Walking is MUCH batter than doing NOTHING! Summary: Walking is a simple and effective exercise for losing weight and improving fitness. It’s accessible, low-impact, burns calories, boosts mood, and can be integrated into daily life. This guide outlines a daily walking workout plan to help you slim down. Walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes will burn around  100-300 calories , depending on your weight. If you are heavier, you will burn more calories. Benefits of Walking: • Accessibility: Requires no special equipment or gym membership, just comfortable shoes. • Low-impact: Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, even if you have physical limitations. • Calorie burn: Helps create a calorie deficit for weight loss. • Mood improvement: Reduces stress and emotional eating. • Sustainability: Easy to incorporate into daily life for long-term fitness and weight management. Daily Walking Workout Plan: 1. Start Slow: • Begin with a 20-30 minute walk at ...

Before you start reading this, remember that age, injuries, disabilities all need to be accounted for.  Over the years, I’ve shared a lot of advice with clients, ranging from how to establish effective training habits, determining the right amount of protein intake, to optimizing strength training programs using techniques like progressive overload. But the tip I consider the most valuable for anyone interested in building strength and muscle is this: opt for free weights over machines when you’re at the gym. Here’s why I strongly advocate for free weights. Distinguishing Free Weights and Machines: Before diving into the benefits of free weights, let’s clarify the difference between free weights and machines. Free weights encompass items like barbells, dumbbells, and kettlebells, which allow you to move with a high degree of freedom during exercises. On the other hand, machines refer to pieces of equipment like the leg press, smith machine, or bench press machine, which are designe...

  You’re likely familiar with the benefits of lifting weights: gaining muscle, improving your strength, and even breaking a sweat. But slamming down heavy barbells isn’t for everyone. You may prefer the pace and technique of lower intensity strength-training modalities that use light dumbbells, such as Pilates and barre. But can you reach your full strength potential with low-weight, high-rep workouts?  “When it comes to strength training, nine out of 10 times, this term means lifting the heaviest weights you can in the gym,” says Sam Yo, a Peloton instructor. “But if you don’t want to go ‘full-on beast mode,’ using any load of weights to improve your strength can be beneficial compared to anyone who does nothing at all.” There’s a place for light weights in your strength routine, but there are limits on how effective they can be for building major muscle power. Here, we break down what this type of training is, its benefits, and how to incorporate it into your workout routine...

  What Are Shoulder Muscles? Every upper body action depends on strong and stable shoulders—whether one is reaching to put something on a high shelf, carrying groceries, lifting children or doing a number of other daily tasks. Certain professions and sports require even more strength, mobility and stability throughout this joint, such as baseball and softball players, basketball players, house painters or contractors, and even physical therapists and chefs. Think of the shoulder as a complex joint that requires a well-coordinated effort from specific muscles to move smoothly and maintain stability. The shoulder joint features three bones: the upper arm bone (humerus), the shoulder blade (scapula) and the collar bone (clavicle). Multiple muscles work together to move these bones and provide strength and functionality to the upper limbs, including: The rotator cuff muscles, which consist of four small muscles, help stabilize the shoulder but are commonly injured due to their location...

"Unlocking the Power of Strength Training in Defying Age-Related Physical Decline Picture this: You effortlessly climb a flight of stairs, carry heavy bags of groceries, or play with your children or grandchildren without breaking a sweat. As we age, these seemingly simple tasks can become increasingly challenging. However, by embracing physical fitness and health as a lifelong commitment, you can maintain your vitality and continue making cherished memories with your loved ones.  Muscle Loss and Its Impact on Health Age-related muscle loss is a natural part of the aging process, but it doesn't have to be inevitable. The term for this condition is 'sarcopenia,' and it typically becomes more noticeable in adults aged 60 and older. Sarcopenia is associated with increased risks of falling, cardiovascular disease, metabolic issues, and more. In a previous study, our team discovered that even healthy individuals with sarcopenia can face difficulties in nutrient delivery to ...

  Raise your hand if you regularly find yourself walking up a flight of stairs. What about carrying heavy bags of groceries? How about picking up your child or grandchild? Most of us would raise our hands to doing at least one of those weekly, or even daily. As people age, it can become more and more difficult to perform some physical tasks, even those that are normal activities of daily living. However, prioritizing physical fitness and health as you get older can help you go through your normal day-to-day routine without feeling physically exhausted at the end of the day. It can also help you continue to have special memories with your family and loved ones that you might not have been able to have if you weren’t physically active. For example, I ran two half-marathons with my dad when he was in his 60s! People can use resistance training to improve human performance, whether it be in sports and other recreational settings, in everyday life, or both. I am also a certified st...

Despite being one of the best strength exercises out there for your upper body, particularly your chest muscles, push-ups aren't the easiest. They're far from beginner-friendly, as they require solid core strength and upper body strength. Fortunately, this workout is completely floor-based, so you don't have to worry about doing any push-ups! All you'll need is a pair of dumbbells, or if you don't own a pair, you can create your own using two large water bottles. Keg bottles are the best as they come with a handle, but any bottle that's comfortable to hold will do. Alternatively, you can also use weight plates. This workout will take you no more than 25 minutes to complete and you've got five exercises to get through in total. For each exercise, you're going to complete 10 to 12 reps; take a 30 to 60 second break between each one, then repeat the workout two more times. Opt for a medium-weight dumbbell, avoiding anything too heavy. Here's your workou...

  What is a Sumo Squat?  A sumo squat is a compound exercise that’s a variation of a regular squat, with a wider stance than the normal squat. Whereas you would stand with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart on a traditional squat, you’ll widen your stance and turn your toes outward a little for a sumo squat.  You can do a barbell sumo squat, dumbbell sumo squat, or even use kettlebells, the smith machine, a sandbag, or even just your body weight.  Sumo Squat: Muscles Worked  The biggest advantage to this type of squat is that it works more muscles than the regular squat movement. Here’s what you’ll be working when you choose to squat with your feet wider than usual.  Primary Muscle Groups Targeted  Like conventional squats, the sumo squat places emphasis on the quadriceps and the glute muscles. But the wide stance sumo squat also catches the adductor muscles — a group of muscles on the inside of the thigh. 

  The three chest and shoulder exercises below form a giant set. A giant or cluster set means a combination of three or more exercises done together, back-to-back. Aim for maximum reps of wall walks in the first minute, then move straight to the dive bomber push-ups in the next. Finish with the decline push-ups in the third before taking a one-minute rest and beginning a new round. Try 4-5 rounds. EMOM (every minute on the minute): Minute 1: Wall walks Minute 2: Dive bomber push-ups Minute 3: Decline push-ups Minute 4: Rest Most of the best ways to build muscle without lifting heavier weights require getting the creative juices flowing. You could increase strength, build leaner muscle and improve muscular endurance by performing high reps of these three exercises with little rest.  But remember to warm up properly, stretch afterward and give your muscles recovery time between sessions.   1. Wall walks (Image credit: Getty/urbazon)The full-body exercise develops strong sho...

Coffee is more than just caffeine. New research published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience found measurable differences in the experiences of people who drank coffee versus a caffeine solution. The study included 83 participants. Forty-seven drank coffee, while 36 drank water with caffeine. All underwent MRI scans before and after consuming their beverage. Both groups showed decreased brain activity linked to resting state, indicating caffeine boosted energy similarly. But coffee drinkers had increased activity in areas involved in focus, attention, and memory—benefits not seen with caffeine alone. "The pleasure of morning coffee, part of an almost ritual, helps people feel ready for the day," explained study author Nuno Sousa of the University of Minho’s School of Medicine. This could explain why just making coffee perks me up, even before my first sip. On days I opt for a canned energy drink, I may feel more sluggish. Non-regular coffee drinkers may not experience th...