April 26, 2024

Your healthiest year yet… By Nicole Bryan

December 31, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Make 2016 your healthiest year yet…
 
Here’s how to do it:

Adapt a current mindset. While you may have had a traumatizing dodge ball experience in junior high, ask yourself how that is relevant to your current state of fitness? Life is full of experiences, good and not so good. You can see the experience as a blockade or obstacle or as a stepping stone. Ask yourself, are you ready to let go of old unpleasant experiences regarding your health and fitness? If not, what do you need to move forward? Consider consulting a counselor if you’re unsure, joining a club or team for support, or enlisting the aid of a Fitness Professional. Being mentally and emotionally prepared for change is the first step of getting healthy. Physical fitness is merely one aspect of total health. Mental and emotional health and well-being are just as important.

Get a tune up. Just as your car needs a tune up every once in a while, so does your body and overall health. So if you haven’t had blood work done in a few years, do it now. If you have skipped the last few age recommended test, schedule them now. Suffering from aches and pains, irritations, concerns? Go see your doctor and check them off your list. The sooner you deal with whatever is nagging you, the sooner you’ll be on to your healthiest and most fit self.

De-clutter your health-related life. Clear out everything from your toothbrush to old sunscreens to old make-up. Donate your old fitness clothes that are tattered and torn. Spruce up your bedroom (replace old pillows) for a better night sleep. Clean out your fridge and stock with water and healthy foods. If you have old exercise or fitness equipment, for example exercise bands that have been sitting around, a treadmill that isn’t working properly, a stability ball that’s been rolling around the backyard, donate the item, recycle or toss it in the trash. Take this time to inject some fresh energy and clean air into your healthy living.

Stay relevant. Just as there have been advances in the fields of space discovery and engineering, there have been advances in the health and fitness fields as well. Pick one journal to subscribe to (many are free) online to stay up to date on new ideas and practices. Add in a few health websites to your current internet surfing favorites such as www.nih.gov and www.mayoclinic.com. Both are reliable sources of information.

Fitness is merely one aspect of overall health. Take a well-rounded, big picture approach to your healthy living for lasting results and benefits to make 2016 your healthiest year yet!
    

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Choosing Health Resolutions that Stick! By Andrea D’Ambrosio, RD

January 2, 2014 By Leave a Comment

How to Choose Health Resolutions You WILL Keep:

What is the point of making a resolution for living better, healthier lives if it is not maintainable? Here are my 4 best tips for weight loss and great health. All my tips are achievable and sustainable!

1. Focus on “life-long change” – Ditch all those fad diets, the hunger strikes, the elimination diets and take charge of your health with real foods that taste good! Remember that any valiant effort to lose weight that involves deprivation and/or extreme exercise is unsustainable; you will eventually default to your old habits. Strategies that are enjoyable are sustainable!

2. Fill up with Fibre: Fibre fills us up on few calories; it slows digestion, lowers cholesterol and stabilizes blood sugars. Choose whole grains (ie. oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, barley) and b-fast cereals with more than five grams of fibre per serving. Add 1.5 Tbsp of chia seeds to cereal and yogurt to boost fibre at a meal or snack.

3. Take the stairs: Taking the stairs burns twice the number of calories as walking. Stair climbers also have greater leg strength and better aerobic capacity. Climbing just two flights of stairs daily could equate to a 6 pound weight loss per year. Similarly, if you did six flights a day, this could be a 18 pound weight loss over one year.

4. Learn to cook! We have become increasingly dependent upon processed, convenience and restaurant meals. Similarly, our taste buds have become accustomed to crave these types of high fat, salt laden and high sugar foods. Cook your own food more often to improve your dietary quality and decrease your reliance on processed foods. Your waistline will
thank you for it!

Andrea D’Ambrosio is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Dietetic Directions, a dietary counseling and education company in Waterloo, ON. (www.dieteticdirections.com). Follow her on twitter @DambrosioRD or like her page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/andredambrosiord

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Mind your Manners! By Jody Goldenfield

January 13, 2013 By 3 Comments

Mind Your Manners…in the Gym!

We all know that the start of a new year means New Year’s Resolutions. A very large percentage of people vow to lose weight as part of that resolution for the new year. Many of these people will join a gym to assist them in their efforts to lose weight. There are standard rules in a gym that you should follow along with some “unwritten” rules of gym manners.

1. Do NOT stay on the cardio equipment longer than the posted time limit during peak gym hours. I get it! 20 minutes on a piece of cardio equipment is like a warm up to many. If the gym is crowded, you can either get off and get back in line OR go do some weights and/or core work and then go back for more cardio. I opt for # 2 to keep your body moving and making better use of your time. This applies for weights too. Do not monopolize machines or weights during peak hours. Offer to let people work in!

2. Please do not talk on your cell phone while doing your cardio or weights. Yes, absolutely there are emergencies, however to talk just to talk and in a loud voice is rude. In addition, if you are easily chatting away and working out at the same time, that means that you are not working out hard enough. Put down the phone until you are done.

3. If you are not coming from work or some other destination, please do not wear perfume or cologne. Deodorant is enough. Perfumes and cologne scents will be intensified with sweating and can make those around you feel ill.

4. Locker room thoughts: Please respect personal space! The best advice is NOT to talk to people unless they have on a robe or clothes while they are getting cleaned up.

5. Please respect others right to work out. I understand that you may want to ask a fellow exerciser advice on form, etc. However, it is most appropriate to ALWAYS wait until the person is finished with their set or exercise. Ask them if it is alright to ask a few questions. People want to focus on their workout while they are at the gym. Like many, they have only a specified amount of time to get it done.

Written by Jody Goldenfield. I love weight lifting and am a health, fitness & workout enthusiast for over 30+years. At just short of 55, I am making sure I stay fit & healthy long term! I am also a FitFluential Ambassador. You can follow me at my blog Truth2BeingFit,  Twitter @truth2beingfit, Facebook, Pinterest at Truth2BeingFit, and Instagram at Truth2beingfit.

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Stick to it in 2013! Written by Brett Klika

December 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

GO GREEN AND GET FIT! This article is sponsored by AC4 Fitness. AC4Fitness is a neighborhood style health club specializing in strength training and cardio-equipment along with 24/7 access for members. That’s right, as an AC4 Fitness member you receive your own key allowing you to workout at any time that is best for you! And as featured in the LA Times, AC4 Fitness is a showcase for cardio-equipment that produces rather than uses electrical energy. Every time you exercise on an Elliptical your human power is fed into the electrical grid. Taking care of the environment while taking care of yourself just seems like a smart thing to do. And as a membership option you may also enjoy HydroMassage, Tanning, and Wi-Fi—all in a non-competitive, and clean environment with No Sales People. If you’re looking for an alternative health club that is: Simple – Affordable – Comfortable – Convenient – AND A LITTLE GREEN, give AC4 Fitness a look.You won’t be disappointed. Check out our modest membership fees and “paperless” enrollment process at www.AC4Fitness.com or visit us at 52 N Fairview Ave., Goleta, CA.

Stick to it in 2013!
Written by Brett Klika C.S.C.S.

Good resolutions are simply checks that people draw on a bank where they have no account.  ~Oscar Wilde

Ahh, The NewYear’s resolution. It’s often a little white lie we tell ourselves to paint a picture of hope, change, and a flat stomach for the year to come. It’s not that we’re dishonest. It’s not that we don’t really WANT change, we just don’t know how to stick to a program.

The above dilemma is why more than 50% of people who begin a workout plan in the New Year find their way back to the couch within six months.  The notion of “working out every day” looks good on paper in December but as the reality of time, energy, and motivation set in, the idea loses its sizzle by summer.

Do you find yourself in this same predicament year after year with diet and exercise? If so, let’s make a change in 2013.

Here are 5 tips to help you stick to your program in 2013.

Instead of just writing your resolution, write why you are making that resolution.
If there is a strong enough “why” we can make anything happen. If there was a $100 in the middle of a busy freeway, would you run out to get it? Probably not. What if a loved one was trapped in the middle of that freeway? It would probably change your motivation.  Your “why” for behavior got stronger!

If exercise is your plan, why? What will exercise do for you physically, mentally, and emotionally? What are the ramifications if you don’t succeed?

Find activities you enjoy.
Regardless of what the media marketing machine tells you, there is no “one” best way for everyone to exercise. Odds are, there are activities you enjoy doing more than others.  Do activities you enjoy (or dread less) and do them frequently. Don’t set yourself up for failure by resolving to do something you hate doing.

Get an “accountabilabuddy.”
Research has shown that you are more than twice as likely to exercise if you do the program with someone else. Why? Accountability!  It’s a lot harder to sleep through that alarm when you know a friend is waiting for you at the gym.

If you’re having a tough time finding a friend to commit, a personal trainer is a probably the most effective option there is for building accountability and expertise into a program.

Set realistic and specific goals.
Goals are easy to write. They are much more difficult to fulfill. Instead of saying you want to “lose 60 pounds by not eating any junk food and exercising every day”, you may want to be more specific and realistic. While 60 pounds may be your big goal, you can start with 10. If you currently don’t exercise at all, aim for 2 days per week and 30 minute workouts. If your diet is poor, make some subtle adjustments like “no sugary drinks Monday through Friday.”

These goals are more attainable and will deliver you increments of success. You can always build on them!

Exercise at the same time every day.
If you wait to “find the time” to exercise, it’s not going to happen. You need to make the time and build in a portion of your day reserved for exercise. For most people, first thing in the morning is the time of day they can control. Even those who claim to “not be morning people” eventually come to enjoy the uninterrupted solace of morning.

If it’s not the morning, create a time such as your lunch break, or on the way home from work, where you can commit to getting fit!

Exercise these tips as you’re committing to health and fitness in 2013!

This article is written by Brett Klika. Brett Klika C.S.C.S., author of “The Underground Workout Manual- Exercise and Fat Loss in the Real World” (www.undergroundworkoutmanual.com) is a world renowned human performance specialist, motivational speaker, author, and educator. In his 15 year career, Brett has accrued more than 20,000 hours of training with youth, athletes, executives, and everyday people. He uses this knowledge and experience to motivate individuals and audiences around the world through his writing, speaking, DVD’s, and free blog. To try the Underground Workout Manual for FREE and check out his blog, visit www.brettklika.com.

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

New Year’s Healthy Living Prep by Maggie Ayre

December 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The New Year is a perfect time for trying something new. Unfortunately however, all too often our New Years Resolutions are set up to fail. The reason why is we tend to go over the top with our goals. For example:

 

  • Go to the gym EVERY day in January
  • ONLY eat fruit for breakfast
  • Eat 23 portions of fruit and vegetables EVERY day

You get the idea. Often our goals are simply unrealistic. Then as soon as we “fail” we go back to our old habits.

The good news is, there is a better way! Instead of focusing on what you’re going to do focus on what you want to achieve. For example:

  • Drop a dress size by February 1st
  • Be able to run a mile by 20th January
  • Get fit for skiing by half term

Each time you go to the gym or eat healthy, your actions will be a small step to achieving your goal.

Miss a single exercise session or eat an unhealthy snack? It doesn’t put you right back to square one all! It does mean however, that you’ll have to work a bit harder to keep on track.

The important thing is to choose the right goal!  It’s got to be something that means something to YOU. For example, as a teen I often joined my friends on a diet or exercise regime but I never stuck to it.  It was their goal, not mine. Here’s the bottom line:

Choose carefully.  What do you want to achieve in 2013?

Answer these questions:

  • If you could be the very best version of yourself what would you look like? What would you be capable of? What would you do?
  • What one step can you take in January 2013 to move towards becoming this person?

This single step should form the basis for your first goal.

When could you accomplish this by?  This should become your end date.  If your end date is further than 6 weeks into the New Year you need to set a mini-goal or mile stone along the way.

For example, my goal may be to be a size 10.  If I am currently a size 16 this will take longer than 6 weeks to achieve.  What could I achieve in 6 weeks?  If I work really hard I could drop 2 dress sizes but a more realistic goal would be to be a size 14 by 31st January and a size 12 by 28th February.

The next step is to decide how to achieve your goal.  In this example I might decide to snack only on fruit and only drink water whilst making sure I do 60 minutes activity everyday and 30 minutes of higher intensity activity 3 times a week.

What will your goals be for January 2013? Leave a comment and share your goal. Decide and commit!

Maggie Ayre is the UKs leading Fitness Coach for Teen Girls.As well as one-to-one and small group nutrition and fitness work with teens she has developed the 3G Program designed to be run at schools as part of the PE curriculum. She also offers mentoring for PE departments on how to re-engage teen girls with PE and has recently published her third book; “Nutrition for Exam Success – A Parent’s Guide” which is now available as a Kindle and paperback at Amazon. Maggie may be reached via www.maggieayre.com, www.nutritionplansforteens.com, www.femalefitnessrevolution.com

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , ,