So, January is here and
my Gym is already full of new people who don’t have clue about how to train,
Gym etiquette or sharing of the facilities.
However, I don’t blame
them, we’ve all been there when we started our fitness journey.
The Gym can be an
intimidating place if you are not comfortable in those surroundings.
The term
“Gym-timidation” has been coined for such a situation.
Sweating, other
people’s sweat, cold iron, Lycra clad ladies and muscle bound blokes in vest
tops are all reasons why the Gym can be unappealing.
The alternative is
working out on your own in the privacy of your own home, however, can you
really motivate yourself to achieve your maximum without the encouragement of
others?
It’s time to shift your
view on Exercise in the Gym, as Body building has lost its appeal and
importance in the fitness community.
The Functional Fitness revolution has changed the way we workout, as we want fitness that helps us outside the gym with exercises that
helps us lift, move, play, dance and recreate ourselves.
The term “fitness”
means adaption to a specific task and
you don’t get that from isolated muscle training. Fitness has 11 components
divided into three categories physical fitness, motor fitness and injury
prevention.
Physical fitness refers
to flexibility, endurance (muscular and heart), strength and speed. Motor
fitness refers to Accuracy, Balance, Power, Agility and Co-ordination.
With this in mind, people
want to exercise for than just health reasons and to lose weight / tone up.
People
also want a challenge, to learn a new skill and get that sense of achievement
that the elliptical or the bicep curl can never bring.
Therefore, it is no
surprise that adventure races involving mud, Bootcamps,
Functional movement
training, Hot Yoga and CrossFit have gained in popularity.
This is because a
community of people working out together to achieve the same goal is more fun
than the loneliness and isolation of your home.
It is not uncommon to pay a
year’s membership to a health club, only to go once and never return, wasting
both precious money and motivation.
Furthermore, working
out in a community is much better when it comes to exercise adherence because
it then becomes a social experience rather than putting earphones on and
jumping on the treadmill, surrounded by people but interacting with no-one
unless they are on a machine that we want to use which brings us full circle
back to Gym-timidation.
Lots of people want to
get fit, let’s make it a social experience and all train together to achieve
the same aim, a better version of ourselves.
Injury prevention
is our specialty at Bulletproofbodies.
We are Physiotherapists and we provide Functional Movement Screening, Orthopaedic assessment, injury diagnosis, Manual Therapy, Exercise Therapy Body Maintenance and Optimisation for you to build a robust and Bulletproof Body.
Keeping a workout fun,
fresh, and new are sure ways to be sure that your New Year's resolution is kept
throughout 2009. If going to the gym and running on the treadmill or using the
elliptical seem like an activity that you can not handle one more time, try
these new and fun activities in the New Year.
Group exercises:
Sometimes the motivation to workout is lacking when it comes to flying solo.
Participating in a group activity will surely be a fun change of pace when it
comes to getting fit. Some creative activities for the New Year include dance
based routines such as Zumba, and military regimented boot-camp styled courses.
1.Yoga:
Yoga is a great way to relax and stretch. Even
though this is a group based class, there is no competition between participants.
Yoga is strictly about you. However, participating in group classes is a great
way to share a positive experience with others.
2. Group Sports:
It doesn't matter if you were the starting
quarterback in high school or the water boy, participating in a group activity
such as tennis, basketball or racquetball is a great way to work up a sweat as
well as make some new friends. Team sports are a great way to make use of the
competitive spirit as well as get fit. Just remember bowling with the guys on
Wednesday nights while drinking beer and smoking cigars does not count as
working out and will not help you to lose weight.
3. Get Back to Nature:
Getting fresh air
outside is another great way to get in all the fitness and exercise that one
needs. With so much time spent indoors these days, taking a long hike through
the woods or along the beach will provide a great opportunity to get fit as
well as get back to nature. Be sure to pack some healthy snacks while out on a
hike. Some great choices include whey protein bars as well as energy drinks.
4. Hi-Tech Fitness:
From the way we listen
to tunes to the specialty socks on our feet. Technology and fitness have merged
together to bring getting fit into the 21st century. From MP3 players that we
wear in our shoes to the moisture wicking properties of clothing, technology
has given us the opportunity to take our workout to a whole new level. This is
proven with Wii Fit and other interactive video games.
Intermittent Fasting
(IF) refers to dietary eating patterns that involve not eating or severely
restricting calories for a prolonged period of time. There are many different
subgroups of intermittent fasting each with individual variation in the
duration of the fast; some for hours, others for day(s).
This has become an
extremely popular topic in the science community due to all of the potential
benefits on fitness and health that are being discovered.
WHAT IS INTERMITTENT
FASTING (IF)?
Fasting, or periods of
voluntary abstinence from food has been practiced throughout the world for
ages. Intermittent fasting with the goal of improving health relatively new.
Intermittent fasting involves restricting intake of food for a set period of time
and does not include any changes to the actual foods you are eating. Currently,
the most common IF protocols are a daily 16 hour fast and fasting for a whole
day, one or two days per week. Intermittent fasting could be considered a
natural eating pattern that humans are built to implement and it traces all the
way back to our paleolithic hunter-gatherer ancestors. The current model of a
planned program of intermittent fasting could potentially help improve many
aspects of health from body composition to longevity and aging. Although IF
goes against the norms of our culture and common daily routine, the science may
be pointing to less meal frequency and more time fasting as the optimal
alternative to the normal breakfast, lunch, and dinner model. Here are two
common myths that pertain to intermittent fasting.
Myth 1 - You Must Eat 3
Meals Per Day: This "rule" that is common in Western society was not
developed based on evidence for improved health, but was adopted as the common
pattern for settlers and eventually became the norm. Not only is there a lack
of scientific rationale in the 3 meal-a-day model, recent studies may be
showing less meals and more fasting to be optimal for human health. One study
showed that one meal a day with the same amount of daily calories is better for
weight loss and body composition than 3 meals per day. This finding is a basic
concept that is extrapolated into intermittent fasting and those choosing to do
IF may find it best to only eat 1-2 meals per day.
Myth 2 - You Need Breakfast,
It's The Most Important Meal of The Day: Many false claims about the absolute
need for a daily breakfast have been made. The most common claims being
"breakfast increases your metabolism" and "breakfast decreases
food intake later in the day". These claims have been refuted and studied
over a 16 week period with results showing that skipping breakfast did not
decrease metabolism and it did not increase food intake at lunch and dinner. It
is still possible to do intermittent fasting protocols while still eating
breakfast, but some people find it easier to eat a late breakfast or skip it
altogether and this common myth should not get in the way.
TYPES OF INTERMITTENT
FASTING:
Intermittent fasting
comes in various forms and each may have a specific set of unique benefits.
Each form of intermittent fasting has variations in the fasting-to-eating
ratio. The benefits and effectiveness of these different protocols may differ
on an individual basis and it is important to determine which one is best for
you. Factors that may influence which one to choose include health goals, daily
schedule/routine, and current health status. The most common types of IF are
alternate day fasting, time-restricted feeding, and modified fasting.
1. ALTERNATE DAY
FASTING:
This approach involves
alternating days of absolutely no calories (from food or beverage) with days of
free feeding and eating whatever you want.
This plan has been
shown to help with weight loss, improve blood cholesterol and triglyceride
(fat) levels, and improve markers for inflammation in the blood.
The main downfall with
this form of intermittent fasting is that it is the most difficult to stick
with because of the reported hunger during fasting days.
2. MODIFIED FASTING -
5:2 DIET
Modified fasting is a protocol
with programmed fasting days, but the fasting days do allow for some food
intake. Generally 20-25% of normal calories are allowed to be consumed on
fasting days; so if you normally consume 2000 calories on regular eating days,
you would be allowed 400-500 calories on fasting days. The 5:2 part of this
diet refers to the ratio of non-fasting to fasting days. So on this regimen you
would eat normally for 5 consecutive days, then fast or restrict calories to
20-25% for 2 consecutive days.
This protocol is great
for weight loss, body composition, and may also benefit the regulation of blood
sugar, lipids, and inflammation. Studies have shown the 5:2 protocol to be
effective for weight loss, improve/lower inflammation markers in the blood (3),
and show signs trending improvements in insulin resistance. In animal studies,
this modified fasting 5:2 diet resulted in decreased fat, decreased hunger
hormones (leptin), and increased levels of a protein responsible for
improvements in fat burning and blood sugar regulation (adiponectin).
The modified 5:2
fasting protocol is easy to follow and has a small number of negative side
effects which included hunger, low energy, and some irritability when beginning
the program. Contrary to this however, studies have also noted improvements
such as reduced tension, less anger, less fatigue, improvements in self
confidence, and a more positive mood.
3. TIME-RESTRICTED
FEEDING:
If you know anyone that
has said they are doing intermittent fasting, odds are it is in the form of
time-restricted feeding. This is a type of intermittent fasting that is used
daily and it involves only consuming calories during a small portion of the day
and fasting for the remainder. Daily fasting intervals in time-restricted
feeding may range from 12-20 hours, with the most common method being 16/8
(fasting for 16 hours, consuming calories for 8). For this protocol the time of
day is not important as long as you are fasting for a consecutive period of
time and only eating in your allowed time period. For example, on a 16/8
time-restricted feeding program one person may eat their first meal at 7AM and
last meal at 3PM (fast from 3PM-7AM), while another person may eat their first
meal at 1PM and last meal at 9PM (fast from 9PM-1PM). This protocol is meant to
be performed every day over long periods of time and is very flexible as long
as you are staying within the fasting/eating window(s).
Time-Restricted feeding
is one of the most easy to follow methods of intermittent fasting. Using this
along with your daily work and sleep schedule may help achieve optimal
metabolic function. Time-restricted feeding is a great program to follow for
weight loss and body composition improvements as well as some other overall
health benefits. The few human trials that were conducted noted significant
reductions in weight, reductions in fasting blood glucose, and improvements in
cholesterol with no changes in perceived tension, depression, anger, fatigue,
or confusion. Some other preliminary results from animal studies showed time
restricted feeding to protect against obesity, high insulin levels, fatty liver
disease, and inflammation.
The easy application
and promising results of time-restricted feeding could possibly make it an
excellent option for weight loss and chronic disease prevention/management.
When implementing this protocol it may be good to begin with a lower
fasting-to-eating ratio like 12/12 hours and eventually work your way up to
16/8 hours.
COMMON QUESTION ABOUT
INTERMITTENT FASTING:
Is there any food or
beverage I am allowed to consume while intermittent fasting? Unless you are
doing the modified fasting 5:2 diet (mentioned above), you should not be eating
or drinking anything that contains calories. Water, black coffee, and any
foods/beverages that do not contain calories are OK to consume during a fasting
period. In fact, adequate water intake is essential during IF and some say that
drinking black coffee while fasting helps decrease hunger.
IF YOU JUST WANT THE
BENEFITS:
Research on
intermittent fasting is in it's infancy but it still has huge potential for
weight loss and the treatment of some chronic disease.
To recap, here are the
possible benefits of intermittent fasting:
Shown in Human Studies:
1. Weight loss
2. Improve blood lipid
markers like cholesterol
3. Reduce inflammation
4. Reduced stress and
improved self confidence
5. Improved mood
Shown in Animal
Studies:
1. Decreased Body Fat
2. Decreased levels of
the hunger hormone leptin
3. Improve insulin
levels
4. Protect against
obesity, fatty liver disease, and inflammation
5. Longevity
For more about all
things health and wellness visit http://www.pennockwellness.com
So you want to start
the New Year with an exercise routine, good for you!
The key to creating a
long-term habit of exercise is to choose the right level of intensity for your
mind and body.
Basically, if you've
been a couch potato for the last five years, it would be half-assed crazy
stupid foolish to start working out hard-core six days a week (and I mean half-assed
crazy stupid foolish in the most loving way!).
Too Much Too Soon =
Burnout
Simply put, your body
is not ready for extreme change all at once. Yes, you can get there eventually,
but it's not safe to dive into Crossfit classes six days a week when you
haven't even walked around the block in six months.
The likelihood of
injury is very high when you don't have as much strength, flexibility or body
awareness as you used to. Not only that, but your brain is going to become
exhausted and burnt out with too much change, and it won't be long until you're
right back where you started: on the sofa. But this time, your ankle is wrapped
because you strained it and you can't straighten your leg because you pulled
your hamstring!
Start Out Slow
The government officially
recommends that we get 30 minutes of moderate exercise, 6 times a week. It says
"moderate," not even vigorous. That means movement like walking,
stretching, or body weight exercises are appropriate and entirely acceptable.
Start here and then progress to the harder stuff when you are physically and
emotionally ready.
Can you even touch your
toes? That would be a great place to start.
If you're already doing
some sort of exercise, this still applies to you. When you're ready to amp it
up, just kick things up a notch. One notch, not five notches. Choose a goal
that will push you just enough.
Before you begin your
new routine, ask yourself the following questions:
1. When was the last
time you exercised?
2. If you've stopped,
why did you stop? If you've been consistent, how long have you been at this
level of intensity?
3. How do you feel
about exercise? Do you look forward to it, or it is a chore?
Keep in mind that
exercise is not a magic eraser for the French fries and hamburger you had for
dinner last night. Exercise will never make the calories you ate disappear; it
is simply a bonus-extra credit-for your body and health on top of your healthy
diet.
How are you ramping up
your exercise routine?
Christie Miller offers
a balanced approach to healthy living through diet, fitness and life coaching.
She does not believe in deprivation, forbidden foods or spending hours upon
hours in the gym. Living healthy and happy is all about moderation in all
things. Christie is certified in nutrition, personal training and life
coaching.
She gives you the tools
to guarantee you never fail at dieting again in her 5-part video series Why
Dieters Fail. Grab it for free at http://www.EatTrainWin.com
It is the beginning of
another year and your New Years resolution to lose weight and attain your ideal
figure is waiting for you to act. If you are like 90% of People, you may
fail unless you take the right steps.
You can begin a New
Years resolution at any time. A perfect time to honestly reevaluate the last 12
months-right along with hundreds of thousands of people around you - is the
first month or two of a new year.
At the beginning of
every year, people all over the planet make a very firm New Year resolution
that they will lose weight, eat healthier, and start exercising.
Experts who study human
behavior run the numbers on who really sticks with their resolutions. By the
end of January, only about 10% of people succeed at keeping their resolutions.
That means 90% of the people who made resolutions have already failed at them
by the end of 30 days.
Who really wants to
wait another eleven long months until to start losing weight again with one
less year in their lives?
Now, you can succeed,
if you follow what the successful 10% of the people do. Here are five steps
that work to begin keeping your New Years resolution.
Step 1. WRITE down your
resolution
When you make a
resolution, put it into writing. Take a pen or pencil and put your resolution
words down onto a real piece of paper. Experts find that if you don't write it
down, it won't happen. A goal of any type takes shape when you write it out.
Otherwise, it's just a thought that will vanish in a moment.
Step 2. Conquer
Procrastination
One of the main reasons
people fail at New Year's resolutions is procrastination. There is always
tomorrow, they reason. Or they wait until the weather is better or "when I
feel like it." The problem is tomorrow is always a day away. To lose weight,
you have to take action today, even if it is a small step.
Step 3. Get Support
The right environment
is very important to succeeding. Most people aren't even aware how much support
affects achievement. Positive, like-minded people who want to lose weight are good
companions to keep you on track when things get tough.
Step 4. Create a
Detailed Plan
It is one thing to
write down a goal of losing 10 or 20 pounds, another thing to actually do it.
You need to make a concrete, detailed plan that outlines which foods you are
going to eat; how much of them you will eat; when and how much you will
exercise and so on. Anyone who makes a New Year's resolution to lose fifty
pounds without writing down a detailed and specific plan for doing so is bound
to fail.
Step 5. Make your
Resolution SPECIFIC and MEASURABLE
Get specific about your
weight loss goals. You need to define the little steps that add up to real
success. Unless you can measure the results, you'll never know when you've
completed a step and are ready for the next one.
Most of us have made
vague types of New Year's resolutions, such as "I'm really going to get
into shape." Vague resolutions never work. What kind of shape do you want
to be in? How many pounds do you want to weigh? What body measurements do you
want to have? How much body fat or muscle mass?
Get your free report
with the detailed information on all 10 steps for keeping your New Years weight
loss resolution [http://www.online-diet-review.com/nyy] and have the figure
that you want and others admire.
It is that time of the
year when a lot of us reminisce about what we have accomplished over the past
12 months, and, start thinking about new goals and objectives for 2018.
We've been making New
Year Resolutions since as far back as the year 153 B.C. and yet, we still have
trouble with them!
Recent research shows
that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success
with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals!
Here are some of the
most popular resolutions you may identify with:
Losing weight
Getting fit
Eating healthily
Quitting smoking
Reducing stress
Getting organised
Getting out of debt
All around the world,
people will be making one or more of the resolutions on this list over the next
few weeks.
But are Resolutions
just a shopping list for the first week of January? With only a tiny percentage
of people actually achieving their Resolutions, where are we going wrong?
If you want to be part
of that 12% and make some big positive changes in 2018... get ready to uncover
some big mistakes you might have been making...
Mistake #1 Waiting
Until January 1st To Get Started
Why, if something is so
important to you, would you ever want to wait to get it?
If you want it as badly
as you say you do, then surely tomorrow would be too late to get started!
The 1st of January is
probably the worst day ever to get started on your Resolutions.
Why?
Well, for one, a lot of
people will be too hungover to even remember their own name, let alone their
Resolutions!
See, when you decide
what it is that you want to start to do more off, or less off, you have to be
clever, and avoid postponing it until the first week of January. Why wait?
Start right now. Not next week, not tomorrow, right now!
You don't wait until
you're all sweaty and smelly to take a shower, do you? You take a shower
because it is time to take a shower.
Well, it is time for a
change!
Mistake #2 Starting
Working On Your Resolutions When You Are Feeling Less Than Great
Not a good idea! We are
all motivated to move either towards pleasure, or away from pain. Everything we
do is so that we get to be happier, or so that we are not unhappy any more.
Think about your
resolutions individually, and identify what drives you. For example: when it
comes to exercise, some people do it because they think about how great they
are going to look and feel, whilst other people do it because they can't stand
the thought of being fat or feeling unhealthy.
We often resolve to
change things in our lives when we are sad, or angry... and have hit a
threshold; the point of no return.
Once you've reached
your point of no return, that point where you are just so fed up that this is
it...!
Now, you want to make
it so that you look forward to doing the things you need to do.
The better you feel,
the easier it will be to do the things you need to do. When we are tired, sad,
in a bad mood, whatever... we don't feel like doing anything but maybe feel
sorry for ourselves. You need to be able to change your state of mind so that
no matter how you feel at any given moment, you get to feel good as soon as
possible! Why? Because there are things you need to get on with!
This is where NLP comes
real handy. It provides the resources to allow you how to switch your state of
mind in a matter of minutes, seconds even! You get to feel great, now, you are
going to want to do more: exercising, eating healthily, getting organised,
putting a few quid aside... everything seems easier and more enjoyable when we
are feeling great!
Mistake #3 Resolve To
Do Things You Don't Really Want To Do
Most of us spend our
days doing things we don't really want to do, but we have to do. We spend most
of our time doing things for other people. We have responsibilities,
commitments, appointments... When it comes to Resolutions, if you want to
maximize your chances for success, it needs to be about You, it needs to be
about what you want to do, because, you want to do it.
This is your time to
think about what matters to you.
A well-formed
Resolution must reflect your values. Your values are your beliefs about what is
most important to you in your life. Values provide inspiration, govern your
levels of motivation, and guide every decision you make. They are the standards
you live by.
For example, health is
my top value in life. I believe that without health nothing else can be in my
life. This belief imprints everything I do. Most of the time I behave in a way
as to ensure I look and feel healthy and fit, and if I ever steer away it just
doesn't feel right, so I get back on track, quickly. I will simply not accept
my life any other way.
When you set goals that
reflect your values, you'll want to start taking action right now, never mind
waiting until the new year!
Mistake #4 Making Wishy
Washy Resolutions
It doesn't go down well
with our brain. Our brain is a piece of engineering designed to work towards
targets. Just like your computer needs you to follow certain rules, your brain
operates following certain rules too.
I'd love to lose
weight, I gotta be more organised, I better get saving... simply doesn't cut
it. You must quit being vague, and get real specific! Your brain expects
commands that are specific, and stated in an affirmative and direct manner.
Anything else it doesn't understand. We have a minimum of 60 thousand thoughts
a day, how is your brain to know what is a goal and what is just a thought? It
is not your brain's job to sort out your thoughts for you, it is your job.
Mistake #5 Not Writing
Down Your Resolutions Or Writing A "To Do" List
I should go to the gym
more, I really need to get organised, I better start saving some money... these
are just thoughts. And with over 60 thousand of them a day it's gonna be pretty
damn hard to remember them in five minutes, let alone get them done!
If it's in your mind
it's just a thought, not a Resolution.
If you write it down on
a piece of paper, then it becomes a shopping list, or a To Do list. And I know
very few people who write lists of things and actually get them done! This is
where the next mistake comes into play...
Stay tuned for Part II
of this post, where you will discover 5 more big mistakes that have been
sabotaging your New Year Resolution Success!
Anna Aparicio is
regarded as Ireland's top female NLP/Hypnosis Life Coach. A Self-confidence and
Motivation Expert, she has helped hundreds of people all around the world feel
empowered, super confident, and lead happier more successful lives. With a unique
blend of Neuro-linguistic Programming, cutting edge personal development tools,
and a contagious sense of humour and zest for life, Anna is renowned for
getting results fast. Now you can get her free report WHY YOU'LL NEVER GET WHAT
YOU WANT UNLESS YOU DO THIS at http://www.delite.ie
Gyms are a fantastic
way to get fit in a controlled environment, but even the most safety conscious
gyms cannot prevent injuries from happening. It is easy to become complacent
when you are a gym veteran, but even the most experienced of us can fall into
bad habits over time. And if you are a newbie to the gym world then it is
essential that you familiarise yourself with the correct way to work out from
day one. Here we offer our top tips to avoid injuries in the gym.
1) Know your equipment
There is nothing more
embarrassing than disregarding an introductory session when joining a gym, only
to discover that you have no idea how any of the equipment works. To save
yourself standing around like a lemon, make sure you sign up to an induction
before getting started. Yes, it may be dull, but not only will it save your
blushes, it might also prevent unnecessary injury. Qualified instructors will
show you how to avoid hurting yourself on potentially dangerous equipment like
the running machine- they can at least point you in the direction of the stop
button!
2) Warm-up
Your warm up is one of
the most important parts of your exercise routine. An efficient warm up routine
will prevent unnecessary injuries, increase your flexibility and speed up
recovery time from your workout. Begin with low intensity aerobic activity,
like power walking or a gentle job, for 5 to 10 minutes to get your heart
pumping and your lungs working. Then begin stretching your leg muscles, arm
muscles, lower back and chest (remember, avoid bouncing when you stretch- you
risk tearing the muscle). Don't rush your warm up- doing the exercises correctly
is more important than speed! Even if you are short on time, make sure you put
aside an extra 5 minutes to get your body moving- or you will regret it the
next day when you can't walk up and down the stairs.
3) Pace yourself
Starting a fitness regime
generally means that you are eager to see results - whether that means
developing a slimmer, more toned physique or a healthier cardiovascular system.
But the biggest mistake you can make is throwing yourself into a routine all
guns blazing. Of course you could start out going to the gym for 2 hours a day,
7 days a week, but this may not be sustainable. Your body only has so much
energy to work with, and you must pace yourself to avoid overtraining. Soreness
is normal the morning after an intense workout, but needing a crane to get out
of bed isn't. Start slow and concentrate on long-term goals. Some gyms offer
free training programmes which can be handy if you don't know where to begin.
4) Stick to the rules
In the gym, rules are
NOT made to be broken. Health and safety is important in the gym (even if you
think it is a waste of time in other areas of your life like the workplace!).
Know who your first aider is- all gyms should have a qualified member of staff
on duty that is trained in first aid. In addition, familiarise yourself with
the fire escapes in case of an emergency. Finally, pay attention to diagrams of
how to use the equipment to avoid hurting yourself or those around you.
5) Hydrate
When doing any type of
exercise it is important to stay well hydrated. Working out whilst dehydrated
will affect your performance and slow your recovery time. Drink plenty of
fluids before, during and after your session and adjust your intake depending
on how intensely you exercise. For shorter workouts - those lasting less than
one hour - sports drinks are not necessary. However, for longer, more intense
workouts, sports drinks can replace lost electrolytes and provide sugar for
energy. If you forget to bring a drink with you, make regular trips to the
water fountain. And whatever you do, avoid alcohol and caffeine at all costs!
6) Good posture
If you carry out an
induction session, you will be told by your instructor how to use correct form
when working out. If you don't maintain good 'form' or technique when doing
exercises at the gym, you won't be exercising the muscles you are supposed to. Worse
still, you may even be putting yourself at risk of injury. A classic place to
spot poor posture is on the rowing machines; people will round their shoulders,
hunch their back and pull as hard as possible, putting a lot of pressure on the
spine and back muscles. Another common area of mistake is on the treadmill,
where users will have poor dynamic body control when running. If you are
getting pains in places where you shouldn't, then talk to a personal trainer
before you do yourself a mischief.
7) Mix up your routine
It is easy to get stuck
in a fitness rut when you go to the same gym day after day, month after month,
but it is important to mix up your routine every 4-6 weeks. It is around this
time that your body begins to adapt to your training and is no longer
challenged. Not only will your fitness grind to a halt, but you run the risk of
overworking particular muscles and joints. Try changing equipment, increasing
your weights or adding sets. If your routine is stale, then take a fitness
class to learn some new moves and gain some motivation. Variety is the spice of
life after all!
8) Protect yourself
with Physiotherapy
With all the best
intentions in the world, we can all fall victim to sports injury at some point
in our lives. Common gym injuries include foot and ankle problems like plantar
fasciitis, stress on the knee, lower back problems and misalignment of the
neck. If you are serious about your gym routine, then be prepared to visit a
physiotherapist. Look for a health insurance policy that has cover for private
physiotherapy- it will stop you having to wait on the NHS for treatment if you
do hurt yourself. When investing in health insurance, choose an insurer that
offers discounted gym membership- you might save yourself a pretty penny.
Chloe Hibbert writes on
health and fitness for ActiveQuote, a website where you can compare health
insurance quotes online.
Every year we make New
Year's resolutions, only for them to quickly ware off within a few days, weeks,
and even months. We try our hardest to use motivation to keep us in the game,
but it goes beyond that. Motivation can only last so long, we need to know exactly
what prevents us from going through with our goals.
The majority of people,
approximately 95% of them don't follow through on their plans and goals,
especially their New Years Resolutions. Usually because people don't set goals
and they don't know how to put them into action...
You need to know why
you're setting a goal and what it will do for you when you achieve it. Let's
say you want to lose weight. Ask yourself why do you really want to lose
weight, what will it do for you, what will achieving weight loss make you feel?
Get closer to your
goals this year
Where are you right now in your
life?
Do you want to gain/lose weight?
How much?
Do you want to feel
healthier, happier?
Do you want to build more
muscle?
Do you want to work on vanity or function?
These are some basic
questions you need to ask yourself.
Once you know what you want and where you
are, then we can go on to the next step.
Choosing exactly what you want is the
most important step.
Let say you want to
lose 5 Kg, then this would be the goal.
I you need to lose 5 Kg then this is where you are.
You are in a place of being 5 Kg overweight. You need to be clear about this part and it should be a specific as
possible. Remember losing 5 Kg is just an example I am using to demonstrate
how to effectively set goals. You may want to loose more weight, or you might
want to build muscle. Whatever it is, you need to identify it, and you need to
be specific. If you want to gain muscle, than how much do you want to gain and
by what date?
Overview
A few things to keep in
mind
Know what you want, this is your
goal (lose 5 Kg)
Be committed to this (is this
what you really want to accomplish?)
Put the goal into action
When you set a goal you
need to get emotionally energized. A goal needs to excite you and have you
jumping out of bed. In the beginning you might be going through some changes
and you might feel a bit down. This might be your negative programming talking.
Get focused, gather all
your resources that you need to bring your goal to reality.
Get momentum, by
sticking with your goals. Get informed, how are you going to start something if
you don't know how too. Seek the advice of a professional like myself, or talk
to someone you know that has already accomplished what you want to accomplish.
Take Action
Start right now.
What
can you do right now to bring you one step closet to your goals?
If you want to learn
what it takes to lose weight, and achieve a better life, than your already one
step ahead because you are reading this blog.
Next you probably want
to start to apply the things you learn in the blog. Let's say you want to start
working out, you can get a gym membership, or you can assemble your own home
gym. You can start by buying a pair of running shoes; just take the first step
to make your goal a reality. All of these require you to make an informed
decision first. So gather the right information. If you decide to get a gym
membership, then you might want to ask people from the gym if they like it
there.
Past Accomplishments
Refer back to a time
when you accomplished something big or small. It takes the exact same amount of
preparation to achieve something big or small. So pick your goals wisely. You
might as well go for big, but realistic!
What did you want to accomplish
last year that you never came around doing?
Can you make that a reality this
year?
What do did you least enjoy last
year?
What were some of the more
important decision you made last year?
If they proved useful than apply
that strategy here!
Write down anything you
want to accomplish, even if they are goals outside of fitness and health. These
rules apply to everything. What have you done in the past to overcome obstacles
and challenges in your life?
These are important
exercises because they will help you become more aware of how to achieve your
goals, and make your dreams a reality.
If you have
accomplished a goal in the past write down the steps it took you to accomplish
it. In as much detail as possible. This is important because you can duplicate
that system, and even improve on it.
Did you focus on this goal day
and night?
Were you emotionally charged
about it?
Did you have a plan written out,
and was it executed?
What are the reasons
for you achieving your goals and why must you absolutely achieve them?
What are your most important
goals you want to achieve this year?
What are some of things that
might be holding you back from getting what you want?
What small thing can
you do right now to bring your goals to reality?
Could you buy a new pair of
running shoes, clean out your kitchen cabinets of junk food, pass by the super
market to buy wholesome foods, call a buddy and tell them you are committing to
a program, get a gym membership, maybe join a support weight loss group/ forum,
whatever it is that you can do right away. Even sign a written agreement with
yourself, a promise to yourself that you will commit to making your New Years
Resolution a reality!
I have put together
this article in eBook form, please feel free to download it to your computer
[http://www.bodybyweb.com/resolution.htm]!
Dean Boukaras is a
person who has dedicated his life to educating and helping as many individuals
as possible reach their absolute physical best. I truly want to impact one
person at a time by spreading the health and fitness truth.
