One Big Loser: 2011

Found these tips from StairMaster:
1. If you usually exercise alone, set aside one day per week to work out with friends or family members. Doing so will get you out of the rut of doing the same workout day after day.
2. To stretch your muscles after a long day, lie down on your back and position your buttocks against a wall with your legs extended up. Hold this position for at least a minute. You'll stretch your hamstrings and reduce swelling in your feet.
3. Losing weight slows your metabolism. Exercise and strength training can counteract this effect and keep the pounds off. Not only does your body burn more calories after each work out, but your metabolism stays elevated for hours afterwards.
4. Perform a variety of activities each week-walk on Mondays, take an exercise class on Wednesdays and bike on Saturdays, for example.
5. Don't overdo it. It's best to start an activity slowly and gradually increase the length and intensity of your workout over five or six weeks.
6. You can avoid afternoon energy slumps by eating high-vitamin snacks, such as oranges or grapes; low-fat pretzels, rice cakes or popcorn; or yogurt. A candy bar or cookie will supply a temporary energy surge that's followed by a letdown in an hour or two.
7. Spot reducing doesn't work. Though individual exercises will tone certain muscles, they won't help you lose fat in those area. It takes a full-body aerobic workout to lose fat.
8. If you've had knee injury or suffer chronic knee pain, avoid leg extensions except with very light weights, don't take big steps on a stair climber, don't run on a steep downhill grade, and adjust your bicycle seat so your knees bend only slightly at the bottom of each stroke.
9. You'll burn more calories on a stair climber, and get a better workout, if you take steps that are 8 to 10 inches deep. Doing so helps you work larger muscle groups, so your heart beats faster and pumps more blood and oxygen through the body.
10. Lifting weights too fast can create a momentum in which you're throwing, not lifting, the weights. Doing so doesn't exercise your muscles fully and could cause injury.
11. Drink at least 8 oz. of water before exercising, 8 oz during a workout that lasts 4 minutes or longer, and 8 oz afterward. Increase your water intake when working out in hot, humid conditions.
12. Mix it up. Doing the same workout repeatedly can lead to overuse injuries; it's safer to cross train.
13. Not warming up before you exercise can limit your muscle function and increase your risk of injury. Warm up by walking, jogging, bicycling, or exercising at a low pace for five to seven minutes.
14. The faster you walk, the faster you'll improve your cardiovascular fitness. But, even walking slowly will reduce your risk of having a heart attack or dying from chronic health-related problems.
15. Not cooling down afterward can shock your cardiovascular system and cause muscle stiffness. Cool down by walking or exercising at a slower pace for five to seven minutes.
16. Quick, bouncing stretches or painful stretches can cause your muscles to contract and can lead to injury. Take it slow and easy when you are stretching. Don't bounce and never stretch to the point of pain.
17. Moderate exercise can help control hypertension. You benefit when your heart rate rises to one-half to two-thirds of its maximum rate. Seek your physicians advice before starting an exercise program if you are being treated for high blood pressure.
18. Proper positioning on a stair climber is hard to achieve when you lock your knees and elbows. Keeping them loose will give you a better workout and help protect your back from injury.
19. This simple foot exercise helps prevent sore arches: Roll a golf ball under the balls of your bare feet for two minutes.
20. Eating before your walk for exercise may help you burn 15% more calories than you would on an empty stomach. However, it's best to eat after you run. Working out vigorously on a full stomach diverts blood from the digestive system to your muscles,which can cause intestinal pain and cramping.
21. Don't get in a hurry. If you're trying to lose weight, strive to lose one or two pounds a week. A faster rate isn't advised because you'll lose primarily water and muscle, not fat.
22. You may want to work out with a personal trainer if you're bored with your workout routine and need help creating a new one, you've been injured and need a rehabilitative regimen or you're training for a competitive event and have set new, more strenuous, fitness goals.
23. To energize your life, reduce your caffeine consumption. The energy boost you get from drinking coffee, tea or cola is followed by an energy slump a few hours later.
24. Runners can reduce their risk of injury by increasing their pace and mileage gradually, getting plenty of rest between runs; running on soft surfaces and treadmills, cross-training with cycling, swimming, or cross-country skiing; and stretching after every run.
25. Crunches tone your abdominal muscles more effectively than sit-ups. To do crunches, lift your upper body no more than eight inches off the ground. Doing crunches every other day is sufficient; your abdominal need to rest between workouts.
26. Adding weight lifting to your workout can help you lose weight. An ounce of muscle burns 25% more calories than an ounce of fat tissue.
27. Working out can help you shake off a bad mood. One study found a little as 10 minutes of light aerobic exercise could do the trick.
28. Change your strength-training program every 12 weeks, or you'll see diminishing returns as your muscles adapt to the same type of stress.
29. Avoid exercises that cause undue strain or impact on your back, knees or other joints. If you feel pain immediately after you finish working out- or even a few days later-you may be performing an exercise in the wrong way.
30. To help prevent shin splints when you exercise, wear well cushioned shoes with arch support. If possible, exercise on wood or grass surfaces instead of pavement or concrete. Warm up slowly before you work out, then stretch out.
31. To help your body recover from a vigorous workout, choose a sports drink that is low in sodium and contains 6% to 10% carbohydrates. You'll need to drink a whole serving of the beverage to garner the benefits.
32. Eating more fruits, vegetables and grain products helps improve your diet. Such foods are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They're also low in fat and are good sources of complex carbohydrates.
33. Workouts often seem easier later in the day. That's because our strength, flexibility, and reaction time peak in the afternoon.
34. People with allergies can exercise outdoors comfortably on humid or drizzly days. The humidity prevents ragweed from pollinating, and rain washes pollen out of the air.
35. If you walk for exercise, check the heels of your shoes. If they're worn down on one side, it means only part of your heel is absorbing your body's weight when you walk. Over time, this can strain muscles and tendons in your feet and legs. An orthotic shoe insert can correct the problem.
36. Stretching after you work out helps increase your flexibility, decreases lactic acid in your muscles, and reduce your soreness the next day. Stretch each major muscle group three times for 15 seconds. Don't bounce or make jarring movements.
37. The best time to exercise is whenever it's best for you. Your body will reap the benefits of regular exercise no matter what time of day you choose.
38. It take about four weeks to adjust to a new diet; people are likely to grumble about the change in the interim.
39. Exercise at whatever time best fits your schedule.
40. Cyclists who pedal at 90 rpm in a lower gear burn 10% more calories than those who cruise at 60rpm in a higher gear for the same amount of time.
41. Putting ice directly on an injury for more than five minutes can cause frostbite. Experts advise wrapping the ice in a towel.
42. Undertaking a major health-related lifestyle change, such as exercising more or eating a lower-fat diet, is hard work. It may take as long as two years before the change is second nature to you.
43. Varying your exercise routine can help ensure you won't get bored and quit exercising.
44. Unless your doctor says you can, you shouldn't run for fitness if you're more than 20% overweight, you have orthopedic problems, such as chronic lower-back pain, or you have heart trouble.
45. If you suffer a leg cramp while working out, straighten your leg, point your toes upward, and gently massage the cramped muscle.
46. If your running shoes tend to wear out quickly, look for a pair with a polyethylene base. This material wears better than other shoe materials.
47. To reduce your risk of sports-related injuries, warm up and stretch your muscles before you play a sport or work out. Stretching loosens the muscles for optimum performance.
48. If you suffer from hay fever, don't exercise outdoors during your lunch hour-pollen counts peak at midday.
49. Don't lock your knee joints while using a leg press machine. Abrupt locking the joints may cause knee damage; instead, do leg presses in a slow, controlled manner.
50. Smoking one pack of cigarettes a day puts a strain on your heart equivalent to gaining 80 to 90 pounds.

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