Salsa and Soul Blog

A pedometer can be very effective in helping you loose weight. 5000 steps each day will help you shed pounds. That is not a realistic goal for everyone. Use a pedometer to see how many steps you currently take each day. Now increase it by 200 steps. Achieve that number daily. Set an intention to add another 200 steps each week.

Lying on your back, with knees bent and feet on floor, lift your hips off the floor. Keep hips, knees and ankles aligned. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths to strengthen gluteus (buns), and core. There should be no discomfort in neck. Carefully lower hips down, one vertebra at a time.

There are several areas to look at when designing or changing your exercise program to get better results.
1.Frequency – how often you exercise. 2.Intensity – how vigorously you exercise 3.Time – how long you exercise 4.Mode – the type of exercise you are doing.

Tight hamstrings can cause discomfort in your lower back. While sitting forward in your chair, lengthen on leg and press your heel into the floor. Keeping your shoulders back and chest lifted, lean forward from your waist until you feel a stretch. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths. Repeat on other side.

Tight hamstrings (muscles in the back of thighs) can contribute to low back discomfort. To stretch hamstrings, carefully bend at your hip while keeping your knees slightly soft. (Your knees should not be locked.) Try to keep the spine lengthened. Avoid rounding in the back. Take 3 to 5 breaths. Carefully roll up.

To strengthen upper body get into a pushup position and hold. Keep your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles in alignment. Keep shoulders broad. Keep hips from sinking toward the ground. You should feel your core muscles engaged. Hold up to 30 secs. Repeat 3 times. Work up to holding for 1 minute.

Decide to do a new thing and do it!

Strengthen stabilizing joints like hips, knees, and ankles, and core muscles which support the spine by working on balance. Put your weight on one leg. Visually focus on something in the room that is not moving. Breath and hold the posture for up to 30 seconds. Repeat on opposite leg.

Avoid eating meals two hours before bed to help lose or maintain weight.

Taking the stairs increases your heart rate and can be a great cardiovascular workout. Try climbing stairs for 5 minutes. Count the number of times you do it. Work toward increasing the time you spend climbing the stairs, i.e. to 10 minutes, and or the number of times you climb them.