I am 60+ years old. I love my life at this age. This is the time when we baby Boomers can enjoy all there is to offer in life without restraint. When I say without restraint, I mean there are no children to care for. Some of us are single either by way of divorce or widowhood. Some of us are retired. Life at this stage is a blissful state of being if you’ll allow yourself to live in the moment.

How do you enter this blissful state? For me it’s doing the things I enjoy. For example, I love riding my bike, so I hooked up with a group of like-minded people on Meetup.com that enjoy bike riding. I like horseback riding. I found a horse stable that offered horseback riding lessons and I took them. I also like to travel. I just came back from a solo trip to Tybee, Island.

The point is being 60 years old and above is a great age to explore and enjoy life to its fullest. There are so many things you can do to find pleasure in life. Why not go for a walk in the park or go to a museum on the days they offer free entry. You can also join a meetup group in your area. There are hundreds of interesting groups you can take part in. Just go to meetup.com

and search for a topic of interest in your area of the country. I belong to six groups.

So why are you waiting to live your best life. The time is now to do the things you’ve always wanted to do. Life at 60+ is so much fun. Try it you will surly like it.

Losing fat around your midsection is the key to having visible abdominal muscles. Contrary to popular belief, and misunderstanding, you don’t actually need to build your ab muscles in order to grow them – they are not like your arm or leg muscles.

Instead, doing ab exercises combined with fat burning cardio fitness will result in fat loss – especially that spare tire around the stomach that hides the muscles underneath.

ab exercises

So it goes without saying that trimming down this part of your body will have positive effects for the rest of your figure (and health).

From simple sit ups to more complex routines, regardless of which exercises you choose to do there’s one thing to keep in mind: don’t over do it.

Because you don’t need to build these muscles like you do with biceps and thigh muscles, you only need to undertake minimal targeted exercise per week on this part of the body. The good thing is that all of the other exercises you do will also benefit your abs indirectly.

Which ab exercises will give you the best results? The true answer is that most of them will. The key is to mix them up and rotate several of them throughout your weekly fitness routine.

The bicycle exercise is certainly one of the best options for both beginners and those who are already quite fit.

It requires you to lie on your back on a flat surface, put your hands behind your head and bring your knee up one at a time to meet your chest, in a cycling motion.

Make sure you bring your opposite elbow to the rising knee and don’t pull with your neck, but rather your abdominal muscles.

Leg crunches are another excellent ab exercise to try. Lie on your back again, this time bring your legs straight up vertically so they are 90 degrees to the ground, keeping knees slightly bent and then by contracting your ab muscles, bring your chest up.

This will place great strain on your stomach muscles so take it easy at first! Short sets are ideal in the beginning and you can increase it from there over the coming weeks and months.

Doing good ab exercises with proper form (this is extremely important) will yield the results you need – just make sure you do them in conjunction with your regular fitness workouts such as walking and cycling in order to burn the fat that is covering your abdominal muscles.

The core of your body is the main structure that allows the rest of your body to move well. It consists of your lower back, abs and hips. Without a strong core you can suffer from weakness, muscle loss and eventually conditions like arthritis and back pain.

plank

There are dedicated exercises that you can do for core strengthening. Some are done on the floor, others may use a Swiss ball.

It is worth incorporating a number of different exercises into your weekly routines, in order to challenge and use each muscle rather than only focusing on a few exercises that target the same movements over and over again.

What comes surprisingly to most people is that the purpose of your core is actually to resist the movement, rather than be the prime moving device. It is there to help protect your backbone and midsection muscles.

Therefore, when you do core exercises, your aim should be to minimize movement of this important region – unlike every other training exercise which involves extensively moving and working out each muscle or body part.

Sculpting your midsection (your ab muscles) relies heavily on the strength of your core. The more you work this area, the easier you will find it to do the strenuous workouts required to achieve a truly toned body, or even just to drop the fat around your midsection (which is what hides the muscles!).

Slouching is one of the worst habits a person can pick up, particularly someone who is serious about getting in shape or losing weight.

When you train your core, you actually work to eliminate slouching as well. Keep in mind that many of us spend up to 40 (or more) hours per week in front of a computer, often slouching without noticing. Getting into the habit of keeping a strong core posture all day is as important as your workouts.

Doing some core exercises on the floor requires you to move very little, or not at all.

You need to make sure the tension is maintained in your muscles, and over time you’ll know they are becoming stronger as they’ll be able to perform each exercise for a longer period of time.

Other workouts allow you to move during the exercise. Combining both movement (V-sit ups, lunges, squats) and non-movement core exercises (superman and plank) into your routine ensures that you are covering all bases and not focusing too much on just one or two areas.

Fitness equipment can be extremely expensive. Buying high quality, well made gym equipment can literally cost an arm and a leg, that is why so many people opt to go to a gym instead.

used weight loss equipment

So what equipment should you buy? It depends upon your goals. If you aim to lose weight, then a treadmill should be at the top of your list. Remembering however weight training also leads to weight loss, some strength equipment is also a good idea.

Dumbbells and barbells and single weights to go on them are generally priced low enough to buy brand new from a store, however you could find them even cheaper second hand on eBay or Craigslist.

Most people searching for used exercise equipment however, will be wanting to find some of the more expensive gym-quality machines or cardio machines like treadmills and exercise bikes. These can cost hundreds, or thousands of dollars to buy brand new so it’s worth your while to search for a quality used product.

Here are some quick tips to keep in mind when you’re out looking for some used fitness machines to purchase. As long as you follow a few simple guidelines you should end up more than satisfied with your purchase.

– Check all chains and cables and make sure none are rusted, wearing or in bad condition. This is vital as any cable breakage can be extremely dangerous. Good brands should never have this problem, but if the item has been stored outside in the rain then rust can be an issue.

– Have a go of the machine and ensure that it all works smoothly. There should be no stiffness or creaks. Minor issues may be fixed with some oiling, but if it doesn’t feel right, walk away.

– Check to see if you get the weights with the machine. Most used dealers will sell some weights, but if not it could be an added expense.

– Check to see if the item is still under warranty, and if the seller is providing a receipt. For more expensive items this can give you some peace of mind.

– Pay attention to any electronic displays on treadmills and other cardio equipment. If these are not working properly they can become expensive to fix, and also render the machine almost useless, as you will not be able to track your progress.

There are several outlets which specialize in used exercise equipment. Many of these items come from gyms and fitness clubs where they have been replaced by new models.

These are some of the best ones to pick up, as they are generally well maintained and often quite young, as most clubs like to upgrade as soon as a new model is available.

You will also find that many of these resellers recondition the equipment too and will provide their own warranty. Places such as csmfitness.com have an exceptional range of all types of exercise machines, so does UsedGymEquipment.com and PFC-Fitness.com.

It is possible to get some of the most advanced treadmills and elliptical trainers from such places, at a fraction of the brand new price.

Used exercise equipment can be just as good as buying brand new. As long as you follow these simple tips when searching for your equipment, you can rest assured that you have made a quality purchase that will be of use to you for many years into the future, while saving thousands of dollars in the process.

Walking is a “must-do” addition to any weight loss plan. Whether you walk outside or on a treadmill, it provides unmatched benefits. At its most basic, walking to lose weight burns calories.

Many people simply don’t enjoy running or jogging and that’s understandable. Running can also take a higher toll on the body, physically.

Walking on the other hand, can be incorporated easily into your life but provide exactly the same benefits as running!

Why Walk?
There are countless reasons why walking is probably the most popular form of exercise for those who want to lose weight, as well as for people who simply want to get and stay fit.

1. Calorie burning
Obviously, going for a brisk 20-40 minute walk everyday is going to contribute considerably to your calorie burning. the faster you walk, the faster your heart will pump, and the more calories you’ll burn. It is simple science which works.

2. Bone health
This is particularly important for post-menopausal women. Walking can improve bone density as well as slowing down the rate of bone less in your legs.

3. Psychological benefits
Multiple studies have found that walking to lose weight or just for fun, daily, helps to ease depression, anxiety and stress, as well as promoting a more positive outlook on life.

Similar studies have shown that regular walking also assists cognitive function.

4. Convenient and fun
Walking outdoors should be pleasant. You simply don’t have to dread your exercise if it involves being outdoors in nature; and hopefully you have somewhere you can go that is a natural, pleasant environment in which to do your regular walking.

Without a doubt, walking in a stimulating and pleasing environment certainly minimizes the “work” feeling of this type of exercise. It can even be fun!

Walking to lose weight should be almost top of the list for any weight reduction and healthy weight maintenance plan. It’s not only healthy, but fun as well.

Once you have some set walking routes in place, or a goal plan for your treadmill, you’ll find yourself becoming more and more motivated to walk every single day – for fun and weight loss!

What is Pilates?
Pilates exercises are a set of routines that are undertaken to enhance physical strength, flexibility, concentration, coordination and posture.

It assists you in keeping your body strong for life by making you consciously think about your posture and movements.

What Health Benefits Can Pilates Provide?
The main reason people do pilates is to improve their muscle tone, flexibility and strength. Others do it for the mental relaxation and concentration it requires.

Pilates also requires you to focus on breathing, and this can be carried over to the other exercising you do such as running, swimming and weight training.

When you are aware of correct breathing techniques, you can really start to get the most from your workouts.

Can Pilates Help Me To Lose Weight?
Pilates has a distinct advantage that assists with weight loss: it helps you maintain lean muscle mass.

And as you know, having more muscle leads to less fat and faster weight loss.

So in that regard, pilates is excellent as part of a weight loss regime. It is not a substitute for aerobic exercise, but is certainly a worthy and beneficial addition to your weekly routine.

Is Pilates Difficult?
Anyone can do pilates exercises. There are very basic routines you can start out with, and from there you can progress to more complex, and longer workouts. Obtaining a pilates instructional DVD or two can provide excellent assistance and tuition in doing it correctly.

Alternatively, you can even join local pilates classes. These are becoming more and more popular and virtually every local gym or health center will have regular pilates classes for all fitness levels.

Pilates is extremely inexpensive to get into. All you require at a very basic level is a pilates map.

From there you can choose to teach yourself from online sources, or spend a small amount of money on instructional videos or pilates gym classes.

Pilates exercises are a fantastic addition to your weekly workout routine. By combining pilates with your cardio exercises as well as your weight training, you’ll ensure that you lose weight, while at the same time you benefit from the flexibility and posture enhancing advantages of pilates.

Home exercise equipment is something that virtually everyone wanting to lose weight will eventually purchase. So what types are available?

Cardio Equipment
By far the most sought after and effective equipment to own if you need to lose weight is cardio equipment.

Many people choose not to purchase it – if you prefer to do your cardio training via simply walking, swimming, running, cycling and skipping then purchasing a treadmill may seem redundant.

But on the other hand, having equipment that you can use indoors is extremely handy on those days where you simply can’t or don’t wish to leave the house to exercise.

But by far the biggest benefit of this type of equipment is the built in electronic displays and monitoring that come attached to them. You can track your distance, calories burned, heart rate and much more.

Useful cardio equipment includes treadmills, exercise bikes, rowing machines and cross trainers.

Strength Training Equipment
This is a very broad range category of home exercise equipment. It can range from small $100 machines right up to sets that cost many thousands of dollars.

Some of the strength training equipment that might interest people who wish to lose weight includes abdominal machines, lat pull downs, chin up stations, leg machines and all-in-one home gyms.

Some gym sets will come with weights, but often you need to purchase the weights separately, or purchase additional weights if the provided ones are too light.

You do get what you pay for with strength equipment, and whilst it is generally not necessary to spend thousands of dollars, ensuring that you are buying quality equipment means that you’ll be able to get the most out of it for many years.

Weight Equipment
This category involves the free weights – the basic weight lifting gear that any weight loss fanatic or fitness fan should own.

Dumbbells, barbells, and individual weights. You can purchase either fixed or adjustable barbells and dumbbells.

The adjustable ones are much more flexible as you can buy individual weights (ranging from very light to very heavy) and stack them up over time as you become stronger. This is certainly the most economic way to invest in weights.

Purchasing home exercise equipment is a great investment into your weight loss goals, and the best part is that you don’t need to spend a fortune to reap the benefits.