calculate your target heart rate which for most people is not necessary. All types of activities count as long as you're doing them at a moderate or vigorous intensity for at least 10 minutes at a time for a total of 150 minutes a week.

Benefits of Weight or Strength Training

Many individuals who are new to the world of fitness are of the opinion that strength training is only associated with serious "athletes". Although very few of my patients are interested in bench pressing their body weight, virtually all of them are interested in maintaining the ability to climb a flight of stairs or carry in a bag of groceries. Strength training does this. While aerobic exercise has many excellent health benefits - it maintains the heart and lungs and increases cardiovascular fitness and endurance - it does not necessarily make muscles strong. Studies have shown that lifting weights two or three times a week targeting the legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms improves health by building muscle mass and bone density. These exercises can slow the physiological aging clock by lessening the so-called "normal" effects of aging including osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

Research has shown that strengthening exercises are both safe and effective for both women and men of all ages, including those who are in less than perfect health. In fact, those with health concerns - including heart disease or arthritis - often benefit the most from an exercise program that includes lifting weights a few times each week. When done properly and increased gradually strength training results in joints and muscles working more efficiently together to increase ability including balance, flexibility, and stamina which improves the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL's). Health professionals routinely refer to the ability or inability to perform ADLs as a measurement of the functional status of a person, particularly in regards to those with disabilities and the elderly. Strength training programs can also have a profound effect on decreasing the likelihood and severity of falls, which translates to fewer injuries, a serious risk for the less than fit population.

Benefits of Stretching

The American College of Sports Medicine says regular flexibility exercises are crucial to maintaining joint range of motion. Muscles gradually become shorter and tighter if not regularly stretched which reduces overall flexibility. This restriction makes the muscle and tendon, and associated joints and ligaments, more susceptible to strain and sprain injuries in the event of an unexpected or unusual stress. Such a stress might be a stumble on the stairs or up a curb, or a sudden lunge to catch a grandchild about to fall off a chair. Stretching is primarily responsible for increasing flexibility and reduces these risks. Increased flexibility also allows you to do other exercises more easily.

Stretching exercises place slow and controlled stress upon muscles, tendons, joints, and ligaments. The body's response to this stress is to increase the blood flow and thereby the supply of nutrients resulting in a gradual strengthening of these tissues. Stretching has been shown to effectively increase range of motion and flexibility in joints. Better range of motion enables you to keep better balance. Better balance means you are less susceptible to falls, and better flexibility means you are less susceptible to the impact of sudden stresses, and the resulting injuries.

Participation in all 3 categories of exercise is a critical part of staying healthy.

People who are active live longer and feel better.

Exercise can also help you maintain a healthy weight.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Michael L. Hall, D.C. practices at Triangle Disc Care in Raleigh, North Carolina specializing in Spinal Decompression for the treatment of acute and chronic neck pain and back pain due to herniated, degenerated discs. This is a conservative procedure for patients suffering with bulging or herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, posterior facet syndrome, sciatica, failed back surgery syndrome, and non-specified mechanical low back or neck pain.

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How to Succeed in Every Exercise

When you first started your exercise, you had a specific plan, schedule and even goals. What kind of exercises you're going to have, which part of the body you want to shape, what size you're going to achieve, etc. You do all of them from the first visit to the gym with big motivation. You sacrifice your leisure time to exercise, and you work very hard to achieve your goals.

But after few weeks you begin to feel exhausted, while the result is not as fast as you thought. What is happening here? Maybe there's something wrong with the way you manage your exercise! I want to share these 10 secrets I believe can help you to succeed your exercise, and make sure your exercise efficient and effective!

Secret #1 - Start Lightly

If you are a newbie, don't start with heavy exercise in an instant. Instead, you can try this method :

Day 1, 4 and 6

- 10 minutes warming up, by treadmill exercise or spinning exercise

- Stretching exercise

- Weight lifting exercise

- If you are in a weight loss program, have cardio exercise for 30 minutes

- Stretching for cooling down

Day 2 and 5

- 10 minutes warming up, by treadmill exercise or spinning exercise

- Stretching exercise

- Cardio or aerobics exercise for 30 minutes

- Stretching for cooling down

Day 3 and 7

Take a rest, as you need to give your body and muscles time to recover. But if you feel like having some light exercises, choose swimming, jogging, tennis or your other favorite sports for relaxing with your family or friends.

Secret #2 - Maximizing the most difficult

Many exercise you want to have, but less time to do it? Solution: you must maximize your exercise on the most difficult area to train or your most troubled area. This way, you can use your energy to train specific area with optimum result. For burning fat more effectively, do cardio after weight lifting. When you are doing weight lifting exercise, you burn the sugar in your blood, which will create energy. Use the energy for cardio exercise, which at the end will maximize the burning of fat.

Secret #3 - Don't stay at same level

After 3 months or when you already feel comfortable with your exercise, add your exercise portion. Don't just stay at the same level forever! Your comfortable feeling means your muscles need more 'challenge'. The better you build and maintain your muscle, the better and faster your fat burning would be!

Secret #4 - Keep your focus!

- Focus and concentration are very important to ensure success in your exercise.

- Do every exercise slowly, don't rush away.

- Always keep your body straight, to maximize your breathing.

- Do the right breathing technique: exhale when you do with the weight, and inhale when you return to normal position. You'll need oxygen for your muscle, to enhance its job capacity. Breathing also has impact to your weight loss program.

Secret #5 - Set new target

After certain period of time, you'll find your exercise to be boring, and you'll lose your motivation. Don't stop at this stage, but try to increase your exercise portion, or change your exercise program. For example, If you used to have treadmill as cardio exercise, try high impact aerobics for a change! Or you might want to try a new sport, squash is a good sport to burn calories fast.

Secret #6 - Wear a suitable sport shoes for your exercise

Sport shoes are must have item to do most exercise. There are so many choices of sport shoes with many brands, designs and colors. Choose the most suitable sport shoes with the kind of exercise you do.

Secret #7 - Train your stability

Besides cardio and weight lifting exercises, don't forget to train also your stability. Stability is important to help your movement and to avoid injury. You can vary your exercise with yoga, or simply try this little trick at the end of your exercise:

- Stand on one leg and raise the other leg forward.

- Hold the position for 20-30 seconds.

- Do the same with the other leg

Secret #8 - Be creative

Do the same routine exercise after a while will decrease your motivation. Be creative, and add fitness equipment such as gym ball, resistance band or dumbbells to create more variative and fun exercises.

Secret #9 - Switch exercise intensity

It's even better if you could provide 1 day during the week to lower your exercise intensity. Try some light and more fun , you can perhaps do it with your friend. The point is to give your muscles time to recover, so that you will be ready for your next exercise schedule.

Secret #10 - Don't stick on numbers!

Heart rate monitor or weight scale is useful for supporting your exercise program. The equipment gives you accurate data to measure your performance. However, don't just stick on the numbers. You must keep your concentration on your own body. Keep doing the exercises and enjoy it, your body will let you know what it needs!

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