They are the latest rage in fitness. The exercise ball – large, vinyl balls that can be used to strengthen and stretch your body, improving core stability and balance. By incorporating an exercise ball into your fitness routine, you can add challenge, variety, and lots of fun to your workout. Take a look at the many strength training benefits you receive with this simple and inexpensive (as little as $10) piece of equipment.

1. Balance
An exercise ball workout incorporates the added challenge of balance while you are doing a workout with bands, dumbbells, or a core workout such as Pilates.

2. Core strength
Each exercise you do in your exercise ball core workout incorporates having to stabilize the core before you can begin to work the extremities like your arms or legs. For instance, if you are trying to perform a push up using the exercise ball as you walk out into position you need to make sure the abdominals are engaged or you will roll right off the ball. Another exercise is a ball squat where you position the ball on the wall leaning into it at your lower back. As you bend your knees to a sitting position you’ll feel the ball roll up your spine. If you are not engaging your abdominal muscles you will roll off the side of the ball.

3. Progressive exercises
The dynamic nature of your workout on the exercise ball allows you to progressively increase or decrease the intensity of the exercises by making slight adjustments in your body position. As you walk your upper body farther out off the ball the more weight you will be pushing and the harder the exercise will become. The more of your body weight that is supported on the ball the easier it will be to push yourself up.

4. Greater range of motion
For many abdominal exercises the ball allows for a greater range of motion, which helps to increase your flexibility and strength in the muscles. An abdominal curl where you roll your spine back over the ball is a greater range than you would achieve on a flat surface.

5. Dynamic transitions
The rolling aspect of the ball allows you to roll into positions with ease and a more challenging transition to another exercise. For instance, when doing an exercise ball Pilates workout, you can transition from a side stretch or oblique lift right into kneeling side kicks on top of the ball working the abductors of the thighs.

6. Improves breathing techniques
When doing an exercise ball Pilates workout, once again the dynamic transitions allow for more focused and deep abdominal breathing techniques.

7. Convenience
The exercise ball workout can be done anywhere. At home, when you travel, at the in-laws, in the yard. All you need a small amount of floor space and a ball. Most of the balls can be deflated and easily filled up with a foot or hand pump so you can
pack them along anywhere you go.

8. Fun!
The big round ball adds an element of play to your exercise ball workout. Fun is an important aspect of any fitness routine because it inspires and motivates us to exercise.

10 tips to help you stay fit

• Eat breakfast daily and eat fruit at least twice a day.
• Take your lunch to work at least a few times each week.
• Only eat while sitting, but DO NOT eat while watching television.
• Grocery shop when you are not hungry and stick to the items on your shopping list.
• Try the stairs at work instead of the elevator.
• Park your car in the furthest parking spots instead of the closest.
• If you can’t get to the gym, at least try to take a 20- to 30- minute walk several times a week.
• Drink eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day.
• Eat smaller portions of meats and starches and increase the amount of vegetables on your plate.
• Order salad dressings and sauces on the side.

Source: http://www.webmd.com