How To Overcome Workout Obstacles

May 8th, 2012

Working out is something we all have struggled with from time to time. If we’re too tired, or “don’t have enough time” we simply run through our heads the millions of excuses to try and make ourselves feel better.  You have probably heard them all yourself. These are struggles many deal with when trying to maintain an exercise routine. Falling off the bandwagon a few times is nothing new, so in an effort to avoid the spiral downfall and abandonment of all your hard work here are some suggestions that will get you back in the gym, accomplishing your workout goals.

Make sure you are realistic. Set goals that are achievable, if you set unrealistic goals you are setting yourself up for failure. This can cause your motivation to be thrown off therefore affecting your whole workout regimen. Let’s say the scenario goal is weight loss of 50 pounds. This goal may seem very steep, especially in the beginning, so break that goal into smaller ones. This way it makes it more feasible to accomplish and a whole lot less overwhelming.

To begin, start by establishing your goals, and try to work out in the morning. “Studies show that morning exercise gives our mind and body a boost, keeping us active for hours after our work out.” Statistics show that 90% of people who work out in the morning stick to their exercising regimen. Working out in the morning will also give people that sense of accomplishment because they have achieved their goal before the start of their actual day.

Planning your workouts in advance is a great way to save time. This way you are prepared for what is about to come and know exactly what to do. Having the mindset of knowing what needs to be done and accomplished will help you become focused in your daily exercise routine. Also, when planning your workouts, you want to make sure you have a full variety of exercises. It is normal to become bored with your workouts, resulting in a lack of commitment. Repeating the same exercise allows your muscles to become “immune” to the workout. This makes it very difficult to make your trained muscles become sore and this decreases the challenge. So, mix up your workouts, not only for your sanity but to continue to challenge your muscles.

These are just a few tips to help overcome your workout obstacles. Your mind is your biggest enemy to the success of your health. Be sure to focus on that half hour or hour a day you workout and give it all you got. Motivation can come from within so constantly remind yourself how important your well-being is and start overcoming your workout obstacles today!

 

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Eating Healthy on the Weekends

April 10th, 2012

When it comes to a lifestyle change, such as exercising and eating healthier, we are faced with a major dilemma… the weekends. During the week it tends to be easier to stick to a healthy regime and routine, but once Friday afternoon roles around, we tend to “relax.” This is a natural urge, but there are ways you can stick to your diet and be successful without cheating on the weekends.

Preparation is key to enjoying your weekend and still eating healthy. Your kitchen may have tempting high calorie snacks readily available from eating all the healthy ones all week. Be prepared; check your pantry and refrigerator to make sure there are vegetables and fruits for you to snack on. Set yourself up for success, even some whole grain crackers and cheese for snacking on when hanging out with friends is a good alternative.

Weekends are full of getting together with friends and family for any reason such as birthday parties, showers, weddings, etc. where food is a major focal point. The temptation is there, but stick with a single portion and don’t go for seconds! It is easy to eat an entire days worth of calories at one gathering. For example, one slice of cheese pizza can be 200+ calories depending on any toppings. Then you add cake, which can vary anywhere between 200 for a simple flavored, to 400 or 600 for a decadent piece. Add in a few beers with your meal while celebrating, and you nearly consume half of your daily intake of calories in one sitting. So, stick to the healthy snacks and one serving.

More people tend to eat at restaurants on the weekends. Fight this urge and cook instead of dining out. By cooking at home you are able to have full control of the ingredients that go into your meals. If you can’t help dining out, stick with a soup, salad, and stay away from bread refills. Also, don’t feel forced to finish your entire meal, know when you are full, and take the remainder home for leftovers. This can make for a perfect lunch the next day.

If you notice yourself having some cravings, go for a walk to burn off some calories because not only will your distract yourself from snacking, but you will get some exercise as well! Once you learn to stick to eating healthy seven days a week instead of five, you will have full control over your lifestyle change. Enjoy your weekend without completely blowing all your hard work Monday through Friday. You’ve earned it!

 

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4 Foods To Help You Lose Weight

March 18th, 2012

The foundation for successful weight loss is eating well and exercising. Americans spend about thirty billion a year on slim-down products, many of which many don’t even work. New research points to many foods—from beans to beef that can help fight hunger, reduce your candy addiction, boost your metabolism, and also shed pounds while delivering additional health bonuses.

  • Eggs are full of protein and help you feel fuller longer. A multicenter study of 30 overweight or obese women found that those who ate two scrambled eggs with two slices of toast and a reduced calorie fruit spread consumed less within the next 36 hours than women who had a bagel for breakfast of equal calories. Other research has shown that protein may also prevent spikes in blood sugar, which can lead to food cravings.
  • Eating Beans provides a digestive hormone known as cholecystokinin that is a natural appetite suppressant reported by researchers at the University of California at Davis. Further evidence suggests that beans help keep blood sugar at consistent levels to help decrease hunger. In addition, high-fiber beans can also lower your cholesterol.
  • Consuming a Salad before a meal controls some calorie intake. In a study of 42 women at Penn State University, those who ate a big, low-calorie salad consumed 12 percent less pasta even though they were offered as much as they wanted. Furthermore, a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that people who ate one salad a day with dressing had higher levels of vitamins C and E, folic acid, lycopene, and carotenoids which are all disease fighters.
  • Green tea contains antioxidants called catechins that help speed metabolism and fat burning. A Japanese study of 35 men who drank a bottle of oolong tea mixed with green tea catechins lost weight, boosted their metabolism, and had a significant drop in their body mass index. It also lowered their LDL (bad) cholesterol.
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Reasons Why Everyone Should Do Weight Training

March 14th, 2012

There are a lot of myths across the fitness world about weight training, such as that the quality of exercise is not as good as aerobic training is.

Truth is that if done properly you should combine strength-training, aerobics and maybe even some yoga to stretch/strengthen your whole body. Weight training infused with aerobics a few times a week is a good balance that will bring your body to its most efficient state. This will allow you to have a strong cardiovascular system and toned muscles to take on anything.

Having a toned body in cardio shape is the right way to train!

Strength Training for Different Situations

The odds are that if you are overweight you may be avoiding weight training because you think it will cause you to put on even more weight. The truth is that the combination of weight training and a sensible diet along with cardio is the best and healthiest way to shed those pounds.

Following a program like this may result in losing 5 pounds whereas someone who has just been dieting and doing cardio may have lost 7 pounds! However, this isn’t showing the full results for both people. The side that isn’t shown is that you are more likely to have gained 3 pounds of muscle. Your muscles are a fat burning machine, and as you continue with weight training, you will reach those goals well beyond if you were just dieting and doing cardio.

When dieting there is a chance to revert back to your old eating habits resulting in weight gain only. Those willing to make a complete lifestyle overhaul involving a well-rounded exercise routine will continue to see progress.

The combination of cardio and dieting with weight training is a lifestyle you can continue throughout your life. By doing so, this will also contribute to living longer, and increasing your quality of life.

 

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Common Exercise Mistakes

February 10th, 2012

It is not uncommon for people who exercise in or outside health clubs to not know how to use exercise equipment properly, or even safely. Whether you’re a veteran or novice at exercising, it is very important that you get the most out of your workout without injuring yourself.

Some of The Most Common Exercise Mistakes Include:

The All-or-Nothing Approach

If you don’t have all the time you’d like for your workout, a little bit can add up over time, so just do what you can. Having an unbalanced strength training program is not as effective. It is important to work your whole body as well as your core to achieve balance and health.

Not Stretching Enough

It is very important to spend a few minutes stretching the muscles you will be working out before you exercise. It is also as important to stretch for about 8-10 minutes after a workout to reduce the risk of injury and tight muscles.

Poor Technique or Form

Using an incorrect form can lead to unwanted injuries. A few examples of poor technique include: letting the knee extend beyond the toes during a lunge or squat; using momentum to lift heavy weights, and not exercising through a full range of motion. You can learn proper form by working with a certified Personal Trainer.

Not Warming Up

Besides stretching, it is also necessary to gradually warm up to prepare your body for the added demands of aerobic training. Warming up allows your body to re-route blood from your extremities to send oxygen to the muscles, and heart rate elevates to meet the need for oxygen.

Not Cooling Down

Not only does your body need to warm up, but it also needs to cool down. It is important to let your body gradually let your heart rate lower to minimize the chances of blood pooling or feeling light headed.

Inconsistent Progression

Exercising too hard and too often, or increasing intensity too quickly is a common mistake that can lead to soreness and burnout. Consistency and gradual progression is most effective and important for avoiding injury as well as for making improvements.

Incorrect Machine Set-Up

Exercise equipment is adjustable and it’s important that you set it up to fit you before you use it. If you use poorly adjusted equipment it is a set-up for injury. If you don’t know how, ask a staff person

Lifting Too Much Weight

Too much weight contributes to poor form when lifting and creates injury to other areas of your body including the muscles you are targeting. The most effective workout is one that is gradual progressive resistance training.

Not Drinking Enough Water

Drinking water replenishes all your fluid needs.

Poor Gym Etiquette

This can range from simple rudeness like lingering on machines, bad body odor, or not wiping your sweat from machines. Always be considerate of other exercisers.

Poor Goal Setting

If you begin an exercise routine with unrealistic or vague goals this can lead to dropout. The key is to establish a training goal that is specific and appropriate for your fitness and skill level.

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Understanding Exercise-Induced Weight Gain

February 8th, 2012

It is common knowledge that exercise burns calories and helps you to shed extra pounds.

Armed with this knowledge, many people think that losing weight should be easy with enough exercise. You may take this as bad news, but the truth is that for those who aren’t used to exercising and are out of shape, beginning an exercise program may actually lead to weight gain.

This fact, however, shouldn’t stop you from exercising, as you’ll eventually turn the weight corner and start losing.

What is it about exercise that may cause some people to gain instead of lose weight?

Muscle Mass: One of the main reasons exercising can lead to weight gain is that it promotes the growth of muscle mass.

If you are not used to working out and haven’t used certain muscles regularly, after exercising your muscles will be sore and will increase in size. While you may burn off fat, muscle is denser than fat. Therefore, the weight you gain is in your muscles.

And take heart. Since muscles take up less space than fat, your extra weight doesn’t necessarily translate to larger size. In fact, once you start working out, you’ll probably become thinner, even if you maintain your previous weight. Instead of using a scale to determine if you are slimming down, have your body fat tested regularly or measure your body at certain areas.

If you see that you’re losing inches, then you know you’re on the right track.

Cardiovascular activities like walking, running, or swimming will encourage the growth of lean, toned muscles. Other activities such as weight lifting promote the growth of larger, stronger muscles that contribute to weight gain.

But there is good news in this. If you stick with the exercise program, your muscles will soon stabilize in size and after a time, become toned. After your muscles are strong and able to handle more strenuous workouts, you will be able to burn calories faster.

While it may be frustrating and disappointing to see the scale go up after starting an exercise routine, it shouldn’t stop you from exercising. You may just be building muscle faster than losing body fat. This can be especially true if you’re genetically prone to building muscle fast. The key is to incorporate plenty of cardio exercise in addition to strength training. That way you will burn plenty of calories during your routine and be more able to shed pounds.

Eating Habits: When you work out and burn calories, your body will feel the need to replace those burned calories.

This may make you feel hungrier than usual, which can cause you to eat more than normal – sometimes without knowing it. A good idea is to keep a food journal to track of the actual number of calories you are consuming.

You may also end up eating more calories and justifying their consumption since you’re exercising. After a good workout, you may see an ice cream sundae as a reward for the calories you burned. Just be careful. If you’re interested in losing weight, you can’t simply break even with your caloric intake and the amount of calories you burn.

At the same time, eating too few calories can be counterproductive and slow your weight loss. Without enough calories, your body may slow its metabolism. So eat plenty to keep your body well fueled, but choose healthy calories that will help your body recover after a workout and grow stronger.

Hydration: Depending on the time of day you weigh yourself, the scale may read differently. Your weight can fluctuate as much as five pounds depending on the amount of water or food you have recently consumed or the amount of water you have shed in sweat. It is therefore important to weigh yourself at the same time each day.

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2 Exercises For Toned Abs

January 9th, 2012

In the United States, having a six-pack is all the rage—and the same can be said about the world! For most people, they salivate over the tight abs they see celebrities and models have in the media.  The majority of society has placed a certain sex appeal and mystique on abs that can’t be shaken—people want to see as well as have—washboard abs.

Besides just showing off your body, having toned abs is also important for professional and other serious athletes because a good set of abs is responsible for maintaining the stability in the center of their body.  Having toned abs protects your organs and your spine while providing the strength to move around large amounts of weight.  If you want to be able to move around considerable amounts of weight, you still need to have a strong central core even though you have arm and back strength.  Therefore, if you do these 2 ab exercises on a regular basis, you will be on track to having a tightened central core!

Ab Exercise #1–The Bicycle Crunch

The bicycle crunch is one of the best exercises to do for your abs, including your obliques.  Keep in mind that there is no real bicycle involved with this type of exercise.  This ab workout actually uses the weight and resistance of your own body, and if the workout is too easy you can add weights to your ankles or legs.

To do the bicycle crunch you can follow this process:

  1. While you are lying on the floor, put your hands behind your head.  (Do not lock your fingers as you don’t want to be pulling your head upward during the exercise using your arms.)
  2. Elevate your shoulder blades using your ab muscles as if you are performing a crunch.
  3. Raise your knees so that they are bent and your calf muscles are parallel to the floor, then slowly begin pedaling your legs as if you are on a bicycle.
  4. Finally, constrict your abs with each “row” by touching your knee with the opposite elbow (as you pull your knee up.)

 

During this ab workout, and/or any workout, remember to maintain your breathing–never hold your breath!  Your shoulders should be elevated at all times, and you should not be using your hands to keep them elevated!

Ab Exercise #2–Vertical Leg Raise

Doing a vertical leg raise will always be ideal for targeting your lower ab muscles, and with the variations in movement, this exercise can also work your obliques as well!

This ab exercise works best from a captain’s chair, and by following this process you will be able to start working out your abs by doing a vertical leg raise:

  1. Hold up your body by putting your elbows on the parallel pads with your back flush to the backpads.
  2. Grasp the provided hand holds and let your feet hang.
  3. Lift your knees near your chest.
  4. Pause and flex your abs then lower your legs carefully just before the starting position and begin again. (Never try to let your feet rest by dangling them.)

 

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5 Tips To Re-Start Your Exercise Routine

December 6th, 2011

So, it’s been a few months since you’ve worked out, ran, or even seen the inside of the gym that you pay monthly to get into.  After the wait, now the question you may be asking yourself is: how do you start and maintain your routine of starting out all over again?

Well, there is no need to worry because when you have established a routine, it becomes automatic. In fact, you just go to the gym—with no force at all.  However, after months or maybe a year off, it can be difficult to get started up again.

If you are having trouble getting into gym mode, here are four tips to help you get into the groove again:

Don’t Stop!

The best way to maintain is simply not to stop. Do not take extensive breaks in working out or re-starting the habit will be harder.

Work out for 30 Days

Make it an obligation to go every day (even for a half hour) for one month. This will strengthen your exercise routine. By working out steadily, you also take pressure off yourself in the first weeks back of contemplating over whether or not you should go.

Have Fun!

If you don’t have fun at the gym, gym time will be a drag. There are tons of ways you can work out, so don’t give up if you’ve determined that using dumbbells or doing pushups isn’t for you.  A lot of fitness centers will offer a variety of programs to choose from.

Stress Relief

What is it that you do when you’re under pressure? Chances are it isn’t running!  Exercise can be a great way to relieve stress, releasing endorphins that can better your mood. Also, when stress relief is related to exercise, it is easier to start working out after a period of not.

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Mind Blowing Exercise

October 28th, 2011

Exercising is not only about toning your thighs, building biceps, or keeping your belly flat, it is also the best thing you can do for your brain.

How So?

Daily exercise zaps harmful stress chemicals, boosts problem-solving skills, planning, and makes you more attentive. It also alleviates pain, both physical and mental. Exercise affects many sites within the nervous system and sets off pleasure chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine that make us feel calm, happy, and euphoric. There is nothing better than stimulating your nervous system (to function at a higher level) than through exercise.

Working out also helps keep us from ruminating by altering blood flow to areas in the brain involved in triggering us to relive stressful thoughts. In addition, a study from the University of California at San Francisco found that women who were stressed and exercised for at least forty five minutes over three days showed fewer signs of aging compared to stressed women who did not exercise. Further research also suggests that burning three hundred and fifty calories three times a week will reduce the symptoms of depression as effectively as antidepressants.  Exercising actually stimulates the growth neurons in certain regions of the brain damaged during depression!

Through exercise, brain chemicals called “growth factors” increase to help make new brain cells and new connections (between brain cells to help you learn!) In addition, engaging in complicated activities allows brain cells to grow and enhances our attention and concentration skills. German researchers found that high school students scored better on high attention tasks after doing ten minutes of a complicated fitness routine compared to ten minutes of regular activity. Those students who did not exercise scored the worst. Furthermore, self-esteem and body image is improved just by seeing fitness improvements!

The benefits of exercise are endless to your physical, emotional, mental being!

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Three Tips to Build and Maintain Muscle

September 2nd, 2011

Train Under An Hour

You should be keeping whatever program you are doing to no more than one hour.  You should also make sure that you are centering
on maintaining the force high, as opposed to making the workout drag on. There have been a numerous amount of studies on how bad things may happen to your hormonal state if you are training for over an hour. Also, when trying to gain weight, you would want to work out harder rather than longer.

Make Eating A Habit

To gain weight you need to focus on making your meals a habit rather than an afterthought. Your body is pre-programmed with your genetic disposition. Also, if you have a very fast metabolism that digests and burns calories quickly, you will need to consume more meals.

So even though you may limit yourself to the average of three meals a day (even if they may be high calorie meals) your body is going to burn through these very quickly.  You should focus on having five to six meals a day spaced two to three hours apart so that your body is
constantly being provided with something to metabolize and build muscle. Eating is one of the best ways to build muscle fast and accounts for nearly three thirds of body building achievement.

Take It Easy

Learn to relax more and try limiting any strenuous activity outside of the gym as much as possible so that when you are in the gym you have the energy to put forth to good use.  Rest is best and often one of the forgotten ways to build muscle fast in between strenuous workouts.

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