Can we survive Christmas cookies, candy - and New Year’s booze? Can we keep our weight gains to manageable portions, knowing most of us will gain weight? Given that we will see more of friends and family, and attend more parties, it is safe to say we might miss some workouts. Who has time to get to the gym for the regular session when obligations impinge?
Ok. So, what's a stopgap solution to get some exercises in, that won't necessitate you taking a trip, or even leaving your bedroom? (And, no, we are not talking nookie!) Why don't you focus on three exercises: jumping jacks, pushups, and sit ups?
Jumping jacks will help your cardio, sit ups your core, while pushups will assist in retaining, and gaining, chest and arm muscle mass.
Most know about pushups and sit ups, so let’s focus on jumping jacks. Maybe you didn’t know they increase the heart rate and metabolism, strengthen joints, and boost blood circulations. But remember, if you are coming back to exercise after a long layoff, don’t do too many of them at once.
Say you’ve been a couch potato for time immemorial. Let’s change that “routine” slightly. Every time the 10 commercials-at-a-time start, do sets of 5, or 10, jumping jacks. By the end of your 2-hour boob-tube session you might have chalked up 50, or 100.
And write those jumping jacks done on a calendar, or a notebook, or an app, or enter the facts in your computer, using your favorite software. It’s crucial to keep track of exercises accomplished. It’s half the battle! It’ll tell you how far you can “push” it the next time you work out. Too much, too fast leads to injury – or hatred of the doings...
Not sure how to do a jumping jack? This one minute video shows you everything you need to know. (Some folks know this exercise as the star jump, others as the side-straddle hop.)
Remember, something is better than nothing - and doing these three exercises will help you get through Christmas and New Year’s bashes...without blowing your good works of months past to blimp size!
Ok. So, what's a stopgap solution to get some exercises in, that won't necessitate you taking a trip, or even leaving your bedroom? (And, no, we are not talking nookie!) Why don't you focus on three exercises: jumping jacks, pushups, and sit ups?
Jumping jacks will help your cardio, sit ups your core, while pushups will assist in retaining, and gaining, chest and arm muscle mass.
Most know about pushups and sit ups, so let’s focus on jumping jacks. Maybe you didn’t know they increase the heart rate and metabolism, strengthen joints, and boost blood circulations. But remember, if you are coming back to exercise after a long layoff, don’t do too many of them at once.
Say you’ve been a couch potato for time immemorial. Let’s change that “routine” slightly. Every time the 10 commercials-at-a-time start, do sets of 5, or 10, jumping jacks. By the end of your 2-hour boob-tube session you might have chalked up 50, or 100.
And write those jumping jacks done on a calendar, or a notebook, or an app, or enter the facts in your computer, using your favorite software. It’s crucial to keep track of exercises accomplished. It’s half the battle! It’ll tell you how far you can “push” it the next time you work out. Too much, too fast leads to injury – or hatred of the doings...
Not sure how to do a jumping jack? This one minute video shows you everything you need to know. (Some folks know this exercise as the star jump, others as the side-straddle hop.)
Remember, something is better than nothing - and doing these three exercises will help you get through Christmas and New Year’s bashes...without blowing your good works of months past to blimp size!