Regular exercisers have a lower death rate than couch potatoes.

 

Exercise stretches and contracts the muscles and stimulates breathing, lung function and blood circulation giving you more “get up and go”, more enthusiasm, more energy. A simple workout at home will give you that 'feel good factor' that  will make you more effective at work and home and give you more enjoyment from your leisure time.

 
All you need to do is find 15 minutes before breakfast and fifteen minutes before your evening meal each day for 5-7 days every week.

 

If you want to get the most out of life and can find 30 minutes a day to tone up your body, get the six pack, firm up flabby arms and have legs to die for, here is all you need to do.

 

Get a pair of dumbbells and if you really want to spoil yourself, buy a rubber mat to lie on for comfort.

 

First of all find a place at home that is a smoke free zone and practice some deep and regular breathing for a few moments as a prelude to starting to exercise and remember to keep breathing deeply and steadily as you carry out the routines.

 

Deep breathing fresh air increases the oxygen in your blood and as it passes round your body your muscles and organs will be stimulated.

 

Before starting on the exercises be warned. If you feel thirsty just take a break and have a drink of water.

 

If any part of your body begins to hurt or feel sore stop exercising for the day. Forget about crashing through the pain barrier, leave that to the highly trained athletes and a lot of those will suffer in later life.

 

Exercise 1

Push ups

• Lie flat and face down with your hands flat on the floor in line with your shoulders.
• Keeping your body straight and rigid push up with your arms only until they are straight then lower until your chest touches the floor.
• Repeat 20 times which should take about 2mins.

 

Exercise 2

Crunches

• Lie face up on the floor. Knees bent and feet flat and hands behind your head.
• Lift your upper body forward and shoulder blades off the floor, exhaling as you contract your stomach muscles.
• Hold the position for a second then inhale as you gradually return your shoulders to the floor.
• Target 30-40 in three minutes.

 

Exercise 3

Air Bicycling

• Lie on the floor face up legs extended to your front.
• Alternatively raise each leg and bend the knee into you stomach as if cycling.
• Try to keep your heel from touching the floor when extending the leg.
• Try for 100 rotations in 3 minutes.

 

Exercise 4

Dumbbell Curls

• Stand upright shoulders back arms straight down by your sides holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Just by bending your elbows lift the dumbbells to shoulder height and down again.
• This can be done either in font of your body or to the sides.
• You should aim to repeat the curls 30 times in 2 minutes.

 

Exercise 5

Squats

• Stand upright with your feet apart 18-24 inches (45-60 cms.) and arms by your side.
• Keeping the back straight bend from your knees until your hands touch the floor and then return to the standing position.
• Breath out as you go down and in as you stand.
• Try holding your  Dumbell for this exercise for a change. 1 minute of squats should take you to 20 reps.

 

This routine takes around 15 minutes, is easily carried out at home and requires no expensive equipment or gym fees. If you want to feel and look good combine these exercises with a sensible diet and your body will respond by staying healthy, happy and trim.

 

A final thought, exercise alone will not help you lose much weight so if that’s a problem you must look to your diet.

 

A twenty-mile marathon run will only lose around one pound of body fat! Most weight loss after exercise is temporary and caused by sweating resulting in dehydration and this is, or should be, replaced by drinking water.