HealthyLife Articles

Category: Fitness

Burn Calories Without Trying

BE FIT

When you’re not exercising, you can still burn extra calories! Use little ways to get more fit every day.

Don’t make things convenient.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park farther away from your destination and walk. Use your bike instead of a car for quick grocery store runs. Put your favorite snack foods in the basement, rather than on the main floor near the TV.

Get up.

Take a short break every hour if you sit at a desk. Get up, move your arms and legs or even do a few jumping jacks. Use a hands-free headset so you can get up and walk or lift weights while you’re on the phone. Have a meeting? See if you can stand during part of it or even have a walking meeting.

Sneaky exercises.

Do some isometric exercises if you sit a lot. Try squeezing your glute muscles and knees together for eight counts, holding for five seconds then release. Do this every couple of hours.

Move whenever you can. Walk in place instead of standing still.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Get Into Zone 2

BE FIT

Zone 2 is one of the five cardiac heart rate zones, ranging from 1 (gentle warm-up) to 5 (maximum effort). In zone 2, your heart rate is moderately elevated, but you’re not out of breath.

Zone 2 exercise is beneficial because it strengthens the heart and lungs. This makes your body more efficient, capable, and energetic. Here’s how to get started with zone 2:

* Calculate your zone 2 heart rate range.

– 220 – age = MAX heart rate.

– Zone 2 is 60-80% of your max.

– MAX heart rate x 0.6 and 0.8 = zone 2 range.

* Choose an aerobic activity you enjoy, such as walking, jogging, biking, swimming, or rowing.

* Wear a heart rate monitor and get started.

* Once your heart rate reaches zone 2, adjust your intensity to stay in that range.

* Aim for 30 minutes to 1 hour of zone 2 training several times each week.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Tips For Exercise After Knee Replacement

BE FIT

After a knee replacement, you may want to get back on your feet. Follow these tips when you’re ready to exercise again:

* Ask your doctor before you try any new exercise.

* Continue to do the exercises your doctor or physical therapist prescribed.

* Consider swimming, biking and walking, as they’re easy on the knees.

* Limit or avoid high-impact exercise like running, skiing or racquetball.

Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Be Mindful Of…Inspired Fitness

Fitness

We all know exercise is good for us, but sometimes we need something more to get us up and moving. How about finding a cause that speaks deeply to you – breast cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, mental health, etc. There’s likely a fitness-related fundraiser in your area to benefit a worthy cause along with inspiring you to reach your fitness goals.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Find Your Fitness Personality

Fitness

Body type isn’t the only trait that determines which activities are best for you, though. You’ve probably already given some thought to what you’d like, based on whether you prefer to do activities alone or in a group; competitive or noncompetitive activities, or outdoor or indoor activities.

Finding a fitness activity that suits your personality is also a big factor in how much you’ll enjoy exercise and stick with it long enough to reap the benefits. Do any of the following descriptions of fitness personalities sound like you? If so, read the “hint for success” that pertains to each one.

The Weekend Warrior

The weekend warrior is sedentary throughout the work week and binges on exercise or sports over the weekend. Hint: Add minimal activity (even as little as 15 minutes twice per week) during the week to help condition your heart and lungs, sustain muscular endurance, and prevent strains or injuries on the weekend.

The Fanatic

The fanatic thinks that if a moderate exercise is good, then a lot is better. He or she always tries to work out a little more, a lot harder, or more intensely than others, and feels anxious and irritable if he or she misses a workout. Hint: Fitness should be a pleasure, not an addiction or ball and chain.

The Social Butterfly

The social butterfly has difficulty sticking with a solo fitness program, and loves to chat and mingle with other participants in a group. Hint: Don’t always depend on group activities or other people to enable you to meet your fitness goals. Be willing to go it alone if you must.

The Cannonball

The cannonball jumps into a fitness program with a burst of energy and determination but loses enthusiasm a few weeks later. Hint: Don’t try to do too much, too soon, or you’ll probably burn out after 2 or 3 weeks. It takes 10 to 12 weeks to start to see the results of your efforts.

The Flipper

The flipper dabbles in one activity, then quickly abandons it for another, and is related to the cannonball. Sometimes he or she may remain inactive for long intervals between flurries of activity. Hint: Real fitness results from consistent efforts, over the long term.

The Analyst

The analyst loves exercise gadgets and equipment. He or she reads lots of fitness books and magazines and likes to talk about the benefits of exercise. Hint: This is not a problem if you actually pursue the activities you’re learning about. But remember, the important thing is to get out and move.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Ready, Set, Goal

Fitness

Set short-term & long-term fitness goals.

If you haven’t exercised for years, the odds that you will run a marathon soon are against you. Not that you can’t do it, if you start training now. However, a better motivator might be to set short-term goals that allow you to build up strength and endurance to get what you ultimately want.

Ready

Just saying you want to exercise more isn’t enough. Be specific about how much exercise you want to do, how much time you plan to spend on it, and how you will measure your results.

Set

Set a specific long-term goal. For example, “Within six months, I want to compete in a 15-mile walk,” or “In three months, I will be able to walk for 60 minutes a day, six times a week.”

Next, set the short-term goals that will get you there. For example, walk 15 minutes a day, three times a week, for two weeks. Then increase your walking times and the number of days you walk until you reach your goal.

Goal

Before you know it, you’ll feel proud that you reached your short-term goal. And you’ll feel better and have more energy!

Use SMART tips for setting goals

* Specific – Know what, why, and how you are going to accomplish your goals.

* Measurable – What tools will you use to measure your successes? Inches lost? Better stamina?

* Attainable – Choose goals within your reach. Setting sights too high can become discouraging.

* Realistic – Do you have the skills, the ability and an OK from your doctor to reach these goals?

* Timely – Set a timeframe for each goal. Some you can achieve in two days. Others will take two weeks or two months.

Action Step

As you meet your short-term goals, reward yourself with anything that promotes your progress, such as a new pair of shoes.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Working In Exercise While At Work

Fitness

Move more, even when you sit.

Chances are you don’t have one of those newfangled treadmill desks in your office. That shouldn’t stop you from adding exercise into your work schedule. If you get breaks, use them to march up and down the stairs or walk around the building a few times. Or, go into an empty conference room and pound out some pushups. While you probably won’t get enough of a workout for one day’s needs, short stints of exercise add up.

Don’t just stand there.

Waiting for the coffee to brew? Burst into a 60-second aerobic routine that includes side stepping or marching in place. Or, squat and stand as the copy machine spits out your papers. And, perhaps just to freak out co-workers, strike a warrior pose in the break room. See if you can hold it for a minute without talking (or laughing).

Do sitting-down-on-the-job exercises.

From a seated position, you can:

* Tighten your abs and buttocks with periodic squeezes.

* Push shoulder blades toward each other and hold to stretch your back.

* Stretch both arms over your head. Reach, reach, reach.

* Extend your legs in front of you and hold.

* Extend your legs, than draw your knees to your chest. Repeat and feel the burn in your abs.

* Turn your head to the left, torso to the right, hold. Repeat on the other side.

* Extend your arms straight out and move them slowly around in smaller to larger circles, forward then backward.

* Place both hands on your chair arms and slowly lift your bottom.

Action Step

Put a sticky note in your workspace that reminds you to stretch, bend, and move throughout your workday. Use exercise options offered to you at work.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Compression Socks: A Fitness Friend?

BE FIT

Some athletes use compression socks during their exercise or sports activities. They look like tights, knee-high socks or sleeves that go over the calves.

Compression socks are not new. They have been used for years to help with leg pain, swelling, blood clots and varicose veins. They work by gently squeezing the legs to help move blood upward.

But do they help with exercise performance?

Lack of evidence for exercise performance

While compression socks aren’t usually harmful, they’re not proven to be helpful for exercise. Studies have not found that compression socks help a person’s athletic ability.

Still, there may be some benefit to using them if your doctor says it’s okay. Some evidence suggests that compression socks may help slightly with exercise recovery. A review of several small studies found that for some people, compression socks could help with muscle soreness. But, because these results haven’t been proven in large studies, it’s too early to say whether they will work for most people.

Some people enjoy the feeling of pressure on the legs. They may feel that it helps them exercise longer. If that’s the case, compression socks can be a good way to help you stay active.

Using compression socks

If you’re interested in compression socks, ask your doctor about them. They can help with:

* Legs that feel achy or heavy

* Swelling in the feet or legs from standing or sitting for long hours

* Pain from varicose veins

* Preventing blood clots, especially after surgery or for people who can’t move around easily. This could be after an injury or for people who have an illness that requires them to be in bed for long periods.

Some compression socks are tighter than others. Your doctor can give you a prescription for them, or you may purchase them online. Ask your doctor how long you should wear them, and what to do if you find the socks uncomfortable.

Sources: British Journal of Sports Medicine, Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Get Moving To Boost Your Immunity

BE FIT

Exercise provides so many health benefits. Recent research now adds strengthening the immune system to the list. Here are three ways exercise can help fight infections and prevent you from getting sick.

* Regular bouts of moderate to high-intensity exercise reduce inflammation in the body. Lower levels of inflammation are linked to a decreased risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

* Exercise supports the healthy bacteria in the digestive tract. These bacteria, called the microbiome, make up about 70% of your immune system.

* Consistent physical activity may prevent the decline in immune function that is common as people age. Being active keeps the body’s defense system in peak condition.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Tips For Joining A Gym

BE FIT

A gym can be a great option if you like to work out indoors, but out of your house. And they can help you beat boredom if they offer classes and a variety of equipment. Before you join a gym, keep these things in mind:

Ask the right questions

The gym staff should allow people to visit and check it out before signing a contract. See if the equipment is clean and well-maintained. You should also ask:

* Do you have a membership limit? If they allow unlimited members, the gym could get very crowded at peak times. This could mean waiting in line to use equipment or full classes.

* Do classes cost extra? Some gyms include classes. Others charge a fee.

* Who are your instructors? Ask if the gym staff, teachers and trainers have fitness backgrounds.

Pricing it out

Many gyms have you sign a monthly or yearly contract. Think about how many times per week you will go to the gym. Then divide it up and see how much you will pay each time you work out.

Find out if you are locked into a long-term contract. What is their cancellation policy?

Good health is worth the cost of the gym – but only if you use it!

YMCAs often have discounted programs for seniors that may be covered as a Medicare benefit at no cost.

Check out reviews

Before signing up, search reviews of the gym on the Internet. See what others have to say about the gym’s staff, facilities and equipment.

This is a good way to get some insider information before you move forward. And don’t let them pressure you into joining before you’re ready. Tell them, “I need to think about it” if you’re not sure yet. Then sleep on it for a day or two and check reviews – before you decide.

Source: Federal Trade Commission

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026