Fitness: Exercises, Nutrition Tips, and Tools to Get Fit
Physical activity can improve cardiovascular fitness, increase strength and energy and relieve stress. Below are sites with vital information about exercise and nutrition to help you reach your fitness goals. For a Spanish-language version of the Guide, click here.
Expand All Guide SectionsHow to Get Fit
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Fitness for Seniors
Seniors have special concerns about exercise. Even basic concepts are different, so it's imperative ... read more »
Fitness Calculators and Tracking Tools
Customizing your fitness plan down to the rep, calorie, or mile is easy, thanks to a variety of fitness calculators and tracking tools available on the Web. If you're interested in finding out stats such as your basal metabolic rate (the rate at which a body burns energy to maintain vital functions while at rest) or suggested caloric intake, check out what the following sites have to offer.
Dulcinea's Insight
- In general, treat the figures these calculators give you as being in the ballpark, but not 100% accurate. For example, your body mass index (BMI) is an estimation of your body fat based on your height and weight, which is less accurate than physical measurements like a skin-fold caliper or a hydrostatic test. Talk to your trainer or doctor if you'd like to receive such a test.
Dulcinea's Picks
Global Fitness
has a long list of resources, including a fat calculator, calorie calculator, and a fiber calculator. The first few links in the "Free Tools" section may seem suspect because of their offers for free e-books, but Global Fitness is a legitimate site.
Skinnyr
has a basic but effective online weight tracker. Just input your weight daily and Skinnyr plots it, creating a nice flash graph showing your weight fluctuation over time. This site's graphic simplicity is nice and easy on the eyes, and it's easily navigated.
Marathon Guide
has pace calculators, pace charts, and performance predictors for the joggers and runners out there. Also check out the heart-rate calculators to determine the best workout intensity level for you.
The Lawrence Berkeley Lab
has an online mileage log for running and cycling that keeps a tally of your total mileage traveled and treats it as if you're running across the United States. As you trace the trans-American route from Virginia to Oregon, you're supplied with pictures of the road at different routes to simulate the experience.
My Food Diary
is a diet and exercise site where users create their own food diary. There is $9 per month subscription fee, and unfortunately no free trial. If you do subscribe, you'll find an extensive food database, fitness logs, progress charts and reports, and a discussion forum.
Online Fitness Communities
A few sites allow you to connect with others and track your fitness goals. Whether you want to plan ... read more »
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