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Feburary 2006 Newsletter
Conquering the Winter Blues
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Dear Fellow Business
Traveler,
Beware of weight gain that starts during the holidays and continues
through the long winter months. If the winter weather has you off your
fitness program, this month's newsletter can provide some
ideas for how to put the spark back into your regime.
To Your Health,
Customer Service, Healthy Travel
Network and Chief
Fitness Officer
Fight Boredom with Variety
Let's be realistic. Bad winter weather can really put a damper on your
exercise program. Your outdoor choices are limited, and depending on
where you live, getting to the gym might be really be a challenge.
Creativity and variety can help you overcome the winter "dull-drums."
Try some of our ideas or perhaps they will spark some new ideas for you.
Exercising
at Home or on the Road
What better
time to exercise than when you're snowbound and have ample time on your
hands?! Here
are a few ideas for indoor activities, even if you don't have a fancy
home gym. The portable nature of all of these tools is also great for
travel.
:: Exercise Kits -- Portable
exercise kits make a great alternative to
expensive home gyms. Lightweight, compact, and versatile, you can
easily obtain a high-quality kit for under $100, as compared to almost
$1,000 for an entry-level home gym. Look for kits that come with
interactive CD's or DVD's to guide you in your workouts.
:: Jump Rope -- Jumping rope
is a great cardiovascular exercise. A 130-pound female jumping at a
moderate pace for 15 minutes burns almost 150 calories! Better yet,
jumping rope only requires the rope and a bit of space. No
jump rope? No problem; scrounge through the basement or garage for a
piece of rope. Amazon
has plenty of jump rope options as well, including this nifty one with
a built in calorie counter.
:: Workout Videos -- Dozens
of outstanding videos are available today, with all manner of programs
from aerobics to yoga and Pilates to body strength exercises. With the
Internet and home delivery, there's no excuse for not ordering one! One
of our favorites is Strength, Balance, and Flexibility from Christi
Taylor. Click
the Amazon link at right to learn more, or search Amazon
for more videos.
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Jazzing
up Your Gym Workout
When you just can't face another 45 minutes on the treadmill, jazz up
your workout by turning it into an interval routine. Not only will you
burn more calories, but the variety will keep you more interested and
focused as your mind naturally gravitates to concentrate on each
interval rather than the workout as a whole.
:: Cardio Intervals --
No
matter what your favorite cardio machine is, you can increase the
calories that you burn by more than 50% with an interval workout. Most
cardio machines have one or more pre-programmed interval workouts, or
try this easy formula:
Minutes
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Activity
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Rate
of Perceived Exertion
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5
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Warm-Up
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8-9
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1
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Base Station
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11-12
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2
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Recovery
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9-10
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2
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Climb
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11-12
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3
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Recovery
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9-10
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2
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Vertical Climb
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12-13
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3
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Recovery
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9-10
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1
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Summit
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12-13
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3
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Recovery
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9-10
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1
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Max Summit
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12-13
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3
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Recovery
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9-10
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5
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Cool-Down
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8-9
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30
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Total
Minutes
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For
more interval workouts, see our October 2005 newsletter.
:: Try Something New --
Spice up your regime by trying a new class or activity. I like taking
new classes at least twice before making a judgment about whether I
like it or not. Use the first session as a learning experience, and
plan on finding your groove during the second session. Don't limit
yourself to activities available at your gym: Is there an indoor pool
nearby? Hiking? Snowshoeing? Ice skating? Think outside the box!
:: Find a Friend -- Make a
workout date with a friend. There's nothing like a little peer pressure
to motivate you to get to the gym. Exercise Friends is a nifty site
where you can search for people in your area who are looking for a
workout partner. Search for like-minded individuals in your area,
or post your own profile. If you're traveling, Exercise Friends is also
a great way to find someone to workout with while you are on the road.
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