Everyone needs exercise in their life. Exercise keeps our heart and lungs in shape and promotes longevity. But, exercise can be hard on the joints, especially older joints. If you don’t want to ruin your body while you are trying to get in shape, try water workouts.

Even if you can’t swim, water workouts can benefit you. The body feels differently in the water. If you’ve ever swam or played around in the water, you’ll notice that your legs feel like lead when you try to pull yourself out.

Each time you move around in the water you are actually displacing the weight of the water and giving your body a workout. Someone turned that into a workout that is easy and non-jarring for the joints but still gives a total body workout.

Water aerobic workouts can be done in a few ways. Perform the moves on your own in a community pool, use a water aerobics DVD at your backyard pool, or take a water aerobics class at your gym or the YMCA. The moves are not hard to learn and you’ve probably done them before.

The same workouts that you perform in an aerobics class can be adapted for the pool. Water aerobics can seem like more fun than a workout, but just wait until you try to step out of the pool!

Classes usually begin with a warm up in the water consisting of running in place or slowly swimming a few laps. If you can’t swim, don’t worry. You can wear a flotation belt around your waist or use flotation boards to keep your balance and your head above water.

Most of the moves are performed in waist deep to shoulder deep water. Standing on the bottom of the pool is permitted and you get the same workout. Using flotation devices, you can perform the moves without touching the bottom of the pool which works the abdominal muscles even harder as you try to maintain your balance.

Water aerobics are great for the entire body. Muscles get a workout as you move against the force of the water. Spongy water dumbbells are also used for upper body workouts and as balancing tools. The dumbbells look like toys out of the water and can have one or more sponge weights on each end. Once those weights are held underwater, they feel more like twenty pounds instead of twenty ounces.

Water aerobics will raise your heart rate and give you a good weight workout. You’ll think that this workout isn’t vigorous enough because you aren’t getting overheated and sweating but you’d be wrong. Water workouts are one way that people with joint problems or other limitations can still get a meaningful workout.

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If you’re not, and just aren’t sure where to start, don’t fear. We will be reviewing some of the most popular fitness and exercise programs right here over the next few days. If something looks good, just give it a try and get moving.

In the meantime, go out for a walk in the brisk cold air, or just turn on some upbeat music and dance around the house. Dig through that stack of exercise DVDs or tapes that’s hiding in the back of your closet and work out to a few of them.

Remember, it’s all about getting moving and having fun. If you enjoy what you’re doing, you’re much more likely to stick with it.

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Considering the time it takes to recover from injury and the loss of valuable fitness training, stretching is something that should never be left out of any training routine.

It is just as important to stretch whether you are on a resistance-training program or simply going for a walk. Many different muscles are activated with the various types of exercise we do and it is essential to target those muscles when stretching.

If you are intending to do a heavy weight session on the lower body then you would need to warm up your leg muscles with some time on a stationary bike and then possibly touching your toes to limber up your lower back and hamstrings.

If you are going for a run, you would also need to stretch your legs, and in particular your hamstrings, where many runners have problems. Tight hamstrings can also create problems with your lower back so often the problem is coming from an area other than where the pain is felt.

Stretching should always be light and never forced as that alone can cause more injury than some of the exercises we perform. You should never bounce when stretching either as this can tear muscles or strain them enough that they will tear during the course of training.

If you are doing resistance training it is wise to start the first movement of any exercise with little or no weight to get the blood into your muscles and warm them up for the heavier weights that are to follow.

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Many people who are using resistance training as their preferred form of fitness, will injure their shoulders or lower back more often than other parts of the body.

The shoulders are quite susceptible to injury as they are activated with many different exercises and some of these exercises such as the bench press can involve the use of substantial weight.

It is imperative that you do sufficient warm up exercises for your shoulders before you even start to lift the lightest of weights.

Shoulder injuries can take a very long time to mend and as they are used in so many exercises it will stop or hinder you from doing most upper body workouts.

Using weight machines can reduce the incidence of injury as the movement is controlled but you will be missing out in the strengthening the occurs will all the other muscles that are used for balance and control when using free weights such as dumbbells and barbells.

As you age it could be more beneficial to move from free weights to weight machines as we become more susceptible to injury as we age.

The lower back is another area of concern for many people both with resistance training and aerobic training.
Some of the mass building exercises such as squats can place big loads on the lower back and unless you are performing the exercises with the correct movements you will always be exposed to the risk of injury.

This is where a professional fitness trainer can help to ensure you are doing the exercises correctly.

Strengthening the abdominal muscles will help to support your lower back and this will also help to reduce the chance of injury to your back.

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Rather than trying to lift too much weight at your home gym and risk injury, it would be better to reduce the weight and do more repetitions of the same exercise.

Stretching your muscles before a workout or other form or exercise such as a run or a walk will help to reduce the chance of injury.

It is always wise to check with your doctor before starting any exercise program if you have any doubts about any aspect of your health.

If you have had prior injuries to any parts of your body you might need to ‘work around’ these when planning your training program to ensure they aren’t aggravated and cause you to miss valuable training time.

With weight training you can, under some circumstances, still train parts of your body if you have injured other areas, but it is often difficult as resistance training usually involves the whole of the body.
Training with machines might be an option.

With walking and running it is obvious that damage to your legs will quickly put an end to your training so stretching your legs before and after exercise, particularly your hamstrings will help to eliminate problems.

If you do suffer an injury, you will need to determine whether it is wise to continue training, albeit with less intensity, or to rest completely until the injury has recovered completely.

Sometimes light exercise can help with recovery whereas other times it can delay your recovery and often make the problem worse.

It is times like this that professional advice from your doctor or fitness trainer will be invaluable.
You should never be training to the extent that you are susceptible to injury as injuries can reoccur throughout your life once a muscle, tendon or ligament has been damaged.

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Exercise Helps Curb Cravings

If you’re trying to stick to a better eating plan or are trying to lose weight, exercise can be your best friend. The fat burning potential of exercise is well known, but exercise can also help you reduce cravings. Making exercise a part of your daily routine can help you stick to your healthy eating plan and avoid eating things you shouldn’t.

There are several specific benefits to exercise that have a direct effect on cravings. The first has to do with your metabolism. When you exercise, you are increasing your metabolism. When you have a higher metabolism, you’ll be able to process the food you eat more efficiently. This means that the nutrients and minerals that you eat are being used properly. This can reduce your food cravings, since cravings are often a result of your body missing important nutrients.

You’ll also reap the benefits of having increased oxygen in your system, which can help reduce cravings. Proper oxygen intake can help your body run more efficiently and absorb nutrients better. This means less cravings for you since you’re getting enough from the food that you’re already eating.

Exercise also works to reduce cravings by giving you something to do other than eating. A lot of the time, people experience food cravings purely out of boredom. They’ve come to rely on eating as a form of entertainment and overeat when they feel bored. The same is true for eating when you’re depressed, stressed out or otherwise overly emotional. Exercise can combat all of these problems. With exercise, you’ll get yourself occupied so you won’t be tempted to eat. After you exercise, you’ll have a raised metabolism and increased endorphins. The metabolism will help you feel full, and the endorphins will help regulate your mood.

Exercise is also relaxing, and recent studies show that relaxation can have a direct effect on your ability to handle cravings. When you eat in a relaxed state, you’ll be able to process the nutrients more efficiently which, as you know, reduces cravings. Finally, exercise increases your intake of water. Sometimes cravings are a result of dehydration. Water can help you feel fuller longer and can reduce your cravings for certain types of food.

Incorporating exercise into your daily routine is vital to curbing cravings. If you don’t already exercise, you should make it a point to start. You don’t have to embark on a overly rigorous exercise plan in order to reap the benefits. Simple aerobic activity three to four times a week can be a great ally in your fight against food cravings.

If you’re using exercise as a diversion away from eating, it’s best to do something that is fun and that is accessible. You can do something as simple as walking around the block or swimming. These low impact exercises can help you fight cravings and improve your overall health as well. They increase your metabolism, release helpful endorphins, improve your oxygen levels and encourage better hydration. All of these factors together will help give you powerful tools for combating cravings.

About the Author:
Are cravings for sugar, salt, junk food, sodas, and coffee running your life? For over 20 years, Diana Walker, the Cravings Coach, has assisted people like you in using natural, safe options for creating vibrant health. Check out Diana’s newsletter, blog and podcast at   http://www.thecravingscoach.com/blog and   http://www.diana2.com

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Working out regularly will reduce the effects of aging and allow you to participate in sports and recreation that might not be possible for someone with lower levels of fitness.

Having greater levels of fitness will reduce the incidence of injury and also reduce the chances of illness. There are so many benefits that can affect all aspects of your life that maintaining your fitness is essential.

Even if you are unfortunate enough to suffer some form of injury or illness, your fitness levels will help you to recover faster and get back to full health.

The older you get the more important it is to keep your fitness levels up as we become inclined as we get older to reduce our physical activity.

A fit person will always live longer if all else is equal and apart from that, they will get more enjoyment out of life as everything will be all the easier to do.

Good health is something that we should all be investing in. The investment you make in your health will pay dividends later in life that no amount of money can achieve.

It is particularly important as we grow older that we have the strength to maintain our balance and remain as independent as possible for as long as we can.

Going for a walk two or three times a week might not seem like a lot now but accumulating over the years it will help to strengthen your bones and build a healthier and stronger heart and better lungs.

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A personal trainer can give you attention that you wouldn’t get with your membership from a gym.
Personal attention will ensure that you follow through and perform all the exercises that are set for your fitness program.

In addition to the motivational factors of having a fitness trainer, they will also be able to determine if you are performing any exercises incorrectly.

If you have your own home gym they can work with you to devise a program that is best suited to your body type and the improvements that you want to make.

Knowing that the trainer will turn up at a certain time each week will also ensure that you are ready for a workout and more likely to continue with any program that you have started.

To find the best trainer in your area you should try to get recommendations from others as this will be the only way you will know whether they will be worthwhile investing your money in their instruction.

You can always hire them on a short-term basis until you are satisfied that they are right for you.

Many trainers have their own equipment, but having your own equipment will allow you to train at times when they aren’t around using the instruction you learn from your sessions with them.

You might only need them short term to learn what you need to know and ensure you are doing the exercises correctly and then you can continue under your own motivation.

You can always call them back from time to time to go over the program and make adjustments based on your progress.

As with anything in life, having an experienced teacher can reduce the time it takes to reach your goals considerably.

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The best way to decide on a training process is to prepare a program that is not only designed to achieve the results that you are after, but also to fit in with your lifestyle.

If you devise a fitness program that is complimentary to your lifestyle then you are more likely to continue doing it and getting the benefits that you require.

If you work particular hours at a job, then you need to know that you will have the free time to exercise without it encroaching on other aspects of your life.

Once something becomes difficult to maintain, it is unlikely that you will continue to do it for any length of time.While you might like to have a gym membership and workout for 2 hours every day, that might not be possible with your other commitments and rather than doing nothing at all you can still benefit from something more convenient that you can do regularly.

You might only have the time for a half hour walk every second day and that is OK because you are still getting exercise and it is adding to the quality of your life. Any exercise is better than none at all.

To get the best out of your exercise, whether it is walking or lifting weights it is a good idea to record your progress. Mark down each time you trained and what results you got from it. Time your walks and see if you can do the same walk in less time or walk further in the same time. Record how much weight you are lifting at the gym and how many repetitions you can achieve and then see if you can better those marks when you return.

Constant improvement no matter how small can lead to major changes over the course of a year.

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Why is this so?
There are many reasons why people don’t exercise regularly and that can range from inconvenience to boredom. When you are deciding what to do to lift your level of fitness it is wise to honestly think about your personality and where your strengths and weaknesses lie. If you are a person who can motivate yourself then a home gym might be the best solution as it will offer the convenience of allowing you to train whenever you like and you won’t need others to motivate you.

If, on the other hand, you find it difficult to motivate yourself then a membership at a gym might be a better solution. Paying for the membership might be all that is needed to ensure that you will attend classes and often we can get motivated by those around us and challenge ourselves to improve and compete with others in the gym.

Alternatively, you might be a person who prefers to go for a run or a walk rather than lift weights.
No matter what you are capable of doing, there is only one action that you need to take however small that might be initially and that it to get started with some form of fitness training sooner rather than later.

Fitness will add to your overall well-being and the more exercise you do the fitter you will become and the more likely you will be to continue with a fitness program.

There is never a better time to get started than right now.

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