Unless you are a professional athlete with millions of dollars of contracts you should avoid the mantra 'no pain, no gain.' Proper exercise will leave your body in a comfortable, healthy state and you happy - not ready for bed. From proper exercise your body becomes lighter and firmer. Exercising beyond this level one becomes restless, exhausted and shaky.



Only exercise to about 50% of your capacity. If you can run for half an hour, run for 15 minutes and so on. Exercising more will increase the time it takes your body to repair after you exercise. If you tire quickly, try very light exercises like walking.

In winter, choose an indoor activity as extreme cold makes breathing difficult. Remember, you need exercising at comfortable level. If you are extremely overweight (say about 25 kg or above your standard weight) or have bad knees, do not run, walk or do weight-bearing exercises, which cause strain and pain. Instead, go for 30 minutes stationary cycling. Various exercises that make a body flexible are described below:

Exercises for back, hips, thighs and buttocks- These ab-strengthening exercises take just ten minutes and can be done anywhere you find floor space. Apart from giving you a great shape, strong abdominal muscles are vital to your overall health and fitness. They take the strain off your back, aid digestion and can help relieve menstrual pain too.

The first step in this exercise is to lie on your stomach with your forehead touching the ground. Then grab hold of your folded legs. Next, raise the upper part of your body as well as your legs as high as possible and hold this position for several seconds. Repeat three to four times to tone the muscles in your back, shoulders, waist, and thighs.

Start the second exercise lying face down with your palms to your side and heels together. During this exercise remember to breathe normally except while raising and lowering your legs. Lift one leg while inhaling and hold for about 7 seconds. Lower your first leg, while exhaling, and repeat with the other leg. Perform 4-5 repetitions of this exercise to tone you muscles and aid your digestive system.

As you age you need to adjust your exercise routine. If you are over 60 choose simple movements as following: * Try to never sit longer than half an hour. Even getting up and walking around your house or apartment will increase blood circulation. * Sitting for long periods of time is bad for your body as muscles and joints begin to deteriorate but your psychological wellbeing is also hurt by inactivity. * Sitting in a chair for extended periods of time can become tiring. You should walk a little bit and then lie down.

* You should change your position if you wake during your sleep. * Walk quickly using your ankles to their fullest. You should also make sure keep your heels level while you walk. * If you use a stick for assistance while walking, do not allow it to slow you down. Keep as fast a stride as possible to ensure your health and well being. You should also keep your stick in the hand opposite to your injured or weak leg, never on the same side.

Never bend down over the stick, press on the handle. Beware of too big a stick, or you may damage your shoulder joint by pressure. Try always to have a stick with a curved handle so that you can hook it over your arm. Every day, try to hurry enough at some time so that you become breathless for a minute or so. Balancing on one leg is an excellent exercise.