Jenn's Losing It

Feeling down on your thighs? Step off the stairclimber and get out for a power walk, a hike or a tree climbing session at a nearby park instead. One study found that spending time in nature improves your body image. What's so therapeutic about the great outdoors? The absence of mirrors, movie stars and other things that make you obsess over your appearance may silence your inner critic. Source: Ecopsychology Fitness Magazine July/August 2012

Wherever you're headed this September, you can slash your walking time in half and get the same or better benefits! Swap your 30 minute walk for a 15 minute beach walk. Walking in the sand burns up to 50 percent more calories than walking on the sidewalk, track or street at the same pace. Why? The muscles in your butt, thighs, feet and ankles have to work harder to push off the sand. This forces you to expend more calories. Plus, the uneven surface of the sand requires you to stabilize your core, so you'll strengthen your abs without even realizing it. Just remember when walking on the beach, wear your sneakers so that you won't injure yourself. Sneakers support your foot and ankle on the sand's uneven surface. Swap your 40 minute walk for 20 minutes in the pool walking. Just like on land, waking in water is an excellent low impact cardio workout, but it's a better multitasker because it tones your entire body and increases flexibility. Walking one mile in the w...

You have to work you abs everyday...MYTH. The abs are like any other muscle, they need time to recover. You'll actually see more definition when you take a rest day between workouts. That's when muscle fibers have a chance to repair themselves by creating new muscle tissue. A solid ab routine that you do three times per week, as little as 10-40 minutes per session is enough. You have to focus on specific muscles to tone your core....MYTH. The best way to strengthen your abs and save time doing it, is to do total body, not spot toning, moves. Any posture that requires body awareness and slow movement is more challenging than endless reps on the floor. Standing moves will help you achieve firm flat abs because by requiring you to maintain your balance, they force you to engage all your ab muscles in a way that spot training moves don't. Weight Watchers Magazine July/August 2011