The Journey for Life & Health Coaches Mary and Dennis Duke bring you personal experiences and articles on changing your fitness, lifestyle and attitude with instruction and products. This Life, Health and Fitness website is for all ages and for those who want to change their lives, maintain their health and become physically fit.
When it comes to better balance, it's a matter of using it or losing it. So keep your balance by practicing it daily --- stand on one foot (and then the other) for several seconds at a time while washing dishes, talking on the phone, brushing your teeth or standing in line at the store. … [Read more...]
When you finish a workout, it's tempting to head straight to the shower. But you shouldn't take your body and your heart rate from intense activity back down to zero without a gradual transition. So spend 5 to 10 minutes cooling down, slowing down your activity, and doing a few gentle stretches before you hit the showers. … [Read more...]
When you're working hard and concentrating on correct form, it's not usual to occasionally forget to breathe. But holding your breath while you exercise will rob your body of important oxygen that your muscles need to function. So remember to exhale on the exertion of the move and inhale as you return to your starting position. … [Read more...]
Moves like squats and lunges are great for shaping your rear view, but done incorrectly, they can cause problems for your knees, ankles or back. In a squat, make sure your feet are hip-distance apart and when you bend your knees they should go directly over your toes. In a lung, make sure the front knee is directly over your ankle and hips stay even. … [Read more...]
You know how good exercise can make you feel, so why not share that feeling with others? Start by becoming a Beachbody Coach. Then sign up to coach a kid's soccer team (and make sure you run around the field a bit with them), help people register for a local charity race (and then run it yourself), or volunteer to be an exercise buddy for someone with a physical disability. All along showing your excitement, experience, … [Read more...]
Traditional crunches are great, but to really tone your middle, you'll need to work your belly from different angles. Keep doing your crunches, but add on some bicycle crunches and try touching left elbow to right knee and vice versa to target the obliques, and planks to activate the entire core. P90X's ab-ripper covers this and more. … [Read more...]
No time to workout? Then set your alarm 30 minutes earlier and use that time to sneak in a quick exercise session. A brisk walk, a jog, a circuit of strength training moves, or just pop in the Beachbody DVD of Tony Horton's 10 Minute Trainer. This will help wake you up, tone your muscles, and burn some calories --- all before breakfast! … [Read more...]
Even the most dedicated fitness fanatic needs to take rest days (aim for at least one a week). But you don't have to be a total couch potato on your days off. Try an active recovery day that includes strolling around town while shopping, a gentle yoga stretch class or gardening. … [Read more...]
Try not to lump your daily workout together with your other unpleasant list of "shoulds" (like cleaning the house, going to the grocery store, or doing laundry). Start thinking of exercise as something you truly want to do-and pretty soon, it really will be! … [Read more...]
You don't always have to go to the gym to get your workout. With simple tools like a mat, some dumbbells, a couple of resistance bands, and a Beachbody workout video, you can do exercises that will work all of your muscles from head to toe. … [Read more...]
