Well, since I got my Shape Ups and have been walking, I feel great. I don't feel a lot of pressure and I don't feel stressed out. I want to get into better shape and I'm just wondering if I really can by walking and doing sit ups and push ups. From what I've read, the answer is yes, but you need to continue to challenge yourself and incorporate healthy eating and cut out junk food.
This makes sense, considering that no exercise is "bad" or wrong, unless you're doing an injury to yourself, and by doing sit-ups and push-ups you will absolutely improve your physical condition. The issue is that sit-ups and push-ups don't address cardiovascular health and walking alone doesn't address weight bearing type of exercises. Toning and tightening, weight loss and cardiovascular health will all improve, but here are some tips to make things even more effective.
• Use hand weights while you're walking. Even just a pound per hand will increase your cardiovascular workout and increase the weight bearing component of your workout (which leads to improved bone density and muscle build up -- both important for women in terms of avoiding osteoporosis and weight loss);
• Increase and vary your speed in walking. That is to say, speed up and walk quickly for longer stretches of time and then slow down, catch your breath, change your pace and then increase again;
• Increase your distance -- walk for longer distances and for longer periods of time;
• Increase reps with sit-ups and push-ups; and
• Increase types of sit-ups and push-ups. As most of us know by now, confusing your muscles leads to increased shaping up. This means that varying the type of sit-ups and push-ups you do will not only reduce your boredom but it will also get you into shape faster.
Squats and jumping rope are also excellent ways to add low maintenance exercises to your routine. Squats, like sit-ups and push-ups, work large muscle groups quickly and efficiently, as you will feel when you are recovering from the soreness you will experience after doing twenty of them.
I like the low pressure of these types of exercises and continue to try and discover ways of working out that don't require a gym membership or a DVD -- I'm happy to go back to that type of routine as well, but I need a way of working out that is just me and my body, a couple of weights and a good pair of shoes. It makes me feel good enough, even before I start.
Aimee Boyle is a freelance writer and regular contributor to EmpowHer on Sexuality and Muscles