FitTip

Why you should get your heart going before you exercise
In our time-crunched lives, it's easy to skip steps we feel aren't essential to our workouts, but forgoing a warm-up is never a wise move. Before you take an aerobics class or lift a single dumbbell, you should always warm up, say fitness experts. Why? Your muscles and joints needs time to loosen and limber up before participating in any fitness activity. When muscles are warm they're more pliable, which reduces your chance of injury. All it takes is a quick 5 to 10 minute brisk walk or slow jog-just until you break a light sweat and notice that you're breathing a little heavier than before.

The Fit Employee
If the last time you stood up to stretch was when you got out of bed this morning, needless to say, you're body could use some relief. Learn ways to keep yourself and your co-workers in top physical form.
In an effort to promote more physical fitness in the office environment, the National Association for Health and Fitness (NAHF) has designated May 17 as National Employee Health and Fitness Day. More than 3,500,000 employees participate each year, and now is the time for your office to get involved with an exercise program of its own.
Corporations need to recognize the importance of having healthy offices. There is more than just walking the stairs every day. It takes a conscious effort from management, policy and the office environment.
The goal of National Employee Health and Fitness Day is to encourage people in and out of the office to exercise at least 30 minutes per day for three days a week. In 1996, the U.S. Surgeon General's Office reported that this 30-minute workout can significantly reduce cardiovascular diseases and other health risks.
So how can your whole office get involved? By having fun when exercising. That can be achieved through office fitness games, morning stretches to music etc. Companies can hold annual health fairs and athletic competitions for the entire office, but remember to create a program that's conducive to every employee's abilities.
These are some ideas for promoting better physical health at the office:
Ask your managers or supervisors to be flexible regarding work hours so that employees can do some physical activity before work, during lunch or after work.
Encourage gentle stretching during work breaks throughout the day. Set the example for your employees and participate with them.
Pair up co-workers to be fitness buddies.
Plan a special weekend physical activity (away from the office, if possible) for employees and their friends and families.
Have a contest for your employees who keep a journal of their physical activities.
Encourage and reward employees to show or teach their favorite physical activities to their co-workers.
Create special opportunities during lunch or extended breaks so employees can "show off" their sport skills.
Create incentives for employees who use the stairs regularly instead of the elevator.
Provide incentives for employees who regularly park far away from the entrance to your company.

Fitness Fix: Stop Wasting Your Time!
(Circuit training will get your heart and body in better shape in half the time.)
Instead of separating cardio from strength training, why not combine them? Not only will you save time, but you’ll actually make your body work a lot harder and much more efficiently.
Circuit training is a set of exercises performed with little or no rest. This involves “stations” with either calisthenic movements (like sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, squat thrusts, and jumping jacks), cardiovascular sprints, or resistance exercise equipment (machines and free weights).
The stations are usually arranged so that different muscle groups are exercised in successive stations, thus allowing each muscle group to recover properly. The rest time between each station can be set up so you can maintain a heart rate of 60 per cent to 90 per cent of your maximum. This type of training will increase your endurance and burn way more calories.
Designing your own circuit routine
You can begin by picking three resistance exercises. For example, if you want to focus on your upper body, you could pick pulldowns, chest flys and military presses. Then pick three calisthenics movements or cardiovascular sprints. Alternate the weight exercises with the calisthenics and you’ve got a circuit. Typically you could go through a circuit two or three times in about 20 minutes.
Sample lower-body circuit
Stationary lunges: 15 repetitions on each leg
Push-ups: 15 to 25 reps
Plies: 25 reps
Jumping jacks: one minute
Butt Blaster: (or donkey kicks at home): 20 each leg
Treadmill run (or run in place at home): 1 to 2 minutes
Sample upper-body circuit
Dumbbell rows: 15-20 reps
Pull-ups: 15 reps
Deltoid lateral raises: 15 reps
Bicycle sprint: 1 to 2 minutes
Triceps extensions: 15-20 reps
Jumping rope: 1 to 2 minutes
You don’t have to circuit train every day. Pick two or three days. On the other days, you can do a cardio circuit or take a class. Keep it interesting. Remember, it’s all about intensity. You’re working half the time and you’ll be burning more calories and getting in better shape. Now you’ll have more time to do other things!

Staying Cool
(When the heat is rising, help your body adjust with these hot-weather workout tips).
If you plan on running, biking, hiking, inline skating, swimming or playing tennis outside during the summer months and your body is not used to the hot and humid weather, then you’d be wise to take some protective measures.
During the season of the sun, your body needs an adjustment period, just as when changing altitude. So you always want to start off with short and slow workouts and then gradually increase distance and speed over time.
Your body’s natural cooling system (it’s called sweating) will compensate for some of the heat, but you’ve got to help keep that system running. If you sweat, you need to replace it with water. Also, sweat is made up of electrolytes (mostly sodium and potassium) so if you sweat excessively, you need to replace it with a sports drink.
You want to be extra cautious if it is humid because it won’t allow sweat to evaporate. When the body cannot cool itself, then overheating occurs. Becoming dehydrated or overheated can cause cramping, heat exhaustion or heat stroke. The warning signs are cold clammy skin, dizziness, headache, nausea and even confusion.
Here are some specific hot-weather workout guidelines:
Constantly drink before, during and after your workout. If you wait until you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
If it is humid, do not work out outside or get into your pool to work out.
If you do not have access to a pool or an air-conditioned gym, bike or inline skate to get a breeze to help cool you off.
If you must run or play tennis, do it early in the morning when the air should help cool you off.
Here are some other ways to keep your cool:
Wear a hat.
Wear sunscreen.
Wear light colored clothing made with sweat-wicking fabric.
Always carry a water bottle with you.
If you are working out for more than an hour, replenish lost electrolytes with a sports drink.