Beginning Hints and Tips
Set Realistic Goals
Do not set your self up by trying to be perfect!!! Just focus on increasing your healthy behaviors a little bit at a time. If you can't run a 5K yet that is just fine but make it a habit to walk about 15 minutes a day, then add time, distance and intensity as you get better and better. Before you know it.... a 5K will be a piece of cake!!!!!!!!
Don't be walkin' into the gym with some "I'm gonna lose 50 lbs. by next week" mentality. You gotta get real!! Our dad always told us to remember the 3 T's: Things Take Time. Slow and steady always wins the race.
Don't be walkin' into the gym with some "I'm gonna lose 50 lbs. by next week" mentality. You gotta get real!! Our dad always told us to remember the 3 T's: Things Take Time. Slow and steady always wins the race.
So set SMART goals -- Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and
Time-bound. Instead of saying "I will lose weight" you will write down "I will lose 5 pounds in the next 4 weeks through daily exercise and clean eating." See how much different that is?
Time-bound. Instead of saying "I will lose weight" you will write down "I will lose 5 pounds in the next 4 weeks through daily exercise and clean eating." See how much different that is?
It will help you actually stick to your plan of action. Don't be that person who makes unrealistic goals to "lose weight rapidly," then fall off the wagon when you don't see your results overnight.
By making specific, measurable goals you can set yourself up for slow, steady success. Take out a piece of paper and write out 5 SMART goals you have right now and a date by which you plan to achieve each one.
If you need help figuring out some goals, reach out to us for a FREE coach!!! That is why we are here.
When is the Best Time of the Day to Workout???
Truth is.......... Any time you workout is awesome !!! Don't I say this all the time? But honestly, from the research I have done there is no reliable evidence to suggest that more calories are burnt at any certain time over another in a day.
The most important thing is to choose a time of the day that works for you and stick with it so that this new pattern of exercise becomes a habit and enjoyable.
We all know there are night owls and early birds and there is not much we can do to become another and to me this is the most important factor when deciding when to workout. Your body clock influences body functions such as hormone levels, body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate which all play a factor in your body's readiness for exercise. So using your own body clock as the guide to decide when to hit the gym or press play seems like the best idea for me, and oh apparently all those scientists that studied this for real.
The one thing that gets in our way, or we tend to use it as an excuse, is our jobs. There is not much you can do about those either (unless you plan on joining the team and living your life by design!!!) so yes, you must plan around that as well. If your day is constantly changing and never constant I would suggest to exercise in the morning and get it in before life starts throwing you in all kinds of directions.
If you do exercise in the morning one thing is for sure, you do need to stretch and get your blood flowing more than you would have done later in the day.
If you are like me and suffer deeply from INSOMNIA then jumping out of bed first thing in the morning with a smile to workout is not what you picture as paradise so afternoon workouts would be suggested, or even the second you get home from work so it gives you a bit of time to start winding down for bed. Your body will need that sleep and you need to make it a stable pattern and getting your body in the habit of sleep.
So, the best time to workout is when you will be CONSISTENT with your workouts. This is all based off of your body clock, location, type of activities and your social settings while working out. Everyone is different and knowing yourself and your behaviors is the best guide. Just find a way to get it in, make it non-negotiable and get to it and do it at YOUR BEST TIME OF DAY !!!!
So let's get moving...... at your best time of day !!!!!!!!
Are You Lacking Motivation?
If motivation is your hang-up, change your exercise routine every 14 days. A University of Florida study discovered that people who modified their workouts twice a month were more likely than to stick to their plans compared to those who changed their regimens whenever they wanted to. Boredom didn’t appear to be a factor; it seems people simply enjoyed the variety more.
ARE YOU GUILT OF CHOOSING THE WRONG MOTIVATOR ???
You might start working out in order to "look better" or "lose weight." But if this is your only ultimate goal then the long term success will most likely fail. Jumping into a new routine without first making a commitment to your health is a big mistake.
If you're starting a workout plan or new diet just to "look good," it's not going to last long. Your will power is going to eventually crumble if it's latching on to something as artificial and temporary. When your goal takes a deeper meaningful meaning, such as your health for yourself and your family, success will follow.
Instead, make a commitment to your long term HEALTH. Have a plan for when things get tough (which they will, if you're new to this) and make sure you have a good support system in place like the private Facebook group we run for our Challenge Groups!!! We also have FREE online support groups to help carry you through times of weakness.
We know you can do this!!!!!!!!
When I first started working out finding the motivation was super HARD. I knew I wanted this in my mind and woke up ready to go each and every morning but then life issues kept poping up again and again and distracting me. My old bad habits like eating lunch out with my friends kept haunting me. And just the confusion of where to start over whelmed me.
Working out wasn't my idea of fun at the beginning, not a bit. But I knew it had to be done for me to hit those goals. What I had to work on was changing my mindset. Just as we think of eating dinner, or sleeping or even showing is a necessity in life. I started with telling myself that for me to be able to shower for the evening to get to bed, that I had to complete my workout and to earn that shower! This worked very well for me. I used that shower as a reward and after a while my body started to crave these workouts and they became much more enjoyable and fun because by then I was in accountability groups myself and was surrounding myself with people who related to me and understood what I was going through. As I continued my body was getting stronger, and I had more and more energy for workouts.
What I did was take baby steps to hit my goals. I started small with having no more snacks or bad snacks within my home. If we wanted a snack it had to be fruit or something more healthier than just a bag of chips and dip. Snacking usually comes from being bored anyways, you are not truly hungry, most times you are bored. When I noticed I was bored I would do stretching type exercises to help pass the time and I made it a purpose to be more productive during these times. Such as if I found myself bored and wanting to snack, then I would go clean the kitchen, or porch, just something to keep me going and accomplishing things that would have to be done anyways at some point. After I felt like those baby steps were just habit then I would change another step along the way, such as not eating out lunch with my lady friends except once a week. This helped save money and helped me hit more goals.
I have honestly done these same baby steps the whole way through my journey just fine tuning little things the whole way and making this a lifelong habit for me and it has influenced my family with these choices without them even knowing to be healthier for themselves in their lives.
Keep Muscles Limber
If you're under 40, hold your stretches for 30 seconds. If you're over 40, hold them for 60 seconds. As you reach your 40s, your muscles become less pliable, so they need to be stretched longer.
When I look back at my before pictures I can not even believe that was me. When I started to make my life changes I started off slow with walks while pushing a baby stroller and took baby steps to increase the intensity. I am no where near the best, the fastest, or the most fit. However, I am very consistent and I would say this is the number one best fitness tip ever !!!!!!!!!! No exercise program ever will work if you are not consistent.
Do you enjoy doing hours upon hours of cardio on the treadmill? We're going
to take a wild guess here and say no.
And guess what? Excessive cardio can actually slow your metabolism over
time. Did you know that putting more muscle in your body and switching up your routine frequently can help you avoid burnout and keep your metabolism revving?
Your body is great at adapting to any workout routine, including
cardio. If that's all you ever do and you don't switch it up or incorporate some resistance training a few times per week, your body will keep spinning its fat loss wheels.
A better approach is to follow a structured, CPT-written resistance training or circuit training routine.
"Don't relax your abs as you lower your chest away from your knees during a crunch -- you get only half the ab-toning benefit! To get the firmest abs possible, you need to sustain the contraction on the way down."
--Steve Ilg, founder of Wholistic Fitness Personal Training and author of Total Body Transformation (Hyperion, 2004)
Consistency is Key
When I look back at my before pictures I can not even believe that was me. When I started to make my life changes I started off slow with walks while pushing a baby stroller and took baby steps to increase the intensity. I am no where near the best, the fastest, or the most fit. However, I am very consistent and I would say this is the number one best fitness tip ever !!!!!!!!!! No exercise program ever will work if you are not consistent.
Follow an Effective Exercise Routine
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) recently surveyed 1,000 ACE-certified personal trainers about the best techniques to get fit. Their top three suggestions:
- Strength training. Even 20 minutes a day twice a week will help tone the entire body.
- Interval training. "In its most basic form, interval training might involve walking for two minutes, running for two, and alternating this pattern throughout the duration of a workout," says Cedric Bryant, PhD, FACSM, chief science officer for ACE. "It is an extremely time-efficient and productive way to exercise."
- Increased cardio/aerobic exercise. Bryant suggests accumulating 60 minutes or more a day of low- to moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking, running, or dancing.
TOO MUCH CARDIO ???
Do you enjoy doing hours upon hours of cardio on the treadmill? We're going
to take a wild guess here and say no.
And guess what? Excessive cardio can actually slow your metabolism over
time. Did you know that putting more muscle in your body and switching up your routine frequently can help you avoid burnout and keep your metabolism revving?
Your body is great at adapting to any workout routine, including
cardio. If that's all you ever do and you don't switch it up or incorporate some resistance training a few times per week, your body will keep spinning its fat loss wheels.
A better approach is to follow a structured, CPT-written resistance training or circuit training routine.
Maximize Your Ab Workout
"Don't relax your abs as you lower your chest away from your knees during a crunch -- you get only half the ab-toning benefit! To get the firmest abs possible, you need to sustain the contraction on the way down."
--Steve Ilg, founder of Wholistic Fitness Personal Training and author of Total Body Transformation (Hyperion, 2004)
You have already set the time aside to workout right, make the best use of your time as possible and do the best techniques and push your body as much as you can during these workouts. You are in control of your results !!!!!
Tone Up on the Treadmill
10 TIPS FOR SUMMER RUNNING
1 AVOID THE HEAT OF THE DAY
RUN EARLY IN THE MORNING OR LATE IN THE EVENING. AND RUN ON THE SHADY SIDE OF THE STREET RATHER THAN IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT.
2 START AT A CONSERVATIVE PACE
BEGIN THE RUN AT LEAST 10 SECONDS PER KILOMETRE SLOWER THAT YOU WOULD IN IDEAL CONDITIONS. FOCUS ON CONSERVING ENERGY AND MAINTAINING A STEADY EFFORT. IF YOU’RE NEW TO RUNNING, ADD POWER-WALK BREAKS EVERY 4 TO 8 MINUTES TO COOL YOURSELF.
3 SWITCH GEARS AND ADAPT
GRADUALLY BUILD UP YOUR TOLERANCE FOR RUNNING IN HOTTER CONDITIONS. IT TAKES ABOUT TWO WEEKS FOR YOUR BODY TO ADAPT TO THE HEAT AND GRADUALLY BECOME BETTER AT COOLING ITSELF, ALLOWING YOU TO RUN AT YOUR NORMAL PACE.
4 WEAR LIGHT-COLORED, LOOSE-FITTING CLOTHING
LOOK FOR NEW-GENERATION FABRICS DESIGNED TO WICK AWAY MOISTURE FROM YOUR SKIN AND HELP KEEP YOU COOL. WEAR SOCKS MADE OF SYNTHETIC FIBRES THAT ALSO WICK AWAY THE SWEAT TO HELP PREVENT BLISTERS AND ATHLETE’S FOOT. IF YOU WANT TO COVER YOUR HEAD, WEAR A LOOSE-FITTING CAP MADE OF MESH OR A BREATHABLE MATERIAL.
5 USE SUNSCREEN USE SUNSCREEN TO PREVENT SUNBURN.
TRY TO AVOID MIDDAY EXPOSURE BETWEEN 10AM AND 3PM.
6 PROTECT YOUR EYES
WEAR SUNGLASSES WITH UV PROTECTION TO REDUCE SUN GLARE.
7 STAY HYDRATED
THE MAIN DANGER OF RUNNING IN HOT WEATHER IS HEAT EXHAUSTION OR HEAT STROKE. YOU CAN LOSE BETWEEN 175 AND 350ML OF FLUID FOR EVERY 20 MINUTES OF RUNNING. TO AVOID THAT, DRINK ADEQUATE FLUID 30-45 MINUTES BEFORE RUNNING AND THEN A CUPFUL EVERY 10-15 MINUTES. YOUR BODY REQUIRES FLUID TO HELP MAINTAIN A BALANCED TEMPERATURE. SPORTS DRINKS HELP TO REPLACE THE POTASSIUM AND SODIUM LOST FROM SWEATING AND ARE A GOOD SOURCE FOR CARBOHYDRATES, WHICH FUEL YOUR MUSCLES WHEN THEY’RE WORKING HARD.
8 PLAN YOUR ROUTE
SO YOU CAN TAKE ON WATER AT A TAP OR FIND DRINKING FOUNTAINS.
9 KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS
SIGNS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION INCLUDE HEADACHE, NAUSEA, DIZZINESS, DISORIENTATION, DECREASE IN SWEATING, PALE DRY SKIN, BLURRED VISION AND LOSS OF MUSCULAR CONTROL. IF YOU NOTICE ANY OF THESE, STOP RUNNING IMMEDIATELY. GET TO A SHADED, COOL AREA, DRINK AND POUR SOME WATER OVER YOURSELF AND GET ASSISTANCE.
10 WEIGH YOURSELF BEFORE AND AFTER A RUN
IDEALLY, YOU SHOULDN’T LOSE MORE THAN 2 PERCENT OF YOUR BODY WEIGHT AFTER LONG RUNS. IF YOU’RE GAINING WEIGHT, YOU’RE OVER-HYDRATING AND YOU MAY DROP CRITICAL SALT LEVELS IN YOUR BODY. (A CONDITION KNOWN AS “HYPONATREMIA” CAN OCCUR, WHEN THERE IS A LOWER THAN NORMAL CONCENTRATION OF SODIUM IN THE BLOOD. SODIUM IS A CRITICAL ELECTROLYTE THAT AIDS NERVE AND MUSCLE FUNCTION, AND HELPS TO MAINTAIN BLOOD PRESSURE.)
(*** As found in Men's Fitness Magazine***)
Secrets to Getting Toned and Trimmed in No Time !!!!!!!!!
Tone Up on the Treadmill
"Save time at the gym with this 10-minute cardio/sculpt session: Hop on a treadmill holding a three- to five-pound dumbbell in each hand, and set the speed to a brisk walk. Do a one-minute set each of shoulder presses, biceps curls, triceps extensions, side laterals, front laterals and standing triceps kickbacks one after another as you walk. I's an amazing upper-body challenge that also gets your heart pumping. Do this series two or three times each week. As you improve, work up to doing four-minute sets."--Michael George, trainer and owner of Integrated Motivational Fitness in Los Angeles
Power Up Your Runs
"Adding wall sits to the end of every run will strengthen your quads, hamstrings and glutes, improving your speed and endurance. Lean against a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart, then squat until your knees are bent at 45 degrees. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds; work up to doing 10 sets. Add a challenge by including heel raises: Lift your left heel, then the right, then lift both together twice." --Mindy Solkin, owner and head coach of the Running Center, New York City
Chart Your Progress
"Stay motivated using a fitness report card. Jot down these subjects: Cardio, Muscle Conditioning, Flexibility and Attitude. Set goals (for example, doing 10 "boy" push-ups) and grade yourself A through F at least four times a year. When you see how much you improve, you'll want to stay in great shape." --Ken Alan, Los Angeles--based personal trainer
Try This All-in-One Toner
"A side-step squat with wood chop works your arms, torso, abs, back, legs, inner thighs and butt. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding a three- to four-pound medicine ball in your hands. Bend your arms up so that the ball is at eye level over your right shoulder. As you bring the ball toward your left knee, step out with your left leg and bend it no further than 90 degrees, keeping your right leg straight. Return to the starting position. Do 10 to 15 reps and repeat on the other leg." --David Kirsch, trainer and author of The Ultimate New York Body Plan (McGraw-Hill, 2004)
Break Out the Shovel
"Why pay someone to clear snow from your driveway? Besides burning nearly 400 calories per hour, shoveling snow develops muscular endurance and power. But be safe: Minimize the amount of snow on each shovelful, and bend from your knees and hips, not your back." --Tom Seabourne, Ph.D., exercise physiologist and sports psychologist at Northeast Texas Community College in Mount Pleasant, Texas
Work Out During Your Workday
"Sit on a stability ball to strengthen your core, and keep dumbbells or exercise tubing at your desk. Squeeze in 12 to 15 reps of exercises like dumbbell curls, overhead presses and ab crunches; aim for two or three sets of each. This gives you more free time to fit in fun workouts like biking or tennis." --Gregory Florez, personal trainer and CEO of Salt Lake City -- based FitAdvisor.com
Take This Jump-Rope Challenge
"The best cardio workout is the jump-rope double-turn maneuver. It's intense: You'll burn about 26 calories per minute! Do a basic jump for five minutes, then jump twice as high and turn the rope twice as fast so it passes under your feet twice before you land. This takes timing, patience and power. But you'll get in great shape just by working at it." --Michael Olajide Jr., former number one world middleweight contender and cofounder/trainer at Aerospace High Performance Center in New York City
Give Yourself a Break
"You don't have to be a fitness saint to get results. Follow the 80/20 plan: Eighty percent of the year, you'll exercise regularly and eat well. Know that you'll slip 20 percent of the time due to holidays and work deadlines. When you accept that fitness isn't an all-or-nothing proposition, you're more likely to stick with it for life."--Maureen Wilson, owner/personal trainer/instructor, Sweat Co. Studios, Vancouver, B.C.
Get a Jump on Weight Loss
"Add plyometric box jumps to your workout to improve your cardiovascular stamina and leg strength -- you'll really sculpt your hamstrings, quads and glutes. Find a sturdy box that';s at least one foot high [like a Plyo Box, $139.95; 888-556-7464; performbetter.com]. Starting from a standing position, explosively jump to the middle of the box, then jump back down. Repeat 20 times." --Michael George
Don't Skimp on Carbs
"Your body needs them to fuel a workout, so reach for fruit or high-fiber crackers an hour beforehand. If you'e exercising for 90 minutes or longer, include some protein so that the carbs break down more slowly, giving you longer-lasting energy. Your best bets: low-fat cheese and crackers, trail mix or half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich." --Cindy Sherwin, R.D., personal trainer at the Gym in New York City
Maximize Your Crunches
"Don't relax your abs as you lower your chest away from your knees during a crunch -- you get only half the ab-toning benefit! To get the firmest abs possible, you need to sustain the contraction on the way down." --Steve Ilg, founder of Wholistic Fitness Personal Training and author of Total Body Transformation (Hyperion, 2004)
Intensify Your Push-Up
"Squat-thrust push-ups get you in great shape because they work your upper body, core and lower body and improve agility, strength and endurance all at once. From a standing position, bend down, put your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart, and jump your feet back into plank position. If you're strong, cross your ankles; otherwise, jump your feet wide apart. Do a push-up, then jump your feet together or uncross your ankles. Jump your feet back to your hands and stand up. Do eight reps total, rest for one minute, and repeat." --Keli Roberts, Los Angeles -- based trainer
Paddle Your Way to Flatter Abs
"Go kayaking to get a taut stomach -- it's ideal because much of your rowing power comes from your core. Mimic the motion and resistance of the water at home by looping an exercise band around the bottom of a table leg or other fixed object. Sit on the floor with legs extended, knees slightly bent; grasp one end of the band in each hand. Rotate your torso to one side as you bring the elbow back slightly, then switch sides. Do three sets of one to three minutes each." --Barbara Bushman, Ph.D., associate professor of health, physical education and recreation at Southwest Missouri State University
Make Over Your Running Routine
"Unless you're training for a marathon, skip long, slow, distance running -- sprinting builds more muscle. Add a few 10- to 60-second sprints to your run, slowing down just long enough to catch your breath between them." --Stephen Holt, 2003 ACE Personal Trainer of the Year
Super-Sculpt Your Butt
"Get great glutes by targeting the muscles and connective tissues buried deep in your body. To hit them, do high-intensity squats, such as jump squats. Then, blast off butt flab with cross-country skiing, bleacher running and stair climbing." --Steve Ilg
*** As seen in Fitness Magazine ***
A SCALE OBSESSION
When was the last time you stepped on the scale? Our advice? Throw that thing out!
Did you know your body weight can fluctuate up to as much as 7 lbs in a single day? In addition to this big fluctuation, your overall weight consists of both lean muscle mass + adipose tissue (body fat).
Lean muscle mass includes your bones, your organs, connective tissues and muscles. Your muscles are much more dense than body fat, so a pound of muscle and a pound of fat look very, very different on a body.
Muscle is much smaller and tighter; fat takes up much more space, making a body appear bigger, rounder, softer, etc. If you're going for a smaller figure, you want to focus on having more muscle, less fat. Make sense?
Relying on the scale is just not an accurate portrayal of your actual body composition. What is more important to you, chasing a certain “number” on a scale or having lower body fat and more lean muscle mass to help support your body as you age?
A SCALE OBSESSION
When was the last time you stepped on the scale? Our advice? Throw that thing out!
Did you know your body weight can fluctuate up to as much as 7 lbs in a single day? In addition to this big fluctuation, your overall weight consists of both lean muscle mass + adipose tissue (body fat).
Lean muscle mass includes your bones, your organs, connective tissues and muscles. Your muscles are much more dense than body fat, so a pound of muscle and a pound of fat look very, very different on a body.
Muscle is much smaller and tighter; fat takes up much more space, making a body appear bigger, rounder, softer, etc. If you're going for a smaller figure, you want to focus on having more muscle, less fat. Make sense?
Relying on the scale is just not an accurate portrayal of your actual body composition. What is more important to you, chasing a certain “number” on a scale or having lower body fat and more lean muscle mass to help support your body as you age?
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