Get the Most Out of Your Fitness Routine
Flatter Abs and a Healthier Heart
Sorry guys. You're more likely to
gain weight around your middle
than your female counterparts.
And this may put you at a higher risk for heart disease. Why? Abdominal fat releases excess fatty acids, experts say. This triggers a rise in unhealthy cholesterol and triglycerides. The good news is an active lifestyle can overrule genetics.
While you can't "spot reduce" a potbelly, you can help slim your middle with exercises that burn a lot of calories and by cutting back on calories with healthy diet changes. Strengthening exercises like sit-ups can tone your stomach muscles, which may also help your belly look trimmer.
Round Out Your Workout
A stability ball, also called a resistance ball, can help strengthen the key muscles of your back and abdomen. Beginners, as well as people who are overweight or older, can start with a larger, softer ball to make exercises easier. Add this exercise to your routine.- Kneel on the floor, with your forearms on top of the ball. Your hips and arms should make a 90-degree angle.
- Now roll the ball forward while extending your arms and legs. Keep your abdominal muscles tight to support your lower back.
- Roll forward as far as you can without drooping your shoulders or rounding your trunk.
- Return to your starting position.
- Repeat 15 to 20 times.
On the Go? Tote Your
Exercise Equipment With You
You don't have to leave exercise
behind when you head to the office
or take off on a trip:
- Pack a jump rope. Jumping rope for 15 minutes burns about 150 calories.
- Use resistance bands or exercise tubes to build strong muscles and bones.
- Walk or jog in place. Then drop down for pushups and abdominal crunches.
- Clip a pedometer to your waist each morning and count every step you take.
Strengthen Your Body
Lightweight resistance bands fit easily in a desk drawer or carryon luggage. Use a band strong enough to offer resistance shortly after it stretches, and perform exercises in a slow, controlled manner. You should be able to do 10 repetitions with only moderate difficulty before resting.Squat
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Place
the band under the arches of both feet,
holding an end in each hand. Slowly lower
the body (as if sitting in a chair) until
your upper legs are almost parallel to the
floor. Don't let your knees go past your
toes. Slowly return to starting position.
Chest Press
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
Grasp an end of the band in each hand
and place it behind your back at chest
level. Extend arms straight in front of
your body with palms parallel to the
floor. Return to starting position.
Doctor's Corner: ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY
Meet R. Vaughan Massie, MD
Family: married with two children
Life in Aiken: team doctor for the University of
South Carolina Pacer Athletic Program and works
with several local high schools' sports programs
Interests and Hobbies: all things sports including golf and
weight lifting, as well as travel and reading
Dr. Massie practices at the Carolina Musculoskeletal Institute
and is accepting new patients. To make an appointment, call
Doctor's Corner: INTERNAL MEDICINE
Meet Asif Hashmi, MD
Family: married with two children, Natasha, 14,
and Zain, 10
Life in Aiken: trecently moved his practice to
Aiken from New Jersey, where he was Clinical
Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Robert Wood Johnson
Medical School
Interests and Hobbies: traveling and golf
Dr. Hashmi is accepting new patients. To make an appointment,
call
