workout without weights

Body-weight Exercises

Your body needs a reason to build muscle . That reason is stress. Exercising will stress your body & force it to build muscle. You don’t have access to weights, so you’ll use body-weight exercises:

• Pull-ups. Build back & arms muscles. Doorway pull-up bars  or any surface where you can hang from work. If you can’t do one rep with correct pull-up technique : use momentum, ask someone to help you or use a resistance band to assist you on the way up.
• Push-ups. Build chest, shoulders & arm muscles. Use a full range of motion: arms locked on the way up, nose against the floor on the way down. Put your knees on the floor if you can’t do one push-up. Switch to regular push-ups when this gets easy.
• Squats. Build leg muscles. Put your hands behind your head & bend through your knees. Keep your heels on the floor, push your knees out, look forward & squeeze your glutes  on the way up. Stretch your hamstrings  3 times a week if you can’t squat lower than parallel.
• Dips
  This exercise works the entire chest area, but it emphasizes the lower chest. It also works the deltoids and triceps.
  
  
  
  this could be done with barstools or something creative?
  
  
  Grab a pair of parallel bars so the palms of your hands are facing each other. Straighten your arms and bend your knees. Support yourself between the bars.
  Lean your torso forward as you do the exercise. Slowly bend your arms and lower your body between the bars until your elbows are at 90-degree angles. Hold this stretched position for a second. Steadily push yourself back up to the starting position. Repeat.
  Note: this is an advanced exercise because you have to be able to lift your entire bodyweight. As you get stronger you can add extra weight to the exercise by hanging weights from your waist using a weight belt. 
  
  

easy ways to stay fit

Easy ways to stay fit and healthy

• Walk or ride your bike to work.
• Try not to eat food portions that are larger than your fist.
• Join an exercise group of neighbors, friends or just others in your community
• Increase the fiber in your diet.
• Throw out any milk other than fat-free (unless you have small kids who still need the higher fat milk)
• Do resistance training while you watch television.
• Implement an after-dinner walk with your family.
• Avoid eating lat at night.
• Instead of frying try grilling, steaming or baking
• Avoid all-you-can eat buffets
• Pass on the second (and third) helpings
• Start each meal with a salad or plate of steamed vegetables
• Replace sugars with Splenda
• Replace oils in baking with applesauce
• Do not skip meals
• Wash your own car
• Take breaks at work for walking or doing a few strength exercises
• Drink water instead of carbonated beverages
• Avoid caffeine
• Don't go to the grocery store hungry
• Keep a pair of athletic shoes in your car so you can always be ready for a walk
• Try new and different physical activities
• Eat fruit for your dessert
• When eating out, share your meal -- there's usually enough servings for two
• Purchase only 100 percent fruit juices instead of those with mostly sugar
• Keep your foods from being bland with spices and seasonings
• Don't skip breakfast
• When eating out, ask for salad dressing on the side
• Avoid unnecessary condiments
• Eat brown rice, whole wheat pasta and whole wheat bread

A Little Dehydration Has a Big Impact

If you want to perform at your best in sport or exercise, you've got to keep your body adequately hydrated throughout your activity. Sweating away even just 1 percent of your body weight (a pound and a half for a 150-pound person) can place added stress on your cardiovascular system. Losing 2-3 percent of your weight can impair your physical performance. Dehydration can also affect your mental sharpness and hand-eye coordination putting you at a disadvantage on the court, playing field or other competitive arena. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends the following guidelines for keeping the body hydrated:

• BEFORE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: Drink at least 16 ounces of fluid about two hours beforehand.
• DURING ACTIVITY: Drink 5 to 10 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes.
• AFTER ACTIVITY: Drink 16 ounces for each pound of body weight lost during activity.

  1. Exercise Boosts Brainpower

  Not only does exercise improve your body, it helps your mental function, says certified trainer David Atkinson.
  "Exercise increases energy levels and increases serotonin in the brain, which leadsto improved mental clarity," says Atkinson, director of program development for Cooper Ventures, a division of the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas.
  All that makes for a more productive day.
  "It is clear that those who are active and who exercise are much more productive at work," says Todd A. Astorino, assistant professor of kinesiology at California State University-San Marcos.
  Improved productivity not only makes you a better worker, it makes things better for everyone in the workplace. Companies with less wasted work hours and less sick time end up with lower health care costs -- and an improved bottom line, Astorino says.

  2. Movement Melts Away Stress

  As much as it may stress you out just to think about exercising, once you actually start working out, you'll experience less stress in every part of your life.
  "Exercise produces a relaxation response that serves as a positive distraction," says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. He says it also helps elevate your mood and keep depression at bay.
  You're not the only person who will benefit from more happiness and less stress in your life. When you're less stressed, you're less irritable, Atkinson says -- and that could improve relationships with your partner, kids, and co-workers.

  3. Exercise Gives You Energy

  You might be surprised at how, say, popping in a workout tape for 30 minutes in the morning can change your whole day. When endorphins are released into your bloodstream during exercise, says Astorino, "you feel much more energized the rest of the day."
  And when you improve your strength and stamina, it's easier to accomplish everyday tasks like carrying groceries and climbing stairs. This also helps you feel more energetic over the course of the day.
  A common excuse among Atkinson's clients is that they're too tired to exercise, he says. While exercise may make you feel more tired at first, he says, that won't last long.
  The physical tiredness you feel after working out isn't the same as everyday fatigue, he says. Besides, once your body adjusts to exercise, you'll have more energy than ever.

  4. It's Not That Hard to Find Time for Fitness

  The key, says Atkinson, is to use your time more wisely. Think about killing two birds with one stone.

  Take your kids to the park or ride bikes together, and you're getting physical activity while enjoying family time, he says. Beyond that, go for a hike, take the kids swimming, or play hide-and-seek, tag, softball, or horseshoes in the backyard.

  At work, he says, schedule a meeting on the jogging track or on the golf course.

  Also, forget the idea that you have to trudge to the gym and spend an hour or more doing a formal workout. Instead, you can work short spurts of physical activity into your day.

  "Everyone has 20 minutes," Atkinson says. "Everyone has 10 minutes to jump rope, and sometimes that's better than 20 minutes of walking or running."

  Indeed, squeezing in two or three bouts of 15 or 20 minutes of activity is just as effective as doing it all at once, says Astorino. Vacuuming the house in the morning, riding bikes in the park with the kids in the afternoon, then taking a brisk walk in the evening can add up to an active day.

  Recent U.S. government guidelines say that to lose weight and keep it weight off, you should accumulate at least 60 minutes of exercise a day, says Astorino. But half an hour a day is all you need to reap the health and disease-fighting benefits of exercise.

  5. Fitness Can Help Build Relationships

  Think of what exercising with a partner can do for a relationship, whether it's with a spouse, a sibling, or a friend you used to go to lunch with once a week.

  Not only that, says Astorino, but exercise is always more fun when there's someone to do it with. So plan to walk with your spouse after dinner every night. Meet your sister or that friend for tennis or an aerobics class instead of lunch.

  Besides, Astorino says, people who have exercise partners stay with their programs and reach their goals more often than those who try to go it alone.

  "For long-term weight loss, you need to have social support," Astorino says.

  6. Exercise Helps Ward Off Disease

  Research has shown that exercise can slow or help prevent heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis (bone loss), and loss of muscle mass, says Astorino.

  It also helps ease some aspects of the aging process.

  "Because exercise strengthens the muscles and joints, it is going to reduce your odds of having some of those aches and pains and problems most adults have, mostly because of the inactive lives they lead," Bryant says.

  Provided you don't overdo it, he says, exercise can even boost immune function -- so you spend less time down with a cold or flu.

  "There isn't a major health problem where exercise cannot have a positive effect," says Byrant.

  7. Fitness Pumps Up Your Heart

  Not only does exercise help fight disease, says Bryant, it creates a stronger heart -- the most important muscle in the body. That helps makes exercise -- and the activities of daily life -- feel easier.

  "Your heart and cardiovascular system will function more effectively," says Bryant. "The heart will build up less plaque. It will become a more efficient pump."

  
  

  And "when the heart becomes stronger, it pumps more blood per beat, so at rest, the heart rate is lower," says Astorino. "It's not going to have to beat as fast" to expend the same amount of effort.

  Within only a couple days after you start exercising, Astorino says, "the body readily adapts to the stimulus it's getting and it becomes easier. You will feel less fatigue. It will not take as much effort when it comes to breathing. You shouldn't have as much pain or soreness."

  8. Exercise Lets You Eat More

  Pound for pound, muscle burns more calories at rest than body fat. So the more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate. And, of course, you also burn calories while you're actually exercising.

  All this means that "cheating" with a cookie once in a while isn't going to take you back 10 steps. "Can you eat anything? No," says Atkinson. "But you can afford to enjoy some of the things you really like when you exercise regularly. You can better get away with those things in moderation than you can when you're not workingout."

  9. Exercise Boosts Performance

  After a few weeks of consistent exercise, you may feel your clothes fitting differently and see that your muscle tone has improved, Atkinson says.

  You may also notice your newly pumped-up muscles in other ways, especially if you're a recreational golfer or tennis player, or like a friendly game of pick-up basketball, says Atkinson. Exercising consistently will strengthen your muscles, increase flexibility, and improve your overall performance.

  "Your muscles will work much more efficiently and you'll gain a greater sense of endurance," says Bryant. In addition, he says, your reaction time and balance will improve.

  10. Weight Loss Is Not the Most Important Goal

  Weight loss is the reason many people exercise in the first place. But it's certainly not the sole benefit of an exercise program.

  Bryant says the long-term goal of weight loss is sold too heavily to people startingfitness programs, and that can be discouraging. People have trouble sticking with something if they don't see results quickly.

  "Really, they should think about the level of functioning in the activities of daily living," says Bryant. "That can serve as the motivation to keep them coming back for more."

  So whatever weight loss goal you have when starting a fitness program, don't make it your only goal. Strive to feel better, to have more energy, to be less stressed. Notice the small things that exercise does for you quickly, rather than getting hung up on the narrow goal of the number on a scale.

  "With a goal of losing weight and enhancing health, exercise has to become a part of a person's life, not an afterthought," Astorino says.
  
  

Work Your core

Plank

The plank works your entire core and upper- and lower-body muscles. Lie down on your stomach. Lift your body off the floor with your forearms (elbows at 90° degrees) and your toes. Keep your body in a straight position (without arching your back) and hold for 30 seconds to one minute. Lift one foot in the air for added difficulty.

Pushup plank

This exercise is the same as the plank, except that you are in a pushup position. The pushup plank works the core, chest and biceps. This is a great exercise to end your workout with; it will fully fatigue almost every muscle in your upper body.

V-sit hold

This targets your abdominal  muscles and improves your balance. Lie on your back and bend at the waist as you extend your legs and arms into the air to form a “V.” Hold this position for as long as you can.

Twisting crunch

This is one of the most effective crunch workouts, as it hits all of your stomach muscle fibers at once. Assume a standard crunch position, raise your torso to a 45° angle, and then twist from side to side. For an advanced movement, extend your legs and pretend to peddle a bicycle while you continue to twist. 

Strong core muscles around your trunk and pelvis make it easier for you to do most physical activities. If you have a weak core, you're more likely to have poor posture and suffer lower back pain and muscle injury. Building core muscles can improve your balance and stability, tone your abs and help you reach your fitness goals.

Abdominal Crunches

MayoClinic.com describes abdominal crunches as a classic core exercise. It recommends doing crunches by lying on the floor with your feet against a wall and your knees and hips bent at a 90-degree angle. Tighten your abs, and then raise your head and shoulders off the floor. If you prefer, you can do crunches on a fitness ball by sitting on the ball with your feet resting on the floor. Cross your arms over your chest, tighten your abs and lean back until you feel those abdominal muscles working. Hold for three deep breaths and return to your starting position.

Push-Ups

Push-ups are another of those classic core-conditioning exercises. If you find it too hard to do a traditional push-up, MayoClinic.com suggests that you do push-ups on your knees or standing against a wall. All three varieties will help strengthen your core.

Push-Away Isometrics

The Diet Channel recommends doing some push-away isometrics to build your core. Begin by lying on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Pull your navel toward your spine as you tilt your pubic bone toward your navel. Holding that position, keep your knees bent as you lift both legs. Place a hand on each knee and push forward with your hands as your knees try to resist the force. Hold for a count of at least six before returning to the starting position. Work up to six or more repetitions.

Bridges

Bridges are another good exercise to work on those core muscles. Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent. Tighten your abdominal muscles and raise your hips off the floor until they are aligned with your knees and shoulders. Hold for three deep breaths before returning to the starting position. MayoClinic.com notes that you should keep your back in a neutral position -- don't arch it or push it into the floor.

Leg Abdominal Press

Single- and double-leg abdominal presses will give your core a workout too. For both presses, begin by lying on your back with your knees bent. As with the bridges, MayoClinic.com warns that you should keep your back in a neutral position. Tighten your abs and avoid tilting your hips. Raise your right leg off the floor until your knee and hip are bent at a 90-degree angle. Place your right hand on that knee and try to push it down. Use your abs to resist the pressure. Hold for three deep breaths, return to the starting position and repeat on your left side. For a harder workout, lift both legs at the same time.

Love Handles

Those annoying love handles... why do we call them that anyway? I can't think of a single person who loves theirs. Maybe it's because, like an old lover, they're often very hard to get rid of.

I hate to break it to you, but if you're looking for a quick, easy way to obliterate those rolls around your waist, you're going to be sorely disappointed. The fact is that you simply can't spot reduce; that is, there are no miracle exercises or pills that will allow you to melt fat off specific areas of your body.

However, there are certain exercises, habits and lifestyle changes you can adopt to get rid of those unsightly fat deposits. Read on to find out the 10 best ways to lose those love handles -- as much as possible.

Number 10

Consider liposuction

Okay, so it's not a solution for everyone, but if you've tried many of the other methods described below and you just can't seem to get rid of your very prominent love handles, liposuction might be the solution. In fact, it is ideal for people who are 20 to 30 pounds overweight and who have a particularly problematic area in which they simply can't seem to lose weight.

During this surgical procedure, fat is "sucked" out of the body. Although there is very little actual weight loss, the shape of the body is improved, sometimes dramatically. To find out if this procedure is right for you, talk to your doctor.

Number 9

Strengthen your lower back

As you will see below, strengthening your abdominal muscles is a key step in reducing your love handles. But whenever you work on your abs, you should also strengthen the muscles in your lower back to "balance" the strength in your torso and reduce the fat on your back.

Try this exercise: Lie on your stomach, lift your feet and knees off the floor and "flutter kick" your legs as if you were swimming. Do this for 15 seconds, then stop for 30 seconds. Repeat twice.

Number 8

Cut sodium

Sodium -- which can be found in table salt, seasonings, soups, condiments, and many other prepared foods -- isn't just bad because it raises your risk of heart disease and stroke. It also leads to water retention, which can make problem areas like the gut and love handles seem even more prominent. Reduce your consumption of sodium-rich processed foods, and avoid adding salt to the foods you prepare yourself.

Number 7

Create a "V" shape in your upper body

Although working on your abs is a must in the quest to eliminate love handles, you can also create the illusion of having a smaller midsection by bulking up your shoulders, pectoral muscles and biceps.

There is a wide range of exercises you can perform for these different muscle groups, one of which is the lat pulldown. Sitting with your back flat against the seat, grasp the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart. Pull the bar down to your chest, pause, and extend arms back to starting position. Repeat 12 to 15 times.

Number 6

Drink water

You've probably heard it a million times before, and it's true: You should drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Not only does it help reduce water retention caused by excess sodium, but water also helps the body metabolize stored fat into energy and suppresses the appetite. All these factors can help reduce your love handles.

Number 5

Do crunches

Although increasing the amount of muscle in your abdominal region will help reduce the appearance of love handles, keep in mind that spot reduction doesn't work. You can do all the crunches in the world, but they'll most likely be useless if you don't do any cardiovascular exercise and eat properly, as mentioned below.

That being said, there are a number of exercises that target your oblique abs and love handles more specifically. Try elbow-to-knee crunches: Cross your left leg over your right leg and twist your torso, bringing your right elbow to your left knee. Do as many reps as you can. Repeat on the other side.

Number 4

Reduce your alcohol intake

Although there is conflicting evidence as to whether or not alcohol causes weight gain, alcohol does contain a lot of "empty calories." And since men tend to deposit extra calories as fat in their bellies, drinking alcohol may contribute to those dreaded love handles. I'm not saying to pour all your beer and liquor down the sink, but drink alcohol in moderation if you're trying to lose weight, or try "light" or low-carb versions.

Number 3

Do dumbbell side bends

Dumbbell side bends are another great exercise to target the muscles under your love handles. Standing up, hold one dumbbell at your side and slowly bend your torso sideways, letting the dumbbell descend toward the floor. Slowly straighten up to the starting position using the strength of your abdominal muscles. Do 15 reps on each side.

Number 2

Cut calories

There are no two ways around it: To lose weight, you have to reduce the number of calories your body stores. Even if you work out like a psycho, you will still gain weight if the number of calories you consume is greater than the number you burn. Therefore, your diet is crucial in your quest to get rid of those wretched love handles. In a nutshell, you must consume fewer overall calories, as well as less fat and sugar, and increase your fiber intake. And of course, don't forget No. 1...

Number 1

Get into cardiovascular exercise

Once again, it comes down to burning calories so that they aren't stored as fat. Whether it's by hitting the treadmill at the gym, playing basketball with some buddies, walking to work, or even taking the stairs instead of the elevator, every little step counts. Of course, the amount of cardio you must do all depends on how bad those handles really are. If you have a lot of weight to lose, you should probably seriously consider that gym membership. If the problem is minor, some low-intensity exercise may be sufficient.

burn, baby, burn

Although there are no "miracle" solutions to get rid of those unsightly love handles, there are definitely ways to reduce them. A combination of exercise, healthy eating habits and targeted exercises will have you looking slim and trim in no time; just be patient and don't give up.