7 Pieces of Fitness Advice We Actually Want to Follow

There are a lot of voices shouting fitness tips from the rooftops, but not a lot of it is advice that we actually want to follow. Take, for example, the popular slogan among some fitness fanatics that says, "Unless you puke, faint, or die, keep going." If one more person tries to tell us we just have to run a marathon or try their favorite CrossFit box or take up barre classes, maybe we will just puke, faint, or die.
And while fitness (and diet, nutrition, sleep—heck, health, for that matter) is incredibly personal, and definitely not "one-size-fits-all," there are some pieces of advice that really might work for most of us (and certainly won't result in blood loss). Here are seven recommendations we find pretty easy to accept.

1. Just Do 20 Minutes
You don't have to be a marathon runner—and thank goodness. Just 20 minutes of daily activity, while not as effective as 40 minutes of exercise, has been shown to lower body weight and fat, increase fitness, and lower potential markers for type 2 diabetes risk.

2. Take Days Off
We're not saying slack off, but... yeah, okay, every once in a while, slack off! There are very good—and very scientific—reasons to take time off from training. Over-exercising can mess with everything from your muscles and joints to your menstrual and sleep cycles. Not to mention you could end up totally burnt out, seriously injured, or frustratingly stalled in your weight-loss efforts.

3. Find A Workout You Love
We repeat: You don't have to be a marathon runner! If there's one surefire way to continue dreading exercise, it's to force yourself to be active in a way that you don't enjoy. If you hate running or swimming or barre class or yoga, stop doing it! Shoparound until you find something you truly enjoy, whether it's CrossFit or Zumba or Pilates or softball or gardening, and then make it a habit.

4. Stop Doing Crunches
Let's settle this one once and for all: Crunches are not the path to six-pack abs. Research shows that we cannot spot reduce fat in the precise areas we'd like to (in this case, the stomach), no matter how many thousands of crunches we do. Not to mention, crunches are unnecessarily taxing on the spine. That doesn't mean ignore your abs: Core strength is essential to balance, stability, and power in your arms and legs. Just try something safer and more efficient, like a plank

5. Caffeinate
If you've been torn by debates over the health effects of caffeine, consider this: That jolt can give your stamina and endurance a boost, "making a long run or ride feel easier," sports dietitian Molly Kimball told SHAPE in an earlier post. Whether you prefer coffee or tea is up to you. Just go easy on the sweeteners, as sugar may negate the pick-me-up from the caffeine.

6. Sleep InIt's a classic conundrum: Both exercise and sleep are crucial, but if you get a lousy night's rest, do you still get up for that a.m. workout you had planned? Research is on our (sleepy) side here: Skimping on sleep to exercise may actually put your health at risk. "If you're short on sleep, you experience higher levels of inflammation and a decrease in the hormones that help you lose fat and stabilize your appetite," Ben Greenfield told HuffPost in February.

Plus, we know from daylight saving time research that losing just one hour of sleep increases your likelihood of dangerous side effects like car accidents, heart attacks, and workplace injuries. Permission granted to stay under the covers and feel good about it

7. Drink Chocolate MilkWe couldn't help but rejoice when we first heard the news that chocolate milk is a pretty solid combination of the carbs and protein your body needs while recovering from a workout. The sweet sip was long maligned for being high in sugar and fat, but recent research gives us permission to feel like a kid again. (In moderation, of course!)

http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/7-pieces-fitness-advice-we-actually-want-follow

5 Ways To Use Your Smartphone For Better Fitness

Smartphones bring the world to your fingertips. You can send and receive emails on the road, pay bills as you walk down the street, and play Angry Birds as you stand in line at the grocery store. But does being able to take these activities with you help your level of physical activity?

These types of activities — emailing, keeping up with friends on social media, and playing games — are typically thought of as sedentary behaviors. A recent Kent State University study of college students aimed to determine the relationship between mobile phone use and the level of activity and fitness of those with these devices.

Turns out that high-frequency cellphone users were more likely than other users to report forgoing opportunities for physical activity in order to use their cellphones for sedentary behaviors. It also appears that high levels of phone use indicated a broader pattern of sedentary behavior in addition to cellphone use, like watching TV. Researchers concluded that cellphones, despite being easy to use while on the move, may disrupt physical activities and reduce fitness.

Like many people, I’m guilty of zoning out and surfing the internet on my phone instead of, say, vacuuming. But the cell phone doesn’t have to be a fitness and activity killer. Indeed, you can use it to your advantage to be more fit! 

Here are a few ways to do just that!

Mobile Motivator
There really is an app for everything, whether you want a stopwatch, a Tabata timer, a virtual trainer, or somewhere to log your workouts. Use your screen time to remind you of your fitness goals, not as time to step away from them.

Count Your Steps
Pedometers are great at letting you know how much you move daily, so get a pedometer app and start logging your movement. Set a goal to get up to 10,000 steps a day.

Set An Hourly AlarmIf your job is sedentary, use your phone to set an hourly reminder to get up and move around the office and stretch your limbs. Just make sure to put it on vibrate so you don't annoy your coworkers every hour. 

Move It
If you do want to mindlessly surf the web or check Facebook, make it a point to move when you do. Whether you’re walking around the house, doing calf raises or a few squats, linking exercise to your cell phone use will have you exercising more and mindlessly checking your phone less.

Connect With Workout Friends
Use your phone to check in with a workout buddy. Whether you’re planning to meet up for a workout or you’re seeking a push to get to the gym, workout buddies can work wonders in keeping you accountable, and social media is a great way to keep in touch.

http://www.babble.com/body-mind/5-ways-to-use-your-phone-for-better-fitness/mobile-motivator/