Personal trainer Stephen Cabral takes Sarah through a total body work out that uses just body weight. diet.com *Sponsor: Peel away the pounds with Solani – www.diet.com Build muscle and tone up. No gym required. This exercise video can be done anywhere. Check Out Diet.com Video! Diet.com: www.diet.com Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel – www.youtube.com Go behind the scenes w/ Sarah’s Blog- www.diet.com Twitter twitter.com Facebook: www.new.facebook.com iTunes: tinyurl.com Sarah’s Fitness Blog – www.examiner.com

• The resistance recommended by SPRI for advanced men and women
• Perfect for home, gym, or on-the-road use
• Includes door attachment for additional training options
• Two illustrated exercise charts
• Measures 5 by 7-3/4 by 2-1/2 inches and weighs .6 pounds

Product DescriptionThe Xertube is the ideal workout tool you can use anywhere, any time for safe and effective total-body conditioning. Comes with one Xertube, two exercise charts and a door attachment. Amazon. comSPRI Xertubes provide an easily portable, highly versatile way to add resistance training to your workout. Constructed of durable rubber with secure plastic and webbing handles, the Xertubes are suitable for a variety of toning exercises, body types, and fitness lev. . . More >>

SPRI ES502R Xertube Resistance Band with Door Attachment and Exercise Charts

Aerobic dance. The background music is All Around The World by Zippers. ps I am not the maker of the footage. It was obtained from other place and I forget the original source of it. As for the music, I have tried to find but I can’t find the mp3 for it.

I wish I could tell you that I love exercising. Truthfully, I don’t. I didn’t pack on 147 excess pounds because I liked exercising. What I do love is the weight that I now maintain, the health that I feel, and the clarity in my thinking. All of these are possible because of healthy habits that lead to a happier, healthier life.

I’ve struggled with maintaining an exercise routine. My thinking is that for only 30 to 45 minutes a day a few days per week, I get to maintain my weight loss, feel stronger physically, mentally and emotionally. Circumstances don’t hit me and make me feel like a victim of life just waiting. My weight loss has given me that! By exercising for a few minutes out of the 24 hours per day that you are given is a very small investment for the gigantic payoff of a happy life. If only the stock market and our economy would pay off in a big way for such a small investment!

To continue exercising, I need motivation. Through coaching, I was able to come to the realization that 30 to 45 minutes per day a few days a week gives me a happier, healthier life for the 23-1/2 hours in the rest of my day. Now, that’s a major payoff. That’s my motivation. Through coaching, you can find yours too.

Motivation is generated or dismissed in your head. So, here’s some ways to convince your head to get fit, stay fit, and invest in yourself through exercise:

1. Exercise out of the gym. All activity and movement equals exercise. Exercise is a mindset. Rather than drive around for 10 minutes looking for the closest parking space, park in the last row where there are virtually no other cars and walk to your store. You’ll get there quicker, burn less gas and burn more calories. While others are mindlessly standing on the escalator or wasting minutes waiting for the elevator, climb the stairs. Again, you’ll be there while the others are wasting their time and hanging on to calories they could have burned. Look for opportunities to be active. Exercise doesn’t count as exercise if it is within the walls of a gym. Think of exercise as all ways that you move your body.

2. Set an exercise goal. Decide that you’d like to participate in a walk/run event, train for a long distance walk, work with a personal trainer, increase your frequency or duration by a certain time. Give yourself rewards for reaching your exercise goals.

3. Ban boredom. Who wants to exercise if you are bored? Mix it up. One of the most popular television shows is celebrities that are learning ballroom dancing. Many of them have toned and lost impressive amounts of weight. Take dancing lessons to have fun and count as exercise. Other fun forms of exercise can include bowling, snowboarding, Zumba, swimming, water aerobics, walking your dog, or even laser tag. Rather than think of exercise, think about exercise combined with fun. Actual physical activity isn’t boring at all. How you do it though can be. Reframe exercise as exercise combined with fun.

4. Exercise Multi-Tasking. While you’re exercising, watch your favorite recorded television shows or dvd. Listen to audiobooks only while you’re exercising. Load up your iPod or MP3 player with your favorite motivational songs. Listen to those tunes only while you’re exercising. There are video games that you can dance to that definitely work up your heart rate as exercise. You’ll forget your movement counts as exercise because you’ll be having so much fun.

5. The more the merrier – bring a friend. Exercise with a friend, coach or personal trainer. Anyone to make it fun, share the companionship of exercising together plus the bonus of accountability.

6. Turn challenges into successes. Does your vacation give you an excuse to put your exercise routine on hold? Do projects at work derail your workout time? Does weather put the freeze on your regular activity? Deepen your commitment to yourself and exercise routine by looking for opportunities to move. Look for ways to incorporate activity into your vacation, set limits for your work projects, bring your exercise and activities indoors. You’ll strengthen your commitment and exercise muscle into a no-give dedication to your health.

7. Exercise Stars. After you’ve worked out and felt great, write it down. Start a journal or log with your thoughts after a work out. Use images of past successful exercise experiences to remind yourself how great you feel. When motivation is questionable, pull out your notes of past exercise sessions to remind you of those powerful positive feelings.

I can’t say that I’m in love with exercise. I’ve made friends with it and I like it. What I am in love with is my life following weight loss, maintaining my weight, feeling happier, stronger and healthier than ever before in my life. All of that for a mere 30-45 minutes per day? Now, that’s an investment and dividend payoff that gives and gives the other 23-1/2 hours in your day. Exercise is the investment that keeps on giving all through your day. An investment in yourself is the best one of all.

Q. What are the benefits of exercise?A. For people with diabetes, the benefits of exercise are blood glucose level improvements, stress reduction, increased energy, weight control, and for those who participate in regular physical activity, which includes moderate aerobic exercise, there will be a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk. Q. How do I begin an exercise program?A. Schedule a physical exam with your physician before beginning your exercise activities. This is especially important if you have not been active recently. An EKG or ECG test (electrocardiogram) may be recommended by your doctor along with a graded exercise test to evaluate how exercise may effect your heart. Ask your doctor what types of exercise are best for you. For any recommended exercise program, remember to begin slowly and safely, and gradually increase your physical activity level over time. Q. What is an exercise goal?A. Remember to discuss with your doctor how often to exercise, and what level of intensity at which you shoudl perform. Begin any exercise program with a slow, steady pace. Try to be active for at least 20 minutes in the beginning. You can steadily increase the time period for exercise over an eight (8) week period. Research has proven that weight lifting (anaerobic exercise) may benefit people with diabetes. This type of exercise is known as “resistance training. ” Lifting heavy weights may not be helpful for persons with certain diabetes complications, so always comply with your physician’s recommendations. Q. What are the different types of exercise?A. There are two main types of exercise, anaerobic and aerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise involves lifting weights or using exercise bands. Activity usually lasts for a shorter duration and involves intense activity done in short bursts. Anaerobic exercise is commonly known as “resistance training” and the goal is to build muscle and increase strength. Aerobic exercise works the large muscle groups in the arms and legs. Examples of this include: jogging, brisk walking, swimming, biking, dancing, biking and rowing. Aerobic exercise gradually increases the heart and breathing rates. Aerobic exercise is usually recommended for most diabetic patients because of the proven benefits to the cardiovascular system (heart, lungs, and blood vessels). Q. What if I have had a sedentary lifestyle?A. You will improve your overall health by increasing your activity level. Take advantage of any opportunity to bend and stretch as much as possible during the day. To make your day more active, here are some simple tips to get ready, get set, and get moving: Parking your car further away from the store when you go shopping Use stairs rather than elevators whenever possible Communicate with neighbors or co-workers by stopping by in person, rather than using the phone to call Stay active at home with light gardening and housework chores Q. What are the strategies for exercising success?A. Make exercise part of your daily schedule – even small increases in physical activity will be beneficial to your health. Being active simply means moving more!All physical activities should begin with a warm-up, and then progress to the chosen exercise. After exercising; remember to have a cool-down period. You will see the most progress with your exercise plan when you are consistent with a specific type of activity. For example, if you chose to walk, try to find the most convenient time of day for walking, and then stick to it. Your exercise program should always include these three (3) essential elements:Warm-up: Approximately 5-10 minutes of stretching and bending. This will prevent injuries to muscles and joints. Activity: 20 minutes (or more) of sustained physical activity. This includes walking, biking, aerobics, swimming, or other sports, such as tennis or racquetball. Cool-Down: Gradually reduce your activity, and then stretch for at least 5 minutes. Q. Are there any exercise precautions or other guidelines?A. Remember, exercise will lower your blood glucose level. If you feel symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), take glucose tablets or gel to treat low blood sugar. Avoid very vigorous activity when the insulin activity is peaking (insulin is working at the hardest level). If you plan to exercise at moderate or high intensity, check your blood sugar before beginning your exercise. If the blood glucose level is below 100 mg/dl, eat a light snack with a carbohydrate source before exercising. Remember, low blood sugar can occur shortly after exercise or up to 24 hours after physical activity, so monitor blood glucose levels regularly. When purchasing shoes for exercise, protect your feet with properly fitting shoes and socks. Plan to purchase your shoes at the end of the day when your feet are larger. Avoid open-heeled or open-toed shoes. Shoe-Fit guidelines: the in-step of the shoe should conform to your the size and the shape of your foot. Your toes should have some “wiggle-room” – the shoes should securely fit at the heel to prevent slipping. Sock Suggestions: White socks should be used, and they should be soft and padded with no seams. Diabetic patients need adjustments in insulin dosing or eating schedule. Food intake may need adjusting to prevent low blood sugar when exercising. For example, if you will be bike riding, do notinject insulin into your leg. Insulin should not be injected into a body part that you will use during exercise. Wear medical identification as a precaution when exercising. Remember to drink water and stay well hydrated. At least 64 ounces of water should be consumed daily.   You can find more articles at Destination Diabetes  

Staying trim and healthy is crucial for most people — which is why setting up an exercise regimen is so crucial. According to research studies, only two core varieties of exercise are usually successful; as a result, it is crucial to take care in choosing the type of exercise you do.
Since so many people have trouble with the motivation to exercise, choosing the most efficient kinds of exercise is critical, due to the fact that the less time you spend exercising – and the less time you throw away on exercise that is not efficient – the more likely you will be to continue to exercise and therefore to reach your personal weight and strength target.
The first type of exercise that has been consistently shown to assist people to lose the pounds and get healthful is progressive resistance. In sum, progressive resistance is one type of strength training. It functions by progressively ramping up the amount of weight that you lift, the number of sets, and number of repetitions performed. As a result, your muscle fibers are not strained or subjected to damage – instead, they slowly and steadily strengthen without any setbacks.
Our second type of exercise that was studied thoroughly is cardiovascular training. This name is given to any type of exercise that gets the heart rate up to 60 – 85 percent of its maximum. Some examples of cardio training may include jogging, jumping rope, aerobics, or running on a treadmill, as well as other types, but it is your choice.
Even though progressive resistance and cardio training by themselves have been discovered to be highly efficient kinds of exercise, we now know that the combination is the best bet for achieving success. If you combine both progressive resistance and cardio training, you will strengthen muscle groups and develop whole-body endurance. According to a recent study, exercisers who performed both cardio and progressive resistance during a two month time period lost 45 percent more weight than exercisers who did cardio training or progressive resistance alone.
Just as crucial as the type of exercise you perform is, the way in which you exercise is also vital. It no doubt will be unsurprising that being consistent is what you should seek. Exercising irregularly may strain your muscles and will probably not assist you to build strength and endurance. In addition, it is unlikely to improve your overall health. According to most researchers, the ideal routine is to exercise for 40 minutes to an hour 3 – 5 times per week.
Unfortunately, it turns out that for a significantly sized percent of people, getting enough exercise is not as simple as dropping in at the health club 3-5 times every week or listening to what scientists write. For this group of people, the motivation to exercise is the big issue – this group of people simply doesn’t have the motivation to go to the gym. Actually, they might resist all exercise, which can lead to problematic anxiety.
Nobody knows what percentage of the American population has to deal with problems with the motivation to exercise, but researchers say that up to 20 to 40 percent of people say that they “hate” or “dread” exercise. An even larger group of people might have milder exercise motivation problems, feeling that even though it is relatively simple to commit to an exercise routine for a short period of time, motivation eventually disintegrates, leaving them back where they started – out of shape and overweight.
If you happen to be the kind of person who struggles with the motivation to exercise, fortunately, there are some easy methods to handle the struggle. In a recent study, volunteers who needed to begin an exercise program received a brief learning program that aided them to choose the right kinds of exercise, were provided with a therapist who specialized in exercise motivation, and received a brief series of sessions with a hypnotist. After six months, they were re-evaluated. Surprisingly, it turned out that over 85 percent of the participants had adhered to an exercise program during the entire six months. Even better, they generally lost an average of 15 more pounds than the control group.
If you are interested in this study, it could make sense to investigate the possibility of finding a motivational therapist, habit control therapist, or counselor who specializes in hypnotherapy. These types of therapists are provided with special training in aiding people to overcome anxieties, develop the motivation to exercise, and reinforce the development of good habits. Another possibility for exercise motivation is self-hypnosis – which is a simple and inexpensive practice that often helps individuals develop control over their own unconscious powers of motivation.
Hypnosis therapy and self-hypnosis are safe ways of increasing motivation that are proven to be successful in the case of exercise motivation. Hypnotherapy works by making use of hypnotic relaxation to elicit the abilities of the unconscious to influence behavior modification and habit development. Hypnosis therapy is a good choice for people who are exercise adverse because it is able to help increase the drive to get healthful and lose the weight easily and effectively.

Exercise clip discussing how to improve push-ups. Exercises demonstrated by SSG Ken Weichert. For more information please visit: www.startfitness.com *Assumes no association with the US ARMY or the Department of Defense

One of the most powerful things we can do to eliminate stress is to exercise. When we exercise, we release feel-good endorphins and we strengthen our immune system. We also feel less anxious and more fit.
Studies also show that exercise is also how we energize our brains. Biologist John Medina’s book, “Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School,” points out that being on the move helps us think more productively. But what happens when exercise burnout strikes? Several studies have found that what leads to exercise burnout includes boredom, too little time, or too many competing obligations that push exercise off the high-priority list.
Here are seven tips to beat back exercise burnout:
1. Vary your routine. Choose working out on the stretching machines one day and then pick weights the next. Skip one day of aerobic exercise for a weightlifting session. Varying your routine staves off boredom, while also exercising different muscle groups. Make a weekly list of varying exercise routines.
2. Vary exercise times. Exercising at the same time of day can lead to boredom. The same exercise routine can also backfire if competing obligations take over that time frame. You can be flexible about when you exercise and even how long you spend exercising. Break up your practice of a 30-minute morning workout into two smaller workouts, one in the morning and one toward the end of the day.
3. Take an exercise class. Take an exercise class to vary your exercise routine. Gyms and local community centers offer classes. Choose the one that fits your budget, because you don’t want money to become a reason to avoid exercise. Exercise videos also can be a lively way to change your routine
4. Exercise with a friend. Mingling with others and chatting while you exercise with other exercisers at the gym or when you go on walks keeps you interested. Feel free to share your ideas for changing the routine and you can get creative about changing your schedule if other obligations arise.
5. Don’t skip a good night’s sleep. A lack of adequate sleep can play a strong role in exercise burnout, because exhaustion creates stress, fatigue and a lack of focus. A lack of focus can also lead to exercise injuries. Ease into a good night’s sleep by avoiding exercise late at night.
6. Stretch. Stretching exercises before, during or after your exercise routine will keep you limber and less likely to experience minor exercise injuries. If you find yourself working late, take a standing or stretching break to do a few exercises in your office before you get back to work.
7. Take an exercise break. A break from exercise will help you steer clear of exercise burnout. Take a day or two off, and call it an exercise vacation. You’ll return to your routine stress-free, rested and re-focused, and if you return to your regular regime, your fitness won’t suffer.

Discover The 5 Reasons Why Exercise Machines Are A Waste Of Time
In today’s day and age we live in a technology dependent society. Almost everything we do revolves around some kind of mechanical or electrical device. This includes what just about everyone looks for in a gym. If you’re like most, when you walk into a fitness center, you usually look for the amount of equipment or how many resistance training machines there are on the exercise floor. “Is there a machine for my chest, back legs, arms etc. . . ” This has been the biggest indicator when clarifying a gym’s effectiveness. Well, being that our population’s obesity epidemic is spreading world wide, and fitness levels have dramatically declined in the past twenty five years or so, I think it’s time to re-evaluate and determine what went wrong.
It has been during the past twenty five to thirty years when our obesity problem really started to take off. And due to the fact that our society has always been in search for the ‘quick fix’, exercise really started to take off as well. Since exercise was “in”, and we desire the “magic solution, resistance training machine companies are heavily marketing their equipment. I hate to break it to you, but when it comes to getting healthy and more physically fit, nothing will yield better results than hard work, dedication, and motivation; not gimmicks or machines. Machines actually are an inferior method of exercise.
It’s time to go back to our roots and look like we did hundreds of years ago. When you think about it, humans have always done some form of activity, and we have always been obsessed with strength and physique. So my question to you is did we have machines hundreds of years ago? My next question is as a whole, who looked better as a population, us now or mankind hundreds of years ago?
Now I’m not saying exercise machines are useless, everything has its place, but I can come up with a couple of dozen reasons why exercise machines are not optimally efficient. Instead of boring you anymore than I already have I’ll provide you with my top five.
Here we go:
1. ) Exercise machines are NOT an optimal form of exercise for most. Exercise machines are great for isolating specific muscles (i. e. – the standard leg extension machine for the quads), but because exercise machines are anchored to the ground, your stabilizer muscles (muscle that surround your joints and protect them from injury), do NOT get developed. Exercise machines do not allow you to stabilize the weight you are lifting in three dimensions, and since daily activities such as work and athletics do require you to use these important muscles (the stabilizers), exercise machines are an inferior method of exercise
2. ) Exercise machines are NOT ideal to improve posture. Over the years in the fitness industry, I have seen an incredible amount of people that have poor posture. This includes forward head, rounded shoulders, flat lower backs, and other misalignment in spinal curvature. This is due to the lack of strength in postural muscles, making it hard to fight gravity, and since gravity is almost impossible to escape, those who can’t fight gravity efficiently will almost always have poor posture. By performing exercise on machines your body does not have to fight gravity, and on most traditional gym equipment your body doesn’t have to stabilize itself. However, by performing exercise in a prone, upright, or supine position, you can engage and load postural muscles to help with fight gravity, resulting in better posture.
3. ) Exercise machines are just flat out BORING! I can remember a couple of years ago when I worked at a large health club filled with fancy ground based machines, I would sit and watch people go through their work outs. One day I saw a gentleman working on the chest press machine. It was hilarious. He actually appeared to be falling asleep. I mean yawn after yawn during repetitions. I think if the guy was on a lying leg press he may have actually dozed off.
Now let’s analyze that situation. If he were on a flat bench performing dumbbell chest presses, do you think he would have been in that state of mind? Only if he wanted a nose job by dropping the dumbbells on his face. I have in the past and still do observe exercisers on the free weight floor. What I see is always a look of determination, motivation, and enthusiasm. My point here is that by participating in a free weight, non-machine based program, it not only forces you to concentrate and work harder, but it’s more fun, and the feeling of accomplishment is far superior than just going through the motions on exercise machines.
4. ) Exercise machines CANNOT improve balance or stability. As I stated earlier, ground based exercise machines DO NOT require the use of your stabilizer muscles. These muscles not only protect your joints, but they also are responsible for your ability to stabilize and balance. Instead, try to incorporate some non-traditional methods of exercise like the use of a stability ball, or balancing on one leg, or doing some low level plyometrics. These types of exercises are extremely beneficial to increasing balance, stability, and agility. No machine can give you any of these qualities by itself.
5. ) You can mimic any exercise machine exercise without the machine and get the same benefits plus a lot more. Every exercise machine that is on the market today has been developed based on movements that the human body does naturally. With that being said, you can perform any exercise machine exercise without the use of an actual exercise machine. The chest press machine is essentially a bench press, the leg press machine is a squatting motion, the rowing machine (you know the one for your back muscles) can be done with free weights, and the list goes on and on. But the catch is that when you do these movements with body weight or free weights you get all the same benefits plus the development of balance, stability, and definitely more calories burned. Let’s not forget that when you perform body weight or free weight based movements, you will always engage you core muscles.
I don’t know about you, but if I have my choice I’m sure you can guess what it is. That’s right good old fashioned body weight, free weight, or other non – machine based movements. Now, it’s important to realize that I’m not saying that exercise machines are useless, but would you rather work out for hours at a time with boring exercise equipment, or would you like to get more bang for your buck by getting more out of one exercise like a squat, some form of a press, a rowing motion, a lunging motion, or even a twisting, or bending motion? Instead of using one to two dozen boring exercise machines all you have to do is have fun while incorporating the six movements I just mentioned and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your fitness goals more efficiently and faster than ever before.