Top 5 Home Workout routines
No time or money to spend at the gym? Here are 5 of my favorite home workouts that you can do at a time that’s convenient for you, in the comfort of your own home.
Getting to the gym is often the one thing that gets cut from our to-do list when we are pushed for time. Add in the monthly costs associated with a gym membership that you’re not using or can’t afford, and you have a perfect recipe for feeling stressed out, tired and unfit. With an at home workout you can avoid a lot of the stress associated with going to the gym.
I believe that it’s not that people don’t have the time to fit a workout into their day it’s just that most people don’t have the time or patience for all of the extra work that going to the gym creates. You have to pack your clothes, drive to the gym, organize child care, get changed, wait for machines to be free, spend time being polite to the person who wants to chit chat, take a shower and then after all that you need to get to your next destination on time.
I’m not suggesting that you always work out at home, because I believe that exercising with a group can help you to stay motivated and help you to reach your personal health goals. I love the social interaction and natural competitive spirit that a group environment evokes. But the next time you just want a quick workout without all the fuss of the gym, an at home workout is a perfect option.
Here are 5 of my favorite fit tips routines:
Morning start: Jump out of bed and do this fat burning routine in your p.j’s. It’s not as intense as a HIIT workout, but it will help to get your blood flowing and promote the release of your natural feel-good endorphins to help you start your day feeling good.
Click to watch – https://youtu.be/50RKwps5pgo
Mid day blast: This workout gets your heart rate up and challenge your body. It has lots of my favorite athletic style moves that promote muscle strengthening, and because it’s high in intensity you will burn calories for a few hours afterwards.
Click to watch – https://youtu.be/gh0-iVMJNhQ
Just a second: When you really don’t have a lot of a time,this quick one move, one minute challenge will help you get some activity in to your schedule.
Click to watch -https://youtu.be/60UFrssY0LI
Tone that tummy: This 20 minute Core abdominal workout is sure to make you feel great. If you have little ones at home this routine is great for when they are taking a nap.
Click to watch -https://youtu.be/qJKIvneLyqE
Stress relief before bed: If you are wound up at the end of the day , consider spending some time before bed doing this yoga inspired routine. It will help you to connect your mind, body and breath. Stretching at the end of the day may help clear your mind and slow your energy down to help you get a good night’s sleep. It’s not a big calorie burner, but the relaxation and muscle stretching benefits feel great.
Click to watch – https://youtu.be/Yk7vq2YszyY
An at home work out can be highly effective, even if you only have time to squeeze in a few minutes of exercise it can make a big difference with how you feel. Getting your body moving each day can build your self-confidence and your muscles too.
Written by Samantha Clayton, AFAA, ISSA. Samantha is Director of Fitness Education atHerbalife.
Credit: http://www.discovergoodnutrition.com/2015/06/home-workout-routines/
Tips for Healthy and Youthful Looking Hands
Are your hands looking as healthy as they should be? Lets explore some different hand creams and tips to keep your hands in tiptop shape.
Our hands are our number one tool for work and expression. They are busy most of the day doingsomething. And they can be quite the focal point for others to look at. Are your hands looking as healthy as they should? Are you taking extra precautions to make sure they are representing the rest of you to the best of their ability? Let’s explore some different hand creams and tips to keep your hands in tiptop shape.
One of the quickest ways to show someone your “true” age is through your hands. How they feel and how they look is very important. Have you ever shaken a hand and were startled by how rough and gruff it felt or experienced the exact opposite and felt something so smooth and soft you thought they must live in a pair of gloves? Our hands are our number one tools and above and beyond any other body part they are exposed to very harsh chemicals, dirt, and the sun. Think about how many times we clean our hands in a day just to remove dirt, and germs. Our hands are always exposed to the elements and weather conditions. And the cold, wind and sun, above all, can damage our hands and cause them to age prematurely. The palms of our hands are much thicker then the thin skin on the tops of our hands. As we age, our collagen and elastin is compromised and we experience the loss of fat. When this happens the veins on the back of our hands tend to stand out more, our knuckles are more pronounced, we develop spots, fine lines and even wrinkles. So what can we do? Invest in a good hand cream or lotion and make you use it several times throughout the day. It won’t improve the structure of your hands but can help them look better.
There are many different kinds of hand creams and lotions from which to choose. Focus on what is most important to you. Are your hands too dry, cracked and wrinkled or, are you starting to notice those pesky dark spots? A few good options to explore include:
Moisturizing Hand Creams
The hands need moisture as much as any other part of the body. This is due to their constant exposure to harsh chemicals, the weather and especially the damaging UVA and UVB rays of the sun. Repeated washing throughout the day compromises our skin’s natural moisture barrier causing hands to become dry and unfortunately look older then they should. When the skin and cuticles become dry, little cracks can form on the skin, which can open the door to infection. Added moisture helps to plump the skin, which in turn makes them look more youthful. A moisturizing hand cream that contains aloe vera, shea butter and olive oil are great choices to keep your skin hydrated, soft and smooth.
Tip: Definitely opt for creams instead of lotions, as they are a bit thicker and richer in texture and tend to be much more hydrating then a lotion.
Sun Protection SPF for Healthy Hands
SPF is a must when it comes to protecting our hands. Even minimal daily exposure to the sun can lead to long-term damage and, potentially skin cancer. Think about all of those little moments in the sun, walking your dog, driving to the market, riding your bike or mowing the lawn. By using a hand cream with at least an SPF 30, you can help minimize the potential damage. The key to protecting the skin from the damaging rays of the sun is reapplication during the day. If you have washed or rubbed your hands chances are you have compromised the effectiveness of your hand cream.
Tip: Keep a bottle of SPF infused hand cream in your handbag and in your car to ensure you always have protection on hand. No pun intended. Yes, just minimal exposure to the sun while driving on a daily basis can negatively impact the appearance of the back of your hands. The same can apply to walking your dog or that bike ride first thing in the morning. Prevention is key.
Anti-aging hand creams are becoming more popular in an attempt to improve the appearance of some of the damage that we already have on the backs of our hands. Besides wrinkles and creases in our skin, we also have to be concerned with age and sun spots. To help improve the look of aging skin, choose hand creams or lotions that contain retinol or alpha hydroxyl acids. These ingredients will exfoliate the skin to help remove dead skin build up. By revealing the younger skin cells beneath, your skin will definitely look and feel more youthful.
Some Top Tips for Hand Health!
No matter what kind of hand cream or lotion you are looking for, always check to make sure it contains antioxidant vitamins A, C and E. And don’t forget to eat antioxidant-enriched foods, to nourish the living skin. Citrus fruits are my personal favorite.
- Keep your favorite hand cream next to your sink and get in the routine of applying right after you wash your hands.
- Be sure to massage your cream into your nails and cuticles to keep them hydrated.
- Invest in travel-sized products and keep them everywhere! At your desk, in your purse, gym bag, nightstand and even in the cup holder of your car.
- Don’t smoke. Smoking will make your skin, including the skin on your hands look older and more wrinkled. And if that isn’t bad enough it can also stain your fingers and fingernails.
- Wash your hands with warm water, not water that is too hot, as the temperature extreme can strip your skin of its healthy oils.
- Wear gloves when working with your hands to protect them from harsh chemicals, dirt, detergents and anything else that could scratch or puncture your skin. Protection from infection is very important.
- Apply your favorite hand cream just before bedtime and sleep wearing cotton gloves. You will wake up to softer, smoother hands. Keep your hand cream on your nightstand so you never forget.
If you are going to go to the trouble of adorning your hands with sparkly jewelry and bright nail polish colors, then it’s important to practice these few little extra steps to keep your hands protected, soft, smooth and more youthful looking.
Investing in a good hand cream is a great way to keep your hands looking and feeling softer, smoother and more youthful. Hands down!
Remember the healthiest skin is always the most beautiful!
Written by beauty expert, Jacquie Carter. Jacquie is Director of Outer Nutrition at Herbalife. Discover the HerbalifeSKIN line here.
How Exercise Affects Your Skin
The benefits of exercise and a healthy, active lifestyle are numerous. A regular exercise regimen can provide amazing benefits for your skin.
Our skin is the largest living organ of the body and it’s the one that everyone gets to look at. It becomes part of our identity, part of our uniqueness and something that we need to take care of every single day. When people think of exercising they are most likely trying to get fit, stay fit, lose some weight or improve their overall quality of life, because, exercise is vital to our overall health and well-being. But, did you know that exercise has an amazing, positive impact on our skin? You heard me. Exercise can improve our overall appearance including our skin. Just the thought of this might get me off the couch once and for all!
If you are one of those people who have already embraced the concept of exercising and a healthy, active lifestyle, then you can attest to the positive results on your skin. Just take a look at yourself in the mirror post workout. I bet you skin has a gorgeous glow to it. You may see tired and sweaty looking back at you, but take a closer look. Your skin is reaping the rewards of your exercising efforts and here’s how.
Sweating it Out!
Now, as I have said since I was a teenager, I don’t sweat, I glisten. And, I still hold firm to that statement. “Sweating”= yuck. It doesn’t sound very sexy or glamorous, but the end result sure is. When we exercise, we are increasing our blood flow to the living layers of the skin. Opening up those sweat glands can push out some of what clogs the pores, too. You’ve got to love that. It’s important to practice healthy hygiene post workout, though, as we definitely want to wash off the dirt as soon as possible. If we don’t, we may run the risk of their running right back into our pores. Dirt and bacteria lodged in our pores…well, you get the picture. If you can’t hit the shower right away, then at the very least reach for your favorite facial cleanser and give your face a good cleansing.
Tone Those Muscles!
Let’s face it everyone looks better with toned muscles. When our bodies are toned our skin takes on a more toned appearance. And the more muscle tone we have the healthier and more youthful we will look, from head to toe. If you wear any kind of body shaping garments you know exactly what I’m talking about. And, if you are living with cellulite and you aren’t thrilled with how it looks, consider exercising. It may give the whole area a more flattering appearance, diminishing the aesthetic effect of bumpy skin.
Go for the Glow!
If you are an athlete, then you want to go for the gold! If you want fabulous looking skin, then it’s time to exercise to go for glowing skin. That instant, healthy-looking post workout glow is undeniable. Why do we glow you ask? It’s quite simple really.When you get your heart really pumping, it does wonders for your skin. the living layers of your skin receive a nice delivery of oxygenated blood and nutrients. Ah yes, think SKIN cells. When this happens your circulation is improved, which helps with your skin’s overall glow. You will then start to produce more natural oils, which will provide your skin with that healthy “glisten”.
Hey, it’s better than my old tricks of pinching the heck out of my cheeks or bending over and quickly tossing my hair back over my shoulders to get the same look, only temporarily. (With a side of pain and dizziness…sigh.)
Stress Less
If you want to clear your mind in the pursuit of mental clarity and relaxation (or fabulous skin) then take a long walk, an aerobics class or a swim in the pool. Exercise is wonderful at reducing stress and if you can achieve that you will be able to see it reflected in your skin. Stressed out skin is never a good look. In fact if you can find an exercise routine that you enjoy, it will help to ease that stress. Anyway you look at it, stress lines and brow furrows are some of the primary targets for special cosmetic attention. Relax!
So these are a few positive effects that exercise can have on your skin but there are a few cautions to consider as well.
- If you are exercising outdoors remember to protect your skin from the damaging rays of the sun by applying your SPF before you get started.
- Keep your exposed skin as covered as possible, seek shade when you can and avoid working out during peak sun times, which is usually between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Depending on what type of exercise you are doing be aware of skin chafing. Tight fitting exercise clothing coupled with sweating can lead to skin irritations. Avoid clothing that is too restricting and apply a nice moisturizer or powder to the areas that are most prone to irritation.
- If swimming is your exercise of choice, be sure to rinse off as soon as possible. Chlorinated pools and salt water can both be a bit dehydrating to the skin and the hair.
Well, I have never been what you would call an “exercise buff,” but my www.DiscoverGoodFitness.com counterpart, Samantha Clayton, has finally found a way to convince me to exercise. Who knew? It’s all about the skin baby!
Written by beauty expert, Jacquie Carter. Jacquie is Director of Outer Nutrition at Herbalife. Discover the HerbalifeSKIN line here.
Credit: http://www.discovergoodnutrition.com/2015/07/how-exercise-affects-your-skin/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=linkedincompanies
