by Jo Ann Courtney

Created on: July 16, 2008   Last Updated: July 18, 2008

Staying healthy and fit is a lifelong commitment for many women and there are no short cuts in this arena. My philosophy has always been to keep a healthy life style by eating healthy foods, exercising regularly and keeping a positive respectful attitude towards life.

For the most part I look forward to the daily exercises, but when I have had a hard day at work, fleeting thoughts interrupt common sense with "do I really want to go to the gym", and my common sense takes over and saves me with the answer Yes! So off to the gym I go. Once the class starts I am so glad I put the effort to get there. After all it just a moment in time and I Am investing in a healthier toned body and a more youthful me the results are visible and wonderful.

It takes real commitment to exercise and to change old eating habits and exercising regularly will allow your body to burn fat relieve stress naturally, restful sleep, mental alertness and more energy.
A good calorie burning cardio exercise that last 1 hour 4 times a week along with a weight training program 3 or 4 times a week. Remember weight lifting has no age limit.

Before beginning any exercise always do stretching and stationary bike to warm up your muscles and gets your heart pumping and blood circulating. If you do weight lifting after aerobics you will not need to warm up.

Start with one hour of Aerobics 3 or 4 times a week.

Lift weights for 1/2 hour through 1 hour 3 or 4 times a week.

On the first day you will lift weights to work chest, shoulders, back, and abdominals.

Second day you will lift weights to work biceps, triceps, legs, and abdominals.

Third day you will be back to working chest, shoulders, back, and abdominals.
You will be alternating the different muscles of the body. Ideally you will be lifting weights 4 times a week. Start with 5 pound weights or a weight that is comfortable to you and remember to keep a good exercise form.

The personnel at the gym can guide you on the beginning weight for each exercise you do. You will gradually lift heavier weights over a period of weeks or months. This does not mean you will be lifting extremely heavy weights unless you are a serious body builder, for rest of us we just exercise for body toning.

After a hard workout muscles need rest or a full day to recover, so be sure you get between 6 or 8 hours of sleep, depending upon what your body needs. Lifting weights has been shown to increase bone density, keeping osteoporosis at bay. Exercise keeps your body flexible and also allows

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