Programs are a great way to exercise. Not only do they map out what you do each time you exercise so you have a plan, but they also help with creating long term habits of exercise because after a program, there is a high chance you will stick with exercise since you’re used to it. There are all kinds of programs to choose from: training for races, strength programs, endurance programs, all around fitness programs, flexibility, you name it. The first step is finding one that interests you. Once you have an idea, here are some tips that could help make the training more enjoyable :)
1. Make goals, and track progress: Writing things down really helps you stay dedicated. Even better is putting your goal up somewhere that not only you see every day, but other people see every day as well. That way people can ask how you’re doing and it will give you more motivation to not quit
2. Stay Safe and Be Aware: If you start a program and something doesn’t feel right, or you feel more pain than soreness, don’t keep going. Stop and assess what the problem is and if you need to get medical attention, or just change things up a bit
3. Start Slow: Not only will your body thank you, but your mind will too. Burn out is common with people starting their first program. They are excited and they also want to see results fast. They won’t come fast, and pushing yourself too hard too fast will hurt you in the long run.
4. Think Positive: Focus on the reasons why you started the program, and once you’re further along, look back at your progress. And there is nothing wrong with imagining what you will feel and look like in coming weeks as you keep with your program!
5. Take Responsibility: You can do this by simply having close friends know about your program, or doing the program with other people. When you know other people know, or other people are counting on you at the gym, you will feel more motivated and responsible.
6. Set Aside Time: Just like we set aside time to eat dinner, and we set aside time to watch our favorite TV show, you need to have a set time when you will exercise. Plan it in your day and you won’t have an excuse to not do it.
7. Warm up and Cool Down: This is important to prevent injury, and get your body in a place ready for a work out and then ready to go do other things after
8. Rest: Sleep is really important, no matter how hard or easy you are training. Your body can’t perform if it isn’t rested. Also, take at least 1 day a week to rest your body. It will thank you, and you will be able to go farther the next time you work out.
9. Mix it Up: Make things fun. You won’t want to quit if you are doing a variety of activities. Even if you are just trying to improve cardio fitness, you can do that by running, cycling, swimming, playing sports, or a variety of cardio machines. Mixing up which muslces you use will make your body respond better also.
10. Reward Yourself: If you reach your goal, by all means reward yourself. I recommend not making it a food reward, or a reward of taking too much time off. But maybe go buy a new outfit, go to a movie you’ve wanted to see or go get a massage.
Everyone can make a fitness program that is right for them and stick to it; it’s just a matter of picking the right one and taking the right steps while you do it. Good luck!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
WORLD OF WEIGHTS
The majority of people think of a “fit person” and see the girl at the pool with the long lean muscles, toned but not huge, or the guy at the weight room that has named the veins in his arm because they are so defined. But how do we get there?
A weight room can be intimidating, especially for a beginner. But there is no reason to be intimidated! Everyone can go to a weight room and participate in exercises suited for their skill and ability. That is the key though…finding what level is best for you, and then knowing how to progress without injury.
As nice as it would be, there isn’t one optimal combination of sets, repetitions and exercises that works for everyone. Instead, there are several factors to consider when beginning resistance training.
1. Choice of exercise
2. Order of exercise
3. Resistance Used
4. Training Volume
5. Rest intervals between sets and exercises
6. Repetition Velocity
7. Training Frequency
To avoid information OVERLOAD, I will just start with addressing #1: Choice of Exercise
One thing to always remember is that it’s essential to exercise opposing muscle groups at similar times to allow balance and muscle health. (such as abs and low back, or triceps and biceps, etc.) There are single joint and multi-joint exercises. Those are exactly what they sound like: they either isolate a specific muscle, like in a bicep curl, or multiple muscles like in a squat. The more functional movements are the multi-joint exercises because they usually closely resemble everyday activities. But for beginners, I recommend starting with single joint exercises that can be done easily on weight machines or with dumb bells. With weight machines, the path of movement is fixed so you don’t have to worry about form as much.
Whatever method you decide, don’t feel like you can’t go back and forth. In fact it is best to mix it up. But remember to work low back and abdominal muscles, along with other opposing muscle groups that are more common to work. It’s best to start small, doing simple movements with major muscle groups and then work to more complex movements.
Happy Lifting!
A weight room can be intimidating, especially for a beginner. But there is no reason to be intimidated! Everyone can go to a weight room and participate in exercises suited for their skill and ability. That is the key though…finding what level is best for you, and then knowing how to progress without injury.
1. Choice of exercise
2. Order of exercise
3. Resistance Used
4. Training Volume
5. Rest intervals between sets and exercises
6. Repetition Velocity
7. Training Frequency
To avoid information OVERLOAD, I will just start with addressing #1: Choice of Exercise
One thing to always remember is that it’s essential to exercise opposing muscle groups at similar times to allow balance and muscle health. (such as abs and low back, or triceps and biceps, etc.) There are single joint and multi-joint exercises. Those are exactly what they sound like: they either isolate a specific muscle, like in a bicep curl, or multiple muscles like in a squat. The more functional movements are the multi-joint exercises because they usually closely resemble everyday activities. But for beginners, I recommend starting with single joint exercises that can be done easily on weight machines or with dumb bells. With weight machines, the path of movement is fixed so you don’t have to worry about form as much.
Whatever method you decide, don’t feel like you can’t go back and forth. In fact it is best to mix it up. But remember to work low back and abdominal muscles, along with other opposing muscle groups that are more common to work. It’s best to start small, doing simple movements with major muscle groups and then work to more complex movements.
Happy Lifting!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Breakfast of Champions
There’s a reason breakfast is called breakfast…it is breaking your fast that you experienced while sleeping. And while sleep is good for your body and brain, when you wake up, it is necessary for your body, metabolism and brain to get fueled in order for it to work properly and function at its highest level.
When you eat breakfast, your body is able to increase its glucose levels, or blood sugar, which is your main energy source. And for any people trying to lose weight, it has been proven over and over again that if you eat a substantial breakfast, it will keep you full longer and prevent binge eating later on during the day. How great is that!
A lot of people have reasons for not eating breakfast such as lack of time, they aren’t hungry, or they don’t like breakfast food. To fix the time issue, try making something the night before. Or if you’re really in a crunch, at least grab a piece of fruit and take a glass of milk before running out the door. If you wake up not hungry, it’s probably because you are eating too late at night. If you eat too late at night, your body starts digesting, but then digestion slows down when you go to bed. That results in waking up with food still in your stomach. So it’s best to stop eating after dinner, and try to keep it at least 2-3 hours before going to bed. If you don’t like breakfast food, opt for healthy breads or some lean meat like turkey and some fruit or veggies.
In need of some great breakfast options? Here are some of my favorites:
• Homemade fruit muffins (blueberry are delicious! And give you those needed antioxidants)
• Cereal with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving (to keep you full longer) with a banana or another favorite fruit
• Two pieces of whole wheat toast with some peanut butter smeared on top, along with a glass of milk
• Breakfast Smoothie! Pick your two favorite fruits, fresh or frozen, mix them with ½ c of low fat plain yogurt, add a little milk and ice and you are good to go! (make it even better with a top of ¼ c of granola)
• 2 hard boiled eggs with whole wheat toast
• Oatmeal with chopped fruit mixed in and a glass of milk
When you eat breakfast, your body is able to increase its glucose levels, or blood sugar, which is your main energy source. And for any people trying to lose weight, it has been proven over and over again that if you eat a substantial breakfast, it will keep you full longer and prevent binge eating later on during the day. How great is that!
A lot of people have reasons for not eating breakfast such as lack of time, they aren’t hungry, or they don’t like breakfast food. To fix the time issue, try making something the night before. Or if you’re really in a crunch, at least grab a piece of fruit and take a glass of milk before running out the door. If you wake up not hungry, it’s probably because you are eating too late at night. If you eat too late at night, your body starts digesting, but then digestion slows down when you go to bed. That results in waking up with food still in your stomach. So it’s best to stop eating after dinner, and try to keep it at least 2-3 hours before going to bed. If you don’t like breakfast food, opt for healthy breads or some lean meat like turkey and some fruit or veggies.
In need of some great breakfast options? Here are some of my favorites:
• Homemade fruit muffins (blueberry are delicious! And give you those needed antioxidants)
• Cereal with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving (to keep you full longer) with a banana or another favorite fruit
• Two pieces of whole wheat toast with some peanut butter smeared on top, along with a glass of milk
• Breakfast Smoothie! Pick your two favorite fruits, fresh or frozen, mix them with ½ c of low fat plain yogurt, add a little milk and ice and you are good to go! (make it even better with a top of ¼ c of granola)
• 2 hard boiled eggs with whole wheat toast
• Oatmeal with chopped fruit mixed in and a glass of milk
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