Fitness Book

• Reduce the risk of premature death
• Reduce the risk of developing and/or dying from heart disease
• Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure
• Reduce high cholesterol or the risk of developing high cholesterol
• Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and breast cancer
• Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
• Reduce or maintain body weight or body fat
• Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints
• Reduce depression and anxiety
• Improve psychological well-being

With all this going for it, there is little excuse not to exercise. But the question remains – how can you get a workout that benefits the upper and lower parts of the body, as well as the all-important cardiovascular system?

If you’re exercising three times per week, the easiest way to ensure full-body fitness is to divide your week.

• One day, work on the upper body.
• On day two, engage the lower body.
• And on day three, get your blood pumping with some cardio.

Weight Lifting

Want a firm chest? Better posture? Slender upper arms that don’t droop? If you answered with a resounding yes, you will want to focus on your chest, biceps, triceps, and back.

American Family Physician, a peer reviewed medical journal, suggests the following do’s and don’t. Take a look at them, and reduce your chance for injury.

DOs

• Do use spotters when you try the major lifts. A spotter is someone who can help you with the weight in case you cannot lift it.
• Do keep your back straight when lifting.
• Do use proper lifting technique when moving weights around the room.
• Do wear shoes with good traction.
• Do make sure the equipment you use is in good condition.
• Do follow all of your gym's safety rules.

DON'Ts

• Don't hyperventilate (breathe in and out fast) or hold your breath when you lift heavy weights. You may faint and lose control of the weights. Breathe out when you lift or press.
• Don't continue lifting if you feel pain. Stop the painful exercise for a few days or try it with less weight. Put an ice pack on your body where the pain occurs for 20 minutes at a time, three or four times a day.
• Don't lift weights if you are light-headed. Stop your workout and start again the next day.
• Don't exercise any set of muscles more than three times a week.
• Don't "cheat" on your technique to lift heavy weights.
• Don't lift heavy weights without spotters.
• Don't lift more than you know you can lift safely.
• Don't lift barbells without putting safety clips on the bar. Without safety clips, the weight plates can slide off of the bar and land on the floor or on your feet.

Cardiovascular

Getting your blood pumping through your body has cleansing benefits. And doing it once a week won’t overload your schedule or overtax your body. Here are some tips for taking care of yourself.

• Start your cardiovascular routine off slowly. If you push yourself too hard, not only do you risk injury, but you will be less likely to keep to your routine. No one likes to wake up with sore muscles, and if you begin too ambitiously, this may turn you off exercising completely. One the same note, give yourself time to recover if you did overextend.
• If you’re exercising for weight loss, eating too little food can be dangerous. Be sure to give yourself enough calories to sustain you. And be sure to drink water constantly: before, during, and after your workouts. Dehydration can lead to serious problems.
• Mix up your routine every once in a while. Sign up for a new kind of class at the gym. Try walking in different places, at different speeds. Try out a sports team, or pick up the occasional basketball game. Too much repetition in the same ways can cause injury. Also, to continually reach new levels of fitness, you don’t want to plateau in one endeavor.

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