Fitness
-
Does It All Go Downhill With Age?
A common reason people start new fitness/health routines is because they begin to feel the effects of aging, whether that be weight gain, achy joints, or a lack of energy. A good preventative health plan includes strength, mobility, flexibility, and balance training. It may seem counterintuitive to think of regular resistance training as a method of reducing discomfort, particularly because it may not seem comfortable while working out, but the benefits are undeniable. There appears to be a misconception that exercise sessions must be harsh or last for long stretches of time, but that isn’t necessarily true. This is where a good coach comes in, one who adapts your program…
-
Lacking Motivation To Exercise
Many times we make resolutions at the beginning of each year to get fit. Gyms pay big money to advertise things like, “A new year, a new you.” Those ads pay off for them; people buy memberships even if they don’t use them because everyone wants to look better and be healthier. You might hope that purchasing a gym membership will amp up your ambition to become more active, but willpower is hardly effective as a long term strategy and burns out quickly and easily. Many times we bully ourselves to do something that we only want to do on a surface level. In other words, your deeper mind knows…
-
Doomed If You Hate Traditional Exercise Programs?
Not even a little bit! Everyone has different preferences which makes us unique. If we all liked the same types of clothes, foods, or even people, there would be no variety and life would be pretty bland. What works for one is not necessarily guaranteed to work for another. Many exercise and health professionals have found a method or technique that they love and want to share with everyone because it has positively impacted their life. This is wonderful and should be shared but may not work for everyone. If you found an exercise you love, do it! Don’t question it. If you hate typical exercise routines but you loved…
-
Hate Fit People?
When you see a fit woman, do you feel envy? Do you curse her in your head and rationalize all the ways in which her life must be miserable in order to look like that? The mind loves to make up stories about everything and everyone. It will never stop for as long as we have a body. We often unconsciously push away the things we want most out of life; you can’t change what you don’t realize is there. If the story that arises in your mind rationalizes all the ways it isn’t fulfilling to be fit and healthy, how hard that woman must work to look like that, and…
-
Why Does It Seem So Much Easier For Guys To Lose Weight & Get Fit?
Many exercise programs are designed in a cookie cutter and progressively linear fashion without considering differences in men and women. Women have hormonal fluctuations in alignment with each phase of their menstrual cycle; these variations can impact energy levels which can affect the perceived quality of workouts. For instance, if you partake in a regular bootcamp class and feel full of zest on some days, but lethargic on others, you might be inclined to judge yourself negatively. Awareness of what stage of your cycle you are in is helpful when deciding what type of workout is best for you that day. Understanding the physiological process of menstruation can help women…
-
Girl Lifting In A Weight Room Full Of Guys
A new weight lifting routine can be an intimidating adventure, especially if you don’t have any experience lifting weights. Before I became a personal trainer, I worked as a weight room attendant. My job was to make sure all the weights were well organized and to ensure the environment was safe for members. I couldn’t help but notice that there were significantly more men than women lifting weights. This observation made me think of my own discomfort when I worked out. I realized that I wouldn’t lift weights during peak hours when the weight room was packed. I only felt comfortable lifting when there wasn’t anyone there that I thought…
-
Want To Wear Shorts But Concerned About Cellulite?
No one wants to feel like they can’t rock their cute summer shorts! Let’s be real, cellulite sucks. Us girls will change an outfit a million times to avoid showing it. Is there another option, other than just covering it up, that doesn’t involve surgery or a diet pill? Yes! You can minimize or eliminate cellulite and simultaneously increase bone mass, improve connective and muscle tissue, slow the process of aging, drop pounds, decrease your risk of heart disease and diabetes, improve body image, increase metabolic rate, and improve your sense of happiness and well being. Regularly lifting weights can deliver all of these benefits and it doesn’t have to…
-
Is Stretching A Waste Of Time?
A few years ago I developed a nasty case of plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of connective tissue that connects your heel to your toes (bottom of your foot). The pain was debilitating; as it progressed I wasn’t able to put much weight on that foot upon waking in the morning. It took several minutes of “warming up” in order to walk down the street to the gym. After several weeks of foot pain, I booked an appointment with a recommended foot doctor. He prescribed me expensive orthotics and said that I needed to tie my shoes. At the time my shoes were loose fitting and didn’t hug my…
-
How To Choose The Best Exercise Program For Me
There are many fitness and wellness programs out there and you may notice a tendency to jump from one to another when positive results aren’t achieved or sustained. When choosing a program, it is useful to ask yourself why you want to buy that particular program. If it is only for the promised results but you don’t like the instructor or the type of exercise, you may end up feeling like you wasted your money. I advise choosing a program that you feel called to participate in, one that looks fun or incorporates activity that you like. Whether it involves going to a group exercise class, a bike ride, or…
