Column as written for InShape News. See the original post here:

Cellulite is common in women of all body shapes and sizes. In fact up to 90 percent of post pubescent women have some cellulite in the pelvic region, lower limbs, or abdomen. And although it may be unwanted, it’s completely normal.

Cellulite’s ‘dimpling’ effect is caused by little protrusions of fat through the fibrous connective tissue that lies under the surface of the skin (please refer diagram courtesy Wikipedia). What results is an orange peel or cottage cheese appearance of the skin.

Unfortunately it’s genetic – if your mother had it, then you’re likely to get it as well. And although there’s no permanent solution for cellulite, there are a number of things you can do to help reduce the appearance of it.

Lotion, Potions and Surgery

Most of these will do nothing including the array of new fad machines which don’t have any scientific proven results despite their marketing tactics. The only exceptions to reduce the appearance are:

– Creams with 2% aminophylline – drains water from fat cells temporarily.

– Liposuction – the physical extraction of fat cells.

However, neither of these provides any permanent solutions. So let’s now look at what can.

Eat Right

The presence of toxins from over processed and fast foods exacerbates the appearance of cellulite. Stick to a healthy diet of fresh vegetables, lean protein, complex carbohydrates and fresh fruit and you will avoid cellulite.

Lose Weight

As a general rule fat cells don’t multiply, they just enlarge when you put weight on. And enlarged fat cells tend to give a more dimpled appearance, so reducing your weight will help reduce the severity of cellulite.

Tone Up

If you don’t need to lose weight then toning up helps to reduce the appearance of cellulite by converting any excess fat to muscle. Make sure you include resistance training twice week into your exercise routine.

Move More

Those with circulation problems, including lymphatic issues, will tend to have a more prominent ‘cottage cheese’ look. Keeping active and mobile will help to improve your circulation and reduce the appearance of cellulite.

More Water, Less Salt

Drink at least 3 litres of water every day, more if you’re exercising, to flush the excess toxins out of your body. Also reduce your salt intake, as this minimises any water retention which can make the cellulite more obvious.

Reduce Stress

Stress produces the chemical catecholamine, via adrenalin, which has been associated with an increase in cellulite. So do what you can to keep the stress down.

 

The other week I bloogged about “Secret Office Workouts For Longevity” and I mentioned, according to research, that fidgeting like rapidly tapping your feet and talking with your hands can burn up to an extra 350 calories a day. Continuing on that vein then exercising whilst traveling on public transport (or any transport really) is a really good way to burn up extra calories – if you can make every second count. But how do you do it without looking obvious?

The Austrian Organisation Eltis has a humorously named program “Fin In Fahrt”, which translates to “Fit in Travel”. The organisation facilitates the exchange of information, knowledge and experiences in the field of urban mobility in Europe, and supports the creation of urban transport systems, which use less energy and produce less emissions, while improving the competitiveness of urban areas and the mobility and quality of life of its citizens. In particular they promote exercising whilst waiting at public transport stops through the use of custom designed stops with exercises on them.

So too Scientific American seems to be getting in on the act with their Podcast on “Mass Transit Encourages Exercise and Weight Loss”. It reports that Residents tend to stay thinner when a commuter train was added to their region, because of increased exercise walking to and from stops.

And whilst all this is good news, and promotes the expansion of public transport whilst reducing carbon emissions and the cost of health care, there seems to be few programs freely available on the Internet for knowing exactly what exercises to do. That is until I came across the unusually named Chicken Bus Workout developed by nomadic traveling enthusiast Lisa.  Whilst this article is very tongue in cheek there are some real lessons to be learned here for maximising your workout during transport down time.

So after recommending a warm up and stretching session (two points for that, well done), the exercises most useful for conventional public transport systems are:

The Half-Seat Squat

Also known as the Butt Cheek Squeeze, according to Lisa this is done when you’re sitting on a crowded bus with only half of your backside on the seat. In order to stabilize yourself, you have to tighten the free butt cheek so that you don´t fall off the seat. While doing so, you also tighten up the quad muscle because you’re in a pseudo squat position.

The Bicep/Elbow Grip

Lisa says that you can do when forced to stand and lean or sit in awkward, uncomfortable position. With one hand (e.g. left), grab part of a seat on the right hand side of your body. Then, stabilize yourself with your opposing elbow. Difficult to explain but especially if you ‘pulse’ your tension on and off you’ll get a good muscular workout.

The Sitting Ab Crunch

You contort your body slightly and bed a little forward, carefully tightening your ab muscles, so that you take up as little space as possible. Again, ‘pulsing’ your ab muscles on and off will make the workout more effective.

The Flamingo

And just in case the Chicken Bus Ride is a little too tongue in cheek for you then Joakim Christoffersson’s NanoWorkout recommends an exercise called The Flamingo. Just lift one leg slightly and try to keep your balance without holding on to something. Public transportation are rarely known for providing a smooth ride so you are in for a challenge, but if you for some reason think it’s too easy then try to close your eyes while still standing on one leg.

Did you know that your job may be hazardous to your health? That’s right, if you spend 10 or more hours a day sitting on your backside then you’re actually 48% more likely to die than those spending less than 4 hours on their arse.

It’s no secret that office spaces have been set up for time efficiency, and that means minimising any unnecessary movement. It also means you’re much more likely to gain weight, increase the strain on your back, wrists, eyes and neck, and lose muscle tone. And then there’s the stress factor which can lead to depression, cardiovascular disease, a lack of energy and a myriad of other health issues.

The big drawback to office workouts is peer pressure – doing them obviously can make you look like a geek and become a target for office politics if colleagues think you’re exercising rather than doing your work. Little do many realise that squeezing in a little exercise actually improves your concentration and makes you more productive – so you can get more done in less time.

So to avoid the office politics here are some exercises you can do in relative secret. Pick a few that are the most discrete for you in each category. They will help you not only perform better at work, but live longer too.

Stretches

Are imperative, particularly for your wrist and arms if you’re using a computer. Do them at your desk or before meetings commence.

Neck Stretch: Slowly tilt head toward shoulder. Hold for ten seconds. Alternate sides.

Shoulder Stretch: Roll both shoulders forward in a circular motion. Roll both shoulders backward in a circular motion. Repeat ten times.

Wrist Stretch: Stretch arm out with palm down. With other hand, pull fingers down. Hold for three seconds. Then pull up on fingers. Hold for three seconds. Repeat, alternating three times.

Hand Stretch: Make a fist and squeeze. Hold and release then stretch your fingers. Repeat ten times

Ankle and Calf Stretch: Hold one foot off the floor with your leg straight. Flex your ankle pointing your toes up. Extend you ankle pointing your toes down. Do ten times and repeat with other leg. Next, draw a circle with your toes, moving one foot clockwise and then counter-clockwise. Change feet.

Lower Body Exercises

Do these whilst standing or sitting at your desk or in an office meeting, or standing at the photocopier or printer or whilst waiting for the lift (if you can’t take the stairs).

Seated Leg Lifts: Sit tall and start with feet flat on floor. Hold your abdominal muscles tight. Extend one leg until it is level with your hip. Hold for ten seconds. Slowly lower leg. Repeat 15 times. Change legs.

Seated Leg Cross: With legs straight, cross one on top of the other. Raise them off the floor. Press top leg down and resist with bottom leg. Do until muscles are tired. Repeat with opposite legs top and bottom.

Seated Hip Flexion: Sit tall with the abs in and lift the left foot off the floor a few inches, knee bent. Hold for 2 seconds, lower and repeat for 16 reps. Repeat on the other side.

Seated Leg Extension: Sit tall with the abs in and extend the left leg until it’s level with hip, squeezing the quadriceps. Hold for 2 seconds, lower and repeat for 16 reps. Repeat on the other side.

Seated Inner Thigh Pulses: Place towel, firm water bottle or an empty coffee cup between the knees as you sit up tall with the abs in. Squeeze the bottle or cup, release halfway and squeeze again, completing 16 reps of slow pulses.

Standing Leg Lifts: Lift one leg to the back or side, keeping it straight. Slowly lower it. Change sides.

Standing Leg Swings: Lift one leg to the back or side, bend your right knee. Swing leg forward and back for 30 seconds (make sure you don’t kick anything). Repeat with other leg.

Standing Butt Kicks: Stand with one leg straight. Try to kick your buttocks with the heel of your other leg. Repeat ten times with each leg.

Standing Calf Raises: Stand up tall and raise your heels off the floor (on your toes). Slowly lower them. Repeat ten times.

Standing Leg Circles: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Shift weight to left leg. Lift right leg behind you. Hold on to your desk or chair for balance. Slowly circle your left leg clockwise 25 times and counter-clockwise 25 times. Switch legs.

Upper Body Exercises

Seated Bicep Curls: Sit tall with abs pulled in. Hold water bottle in right hand and curl it up towards your shoulder. Repeat 15 times. Change arms.

Seated Front Arm Raises: Hold a water bottle in your right hand and bend your elbow at 90 degrees. Extend arm overhead (like you’re going to throw the water all over your back). Lower arm and repeat 5 more times. Repeat with other arm.

Seated Palm Push: Put your hands on table, palms down. Press down as strongly as you can for as long as you can, then release. Repeat 5 times.

Shoulder Shrug: Seated or standing raise the top of your shoulders toward ears. Hold for three to five seconds then relax. Repeat 5 times.

Ab Exercises

Pelvic Contractions: Contract your pelvic floor muscles and hold for five seconds. Relax. Repeat five times, three times a day.

Seated Swiss Ball: Sit on the ball and find your balance. Pull your navel in. Pull your shoulders back (no slouching). Place feet hip width apart.

Side Bends: Sit or stand up straight and old a water bottle with both hands and stretch it up over the head, arms straight. Gently bend towards the left as far as you can, contracting the abs. Come back to center and repeat to the right. Repeat 10 times.

Seated Ab Twists: Sitting up straight hold a water bottle at chest level and, keeping the knees and hips forward, gently twist to the left as far as you comfortably can, feeling the abs contract. Twist back to centre and repeat to the left. Repeat 10 times.

Seated Chair Squat: While sitting, start to stand up but stop once your hips are just hovering over the chair, arms out for balance. Hold for 2-3 seconds then stand all the way up. Repeat 10 times.

Chair Dips: Make sure your chair is stable (no wheels). Stand in front of it and place your arms next to your hips and grab the chair arms. Lowering the body until the elbows are at 90 degrees then slowly push back up. Repeat 10 times.

8 Final Tips to Follow

1. Stand rather than sit whenever possible.
2. When seated use good postural techniques, sit up straight, backside out (so weight rests on your thighs not lower back) and suck your abdominal muscles in.
3. Get up at any opportunity, and move with speed to get your heart rate going.
4. Fidgeting like rapidly tapping your feet and talking with your hands can burn up to an extra 350 calories a day.
5. Whenever possible visit colleagues rather than e-mailing them, they’ll appreciate the face to face contact.
6. Make sure you drink plenty of water, using the water cooler or filter farthest away from you to fill up so you walk further.
7. Take 3 or 4 deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth every hour to increase oxygen flow, relax and lower your heart rate.
8. Laugh as often as possible to exercise your stomach muscles, diaphragm and heart, alleviate stress and improve your mood.

 

The reality is if you want to lose fat then you need to incorporate some high intensity cardio exercise into your program. But toned legs come from muscle definition, and with muscle bulk comes the ability to shed fat even faster. It’s part of the reason incorporating resistance or muscle training into your weekly program is so vital.

So in the pursuit of strong, shapely and sexy things, here are the best exercises according to www.livestrong.com to perform.

Squats

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Lower yourself toward the ground as if you were about to sit in a chair. When your thighs are parallel to the ground, stand back up, returning to your starting position. Make sure your behind extends behind you so that your knees don’t move forward past your toes. You should be able to see the top of your sneakers throughout the whole workout. If you don’t see your shoes, shift your weight back.

Reverse Lunge

Stand with your feet flat on the floor. Step one leg back behind you and lower your back knee toward the ground. Press off your back leg, returning to your start position. Complete the same number of reps on the other side.

Forward Lunge

Stand with your feet flat on floor. Step one foot forward as far as you can while dropping the back knee toward the ground. Be sure to lower yourself toward the ground instead of forward toward your toes. You should see your front toes throughout the entire movement, so be sure you don’t extend forward. Complete the same number of reps on the other side.

Side Lunge

Stand with feet slightly wider than hip distance. Step one foot out to the side as far as you can while lowering yourself toward the ground. Your opposite leg should remain straight, and you should feel a stretch in the inner thigh of that leg. Push powerfully off the bent leg to return to your starting position. Complete the same number of reps on the other side.

Abduction

Lie on the ground on your side. Lift your top leg as high as you can, and lower to start with control. Roll over and complete on the other side. You may rest a dumbbell on your leg near the outside of your knee to add resistance, or wear a set of ankle weights.

Adduction

Lie on your side. Cross your top leg over your bottom leg. Begin lifting your bottom leg up toward the ceiling. Try not to let your torso rock backward. You may wear ankle weights to increase resistance. Repeat same number of sets on both legs.

Curtsy Lunge

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Step one leg behind you as you cross it behind the front leg, bending both knees simultaneously as you lower toward the ground. Return to your starting by pushing off the back knee. Repeat the same number of sets on both legs.

Wall Sit

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your back against a wall. Walk your feet out and lower yourself toward the ground until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat several times. Avoid putting your hands on your thighs. Instead, keep them overhead or down at your sides.

Walking Lunges

Stand with your hands on your hips or at your sides holding dumbbells. Step one foot forward as far as you can while dropping your back knee toward the ground. Return to start and step the other foot forward as you drop the other back knee toward the ground. Continue alternating legs as you travel forward across the room.

Jump Squats

Stand with your feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart. Lower yourself toward the ground, then jump into the air as high as you can, landing softly. Make sure your behind extends behind you so that your knees don’t move forward past your toes. You should be able to see the top of your sneakers throughout the whole workout. If you don’t see your shoes, shift your weight back.

Developing Your Routine

Beginners: If you’re just starting out choose 1 to 2 exercises that best fit your ability for 1 to 2 sets of 12 to 16 reps, using light weights or none at all.

Intermediates: Choose up to 5 exercises for 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, resting between sets and using enough weight that you can ONLY complete the desired number of reps.

Advanced: Choose up to all 10 exercises for 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, resting between sets and using enough weight that you can ONLY complete the desired number of reps.

And remember you can increase the intensity of any toning exercise by adding dumbbells or increasing the weight of the dumbbells you are using.

According to Jillian:

Here’s Jillian Michael’s routine for getting great things for ‘skinny’ jeans.

Most of us when we have an ache or pain will either try to ignore it, or we’ll nuke the wheat bag for a couple of minutes and apply soothing warm heat. But the reality is that for most pains a cold pack is actually a better treatment. And cold therapy has a whole host of benefits too.

When to use Heat

If you need to increase blood flow of circulation then you’ll need to apply superficial heat, like infrared, heat packs, paraffin wax baths and hydrotherapy, which also can reduce joint stiffness, pain and muscle spasms. So it’s good for things like arthritis, muscle spasms, muscle sprains and strains.

But it’s deep heat therapy that works better because it penetrates the skin and works on the underlying tissues. Deep heat therapies aren’t as readily available and are usually administered by trained medical staff, but treatments include shortwave and microwave diathermy and ultrasound.

When to use Cold

When I told my chiropractor I was using a nightly heat pack to alleviate lower back pain a few months back she groaned and asked me instead to switch to cold packs. Doubting her, I gave it a try and found that although initially it was more unpleasant, over time my pain dissipated considerably.

Cold Therapy (also known as Cryotherapy) using cold or ice packs is best to treat acute injuries of the musculoskeletal system because it reduces metabolic rate, inflammation, circulation, muscle spasms and pain. No one really knows quite why this happens but basically the cold reduces the skin’s surface temperature and that of the underlying tissue which narrows the blood vessels and reduces the volume of blood to the site of your injury, resulting in reduced swelling. And cold also reduces the ability for pain to register in your body (both a good and bad thing) as it decreases nerve conduction velocity, so it allows your body time to heal naturally.

Cold Therapy to Lose Weight

So all this got me thinking about Tim Ferriss’s extreme use of cold therapy to lose weight in his “4 Hour Body”. I get the science of it, but there’s nothing practical nor enjoyable about taking ice baths to the point of hypothermia. But can you really get any benefits by cooling off at the end of your shower? Well, here’s what I found.

Basically exposing the body to cold therapy naturally changes the types of fat produced by the body. Rather than ‘bad’ white fat, the body tends to produce ‘healthier’ brown fat designed to produce as much heat energy as possible when burnt. Research has also shown that cold therapy may help convert white fat to brown. And having a higher proportion of brown fat in the body means that more energy can be burnt per second, for example when you’re taking a really cold shower. Along with the whole brown fat thing cold showers are also thought to help increase your metabolism, but they need to be really cold.

Step By Step Cold Therapy

Here’s how Livestrong.com suggest you should do it.

1. Get into the shower at your preferred temperature and complete your washing, shampooing and conditioning.

2. Turn the shower half way between the coldest water and your preferred temperature. Let your body adjust slowly to this refreshingly cool temperature.

3. When you think you can bear it turn the shower colder again – half way between this new setting and the coldest. This water maybe a little shocking, but stick with it for a minute until adjust to the temperature. At this temperature your body starts to use brown fat tissue to generate heat, so you’re starting to burn body fat.

4. Ready? Brace yourself and turn the shower to the coldest setting. It will be shockingly cold but that is the point. Let the cold water run over your shoulders, neck and back which is where the majority of human brown fat is found.

5. Remain at this temperature for as long as you like but at least 30 seconds

6. Repeat these cold showers two to three times per day to further activate brown fat cells.

More Benefits of Cold Therapy

Improves Blood Circulation

Good blood circulation is vital for overall cardiovascular health because it prevents such problems as hypertension, hardening of the arteries, and the appearance of varicose veins. Good circulation improves the overall performance of your body and alternating between hot and cold water while showering works well to improve it because it constricts then dilates the blood vessels forcing changes in blood pressure.

Regulates Temperature

Sounds weird that a cold shower can regulate your temperature but it actually promote a gentle type of stress that forces the body to generate heat internally (thermogenesis), which then activates the body’s adaptive repair systems. You should consider taking cold showers if you have consistently cold hands and feet, or feel that you sweat an abnormal amount.

Strengthened Immunity

Research has shown that cold water immersion can increase the numbers of two types of white blood cells: monocytes and lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are involved in eradicating bacteria, viruses, and toxins from the body, and monocytes indirectly assist to overcome pathogens and foreign materials. This, combined with the increased metabolism leads to the body activating its immune system to release more white blood cells. So if you want to reduce your instances colds, flu’s, and perhaps even some forms of cancer, take a cold one.

Improved Lymphatic System

The lymphatic system is responsible for the removal of waste from our bodies, but to operate optimally it relies on contraction of the surrounding muscles. The whole body contraction caused by cold therapy tends to improve the lymph circulation, lymphedema and improving toxin and waste removal.

Enhanced Hormone Production

Cold therapy gives the body’s glands a hormone boost which helps to regulate the hormone producing endocrine system (including the adrenals and thyroid) as well as the potential for to increased fertility.

Healthier Skin and Hair

Hot water does dry out both skin and hair as it dilates the pores and cuticles and allows vital oils to be washed away. Conversely cold water tightens the skin’s pores which detoxifies the skin and reduces blemishes and acne, making it appear more youthful and healthy. For the hair cold water closes the cuticles making hair stronger, less likely to fall out, shinier and preventing dirt accumulation in the scalp.

Increased Energy

How do you describe a cold shower? Invigorating? Energising? When you have a cold shower (and I mean really cold) the body is shocked, adrenalin kicks in and the heart starts pumping. The rush of blood wakes you up in an instant and tends to alleviate any residual negative stress leading to an increase in overall wellbeing and energy.

Natural Oxygen Therapy

Along with adrenalin comes the automatic response to breathe more deeply, in an effort to combat the positive stress of the shock, and it opens up the lungs just as if you were going for a run. More oxygen intake leads to expelling stale used air from the lungs, improved oxygen flow to the organs thereby improving overall performance. A cold shower is kind of like a cheap more natural form of oxygen therapy.

Combats Depression

And for all the reasons listed above, cold therapy also has the tendency to alleviate any symptoms of depression. Those who suffer from depression often find it hard to get motivated, so for that reasons the body’s automatic responses via cold therapy can be a great solution.

In addition the chemical noradrenaline, which originates in a part of the brain called the ‘blue spot’, is further thought to help alleviate depression. Research now indicates that cold therapy may have a stimulating effect on this area of the brain thereby producing more of this chemical.

 

Article as written for InShape News. You can see the full article here: http://inshapenewsflash.com/opinion/spinal-health/

Sadly, I’ve recently watched my mother go through her second spinal fusion. This time around she had a double operation that resulted in severe physical and mental trauma. Was it just luck of the draw? Or could she have done something earlier in her life to prevent such drastic surgery?

At the age of 42-years I’ve worked hard to ensure my spine is in great shape. But if I’d not made some serious changes to my life in 2003 then I’m convinced that I would be on the exact same path as my mother. I’d now like to share those simple changes that I made with you. I call these changes my “Seven Keys to Great Spinal Health.” These are as follows:

KEY 1: WEIGHT

It’s important that you maintain a suitable weight for your frame because every extra kilogram you’re carrying equates to an extra eight kilograms of force going through your spine. That’s why I lost over 70kg — half my body weight — and reduced the force on my spine by over 580kg.

KEY 2: SMOKING

I’ve never smoked, but if you do then quitting is a good place to start to improve your spinal health. Apart from a whole host of diseases research has also linked smoking with accelerated disc degeneration.

KEY 3: KEEP ACTIVE

I regularly perform yoga, Pilates and resistance training and it’s these core strengthening activities that help to stabilise and strengthen the spine.  If you’re overweight then you should also focus on non-impact or low-impact cardio activities like swimming, walking, water aerobics and cycling. However, regardless of your size it’s critical that you stretch properly at least once a day to maintain flexibility, whilst ensuring you don’t hyper-flex or over extend your spine. The ‘Egoscue Method’ is an excellent example of good stretching exercises.

KEY 4: POSTURE

Whilst core strength helps to build better posture you also need to be aware of how to take care of it. You can do this by ensuring that your work space is ergonomic. This means that you should sit up straight without slouching, bend your knees when lifting, and that you hold heavy loads close to your body’s centre of gravity. It’s also vital that you wear the right footwear, as a good posture starts from the ground up. So ditch those heels and get some orthotics.

KEY 5: GENETICS

There’s not a lot you can do about your genetic structure, but by being aware of any hereditary factors means that you have an opportunity to deal with them. I have hereditary lymphedema which means I retain fluid and weight easily. To combat this, I drink up to 4 litres of water and I stay active throughout each day. My mother suffers from severe osteoarthritis. Therefore to prevent its onset, I maintain a healthy weight by eating a balanced high-vegetable diet, rich in trace elements and low in saturated fats and sugars. I also eat lots of raw ginger and take glucosamine and fish oil supplements.

KEY 6: NURTURE

Getting the right long term spinal care is critical. I use a fortnightly massage to help the muscles in my back relax, improving my range of motion. For acute pain treatment I see a physiotherapist, if needed, but it’s regular chiropractic work that’s proven vital. My chiropractor, Dr Tracy Kopp  says, “Regular chiropractic treatment is all about keeping the spine supple and preventing it from jamming up,” and I couldn’t agree more.

KEY 7: REST AND RECOVERY

There’s no piece of furniture that exerts as much influence on your spine’s health as your bed. So it’s important to have the right mattress with the right support . But did you know that your sleeping position at night can compress your discs and can reduce your height by as much as 2 centimetres? So it’s also important that you maintain your spine’s ‘S’ curve alignment during sleep and the best way to do this is by sleeping on alternating sides, preferably with your knees slightly bent in a semi foetal position.

These “Seven Keys” may seem simple in themselves, but combined they form a powerful roadmap to maintaining great spinal health, reducing the future risk of spinal surgery and living a longer, fuller, more active life.

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Want to lose weight and get an all over work out? You don’t need expensive gym memberships or personal trainers. All you need is stairs!

Believe it or not stair climbing may be the most effective exercise of all time. In fact, the latest research indicates that minute for minute climbing stairs may more effective than jogging, cycling, swimming, tennis, or just about any other get fit activity.

The reason is that climbing stairs is most effective way to burn up calories and strengthen the heart. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine report that minute for minute climbing stairs burns up 250% more calories than swimming, 150% more than tennis or bowling, 94% more than squash, 63% more than cycling, 23% more than running and a whopping 400% more than walking at 3.5 kmph.

This is probably why Stairmaster machines are one of the most popular gym machines in Australia. And whilst they provide a good work out, it’s no substitute for the real thing.

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Why Climb Stairs?

• They are easy to find and free – no class or gym costs
• It can be done regardless of weather conditions
• It can be done by most people of varying fitness levels and ages
• It allows you to go at your own pace, according to your fitness level – there’s no one to keep up with
• It uses gravity, so the heavier you are the harder you work and the more calories you burn
• It is a high intensity exercise, leading to improved cardiovascular fitness
• It is a weight bearing exercise so it helps to improve bone strength
• It is low impact with reduced risk of joint injury – perfect for overweight people
• It strengthens and shapes calves, thighs, buttocks and tummy all at the same time
• It burns maximum calories for a minimal time input
• You can incorporate resistance training too – just hold some weights to maximise results

Finding the Right Stairs

Because we see stairs every day we hardly notice them but once you set your mind to search for stirs you’ll be amazed at how many suitable ones you can find – indoors, outdoors, under cover, deserted, crowded, big ones, low ones, single flights, multiple flights … there’s so many choices!

If you can’t think of where to go then check out these suggestions:

• High-rise car parks
• Shopping centres
• Office buildings
• Apartment buildings
• Train stations
• Overpasses, foot and road bridges
• Schools and Universities
• Parks
• Sports grounds
• Double storey homes
• Local monuments and lookouts

Stair Climbing 101

Start out slowly, and progressively build up your stair stamina – aim for around 10% increase each week. At first you’re likely to get out of breath after a few stairs, and then your legs will start to burn. This is normal so if it becomes uncomfortable then reach a landing and walk on the stop for a few minutes (to lower your heart rate and let your muscles relax) before tacking another flight.

Over time as your fitness improves (and you become lighter!) you’ll be able to build up the intensity of your workout by:

• Increasing the number of flights
• Speeding up the rate at which you climb
• Reducing rest intervals between flights
• Climbing two steps at a time instead of one
• Carrying dumbbells
• Kicking your legs up with each step so your foot hits your butt
• Adding push ups and squats after each flight

Essential Stair Safety

Safety first when it comes to stair climbing is imperative. Stair climbing is not suitable for those with orthopedic or medical complications (such as high blood pressure)

Remember:

• Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
• Ensure the stairs you’re using are safe, well ventilated and lit
• Consider in case of a fall whether you could obtain help (i.e. are your stairs too private?)
• If using public stairs then be aware of others and their right of way
• Never run down stairs, make sure your decent is slow and controlled
• Maintain the proper posture, straight back, lean forward slightly from the hips, place each foot fully on the next step, and keep your eyes forward and on the steps ahead
• Drink plenty of water during your workout
• Don’t lose your balance or strain too hard
• Check you THR regularly or wear a monitor
• Take breaks if necessary
• Stop if you feel faint, dizzy or any unusual pain
• Consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise routine
• Never push yourself beyond what is reasonable

The Perfect 40min Stair Workout

Here is the perfect stair climbing workout which comprises a mixture of aerobic (cardio) and anaerobic (resistance training) activities. It should be done at least 3 times a week for a minimum of 20 minutes each time (plus warm up and cool down).

You should also monitor your heart rate. For fat loss it’s important during the cardio components to keep it between 70% to 90% of your Training Heart Rate (THR). This will increase your fitness, improve cardiovascular strength, and help you burn up fat quicker.

Your THR is calculated by deducting your age from 220, then multiplying it by 70 or 90%.  For example, a 40 year old should aim for between 126 and 162 beats per minute. (Formula one: 220 – 40 = 180 x 0.7 = 126 and Formula two: 220 – 40 = 180 x 0.9 = 162)

 

Warm Up (10 mins)

– Stretch : Follow my stretching guide free with my book

– Warm Up: Walk up 3 flights slowly, then walk back down (alternatively walking around for 5 minutes is a great alternative to begin)

Work Out (20 Mins)

– Cardio: Climb 5 flights quickly as you can – you should be out of breath, come back down

– Strength: At a regular pace climb the 5 flights again, but this time 2 steps at a time so you lunge into the exercise. This is a controlled exercise, correct form not speed is the objective

Alternate these 2 until you reach a 20 minute duration

Cool Down (10 Mins)

– Cool down: Walk up 3 flights slowly, then walk back down (alternatively walk around for 5 minutes)

– Stretch

 

Avoiding Stair Boredom

• Listen to music – wear a portable radio, MP3 player or an iPod
• Find a friend to do it with
• Meditate on a different word each flight (carry a list or Post-It Note them to the wall)
• Change your location and get a different view
• Track your progress in a diary
• Blog about your stair experience (and success) to inspire others!

 

Finding the time to exercise can be difficult – or at least that’s what we tell ourselves. In our fast paced busy lives there is always something or someone else demanding our attention, distracting us from our commitment to ourselves. In fulfilling everyone else’s needs first we run out of time to look after the one person who should matter most to us – ourselves.

There are also five common excuses given for not exercising:

• You find exercise boring and no fun
• Your life’s too busy, you’ll exercise when things calm down a bit
• You don’t have huge chunks of time available.
• You don’t see enough results for your efforts
• You’re often sore the next day after exercising and it puts you off

Any of these sound like you? Then read on.

The Fun Factor

Exercise is what you make it – there’s no magic formula that injects fun into exercise. If you’re doing it right then mostly it’s just hard work – it’s the after effects that give you the endorphins and make you feel good about having done it. The trick is to:

• find 3 or 4 things you enjoy doing (or at least don’t hate)
• find a friend or two to do it with
• ensure you mix up your routine (don’t do the same thing every day)
• find a twist if you can, like learning a new skill

For example, Zumba is fun in a group class, join a martial arts group, a bush-walking club, the list is almost endless. And adding a social aspect (coffee afterwards) or learning a new skill will reduce the boredom and increase the fun. What’s important is you get moving more!

Busy Is As Busy Does

Ask a busy person to do something and they’ll usually find the time. We’re all busy and there’s so much to do that none of us will ever complete our to-do lists. It’s all a matter of priorities. So if you NEVER find the time to exercise then it’s because you don’t consider your health a priority – and that’s the issue right there. If you love yourself and your family then you should want to make sure you have a long and healthy life, and that includes a commitment to exercise.

To make it a little easier:

• Do your exercise first thing in the morning – you then won’t worry about it all day
• Schedule it and do it at the same time each day – after a while it will become habit
• Commit to it – if you fall off the wagon then get right back on the next day

How Do You Eat An Elephant?

One mouthful at a time, and it’s a bit the same with exercise. Did you know that research has shown that breaking up your daily exercise into smaller portions has virtually the same effect as if you did it all in one go? So if you can’t find a full hour then find four 15 minute chunks throughout the day – in the morning, lunch time, after work and after dinner. Also, by doing this if you do miss one session due to something extraordinary then you’ll still be getting 3/4 of your exercise in – and that’s a great thing!

The Quick Fix

OK, despite the TV gimmicks you see on late night TV there’s no such thing. Results come from consistent targeted workouts and my “Three Keys To Weight Loss” approach. What do I mean by targeted workouts? I’m not talking hours in the gym – far from it. But a holistic program that combines high intensity cardio with resistance training is what will get you results. If you’re doing cardio or resistance training alone, or you’re eating the wrong foods then you won’t be getting the right results, no matter how hard you train. And that will get you down.

Best fix is to:

• perform a minimum of 30 mins of cardio per day that contains at least 10 mins high intensity cardio
• perform a 45 min resistance training session 3 times a week (there’s one included with a copy of my book)

And measure you bust, hip, waist, arm and thigh weekly and track your measurements. You may not always see results on the scales but you’ll see your body changing shape and toning up.

Stiff And Sore?

Many people don’t exercise regularly and so when they do, they head out – go hammer and tong at it – and then get really sore the next day. And it puts them off doing it again and creates the mindset that exercise is bad for you or painful. It doesn’t need to be that way.

The reason you get stiff and sore is often due to the accumulation of lactic acid. This can be easily avoided by performing the right stretches in the right way BEFORE and AFTER exercising which is why I include a Stretching Guide with every copy of my book.

Stretching is one of the most under rated things you can do. It helps to:

• Reduce muscular tension
• Improve the range of movement in the joints
• Prevent injuries
• Enhance muscular coordination
• Increase athletic performance
• Increase blood circulation to various parts of the body
• Increase energy levels

Stretching doesn’t need to take a lot of time, a mere five to 10 minutes at a time can make a massive difference to the health and longevity of your body. Try it and you’ll be sure to see the results, and you won’t get sore either!