Quick Tips, Provided by 'Work Out Smarter'

1. Your muscles need about 48-72 hours to recover between weight training sessions. Training the same muscles on consecutive days doesn’t give them a chance to rebuild and recuperate. If you want to train everyday, train different muscles on alternate days. Less is often more!

2. The muscle soreness that people sometimes feel 1-2 days after exercising is called “delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)”. The best way to limit this is to stretch after exercise while your muscles are still warm. As your muscles get stronger, the less likely you are to become sore after your exercise sessions.

3. Can muscle turn to fat when you stop weight training? No it can’t. Muscle and fat are completely different. When you stop training, muscle mass decreases as does metabolism. You burn fewer calories and if you don’t cut down the calorie intake, you’ll gain weight.

4. What is your goal through strength training? If it’s bulk, use a heavier weight with fewer reps (up to 8); if it’s tone, use a lighter weight with more reps (closer to 12); if it’s strength and you regularly use weights, increase the weight and make the last few reps difficult.

5. Recent research suggests that just one set of 8 to 12 repetitions can bring about modest improvements in muscle strength and body composition. However, the last two reps should be done to ‘muscle exhaustion’ i.e., the point where proper form is no longer possible.

6. Your internal and external oblique's are those that run diagonally along the side of your torso. You do work them when doing front-facing abdominal crunches but you can target them better by doing oblique crunches.

7. Need a boost? Set a new goal. Try to increase the speed, frequency or duration of your activity. Train for a marathon or an adventure challenge. How about taking a walk up some hills rather than sightseeing on the flat. If you’re unsure, ask a Zest personal trainer to help you determine appropriate goals.

8. Working out on your own can be tough sometimes. Having a Personal Trainer to show you the way and keep you company can make all the difference. Going to the gym provides a great social outlet. Having someone to motivate and direct is even better.

9. Recent studies have found that regular exercisers are less likely to suffer from the common cold (60-90% less) than their sedentary counterparts. However, heavy training programs such as those of elite athletes may increase cold symptoms.

10. Body weight can change 1-2 kgs from day to day. It can even change dramatically straight after a large meal. Also if you eat a meal high in sodium you’ll be carrying extra water for a short while. As hard as it is to fight the urge to weigh yourself, try to limit the ‘scales check’ to once a week. That way you’ll get a more accurate picture of your weight loss.

11. Studies have shown that dieters who eat breakfast lose more weight than those who don’t. Breakfast helps regulate the appetite throughout the day and prevents you from eating too much of the wrong foods out of desperation and hunger. You’ll also be inclined to do more activity and exercise if you have a constant supply of energy.

12. While fad diets may initially offer rapid weight loss, the result is too often temporary, leaving the dieter defeated, angry and often with a few extra kilos. Fad diets are just that—fads. The key to long-term weight loss is adopting a healthy lifestyle for life.

13. If you’re trying to get rid of those love handles, you need firstly to lose the layer of fat that’s covering the abs. Try these three steps: 1. eat fewer calories; 2. do more aerobic exercise to burn more calories; 3. strength train 2 or 3 times a week to increase metabolism.

14. Regular exercise is as important to a healthy heart as quitting smoking, lowering blood cholesterol and controlling blood pressure. What kind of exercise you do, isn’t as important as doing something several times a week, week after week, month after month and year after year.

15. When is the best time to exercise? Anytime. Simply find a routine that works for you and stick to it. Some say that late afternoon exercise can help release the stress of the day. Others like morning workouts because it energises them and promotes a sense of well being for the day. The secret is to develop a routine and make it a habit.

16. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day may reduce your chance of a heart attack. Researchers believe the water thins the blood and is absorbed quicker into the bloodstream preventing clogging of the arteries.

17. When choosing running shoes the most important thing is to buy a shoe that fits you well and not to buy them just because of advertisings claims or price. Make sure they have a wide enough toe box to accommodate your foot and that it’s not too short which can cause toenail damage. Try on several pairs and walk around the store to compare their fit and comfort levels.

18. Cardiovascular activity is great for increasing lung function especially in older adults. One of the reasons why lung function declines with age is due to degeneration of the vertebral disks, which changes the shape of the thoracic cavity. Aerobic activity strengthens the lungs, improves posture by opening up the chest and helps slow down the degeneration of the vertebral disks.

19. Cross Training is a great way to add variety to workouts, improve performance and stay motivated. If running is your preferred exercise, add biking, stepping, or group aerobic classes. It also helps guard against overuse injuries that can result from doing only one type of exercise.

20. Researchers in the UK have found that three brief sessions of aerobic exercise per week significantly reduced tension, anger and fatigue in women. This is one more study to suggest that exercise is the best and fastest way to beat depression.

21. Bored with your workouts? Try some music. Music can be uplifting, stimulating and motivating. It can bring back fond memories and put a smile on your face. Pump up the volume for inspiration and really get moving.

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23. Regular exercise is as important to a healthy heart as quitting smoking, lowering blood cholesterol and controlling blood pressure. What kind of exercise you do, isn’t as important as doing something several times a week, week after week, month after month and year after year.