May is National Bike Month!!

This is the official site for National Bike Month. Check the events section often to see what bike month and bike to work week events are going on in your community. If you would like to submit your event information to be posted on this site, email it to communication@bikeleague.org. Please make sure you write, "Bike Month Event" in the subject line of the email.

The League of American Bicyclists is also promoting Bike-to-Work Week 2010 from May 17-21 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 21. Need some ideas? Use the League's step by step guide on how to get started promoting your event. Help us Count Cyclists In this May, and every month!

Try these fancy moves...

Dragonfly

Start on all fours, a weight in each hand. Extend left leg behind you in line with body; extend right arm out to side at shoulder level. Keeping left leg lifted, curl weight toward chest (as shown). Straighten arm for one rep. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat. Works shoulders, chest, back, abs

T-rrific toner

Stand with feet hip-width apart, a weight in each hand, arms extended at shoulder level. Lift right leg back and lower torso forward until body forms a T, arms straight toward ground, palms in (as shown). Return to start. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Turbo twist

Sit with legs out in front, knees bent. Hold one weight in both hands at chest level; lean back at a 45-degree angle. Maintain position as you contract abs and twist torso to right (as shown), then left for one rep. Do 12 reps.

• Works arms, back, abs, obliques

Setting a Goal, Getting Specific

(Biggest Loser Tip) Setting a Goal, Getting Specific

Here's how to take your goals serious. Just thinking about something will never get you started. But if you set a concrete goal like "I will sign up to volunteer with a local group this week," you're more likely to do it.

Putting an exercise goal down on paper (listing which days and how much you'll exercise) can help you stay focused no matter what else is going on in your life. And if you exercise during the day, maybe you're less likely to eat unhealthy foods that day. Perhaps it would help to have a long term exercise goal too. Aim for a 5K or some other goal about 3 months away.

If you continue to set goals and don't reach them, then the frustration just builds. I don't care if it's 15 minutes per day, but you will feel better if you are hitting your goals.

Biggest Loser Tip

Your Body Burns Calories Three Ways

1. Resting metabolism (RMR)
Calories burned by your body just to stay alive and run all of your vital organs. This is the majority of the calories you'll burn. For most people this is 1200-2000 calories per day.

2. Daily activity
Calories burned by your body when you get out of bed and go about your day. For instance, when you walk to and from places during the day; or when you do basic housework and other LIFE things. For most people, they burn 300-600 calories per day but this amount can be much higher for those that do physical work all day.

3. Exercise
Calories burned by going to walk, swim, bike, weight train, do yoga, etc. For most people, this is 200-600 per exercise bout.

It's important to eat a calorie level at or near the RMR calorie level. Going lower can slow down the metabolism and make weight loss painfully slow. If you are exercising a lot, you'll need to bump up your calories otherwise you'll feel hungry or unusually tired and slow your weight loss.

Here's an example for a typical person:

1. RMR: 1300 calories burned
2. Daily Activity: 300-600 calories burned
3. Exercise: 200-400 calories burned

Total Calories Burned in a Day: 1800 - 2300 calories

So on light days, you burn 1800 calories and consumes 1300 – this is a 500-calorie deficit – which would lead to a pound per week weight loss if you did this everyday. (NOTE: One pound = 3,500 calories so a deficit of 500 calories per day x 7 days = 3,500 calories).

On the heavier days, you burn 2,300 calories and has a 1000-calorie deficit which would lead to a 2 pound per week weight loss.

Keep Walking--No Matter What

1. Adopt the right attitude. Tell yourself that taking a walk will help you accomplish more on your to-do list. Exercise makes you feel better and think more clearly, so you become more productive.
   
   
2. Aim for the a.m. walking first thing in the morning, before anyone else is out and about, gives you an opportunity to focus on yourself.
   
   
3. Seek out new scenery. Choose a walking route that takes you down quiet streets or through a beautiful park. The more appealing your surroundings, the calmer you'll feel. Walking on busy streets, in unsafe neighborhoods, or after dark only adds to your stress.
   
   
4. Slow your pace. Pushing yourself to go faster or farther only adds to your stress. During tense times, keep your walks leisurely.
   
   
5. Break up your workout. If your schedule is so busy that you can't find one chunk of time for your walk, take advantage of spare minutes throughout the day. Head outdoors for a stroll before or after lunch or between appointments. Even 5 minutes of walking is enough to recharge your batteries.
   

Pace Yourself for Best Results - Here are the pace and exertion levels you'll find in these workouts: Easy: You can sing Moderate: You can talk freely Brisk: You can talk but you'd rather not Fast: You're huffing and puffing Sprint: You can't go for longer than 30 seconds

Firmer Abs...

A firm, jiggle-free belly—everybody wants one. Focusing only on the front, outer layer, as ordinary crunches do, won't shrink its size. Do these exercises three times a week, and you'll have a slim, sexy, bareable tummy!

Diagonal cancan - Targets: Sides (obliques)
Sit with legs together about a foot off ground, knees slightly bent. Keep palms on ground at sides for balance. Holding feet up, tip knees to left as you rotate torso to right (as shown). Return to start, then repeat in opposite direction to complete one rep. Do 12 reps.

T balance on ball- Targets: Inner corset, entire midsection
Balance with upper back on stability ball, knees bent, abs tight, torso parallel to ground. Extend arms at sides. With feet planted, roll right until you feel wobbly (as shown). Squeeze abs to roll to opposite side for one rep. Do 12 reps.

Long torso hold - Targets: Inner corset
Lie faceup with arms extended behind head. Lift shoulder blades and legs, feet together, to form a bowl shape (as shown). Exhale and pull in abs, pressing lower spine against ground. Inhale, then exhale as you shorten the space between bottom ribs and hips. Continue for 20 seconds. Repeat five times.

Ways to burn 150 calories...

For a 150-pound person, doing these exercises will burn about 150 calories, a great start to getting into shape:

• Walking a mile at a pace of 15 to 20 minutes per mile
• Swimming laps for 20 minutes
• Bicycling for 30 minutes
• Running a mile at a pace of 10 minutes per mile
• Climbing stairs for 15 minutes
• Raking leaves for 30 minutes
• Playing basketball for 15 to 30 minutes
• Playing volleyball for 45 to 60 minutes
• Gardening for 30 to 45 minutes
• Jumping rope for 15 minutes
• Dancing for 30 minutes
  

For a more accurate calorie burn for your weight either search "calorie calculator" on Google or go to: http://www.healthyweightforum.org/eng/calorie-calculator.asp