After months of wet, wintry weather, the long sweaters
and heavy coats are tucked away and out come the shorts, sandals, sarongs
and swimsuits. Sandals get skimpier, shorts and shirts get shorter,
swimsuits get showier. The world begins to embrace the unveiling of skin
after months of cover and concealment.
Though being comfortable and confident in your own skin
� flabby or fit, young or old, short or tall � should have nothing to do
with how buff your biceps are or how thin your thighs are, a few lunges and
a couple of jumping jacks can do wonders for your health and self-image.
One of the fitness world�s untapped resources is the
Internet and its fitness-focused websites. For those who fear flaunting
their not-so-fabulous flab or are simply too busy to get to the gym, there
are many websites that feature workout routines people can do in the privacy
of their own homes. So, if your crunches are crooked or your weightlifting
wobbly, nobody will be the wiser.
The World Wide Web gives you access to a wide
assortment of dieting secrets, fitness tips and workout routines, as well as
informative articles on everything from conquering crunches to cutting
carbohydrates.
The First In Fitness
eDiets.com (http://healthnews.ediets.com/
articles/fitness-exercise) is a hugely popular website that focuses on
fitness and dieting. One of its greatest services is the email newsletter,
where you can sign up to get a daily dose of fitness and diet techniques and
tips, as well as entertaining articles and columns.
Workout Central
About.com�s Workout Center has it all.
Visit
http://exercise.about.com/library/blworkoutcenter.htm for everything from
the 10-minute vacation workout to the pyramid upper-body workout. The
information is divided into such categories as strength training, circuit
training, abs, cardio workouts, weight loss, nutrition, fitness tools,
careers in fitness, and fitness gear.
Yearning for Yoga
More and more athletes and average exercisers are
turning to yoga, the ancient Indian meditative technique of twists,
stretches and poses, in order to slim their shape and relax the mind, body,
and soul.
The Yoga Journal (www.yogajournal.com) is dedicated to
the qualities that yoga exemplifies, including peace, integrity, clarity and
compassion. You can sign up for a free weekly newsletter, try the featured
pose, correspond with yoga experts, find yoga poses, and learn yoga basics.
Another highly rated yoga website is The Yoga Site
(www.yogasite.com/postures.html). This general guide outlines the various
forms of yoga, helps users find a yoga teacher, and offers yoga books for
sale.
At Yogaclass.com, you can learn the basic techniques
for correct breathing, chanting, stretching and relaxing.
A Guy Thing
MensFitness.com is a great website for men who are
determined to beef up their biceps and achieve a rock-hard summer body
through intense weight training.
Men�s Health (www.menshealth.com) is an all-around
great resource for men of all ages, but it�s also a good place to go for
men�s fitness information. Currently featured: build a beach-ready body, The
Home Workout Bible, and how to bust off the beer belly in just four weeks.
Mostly For the Ladies
Shape Magazine (www.shape.com/fitness) is a great place
for step-by-step exercise instructions. Get weight-loss advice, beauty
secrets and exercise tips from this health and fitness magazine.
WeightWatchers.com has informative articles, and you
can choose from a large selection of toning and strength-building routines
designed for women and men.
No Train, No Gain
For in-depth reviews of the top personal-training
websites, be sure to check out www.fitness-websites.no1reviews.com. Top
fitness websites like Gym America, Changing Shape, Fast Track To Fat Loss,
Train With Me Online, Free Trainers, iTRAIN, Fitness.com, Workouts For You,
Gyminee, and ABC of Fitness are reviewed by the site�s editors. An excerpt
of the review for Gym America: �Just looking at Gym America�s high-powered
homepage, emblazoned with images of heaving muscles, sweaty, toned flesh and
red, white and blue text may well be enough to make the flabby and
un-American amongst us feel slightly intimidated. Make no mistake, this is a
no-nonsense fitness website that aims to get results, fast. It does so by
taking the very latest computer technology and medical know-how and applying
them to your specific fitness needs and goals.�
