Does Your Exercise Routine Need a Tune-Up? (Part 2)

Part 2

New Type of Exercise
Try something new even if it may be out of your comfort zone. There are a lot of benefits to working your core and burning calories when dancing. Have you ever thought about Bollywood dancing or belly dancing? Both of these exercises work your core and you can have fun doing them.

Belly Dancing can be found at local exercise gyms or community centers. Many of the classes are for all levels of dancing and encourage beginners to participate. The art of belly dancing is not really the belly it is the hips. By moving the hips in a rotating fashion or shaking them it helps to increase core strength. Here is a link to a great article by Paige Waehner that defines core strength and the importance of increasing it.

To try belly dancing at home, DVDs are available online at Amazon.com as well as instructional books.

Another type of exercise that is fun and burns calories is dancing Bollywood style. Many of us got a taste of the vibrant and amazing dancing in Slumdog Millionaire. This type of dancing is high energy and easy for most to do at home. There are many options online and here is one called Learn to Bollywood with Pallavi who has been training this style of dance for years and have incorporated it into a DVD for at home use.

All of us hit a rut and need a tune-up in our workout routine. Instead of giving up altogether, try something new and fun to keep the momentum going and help stay fit.


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Does Your Exercise Routine Need a Tune-Up? (Part 1)

Is your exercise routine dragging you down with a lack or variety? Do you need something new to spice it up? It could be as simple as a new pair of shoes or a new workout routine.

New Pair of Shoes
There are funny looking shoes out there that have had quite a following in recent months. They looked like shoes with a curve on the bottom and are offered by a few different brands but the one I keep seeing is from Sketchers. They are called Shape-Ups and can range in price but are around $100 per pair. The shoes claim to increase calorie burn, improve posture and help to tone muscles while working out and during daily activities. Once you get used to the look of them they might be worth a try. As for the results there was a review on The Gloss last spring. For more information and to look at styles, visit their website here.

New Equipment
Maybe it is time to bring back the old to start something new. We read about the Hula Hoop as a strengthening exercise in a Wall Street Journal article. Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of hula hooping and bring back some fun to your exercise routine.
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Here is an online store called Sports Hoop that sells weighted hula hoops similar to the one seen in the video.

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Get Outside and Weed Your Garden on June 13th

Grab your sun hat, gardening gloves and let’s get to it - it is time to weed that garden. Sunday (6/13/10) is the perfect day to do it – it is Weed Your Garden Day.

Gardening is a fabulous activity and weeding does fall under that category. It not only provides overall satisfaction when you reap the rewards of your labor it also is good for the body. It is recommended that adults need 30 minutes of physical activity each day and weeding in the garden can contribute to that time. Weeding and gardening allows your body to stretch, bend and pull. Here is more information on the benefits of gardening from Julie Garden-Robinson at INFORUM.

Remember to wear sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun. Sometimes we forget to apply sunscreen when we are outside working instead of outside enjoying ourselves. It is important to protect your skin with an SPF of 30 or more and try to keep your skin covered by wearing longer length clothing. A sun hat is very helpful in protecting your face and the often forgotten scalp. See fashionable options for sun hats in this post at Flashionista.com.

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Are you walking? You should be...

Are you walking? Walking provides not only great exercise for your body but it also can serve as a stress reliever.

Do you ever feel sluggish or not motivated to do anything? Next time this happens, go take a walk. It can revitalize your day and help reduce stress. It can also serve as a great way to catch up with a girlfriend or enjoy the changing seasons.

If you are still not motivated, then look at this list from the AARP that lists the benefits of walking and see if any of them catch your attention.

Walking can help:
• Manage your weight.
• Control your blood pressure.
• Decrease your risk of heart attack.
• Boost "good" cholesterol – the level of high-density lipoproteins (HDL).
• Lower your risk of stroke.
• Reduce your risk of breast cancer and type 2 diabetes.
• Avoid your need for gallstone surgery.
• Protect against hip fracture.

Tips on walking excerpted from the AARP article, The Numerous Benefits of Walking.

Let's get walking...


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