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Tips on exercise and everyday health from Toru Kitamura, owner and trainer at Orange Fitness in Kai City, Yamanashi. These are English versions of selected posts from our Japanese blog.

• When Should You Walk to Lose Weight? Morning, After a Meal, or After Strength Training
  October 9, 2026
  Which time of day works best for walking, by goal, and whether to walk before or after lifting.
• Where Should Beginners Start? The Right Order for a Strength Workout
  March 14, 2026
  The order beginners should follow in a strength workout, with 30–40 and 20-minute templates.
• Poor Posture Makes You Look Heavier: The Fastest Way to Fix It
  March 8, 2026
  Three alignment tips, gym exercises and a 30-second daily rule for posture that makes you look heavier.
• Treadmill Before or After Strength Training? The Right Answer
  February 27, 2026
  Where to put the treadmill in your workout, by goal, with simple time splits.
• Why Your Weight Goes Up the Day After Eating Sweets
  February 20, 2026
  Why the scale jumps after sweets, and four steps to reset the next day.
• Can Women Build Muscle Like Men? What Science and the Gym Floor Say
  November 21, 2025
  Women can build muscle, but the amount and the look differ. A practical machine plan, diet and FAQ.
• When Should You Eat Protein? The Best Balance for Morning, Noon and Night
  November 19, 2025
  How to spread protein across the day, with meal ideas and a sample plan.
• Loosen Tight Hips From Sitting: A 3-Minute Pelvis Reset
  October 25, 2025
  A 3-minute, no-equipment routine for tight hips from long sitting.
• Treadmill Incline and Speed: How to Choose for Your Goal
  October 9, 2025
  How much incline and speed fit each goal, with four ready-to-use treadmill workouts.
• Three Core Exercises That Are Gentle on Your Lower Back: Reset Swayback and Rounded Shoulders Together
  September 29, 2025
  Dead bug, hip lift and bird dog: a 10-minute core routine that protects your lower back.
• Treadmill Walking That’s Easy on Your Knees: Incline, Speed and Posture
  September 17, 2025
  How to set incline, speed and posture so the treadmill is gentle on your knees, with three workouts.
• Beat the Lingering Heat: 3 Habits to Avoid “Autumn Fatigue” and How to Use the Gym
  August 25, 2025
  Three habits and short gym routines for “aki-bate”, the fatigue that follows a long summer.
• A Desk Worker’s Friend: 3-Minute Shoulder Stretches for Your Work Breaks
  August 15, 2025
  A 3-minute, equipment-free shoulder routine you can do at the office.
• Beat Summer Fatigue: Fluids and Electrolytes for Sweating Smart
  July 20, 2025
  How much, when and what to drink in summer, with a daily timing table.
• Boost Your Metabolism in Your 40s: The “Golden Balance” of Cardio and Strength
  June 26, 2025
  Why metabolism falls in your 40s, and a 60:40 cardio-to-strength plan for three days a week.
• A 15-Minute Gym Habit: A Strength Routine Even Busy People Can Keep
  June 18, 2025
  Why a quick 15-minute gym visit is worth it, with a sample menu.
• Stop Just Sleeping It Off: Why Resting Alone Won’t Cure Your Tiredness
  May 27, 2025
  Why sleep alone does not clear fatigue, and how light exercise helps.
• Have You Been Putting Your Own Body Last?
  May 8, 2025
  Work, housework and family can push your health to the bottom. Start small.
• Feeling Less Fit Lately? Fitness Habits to Start Right Now
  April 29, 2025
  Stamina can be regained at any age. How to start gently.
• Gym Beginner FAQ: Answers to the Questions You’re Afraid to Ask
  April 20, 2025
  Answers to six common questions from people new to the gym.
• Improve Your Posture at the Gym: A Training Guide for Women Over 40
  March 24, 2025
  A 45-minute, twice-a-week gym menu for posture problems after 40.
• Change Yourself This Spring: Set a Goal at the Gym and Take the First Step
  March 10, 2025
  How to set specific, small, personal-pace fitness goals, with examples.
• Habits That Spike Your Blood Sugar: What to Stop Doing Now
  February 13, 2025
  Why blood sugar rises and spikes, and how food, exercise and habits keep it steady.
• No More Excuses for Not Exercising: Staying Motivated When You’re Busy
  January 23, 2025
  Habits and mindset that help busy people keep exercising.
• Muscle and Stamina Won’t Last Forever: What Aging Does and What You Can Do
  January 15, 2025
  How muscle declines with age, the numbers behind it, and what to do now.
• Does Santa Train Too? A Workout for Pulling a Flying Sleigh
  December 24, 2024
  A Christmas Eve workout: four exercises Santa might do, with form tips.
• Satisfying Even on a Diet: Low-Calorie Chicken Breast Cooking
  December 18, 2024
  Why chicken breast is a staple protein, daily protein targets, cooking tips and three recipes.
• Enjoy Bagels Even on a Diet: What’s Their Secret?
  December 13, 2024
  Why bagels are filling, their calories, and how to choose and top them on a diet.
• The Green Superfood: Why Broccoli Is Worth Eating
  December 6, 2024
  Broccoli’s nutrients, seven health benefits and easy ways to eat it.
• Nuts for Everyday Health: Benefits and How Much to Eat
  November 27, 2024
  Health benefits of nuts and a sensible daily amount of about 30 g.
• Diet, Sleep, Exercise and One More Thing: How to Get Healthy Days
  November 19, 2024
  The basics of food, sleep and exercise, plus one extra: healthy digestion.
• Half of Women Don’t Exercise Even Once a Week: How to Build a Healthy Habit
  November 12, 2024
  Why many women in their 30s and 40s don’t exercise, and what to look for in a gym.
• Does Strength Training Work on the Brain? The Surprising Effects of Exercise
  November 7, 2024
  How strength training and cardio affect focus and mood, inspired by the book Exercise Brain.
• How Thinking Has Changed: Protein Timing and the Role of Stretching
  September 26, 2024
  Updated thinking on when to take protein and which stretching to do before and after training.
• Get Your Nutrition From Food, Not Just Supplements
  August 30, 2024
  Why real food should come before supplements, and everyday nutrition tips.
• Is Cardio Unnecessary? The Truth About Aerobic Exercise
  August 24, 2024
  Why cardio still matters for heart and lungs, fat burning and mental health.
• Staying the Same Is Easy, But… Try Changing Just a Little
  August 21, 2024
  Why staying the same stalls progress, and how small challenges help you take the next step.
• What to Wear to the Gym: Choosing Clothes You Can Move In
  August 15, 2024
  Recommended gym clothing, shoes, layering and accessories, plus gym etiquette.
• Does Gym Size Matter? Reasons to Choose a Small Gym
  August 10, 2024
  Attentive guidance, a cozy atmosphere and flexible programs: the strengths of a small gym.
• Secrets to a Body That Doesn’t Lose to Age
  August 7, 2024
  Four keys to staying strong with age: exercise, protein, sleep and mindset.
• Advice for Sticking With the Gym: Make It Enjoyable
  August 6, 2024
  Six practical tips from the owner for sticking with the gym.
• The Magic of Exercise: Changing Your Body and Mind
  August 5, 2024
  How regular exercise changes your body, mood, focus and sleep, plus habit tips.