Easy Arm Workouts For Women

While walking is a great way to work up a healthy sweat, exercise the lower half of the body and get a beneficial cardiovascular workout, maintaining toned arms can prove to be a bit more challenging for many women. Even if going to the gym and lifting weights in front of a room full of other people holds little appeal, there are a number of arm workouts for women that can provide healthy and lasting results. Physical exercise can be added as a new daily activity or to an existing routine in a surprising number of ways. With a bit of ingenuity and dedication, a total body workout can be part of virtually any woman’s regular routine.

For a woman who is new to attempting an upper body workout or typically pressed for time when it comes to working out, investing in a set of hand weights may be an ideal way to start. This allows for a great deal of flexibility regarding when and where the exercise occurs, and a quick online search will likely yield many motions that will work the biceps, triceps, and the rest of the arm muscles. Five to ten repetitions done over a regular period of time can lead to impressive results, and many women find exercising first thing in the morning, during lunch breaks, or during commercials while watching television to be easy ways to get in satisfying workouts. Whether done at dawn, midday, or later in the evening, a good arm workout may always be within reach.

3 Top Weight Loss Tips For Women

With so many weight loss plans, pills, diets, and exercise programs on the market, many women feel overwhelmed by the choices available. The vast selection often results in yo-yo dieting as women jump from one fad to the next, struggling to shift those extra pounds. Thankfully, there are several basic weight loss tips for women that can help any dieter get on track and achieve the results she desires.

Keep It Simple

The first tip every woman should learn is that a weight loss plan should always suit her lifestyle. Extreme changes in exercise and eating habits often cause women to fall off the dieting bandwagon. However, many women find they are more likely to maintain a healthy diet when a plan is easy to incorporate into their daily lifestyle.

Find a Healthy Balance

Without a doubt, the most successful weight loss plans are those that include both sensible eating and regular exercise. Exercise speeds up the metabolism, helps burn calories, and builds muscle tissue, which in turn contributes to faster weight loss. Besides swimming, brisk walking, and cycling, women should consider taking part in vigorous activities they enjoy. A healthy balance is essential for effective weight loss, so women should ensure they eat right and partake in moderate exercise.

Be Patient and Avoid the Fuss

Finicky diets with strict food limitations, significant preparations, and intricate measurements make many women edgy. There is nothing worse than climbing on a scale after a week of eating lettuce leaves, only to discover the results are the same. A woman should weigh and measure herself once a week, choose an eating plan that does not eliminate major food groups, and understand that significant results will not happen overnight.

Fashionable And Comfortable Womens Athletic Clothing

When purchasing womens athletic clothing, there are more than a few things that the shopper may want to consider. There are several brands, styles, and levels of quality that are readily available at various costs to the consumer. However, these are just some of the shopping considerations with the ultimate goal being to find something that is going to be functional, comfortable and flattering at the same time.

Activity Type

When looking at the workout apparel on today’s market, it is important to keep in mind the type of activities that are being performed. For example, there are some pieces that are designed to wick away moisture, prevent chaffing and the like. While these types of clothing may be great for someone who runs or bikes, it is not necessarily needed by someone who performs yoga at the local gym. Therefore, the woman should always think about what she will be doing while wearing the clothing and ensure that individual needs will be met.

Comfort and Style

One of the great things about some of the newer workout wear is that this is where comfort meets style. Over the years, athletic garments have become increasingly fashionable, boasting a wide array of colors, styles and even intricate designs. Still, lightweight and breathable fabrics are still highly recommended and are available through several retailers with multiple technologies to promote comfort and maximize function while remaining fashionable. Finding something that meets these needs is a must when seeking out any type of athletic clothes for women.

Find The Best Weight Loss Programs For Women

Many people struggle with trying to lose weight, but it seems that the more diets and weight loss supplements they try, the harder it is to actually get the weight off. Fortunately, there are effective weight loss programs for women that can help target the specific needs of women while ensuring a healthy weight loss. For example, if you have ever tried to make dinner for a hungry family while also sticking to a diet, it can be almost impossible. This is just one of many struggles that women often face as the fight the battle of the bulge.

Fortunately, when you find a weight loss program that can help you maintain your focus and stick with the program; you have a much better chance of succeeding in reaching your goal weight. However, sticking with a weight loss plan will generally require following a program that can help you address some of the most difficult aspects of losing weight. Perhaps you need help in handling cravings or hunger; maybe your difficult area is facing friends and family who are constantly eating in front of you and encouraging you to indulge as well, whatever your obstacle, there is a solution with the right weight loss plan.

These can be very real problems, especially when you are struggling to shed those unwanted pounds. However, with a program that offers a healthy eating plan and specific tips on how to handle problems that might derail your efforts, you can succeed in losing weight and enjoy a slimmer and healthier body. Of course, losing weight takes perseverance and dedication, but the right weight loss program certainly helps.

Firm And Tone Those Legs

How many women refuse to wear shorts or put on a bathing suit because they are embarrassed about their flabby legs? If you would like to shape and firm up your legs and thighs, a few minutes of exercise each day will do the trick. Leg workouts for women that really work include squats, heel-lifts and lunges.

To perform a standing squat you should stand with your feet comfortably apart - slightly wider than shoulder width. Raise your arms up above your head and interlock your fingers. Next, slowly bend your knees and lower yourself down toward the floor. If you find yourself losing your balance you can bring your arms down and extend them out to the side or front of your body. Allow your body weight to carry you down as far as you feel comfortable and then rise up to a normal standing position. Make sure you keep your back straight as you perform this exercise that targets the quadriceps.

The lower leg or calf will benefit by doing a heel-lift exercise. You need no equipment to do this simple exercise. Simply stand in a normal straight-up position and raise your heels off the ground like you are standing on your tippy-toes. Hold that position for about 5 seconds and then lower yourself down. Repeat in sets of 10.

Finally, to tone up your thighs and give your legs an overall firmer appearance, try some lunges. Extend one foot several feet in front of your body, bend your knee and lunge forward.

Great Ab Workouts For Women

If you are interested in getting a set of washboard abs, there are several great ab workouts for women that can help develop strong, toned stomach muscles. The bad news is that the body rarely uses the abdominal muscles -- sitting up is about all the exercise they get -- but the good news is that this means a small amount of work can go a long way.

Many people think that sit-ups are the best way to get a six-pack, but these are actually an inefficient means of growing muscle mass considering they only require about fifty or so pounds of mass (your upper torso) to be moved. It might take a thousand sit-ups per day to see results.

Instead, use a set of free weights to help out abs. Clutch them against your chest and sit on an inclined surface. Curl back and forth with a weight of twenty or so pounds until you hit exhaustion. Rest a minute or so and then increase the weight by five to ten pounds. These curls need only be done every other day, so it will not take more than ten minutes.

If you are not interested in free weights, a conditioning exercise known as "planking" can do the trick. Lie down with your weight on your forearms and toes, keeping your stomach about the ground. This forces your ab muscles to bridge the weight of your upper and lower body. Do this to exhaustion each day and you will see results quickly.

Basic Back Exercises For Women

Is there anything worse than living with persistent back pain. While you should consult a doctor for chronic back pain, you might be able to alleviate the pain by doing some stretching exercises that will loosen up the muscles in your back. A few easy back exercises for women are shown below.

The pelvic tilt is a very simple exercise where you start by getting down on your hands and knees. Begin with your back in a parallel position to the floor and then slowly arch your body upward to form a bridge. Feel the stretch in your lower back and then slowly release and return to your starting position.

Back extensions are another way to stretch out your back. You will need an exercise bench or you can substitute a bed if you do not have a bench to use. Position yourself face-up on the bench and then recline back so your head and upper torso dips below the level of the bench. You should be able to bend at the waist(about half your body being off the surface of the bench) when you recline. Extend your arms over your head like you are trying to reach and pick up a $100 bill. Give it a good stretch and then return yourself up to a flat or sitting position.

The Dancer's stretch is a basic exercise that dancers do to limber up before giving a performance. Sit down and try to extend one leg to the side and then back behind your body. You will feel the pull in your lower back.