Page 2 - 2016Health&Wellness

2 – Thursday, January 28, 2016 – El Dorado NEWS-TIMES
Fitness
Fitness tips for busy moms
Working mothers have a lot on their plates. In addition to the responsibilities that come with raising a family, working moms also must focus on their careers.
Many mothers find that managing such hectic balancing acts leaves little time for physical fitness. But there are ways for working moms to stay physically fit even as they juggle their commitments to career and family.
• Work out in the early morning. Working out in the early morning, when the kids are still asleep and the office has yet to open, is a great way for busy work- ing mothers to get their daily exercise. Designate a room in your home where you can spend time each morning doing some light strength training before hitting the treadmill or elliptical machine. The United States Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate aer- obic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity each week, and women who get up just 45 minutes earlier each morning can meet those requirements and then some. An added benefit to working out in the early morning is that many peo- ple who follow such regimens insist they have more energy throughout the rest of the day.
• Exercise with the kids. Working moth- ers looking to find time for exercise can turn part of family time into a time to exercise with their children. Play in the yard with youngsters while dinner is cook- ing or go for nightly post-meal walks.
Exercising with kids is a great way for mothers to get their daily exercise while also instilling a love of physical activity in their children.
• Have a backup plan on hand. Working out at a gym can be motivational, as many mothers want to make sure their monthly membership fees aren’t going to waste. But there will inevitably be days when working mothers can’t get to the gym. Prepare for such days by purchasing home workout DVDs you can play while the kids are doing their homework or after they have gone to bed.
• Look for gyms with childcare. Many gyms now offer on-site childcare to par- ents of young children who can’t stay home alone while their folks are at the gym. Gyms that offer on-site childcare may prove more reliable and even less expensive than hiring a sitter, and some gyms even offer fitness programs to youngsters, helping to ensure kids get the daily exercise they need as well.
• Exercise during lunch breaks. If possi- ble, squeeze in your daily exercise during lunch breaks. Take advantage of on-site exercise facilities if your company offers them. If not, take your lunch outside and then go for a walk around the campus or a nearby park rather than eating at your desk.
Finding time to exercise is a common dilemma for working mothers. But there are some creative ways for moms to stay fit without affecting their commitments to work and family.
Strength training tips for women
Many women might be surprised to know that strength training can be just as beneficial to the fairer sex as it can be to men. But according to the National Center for Health Statistics, only one in every five women include strength training in their weekly workout routines, a disconcert- ing figure that could be making it more difficult for women to maintain a healthy weight and pro- tect themselves against potentially debilitating conditions such as osteo- porosis.
So why are so many women avoiding the weights in favor of the cardiovascular machines? Though the answer to that question remains a mystery, it’s fair to spec- ulate that many women are hesitant to lift weights out of a fear that they will bulk up and appear muscular. Such a fear is largely unfounded, as the Women’s Heart Foundation notes that the average woman’s estro- gen levels are so high that it’s difficult for her to become overly muscular. In fact, women who lift weights tend to benefit without adding the bulk by building muscle that is firm and tone, a look that’s both healthy and vastly different from that developed by men who strength train.
In addition to producing toned muscles, strength training can help women to control their weight, as strength training reduc- es body fat and burns calories more efficient- ly. Muscle built during strength training also reduces a woman’s risk of injury by improving her balance and coordination.
Strength training also benefits a woman’s bones. As women age, their bone density decreases thanks to hormonal changes. That decrease in bone
density puts women at risk of injury should they fall and also increases their risk of developing osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become brittle and fragile due to a loss of tissue. But strength training slows that dete- rioration, helping bones maintain their strength longer.
While strength training pays numerous dividends for women, that’s only the case if training is done correctly. The following are a few tips for women about to begin a strength training regimen.
* Don’t go it alone. Beginners, both male and female, should always enlist some help when starting a strength train- ing regimen. Many fitness centers offer one or two free personal training ses- sions to new members, and women should take advantage of such offers to learn how to use cer- tain machines and the proper form for the var- ious strength training exercises they intend to include in their routines. If a facility does not offer the sessions free, consider hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions until you are comfortable with each exercise and confi- dent your form is correct. Proper form prevents injury and promotes long- term health.
* Keep it simple. Part of the difficulty with begin- ning a strength training regimen rests with the abundance of advice out there, whether “out there” is in your own gym or online. But simplicity is good when beginning a strength training regimen. Learn some basic exercis- es for each muscle group at first. Once you are comfortable with these basic exercises, and it might take several months to feel comfortable, you can then look to master additional exercises and
create a more specialized strength training routine. Speak with a profession- al trainer at your gym to develop a good beginner’s routine and then expand on that routine later.
* Don’t abandon car- diovascular exercise. Strength training should not be introduced at the expense of cardiovascu- lar exercise. An adequate exercise regimen includes both strength training and cardiovascular exercise, which improves heart health (remember, the heart is a muscle, too), helps to boost metabo- lism and improves recov- ery time, among other benefits. As you grow more accustomed to your workout routine, increase the intensity of your car- diovascular workout and not the volume.
* Don’t be discouraged. It’s easy to feel discour- aged when beginning a strength training reg- imen, as results don’t come overnight, leaving some to question if they will ever get stronger and reap the rewards of their efforts. Significant cosmetic results such as finely toned muscles and considerable weight loss won’t be immediate, but if you stick to your rou- tine, you will likely begin to notice your energy levels are improving and you feel better, and those kinds of results often come sooner rather than later. Use such encour- aging developments as motivation if necessary and always keep in mind that strength training will pay off in the long run.
Many women avoid strength training out of fear that will develop large muscles that compromise their femininity. But such fears are unfounded, and strength training is a great way for women to get in shape and foster long- term health.