You need to prepare your body for exercise by going through a warm-up period.

Performing 5 to 10 minutes of low-level aerobic activity will get your blood flowing, increase the

temperature of your muscles, and start you breathing faster, all of which help your body adjust

to the demands you will be placing on it during exercise.

Part 1: Preparations and Warm Upsthe right clothes.clothes that will not restrict your movements or blood flow. Don’t wear clothes which are too tight, especially around your joints. You will also want to wear clothing which is made of a material which breathes well, since you will sweat when doing many forms of exercise. Clothes specifically designed for exercise can easily be found.

Here's why you should bookend each workout with a warm-up and a cool-down — plus other exercise safety tips.

Part 2: Don’t stretch! Don’t stretch before exercising. Contrary to popular belief, studies have shown that this is not helpful and will not allow you to perform any better. If anything, stretching before exercising will make you worse off: it’s a great way to pull or strain a muscle and hurt yourself!

Part 4: Check with your doctor. Certain conditions may make it a good idea to check with your doctor before starting an exercise regimen. There are exercises for every health condition[2], but it’s a good idea to know what to avoid. Exercising should make you feel healthy and good in your own body: not hurt you! Part 5: Understand core

exercises. Core workouts develop the muscles around your abdomen. This has many benefits. With a stronger back, you will be less prone to back pain and injury and you will also be able to improve bad posture. Paired with weight loss, strong core muscles will also give you defined abs.

Part 5: Try planks. Planks are probably the most efficient core exercise. You can greatly improve your core strength with just a few minutes of this exercise every day. Planks are done by taking a position similar to a push up, but supporting the upper half of your body on your forearms and holding the position for as long as possible. It will surprise you how difficult it is if you’ve never tried it but the exercise is extremely effective.

Part 6: Do Crunches. Crunches are another great core exercise, done by lying face up, knees bent, arms crossed at your chest, and curling the head up towards the pelvis. Lower yourself back down and repeat.

Walk or jog for 30

minutes. This can be broken up into three 10 minute sets.

Do 30 bridges. If

you can, do these in one

set. However, they can break up

into 2-3 sets.

Do planks for 1 minute. This will obviously need to be broken up. Simply keep the position for as long as

you can, rest a few seconds, and then return.

Do 30 push-ups. If you can, do these in one set.

However, they can be broken up into 2-3 sets.

Do jumping jacks for 5 minutes. Do these all in one set, if you can. Do not rest more than three times, and never for more than 1 minute.

Walk. Walking is the best thing you can do for improving your health. As discussed above, a study found that a

mixture of intense and relaxed walking in senior citizens decreased the likelihood of certain diseases by 20%. You

can walk with your friends, family members, or by yourself. If you want to walk in the comfort of indoors,

you can walk around the inside of your apartment building or you can walk the inner corridor of the local

mall. You can also walk outside if you prefer.

Do balance exercises. As we age, we tend to lose a lot of our balance. This is normal. However, you will want to

work on your balance to help ensure that you can move

around without hurting yourself. Do balance exercises to protect yourself and prevent injury.

Do flexibility exercises. Muscles lose their elasticity over time, which can make it difficult for you to move around or get up if you fall. Do flexibility exercises like stretches

to maintain your muscles and keep you safe and independent?

Do strength exercises. Lift small, 2lb weights (more if you can). This will help you maintain the strength in your

hands and arms, allowing you greater independence for longer.

Cool down

following moderate or intense exercise by gradually decreasing your pace, allowing your heart rate and

your breathing to return to normal.

Now you have no more excuses!  Here are 10 great exercises that you can do at home, without the need for any equipment:

Walking – If the weather is nice, it’s wonderful to get outside and enjoy the scenery around you while you exercise.  However, if the weather has other ideas, you can just as easily get an effective walking workout at home.  If you have a flight of stairs, go up and down them a few times.  (You could even grab a load of laundry as you’re going that way anyway!)  This will help to tone up your legs, while getting some low impact aerobic exercise as well.  If you don’t have any stairs available, just walk around the house a few times – it may not be very exciting, but it will do the job!

Jumping Jacks – These are always fun, as they bring back memories of being a kid!  Who hasn’t done jumping jacks for fun as a child?  Well, surprise – they are also great cardio exercises, and good for warming up, too.

Pushups – These are probably not the most favorite exercise of many people, but while they can be hard to do, you can find easier ways to do them.  You don’t need to pretend you’re “Rocky”, and do them with one hand; just do what works for you.  Do them on your knees, instead of keeping your legs straight.  Or, do them standing up against a wall.  You will be building up arm strength and working out muscles in your chest area.

Leg Lifts – These are great for building up strength and muscles in your legs.  If you find it hard to do the exercises with your legs straight, try bending them slightly.

Crunches – The best exercise for building up and strengthening abdominal muscles.  When you’re just getting started, don’t worry about getting your head all the way up.  So long as you’re going up until you feel the stretching of the muscles, you will see some benefit.

Jogging In Place – Jogging is a great exercise for your heart.  You can jog in place at home while watching TV or listening to music.  The only equipment you will require is a good pair of shoes, to eliminate any stress to your legs.

Squats – These are wonderful exercises for your legs and buttocks.  You can even just try these by sitting and standing up again from a regular chair, if you’re finding them to be too difficult.  As long as you’re able to do a few repetitions, you will be providing some benefit to your body.

Light Weight Lifting – No, you don’t need to go out and buy expensive weights for this!  Just use whatever you can find in your house.  Start out with something lighter, such as a can of peas, and work yourself up to heavier items.  You can use milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles or even water jugs.

Dancing   – Dancing is a wonderful exercise, which is great for your heart.  Not only that, but it can lift your spirits as well, and give your overall feeling a boost.

Step Exercises – Using the steps in your home, you can do repetitions which will tone your leg muscles.  (Just remember to be careful!

Getting some exercise is important, but you don’t need to go out and join a gym, paying a large amount in membership fees each month.  You don’t even need the expensive

equipment in order to give your body an effective workout.  Use what you have in your

house, and work out in the comfort of your home.  You will be more likely to keep up with the exercises when you’re comfortable, so just get up and start exercising!

Father Zumba

The craze now known as Zumba fitness is said to have started as a mistake by Colombian trainer Alberto "Beto" Perez. One day in the mid-90s, Beto reportedly forgot to bring his regular aerobics-style music tape to the group exercise class he was leading. With no music and a class to teach, he raced back to his car and scrounged up a cassette tape of Latin dance music. As the lively beats of Merengue and

Rumba rang out, Beto drew upon his experience dancing in Salsa clubs and choreographing for local artists. Soon he was leading his pupils through a fun series of dance steps—and Rumbacize was born. It was an instant hit, and quickly became the most popular class at his gym. In 1999, Beto brought Rumbacize with him when he moved to Miami. It immediately caught on there as well and, with the help of a pair of entrepreneurs, Beto rebranded his class and transformed it into the global franchise that is Zumba fitness today.

How It WorksGrooving to the beats of salsa, flamenco, and merengue music feels more like a dance party than a workout, which is exactly what makes Zumba so popular. The Latin-inspired dance workout is one of the most popular group exercise classes in the world. The high-energy classes are set to upbeat music and feature choreographed dance numbers that you might see in a nightclub. You don’t need to be a great dancer to feel welcome in a Zumba class. With the tag line, “Ditch the Workout, Join the Party,” the classes emphasize moving to the music and having a good time, no rhythm required. There are several different kinds of Zumba classes, from Aqua Zumba workouts to classes like Zumba Toning that incorporate weights for additional calorie burning and strength training. There are even Zumba classes for kids. Working up a sweat in the 60-minute classes burns an average of 369 calories -- more than cardio kickboxing or step aerobics. You’ll get a great cardio workout that melts fat, strengthens your core, and improves flexibility.

Calorie and fat burning: At its

core, Zumba classes provide a large calorie burn through aerobic activity done with interval training in mind. The average person will burn around 600 to 1,000 calories in a Zumba class. With the classes choreographed to provide intervals of intensity in both pace of music and type of movements, class members’ energy expenditure is maximized for fat-burning benefits. Fitness moves are also incorporated within Zumba dances, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself moving from a fast merengue beat to a long, slow set of push-ups on the wall, or doing several sets of squats followed by plyometric jumps.

Improved coordination: By joining a Zumba class, you’ll definitely improve your coordination, which is extremely important to maintain as you grow older.

Full body workout: Zumba is both a dance class and a fitness class. Aside from its heart-health benefits, Zumba provides a workout for the whole body. From head and shoulder rolls that loosen up the neck and warm up the upper body, to footwork that strengthens and

stretches calves and ankles, this

fitness method touches on nearly every muscle and joint. Even those who are just learning the dance steps will find themselves waking up the day after a Zumba class with a definitive post-workout feeling.

Aerobic benefits: Zumba makes reaching your target heart rate much easier than standard workout routines you’d find on a DVD or in a gym. It does this by using songs that play around 145 beats per minute. This fast pace makes it feel natural to move around quickly. This will set you on the path to true aerobic exercise. If you are trying to build endurance, this is the best thing you can do for yourself. Exercising for prolonged periods at this rate can increase the strength of your heart.

Anaerobic benefits: Because Zumba’s music plays at a fast pace, moving to the beat of the music can start to build up your endurance after only a few workouts. It builds up your anaerobic endurance rather quickly. Overall, it’s most useful for helping to maintain a good cardiovascular respiratory system. It increases how much

oxygen you can breathe during a high-intensity event.

It gets you hooked on exercise: Workouts that feel like work are hard to get excited about. But Zumba is so enjoyable you actually want to keep coming back. It completely changes the idea of exercise because it’s something you really look forward to. It will keep you on a healthy routine!

Everyone can join in: Classes are offered at all levels, including standard Zumba, Zumba Gold for senior citizens, Zumba for kids and even Aqua-Zumba done in swimming pools. Because Zumba is based on music and dance, it seems to speak a universal language that people of all nations can related to. There is no large learning curve in a Zumba class, either. New participants may receive small-scale step rehearsals before some longer dances, but in most cases, first-timers can simply jump right into a class and follow along with the instructor.

Increased confidence: Thanks to all that dancing that a Zumba workout requires, you’ll lower your inhibitions, you’ll

improve your posture, you’ll have better coordination and you’ll feel good about yourself. These changes will reflect immediately on your mood and on your appearance. Someone who feels good also has greater confidence.

Mood boosting: Zumba is the perfect workout to take if you want to get rid of all that stress you accumulate during your every day. The upbeat moves specific to this type of workout favor the release of those mood-improving endorphins, and by joining a Zumba class, you’ll surely be able to feel your worries melt away as you lose yourself in the music.

It’s social: At a Zumba class, you’ll be able to meet and interact with interesting and fun people. You could go to this type of workout for at least two or three times per week and you’ll get to socialize and make a lot of new friends among your Zumba classmates. You can also bring your friends to the party — instructors host “Zumba parties” for corporate challenges, bachelorette parties and more.

Quick Tips:

Reverse tabletop leg lifts: Sit on the ground feet planted hips-width distance apart, hands behind you with fingers pointing towards your toes. Lift your butt off the floor coming into a “tabletop” position. Lift right leg off the ground, then left.

Plié squat: Stand with feet wider than hips-width distance apart, toes pointed slightly out. Lower into a squat.

Squat with alternating heel raise: At the bottom of your squat, raise your right heel, then left heel. Repeat.

Side plank clamshell: Get into a side plank, knees on the floor. With heels glued together, lift top knee, rotating leg open, then bring it back down again. Repeat on opposite side.

Quick Tips:

Ski jumps: Stand with feet shoulder width-apart, hands on hips. Hop to the right, bringing your left leg behind your right, then hop to the left and bring your right leg behind your left. Move arms forward and back as you jump to gain momentum.

Squat to press: While holding a squat, position arms like a goalpost, elbows bent to 90-degrees. Press arms straight up, and then bend them back to 90-degrees. Hold squat for the duration of the exercise.

Skip jacks: Skip forward, leading with your right leg, and then perform two jumping jacks. Skip forward, leading with

your left leg, then performs two jumping jacks. Repeat.

Day 1 – Monday:

Breakfast: Omelet with various vegetables, fried in butter or coconut oil.

Lunch: Grass-fed yogurt with blueberries and a handful of almonds.

Dinner: Cheeseburger (no bun), served with vegetables and salsa sauce.

Day 2 – Tuesday:

Breakfast: Bacon and eggs.

Lunch: Leftover burgers and veggies from the night before.

Dinner: Boiled Salmon with butter and vegetables.

Day 3 – Wednesday:

Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in butter or coconut oil.

Lunch: Shrimp salad with some olive oil.

Dinner: Grilled chicken with vegetables.

Day 4 – Thursday:

Breakfast: Omelet with various vegetables, fried in butter or coconut oil.

Lunch: Smoothie with coconut milk, berries, almonds and protein powder.

Dinner: Steak and veggies

Day 5 – Friday:

Breakfast: Bacon and Eggs.

Lunch: Chicken salad with some olive oil.

Dinner: Pork chops with vegetables

Day 6 – Saturday:

Breakfast: Omelet with various veggies.

Lunch: Grass-fed yogurt with berries, coconut flakes and a handful of walnuts.

Dinner: Meatballs with vegetables

Day 7 – Sunday:

Breakfast: Bacon and Eggs.

Lunch: Smoothie with coconut milk, a bit of heavy cream, chocolate-flavoured protein powder and berries.

Dinner: Grilled chicken wings with some raw spinach on the side.

This is a sample meal plan for one week that supplies less than 50 grams of carbs per day.

Do your best to include a variety of vegetables in your diet. If you want to stay below 50g of carbs per day then you can safely have one

piece of fruit or some berries every day.Organic and grass-fed foods are best, but only

if you can easily afford them. Just make an

effort to always choose the least processed option within your price range.

How to Eat Healthy (Foods That Make You Feel Awesome)You should eat natural, unprocessed foods that humans are genetically adapted to eating. Research

shows that such foods are great for health

For healthy people who exercise and don’t need to lose weight, there is absolutely no proven reason to avoid tubers like potatoes and sweet potatoes, or healthier non-gluten grains like oats and

rice.

If you are overweight or have metabolic issues (low HDL, high LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, belly fat, etc.) you should restrict ALL high-carb foods

Meat: Beef, lamb, pork, chicken, etc. Humans have eaten meat for hundreds of thousands of years.

Unprocessed meat is good for you, especially if the animals ate natural foods (like beef from grass-

fed cows). Fish: Fish is great. Very healthy, fulfilling and rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and other

nutrients. You should eat fish (preferably fatty fish like salmon) every week. Eggs: Eggs are among

the most nutritious foods on the planet. The yolk is the most nutritious and healthiest part. Omega-3

eggs are best. Vegetables: Contain fiber and many nutrients that are essential for the human body.

Eat vegetables every day. Fruit: Increase variety, taste good, are easy to prepare and rich in fiber

and Vitamin C. They’re still pretty high in sugar, so eat in moderation if you need to lose weight. Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc. Rich in various nutrients, but very high in

calories. Eat in moderation if you need to lose weight. Potatoes: Root vegetables like potatoes and

sweet potatoes are healthy, but they’re still high in carbs. Eat in moderation if you need to lose

weight. High-Fat Dairy: Cheese, cream, butter, full-fat yogurt, etc. Rich in healthy fats and calcium.

Dairy from grass-fed cows will be rich in Vitamin K2, which is very important for health .Fats and Oils: Olive oil, butter, lard, etc. Choose saturated fats for high-heat cooking like pan frying, they are

more stable in the heat.

What to Drink?

Coffee: Coffee is healthy and very rich in

antioxidants, but people who are sensitive to

caffeine should avoid it. Avoid coffee late in the day

because it can ruin your sleep. Tea: Tea is healthy,

rich in antioxidants and has a lotless caffeine than

coffee. Water: You should drink water throughout

the day and especially around workouts. No reason

to drink whole ton though, thirst is a pretty reliable

indicator of your need. Carbonated soda without artificial sweeteners is fine. Avoid sodas with

sugar and artificial sweeteners, fruit juice, milk and beer. Simple rule: Don’t drink calories.

How Many Carbs Per Day?

This varies between individuals. Many people

feel best eating very little carbs (under 50

grams) while others eat as much as 150 grams,

which is still “low-carb.” You can use these

numbers as a guideline: 10-20 grams per day: Very low, can’t eat any carbs except low-

carb vegetables. Appropriate if you have a lot

of weight to lose or if you have diabetes and/or

the metabolic syndrome. 20-50 grams per day: If you need to lose weight fast. You can eat quite a bit of vegetables and one piece of fruit

per day.50-150 grams per day: If you want to achieve optimal health and lower your risk of

lifestyle-related disease. There is room for several fruit per day and even a little bit of healthy

starches like potatoes and rice. When you lower carbohydrates below 50 grams per day, you

can’t eat any sugar, bread, pasta, grains, potatoes and a maximum of one fruit per day . Warning For Diabetics: Carbs in the diet are broken down into glucose in the digestive tract, then they

enter the body as blood sugar. If you eat less carbs, you will need less insulin and glucose-

lowering drugs.It is very dangerous if your blood sugar drops below a certain level

(hypoglycemia). If you have diabetes, consult with your doctor before reducing carbohydrate

intake.

Consume in Moderation These indulgences can be enjoyed from time to time. Dark Chocolate: Choose organic chocolate with 70% cocoa or more. Dark chocolate is rich in healthy fats and antioxidants. Alcohol: Choose dry wines and drinks that don’t contain added sugar or carbs: vodka, whiskey, etc.

What NOT to Eat (Foods That Make You Sick And Fat)

You should avoid the following foods as if your life depended on it (it does). Sugar: Added sugar is addictive, highly fattening and a leading cause of diseases like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease Grains: Avoid grains if you need to lose weight, including bread and pasta. Gluten grains (wheat, spelt, barley and rye) are the worst. Healthier grains like rice and oats are fine if you don’t need to lose weight. Seed- And Vegetable Oils: Soybean oil, corn oil and some others. These are processed fats with a high amount of Omega-6 fatty acids, which are harmful in excess. Trans Fats: Chemically modified fats that are extremely bad for health. Found in some processed foods. Artificial Sweeteners: Despite being calorie free, observational studies show a massive correlation with obesity and related diseases. If you must use sweeteners, choose Stevia. “Diet” and “Low-Fat” Products: Most of these “health foods” aren’t healthy at all. They tend to be highly processed and loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners. Agave syrup is just as bad as sugar. Highly Processed Foods: Foods that are highly processed are usually low in nutrients and high in unhealthy and unnatural chemicals.

You MUST read ingredient lists. You’ll be surprised at the amount of “health foods” that can contain

sugar, wheat and other nasty ingredients.

Middle Eastern Rice SaladThis 20-minute dish, which works equally well as a side or a stand-alone meal, is filled to the brim with nutritious ingredients. When it comes to fat burning, though, they're all outshined by the chickpeas.

Just one half-cup of these hearty beans—a staple of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine—contains more than 2 grams, and enough protein and fiber to fill you up without weighing you down.

Try this recipe: Middle Eastern Rice Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 380

Fat per serving: 9g

Saturated fat per serving: 1g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 5.5g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 1g

Protein per serving: 8g

Carbohydrates per serving: 67g

Fiber per serving: 8g

Cholesterol per serving: 0mg

Sodium per serving: 360mg

Resistant starch per serving: 4.1g

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 Vidalia or other sweet

onion, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)

1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper 3 cups cooked brown rice 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint 1/4 cup chopped fresh

parsleyPreparation

1. Heat oil in a large non stick skillet over

medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook,

stirring often, about 5 minutes or until onion

begins to brown. Remove from heat, and stir

in chickpeas, cumin, and salt. Season to taste

with freshly ground black pepper.

2. Combine rice, onion-chickpea mixture,

dates, mint, and parsley in a large bowl. Toss

well until thoroughly combined. Serve warm

or at room temperature.

Curried Egg Salad SandwichEggs are an ideal food for dieters. They're tasty, low in calories (about 80 per egg), and filled with satisfying protein that helps curb cravings. In fact, it's a shame to eat them only at breakfast.

This egg salad recipe, a zesty twist on a classic, offers a healthy new way to work eggs into lunchtime. The low-fat Greek yogurt used in place of mayo dials down the fat and calories, while the curry powder provides a jolt of antioxidants.

Try this recipe: Curried Egg Salad Sandwich

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 1 sandwich

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 410

Fat per serving: 14g

Saturated fat per serving: 4g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 5g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 2g

Protein per serving: 22g

Carbohydrates per serving: 51g

Fiber per serving: 8g

Cholesterol per serving: 425mg

Sodium per serving: 870mg

Resistant starch per serving: 1.8g

Ingredients

2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

2 tablespoons plain Greek-style low-fat yogurt

2 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper

1/4 teaspoon curry powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 2 slices rye bread, toasted 1/2 cup fresh spinach 1 orangePreparation1. Combine eggs, yogurt, bell pepper, curry powder, salt, and pepper, in a small bowl; stir well.2. Place spinach on rye bread, top with egg salad, and serve the orange on the side.

Dark Chocolate & Oat ClustersYes, desserts can help burn fat too! These tasty clusters offer up two appetite-suppressing ingredients: The oatmeal contains 1.7 grams of resistant starch, and the dark chocolate is full of healthy fats to help curb cravings.

Peanut butter—the glue that holds the clusters together—also provides satiating protein. The result? One satisfying and guilt-free treat.

Try this recipe: Dark Chocolate & Oat Clusters

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 160

Fat per serving: 8g

Saturated fat per serving: 3g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 3.5g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 1.5g

Protein per serving: 5g

Carbohydrates per serving: 19g

Fiber per serving: 3g

Cholesterol per serving: 0mg

Sodium per serving: 40mg

Rs per serving: 1.7g

Ingredients

2 tablespoons peanut butter 2 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oatsPreparation1. Heat peanut butter, milk, and chocolate chips in a saucepan over low heat 3 minutes or until chips melt.2. Stir in oats. Remove from heat.

3. With a spoon, small ice cream scoop, or melon baller, drop 8 ball-shaped portions on a wax paper−lined baking sheet. Let set in fridge 10 minutes.