Exercise is crucial not only for weight loss but for a longer, happier and healthier life. Before you start sighing and going on to the next post just wait a minute . . .
I too was an exercise hater but now I am an exercise convert. I have seen the light you might say. It’s obvious that to get the most out of this life (and you only have one) exercise is going to have to play a part. BUT it doesn’t have to be awful. It doesn’t have to be a chore. It doesn’t have to mean the same thing day in, day out.
I’ve put together some interesting info and tips about exercise for weight loss so that you can see the benefits and perhaps take a step towards a thinner and happier you. Hey you never know - you might just enjoy it 
1. Studies show that regular low-intensity exercise can reduce sleepiness by 65 percent and increase energy by 20 percent. Try and do some form of exercise everyday even if it’s just a walk around the block each morning.
2. If you suffer from neck pain hitting the weights can help. A study reported that people who strength trained their back and neck 3 times a week over 10 weeks decreased the pain by 70 percent. Try and aim for 30 minutes of strength training every second day. I like to alternate cardio and strength.
3. If you are doing weights at the gym skip rope for 1 minute in between sets and you can nearly DOUBLE the calories you burn! Skipping is a great activity even at home as a bit of cardio or a warm up.
4. Some yoga goers say that it improved their libido. This may be because the poses work on all body systems but the added confidence you’ll have as your body slims down will also see your drive returning fast. Try Bikram Yoga for a yoga that burns calories too.
5. Strength training can burn more calories than cardio because muscle continues to burn fat even when you’re not working out. Instead of burning yourself out with cardio everyday try out strength training - it works!
6. By doing exercise that raises your heart rate several times a week you can increase the amount of calories your body burns everyday by over 100 calories/day. Imagine how much easier it will be to lose weight if your body is burning even more calories by itself.
7. An hour of belly dancing can burn 250 calories. This is a great, fun way to exercise and meet people.
8. Your sleeping patterns will affect your exercise success. Your body will work best with 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night especially if you get in a pattern of going to bed at the same time each night.
9. Use the "Talk Test" to see if you are in the training heart rate zone. You should be breathing heavier than normal but still be able to carry on a conversation relatively normally.
10. Increasing the elevation on the treadmill instantly burns more calories - and often you can hardly tell!
11. Book in a time each day for exercise. If you have a time allocated then it’s much harder to talk your way out of it. Book in a quiet time when you won’t be likely to get busy.
12. Adding music to your workout to make the time go past much faster and distract you from any discomfort.
13. Take it slow especially if you haven’t exercised in awhile. Start with what you can and work up from there in 15 minute increments.
14. Make a commitment for 30 days. Decide to commit yourself to exercising every day for 30 days and focus on that goal. By the time you get to 30 days it will be a habit you won’t even think twice about.
15. Mix your exercise regime up. There is nothing that will kill motivation more than doing the same thing day in day out. Try different types of cardio. Swim one day, run one day, dance on day, play tennis one day . . . You get the gist.
16. I often talk about the benefits of working out with a friend. This increases accountability - you can hardly not show up if they’re waiting there for you! Plus it makes the workout more fun.
Here are some of my favourite cardio exercises:
* Treadmill on incline
* Fast walk with my dog or mp3
* Beach walk
* Tennis
* Swimming (lengths)
* Interval training alternating jogging and walking
* Dancing (this mostly takes place in my living room hehe)
My daily exercise:
I try to have a short walk each morning with my boyfriend. I find it wakes me up and gets me ready for the day. We also get the chance to bounce ideas of each other which seem to be flowing well in the morning.
I then do a cardio or strength training session at night around 5:30pm. I alternate one night each at the moment since I’m doing Valerie’s Red Carpet Ready program
Hope you’ve enjoyed these tips and that at least one of them has struck a chord with you.