Fitness For Dummies^® , 2nd Edition

by Suzanne Schlosberg; Liz Neporent

• ISBN13: 9780764528064
• ISBN10: 0764528068
• Format: eBook
• Copyright: 2001-03-01
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

In the exercise world, there's something new in equipment, research, gadgets, videos, and Web sites just about every day. Health clubs are offering innovative new classes like cardio kickboxing and firefighter boot camp, and nifty new machines, like the elliptical trainer. Meanwhile, scientists have published scores of new studies suggesting that exercise may, among other things, improve memory, reduce the risk of breast cancer, and give you a mood boost.Fitness For Dummies, 2nd Edition, updates you on all the latest - the good, the bad, and the totally weird. But the central mission of this book is to tackle your fears, whether you worry that operating a stairclimber requires a degree in mechanical engineering or fret that no matter what exercise routine you start, sooner or later you'll end up back in the recliner. This book is for anyone who wants to Set realistic fitness goalsAnalyze your eating habitsMaximize your cardio workoutDemystify strength equipmentC hoose a health clubThis down-to-earth guide tells you the stuff you really want to know, such as: Will you burn more fat if you exercise at a slower pace?Which brands of home exercise equipment are most reliable?Can you actually become "Rock Solid in 6 Weeks," like the magazines say?Which weight training exercises are best for beginners?What the heck is Pilates, and how do you pronounce it?How many days a week do you really need to work out?How can you tell if a fitness trainer is qualified?Will exercise ever be fun?Don't become a fitness statistic. The fact is, among people who start an exercise program, half quit within eight weeks. Fitness For Dummies, 2nd Edition, presents strategies for making exercise a habit and explains the basics of healthy eating so that you steer clear of fad diets and useless supplements. This book gives you the knowledge and motivation to stick with fitness for the rest of your life.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
About This Book	p. 1
Conventions Used in This Book	p. 2
Foolish Assumptions	p. 2
How This Book Is Organized	p. 3
Icons Used in This Book	p. 6
Where to Go from Here	p. 6
Getting Your Butt off the Couch	p. 7
Fitness 101: Getting the Scoop	p. 9
Yes, This Class Has Tests	p. 9
Choosing Your Weapon	p. 10
Stretching Your Mind (and Body)	p. 11
What Are You Eating?	p. 12
At Home or at the Gym - Choosing What's Best for You	p. 12
Special Exercises for Special People	p. 13
Testing Your Fitness	p. 15
What's Your Health History?	p. 16
What's Your Heart Rate?	p. 17
What's Your Blood Pressure?	p. 17
How Fit Is Your Heart?	p. 18
How Much of You Is Fat?	p. 19
How Strong Are You?	p. 25
How Flexible Are You?	p. 28
Your Fitness Test Results	p. 31
Establishing Your Plan of Attack	p. 33
Setting Goals	p. 33
Finding Ways to Reward Yourself	p. 36
Writing Everything Down	p. 36
Making Exercise a Habit	p. 40
Hiring a Trainer	p. 45
Five Smart Reasons to Hire a Trainer	p. 45
Weeding Out the Poseurs	p. 46
Knowing a Quality Trainer When You See One	p. 53
Getting the Most out of Your First Training Session	p. 54
Being the Best Client You Can Be	p. 55
Enjoying Total-Body Health: Eating Well and Staying Injury-Free	p. 57
This Doesn't Have to Happen to You: Avoiding Common Injuries	p. 59
Taking Care of Common Injuries	p. 59
RICE, RICE Baby	p. 67
The Scoop on Stretching	p. 69
Why You Need to Stretch	p. 69
Before, After, During? Knowing When to Stretch	p. 70
Following a Few Rules of Stretching	p. 71
A Simple Stretching Routine	p. 71
Finding Alternative Ways to Stretch	p. 79
Nutrition Basics	p. 85
Control Your Calories	p. 86
Get the Skinny on Fat	p. 87
Choose Your Carbs Carefully	p. 89
Get Enough Protein, but Don't Fall for High-Protein Propaganda	p. 91
Analyze Your Eating Habits	p. 92
Follow a Food Pyramid	p. 93
Fuel Up for Your Workouts	p. 97
Drink Lots and Lots of Fluids	p. 99
Don't Waste Money on Useless Supplements	p. 101
Getting to the Heart of the Matter	p. 103
Cardio Crash Course	p. 105
Two Cardio Rules That You Can't Break	p. 105
How Hard Do You Need to Push?	p. 108
How Much Do You Need to Do?	p. 115
Following a Cardio Plan for Good Health	p. 116
Following a Cardio Plan for Weight Loss	p. 117
Following a Cardio Plan to Maximize Your Fitness	p. 121
Giving It a Rest	p. 124
Using Cardio Machines	p. 127
Can You Trust Those Calorie Counters?	p. 128
Combating Boredom on Aerobic Machines	p. 129
Exercising in the Great Indoors	p. 132
Exercising Outdoors	p. 147
Walking	p. 147
Running	p. 149
Bicycling: Road and Mountain	p. 151
In-Line Skating	p. 154
Swimming	p. 156
Snowshoeing	p. 158
Lift and Curl: Building a Stronger Bod with Weights	p. 161
Why You've Gotta Lift Weights	p. 163
Five Important Reasons to Pick Up a Dumbbell	p. 163
Building Muscle: Myths and Reality	p. 166
Your Muscles: Love 'Em or Lose 'Em	p. 171
Shoulders	p. 174
Back	p. 176
Chest (the Pectorals)	p. 179
Arms	p. 180
Abdominals	p. 183
Butt and Hips	p. 185
Legs	p. 188
Demystifying Strength Equipment	p. 191
Weight Machines	p. 191
Free Weights	p. 196
Cable Pulleys	p. 201
Tubes and Bands	p. 202
Your Body	p. 203
Designing a Strength-Training Program	p. 205
The Building Blocks of a Weight Workout	p. 205
All about Abs	p. 213
A Simple Functional Workout	p. 214
Cardio-Strength Workouts: Getting the Best of Both Worlds	p. 237
Circuit Training for Fitness and Fun	p. 239
Setting Up Stations and Knowing Which Exercises to Do	p. 239
Moving through Sample Stations	p. 246
Putting the Stations Together into a Circuit	p. 247
All about Yoga: Mind and Body	p. 249
Knowing Your Asana from Your Elbows	p. 249
Finding a Yoga Style That's Right for You	p. 250
Taking Yoga Classes	p. 251
A Yoga Routine	p. 252
Pilates: Sculpting and Strengthening	p. 259
Understanding How Pilates Works	p. 259
Finding a Class or Instructor	p. 260
Looking at a Some Pilates Exercises	p. 262
Conquering the Gym (Even at Home)	p. 265
Health-Club Primer: Getting the Most Out of Your Gym	p. 267
Should You Join a Health Club?	p. 268
Knowing How to Judge a Gym	p. 269
Braving the Gym Alone	p. 276
Health-Club Etiquette: The Unwritten Rules	p. 278
A Classroom Code of Conduct	p. 282
Choosing an Exercise Class or DVD	p. 283
Why Take a Class?	p. 284
Choosing from Among All the Exercise DVDs	p. 294
Designing a Home Gym	p. 303
Planning Your Exercise Space	p. 303
Equipment Shopping Tips	p. 305
Investing in Cardio Equipment	p. 307
Buying Strength Equipment	p. 316
Considering Flexibility Gadgets	p. 324
Exercising for All Ages and Stages	p. 327
Fit Pregnancy: Exercising for Two	p. 329
Understanding the Benefits of a Fit Pregnancy	p. 330
Working with Your Healthcare Provider	p. 331
Great Activities to Consider During Pregnancy	p. 332
Monitoring Your Prenatal Workout Routine	p. 335
Keep Exercising after the Baby Arrives	p. 338
Kids, Tweens, and Teens: Fun Activities for the Whole Family	p. 339
Getting Your Toddler Outdoors	p. 340
Finding Time with Your Preteen	p. 342
Connecting with Your Teenager	p. 344
Staying Active as You Age	p. 347
Keeping Yourself Young with Exercise	p. 347
Knowing Where to Begin	p. 348
Staying Safe	p. 351
The Part of Tens	p. 353
Ten Great Reasons to Break a Sweat	p. 355
You Reduce Your Risk of Medical Problems	p. 356
You Can Control Your Weight	p. 359
You Improve Your Looks	p. 360
You Gain Psychological Benefits	p. 360
You Enjoy Social Benefits	p. 361
You Improve Your On-the-Job Performance	p. 362
Your Family Benefits	p. 362
You Satisfy Your Competitive Urges	p. 363
You Have Fun	p. 364
You Enjoy Life More	p. 364
Ten Great Fitness Investments under $100	p. 367
A Water Bottle	p. 367
A Good Pair of Socks	p. 368
Stretching Mat	p. 368
Weightlifting Gloves	p. 369
A Workout Log	p. 369
PlateMates	p. 370
A Gym Bag	p. 370
A Heart-Rate Monitor	p. 371
A Personal Training Appointment	p. 371
A Massage	p. 372
Ten Fitness Rip-Offs	p. 373
Anti-Cellulite Products	p. 374
Metabolism Boosters	p. 374
Fat Blockers	p. 375
Effortless Exercisers	p. 375
Electronic Muscle Stimulation Machines	p. 375
Spot-Reducing Gadgets	p. 376
Weight-Loss Clothing	p. 376
Four-Minute Workouts	p. 377
Gym Cardio Machine Knockoffs	p. 377
Hand Weights	p. 378
Ten Ways to Stay Motivated	p. 379
Train for an Event	p. 379
Keep Your Goals in Plain Sight	p. 380
Work Out with a Club or a Team	p. 380
Work Out with a Buddy	p. 381
Join an Internet Fitness Community	p. 381
Test Your Fitness Regularly	p. 382
Mix Up Your Workouts	p. 382
Dress the Part	p. 383
Keep Yourself Entertained	p. 383
Read Success Stories	p. 384
Educating Yourself	p. 385
Sifting Through Scientific Research	p. 385
Look for context	p. 386
Consider the source	p. 386
Don't assume cause and effect	p. 387
Look for comparison groups	p. 387
Do some math	p. 387
Notice the length of the study	p. 388
Pay attention to the number of subjects	p. 388
Don't make too much of animal studies	p. 388
Recognize that people lie in surveys	p. 388
Fitness Magazines	p. 389
Check out specialty magazines	p. 389
Beware of sensational headlines	p. 389
Know that advertisers influence editorial copy	p. 390
Newspapers	p. 390
The Internet	p. 391
Index	p. 393
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.