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Look: Fit for Life: Don't Give Up on Gym Just Yet

Posted on: Wednesday, 30 March 2005, 12:00 CST

WE ARE now a quarter of the way into 2005 and, by now, our New Year resolutions should be well underway.

But latest research shows that, by the end of this month, almost half of all people who made a resolution t o get fit will have given up.

It seems that people who have been attending the gym on a regular basis do not believe their workouts are making any difference to their bodies.

So here are some tips to help keep you motivated: Imagine a scale of one-to-10 where one is lying down and 10 is the hardest thing you have ever done. Aim to work your body between levels five and seven Always do weights after a quick warm u p but before your cardio exercise. This raises your metabolic rate which means you are already burning calories by the time you start on the rowing machine Ensure you do three sets of repetitions with your weights. Research has shown two sets provides only a .5% advantage over one set, while three gives a 4% advantage.

If you really cannot make it to the gym, sneak some tummy toning exercises into your time in the office: for 10 minutes every hour, pull your body away from the back of the chair and straighten up. Try to imagine there is wet paint on the back of your chair. This will really help to work those abs and also help to correct any slouching in your posture.

SO YOU have over indulged on the chocolate over Easter and are feeling very guilty about it.

Don't worry! Latest research by the International Journal of Obesity shows people who follow a consistent diet and indulge themselves only occasionally are those who have the least problem with their weight.

The findings suggest it is better to follow the 80:20 rule where you eat well 80% of the time and then treat yourself for the remainder.

It's all a question of knowing when to stop!

RESEARCH, carried out in Spain, found that women who drank a daily litre of water which was rich in sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride, lowered their cholesterol by 15% over two months.

It is thought the minerals and carbonation found in fizzy water may help your body metabolise cholesterol

Source: Liverpool Echo

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