Exercise at home to control weight

If you can't get out, or if the weather is bad, organize an indoor exercise routine for yourself.
An easy exercise & stretch plan

Head and neck circles
Stand up straight. Without moving your shoulders, slowly move your head and neck in a wide circle. Do this half a dozen times.

Arm swings
Stand up straight with legs apart and both arms stretched straight out in front of you, at chest level. Without moving your hips, swing your arms (parallel to the floor) as far to the left as you can - and then to the right. Do this 20 times.

Shoulder circles
Stand up straight with legs apart and arms at your sides. Without moving the rest of your body, circle your left arm backwards. Repeat this with your right arm. Do this half a dozen times.

Forward stretches
Stand up straight. Place hands palms down on the front of your thighs. Keeping your legs straight, lean forwards and slowly slide your hands down your legs, as close to your ankles as possible without straining. Then move them back up your legs and finish by holding your arms straight up above your head. Repeat this half a dozen times.

Side stretches
Stand up straight, with legs apart and arms at your sides. Without moving your legs, slowly bend sideways to the left, allowing your left hand to slide down the side of your leg, as far as possible without straining. Slowly return to the start position and repeat on right hand side. Do this half a dozen times per side.

Leg swings
Stand up straight with your weight on your right leg. Place your right hand on a chair or table, for support. Swing your left leg forwards and backwards, in a pendulum motion. Do this 20 times, then repeat the exercise with your right leg.

Thigh stretches
Sit on the floor with your legs stretched straight out in front of you. Place your hands on the top of your thighs and slide them down your legs as far as possible without straining. Return to the start position and repeat 10 times. Keep the whole exercise as slow and as relaxed as possible.

Leg raising
Lie on your stomach with your legs straight and your arms by your sides. Slowly lift your left leg off the floor, as high as possible without straining. Do it slowly - do not jerk your leg upwards. Then slowly lower your leg. Repeat the exercise with your right leg. Do this half a dozen times, per leg.

Running on the spot
Stand up straight with arms relaxed. Run on the spot for 2 minutes. As you do so, try to keep the whole of your upper body as relaxed as possible. Allow your arms to bounce freely at your sides.

Dance to music
As an alternative to running on the spot, put on your favorite CD and get moving! But avoid jerky movements. Try to move easily without straining your muscles.

Warning!
Never overdo exercise!

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Exercise shouldn't be a temporary fad. It should be something you do for life.
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The secret is: A little and often!
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Use your common sense and avoid trying to do too much, too soon.

Exercise for Weight Control

Walking

Walking is great. No expertise or equipment is required, you can do it anytime and it's free! What's more, provided you do it regularly and for long enough, walking can be just as beneficial as any of the more vigorous activities (like jogging etc).

How to start
Take a 10 minutes walk, twice a day.

Gradually extend yourself
Walk every day
Walk longer
Walk faster
Walk and swing your arms at the same time
Walk up one or two gentle slopes
Walk up steeper slopes

Ideally
Aim to walk briskly (swinging your arms) for 30 minutes, each day. This should include at least one reasonably steep slope. Please note: This may take you several months to achieve, so don't be in a hurry. Remember, exercise is for LIFE!
Swimming

For most people, especially those who are very overweight, swimming is even better than walking.

The Latest Diets Information and News

Diet Plan
How do I lose weight around my tummy? How do I get weight to drop of my thighs? These are all questions we ask ourselves when we look in the mirror. There is no definite answer to those questions as everyone is different but there are ways to try, and a diet plan is one of them. Many websites and slimming clubs offer up diet plans as a way of getting you to stick to your targets and goals therefore achieving desired weight loss. When asked what is ap effect weight people say many different things. Some people think a size 12 is a perfect weight while others think being happy in yourself at your weight is perfect. Health officials have decided the perfect weight is to measure your BMI which is your size to weight ratio. If you are overweight then you need to do something about it as being overweight leads to health problems later on in life such as diabetes and coronary heart disease (CHD). Many people believe that a diet means weeks without delicious tempting foods such as sweets, cake and biscuits and gruelling exercise at the gym. But its not actually that at all, if you go on a diet plan you are telling yourself you need to cut down and get a little bit more active but you can still enjoy the same foods. Although you can’t binge on foods! Portions have to be cut down and best advice is that you eat 4 or 5 small meals each day as this keeps your sugar level up and it is less likely for you to crave those naughty foods! Exercise plays a main part in all diet plans, not only do you need to eat sensibly but you need to be active. Loosing weight means burning more calories than you eat and to burn calories exercise is the key. You may not be able to have acess to the gym but exercising at home is very easy. Ten minutes dashing around the kitchen preparing a meal burns 20 calories, so does ten minutes washing and putting the dishes away so there is no real excuse. A short brisk walk every day to the shops or round the park is better than anything else. To lose weight you must be happy to do what you are doing or you will lose motivation, so choose a diet plan that is right for you, not your friends or family. Experiment with a few and see what suits you, the end result will be worth it.

Diet & Nutrition Tips

Healthy Eating
Having a healthy diet is sometimes easier said than done. It is tempting to turn to less healthy
Why Choose a Healthy Diet?
Obesity in women is on the rise. Overall, about one third of all women are obese. But some groups of women suffer more. Half of African American women and 40 percent of Mexican American women are obese. Native Hawaiian and Samoan women are among the most obese in the world. Obesity is measured with a body mass index (BMI), which shows the relationship of weight to height. As a woman’s body mass increases, so does her risk for serious health problems. Some of these problems include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and some cancers. A woman’s weight is affected by how much physical activity she does, her diet, and her genes. So having a healthy diet is one of the most important things you can do to help your overall health. If you burn as many calories as you take in, your weight remains the same. If you take in fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. So make sure the foods you eat are healthy ones that will work hard for your body.