exercise

Many of us find ourselves tied to a desk all day, and sitting in the same spot for eight hours at a time is hardly good for us (or our butts). Although it’s best to get up and move around multiple times during the day, when it’s crunch time that isn’t always possible.

Getting into a regular gym routine is essential to actualizing those weight-loss goals. But what happens when it gets a little boring doing the same old weight-training exercises and mastering those cardio machines? Don’t be afraid to spice up your regime by injecting some new and fun alternatives every now and then.

It’s the one kind of dimples that are less than adorable—cellulite. What exactly is it? As we age, we lose elasticity in our skin, which causes the fat cells directly under it to be more visible. As the fat cells push up against surrounding fibrous connective tissue, leading to the “orange peel” appearance of cellulite. As we gain weight, the fat cells tend to bulge more and rise to the surface. Men have cellulite as well, but it is less common and not as obvious, as men tend to have thicker skin.

Pregnancy is often difficult to bounce back from—but once you’ve finally welcomed your new baby and you start getting into a routine, it’s time to start thinking about getting back into your pre-baby shape. Remember to start slow. Your weight-loss goals are attainable, but like most difficult tasks, getting back to your natural shape will take some dedication and work. Start by integrating as much walking into your daily life as you can. Take the long way when possible, do a couple extra runs up and down the stairs, or take your baby out for walks.

Spot reduction—what a great concept—the idea that working a specific muscle group will also reduce the amount of fat in the specific area. This would mean that doing nothing but sit-ups will eventually give you that oh-so desirable flat stomach. Unfortunately, spot reduction is a myth. Why? Building up a specific group of muscles will never get rid of the layer of fat in that area. Chalk it up to genetics—we simply do not have control over where we lose fat in our body. We are all unique individuals and therefore we all lose fat in different areas in different ways.

While experts agree that exercising in either the morning or the evening is better than no exercise at all, it seems that exercising in the middle of the day might be the best time to squeeze in a workout. Although it might not always be practical to go and exercise on your lunch break, it seems that our bodies are at their peak in the afternoon. This means that we are at our strongest and most flexible as our bodies have been warmed up from all our morning activities.

That time of the month that Mother Nature blesses us with is something we usually don’t look forward to. Many women suffer from dysmenorrhea, which is the clinical term for a condition marked with severe menstrual pain. Cramps are the most common symptom that sometimes can be so painful that all we want to do is curl up in bed and call in sick to work.

Over the past few years, yoga has emerged as a huge trend and has become a favorite among celebrities and fitness experts alike, but if you’ve never done it, it can seem a little intimidating. Yoga is an ancient practice originating in India several thousand years ago. While the history suggests that the original aim was to unite the body with the heavenly spirits, the practice of yoga today is more focused on creating a balance between the mind, body, and soul. This is achieved through the practice of physical postures and yoga breathing.

Menopause is a difficult time for many women. Around this time, our hormone levels go through extreme ups and downs, resulting in symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, anxiety, stress and depression.

Getting into the habit of going to the gym can be tough at first, but one easy way to motivate yourself is to reward yourself for reaching your goals with tools that make your trip to the gym more effective and enjoyable. Here is a list of gadgets and gear that you might want to consider rewarding yourself with the next time you are at the mall.