Guide to the Better you

  We all have the ability to make major improvements to our health and fitness but there is one thing that stops more people than anything else. It is not our genetics or the access we have to the best fitness equipment or training facilities. The thing that stops most people from getting a good physique and optimum health is when they don't set goals. Setting goals is a fast track to success and it is the only way that you will stick to a plan and follow through to completion. By having a predetermined plan of action before we start a training program and knowing exactly what we want to get out of the program we will have a goal to aim for. With this goal in mind we can track our progress and watch as we build towards that goal. Along the way we will often change our expectations and this is a good thing, as progress gives us a different perspective on what we can achieve as we improve and gain in confidence. By writing these goals down they become a lot more powerful and w...

  By being consistent in all aspects of our training, from the time of day that we train, to the type of training that we do on those days is one of the keys to being successful with any training program. The more often we do something, the more likely we are going to continue doing it, whether it is a good or a bad habit. To make fitness a habit that we do on a regular basis will help to ensure that we succeed without it being a struggle. It is human nature to avoid pain and finding fitness training a chore is a pain that we will seek to avoid. This will result in missed training days and eventually refraining from training altogether. By getting a training program that targets, not only our desired physical outcome, but also our personality type will make the training less painful to endure. We will find it easier to train more often and eventually is can become a habit where we get to the stage that we actually fell like we are missing something if we don't get our fitness ...

  The fastest way to improve your fitness is to challenge yourself daily to make improvements no matter how small they might be. These small improvements not only help your fitness but they also help you to develop a winning mindset where you know that every day you are getting better in some way. Even if, in the course of a whole resistance training workout you only manage to do a few more repetitions in one exercise or lift a few pounds more weight in one exercise you have made an improvement that is another step up the ladder of fitness success. Naturally there will be days when you are low on energy, or are feeling lethargic for one reason or another. On days like that, just accept that simply going to the gym or exercising is a bonus in itself and sometimes it is wise to have a workout on a day like that without recording the details. We all have 'off' days and that is something that we need to accept. If we get these days more often that not then it is time to look a...

  Fitness training, like most other things should always be based on expert advice. Without using proper techniques we can become susceptible to injury and this is counter productive in the least. The biggest mistake most people make when they start a fitness-training program is let their enthusiasm get the better of them and over do their exercises in an attempt to reach their goals as soon as possible. This can be a fast track to disaster where muscles that might not have been used much in years are subject to intensive workouts. Or alternatively, we decide that we need to reduce weight and eliminate fat and want results like yesterday. It is also common for people to have a goal that might be completely out of reach for any number of reasons. While we might like to have the body of a professional bodybuilder, there are factors that might make this impossible like the genetics that we have been born with. There is also the time involved to get to that level of condition and the...

  One of the best ways to reduce stress is to start a fitness-training program. Many diseases and illnesses are the direct result of stress, and exercise helps to counter the negative effects that stress has on our mind and body. Even a light workout or a walk in the park can be beneficial for stress reduction. By increasing the intensity of the exercise our body begins to release endorphins, which makes us feel happier and this counters the effects of stress. As our levels of fitness increase we are able to handle more stress both in body and mind, as being physically fit also leads to a more positive outlook on life and less problems are likely to influence this outlook. We become more alert as we get fitter and tasks that might have been difficult become easier to achieve. This ability to perform more in a day with less effort has a dramatic effect on our stress levels. In addition to this, when we exercise outdoors we get the benefits of fresh air, which is something that m...

  Sometimes we feel that we just don't have any time in the world to spare for our own health. With the pressures of work and family it seems that every hour of the day is taken doing something other than improving our health. Maybe there is a solution to this hectic lifestyle that can give you the benefits of improved health and get the same amount done in the day. If the dog needs a walk, then how about taking it for a run instead. You will still be out for the same amount of time but you will be getting increased benefit from running rather than walking. Or, if you don't like running, you can step up the pace of your walk. Not only will you be getting fitter, but your pet will also be healthier. And if you have to mow the lawn on the weekend then try walking faster with the mower, or if you have a big property run with the mower. Now that will give you a good workout and you will have more time for relaxation in the time you have saved by mowing the lawn faster. Try wa...

  One of the hardest parts of any fitness program is getting started. It is so easy to just sit around doing nothing and it takes some degree of motivation to get started exercising. Many people find that joining a gym gives them the motivation they need to get started and follow through with regular workouts. The reality is that most of the people who join gyms never complete their membership. Gyms actually base their costing on the fact that the majority of people will never use their membership regularly. Why is this so? There are many reasons why people don't exercise regularly and that can range from inconvenience to boredom. When you are deciding what to do to lift your level of fitness it is wise to honestly think about your personality and where your strengths and weaknesses lie. If you are a person who can motivate yourself then a home gym might be the best solution as it will offer the convenience of allowing you to train whenever you like and you won't need others t...

  Today, we’re taking a hard look at winter weight gain.   It’s a common problem—people tend to pack on a few pounds during the winter months. But we want to fight back, and we hope you will join us.   Let’s get after this now, while winter is still in full force.   We’ll have less to deal with when the warm breezes start blowing! The good, the bad…and the solution Although winter weight gain varies from person to person, research shows the average gain to be five to seven pounds!   Some people gain this extra weight because they have Seasonal Affective Disorder—a type of winter depression.   But most of us can’t blame winter depression for our tendency to pick up extra weight during the winter months. So, why does winter weight gain happen?   According to Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, founder and director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center, it happens because we eat more and move less during the winter months 1 . This is bad news and g...

  From weekend warriors to Ironman finishers, performance is directly tied to diet.  If you want to train at the peak of your ability and recover quickly, you must be intentional about what you eat, taking care to feed your body what it needs.  Trying to work out with a body that is starving for essential nutrients will end only in frustration; and frustration eats your momentum and resolve with a voracious appetite. Make the most of every minute you work out by fueling your body sensibly.  Let’s look at the basics. Nutrition 101:  the foundation The big three nutrients that you need to be concerned with are carbohydrates, protein and fat.  An eating strategy that balances these three macro-nutrients will skyrocket your fitness results.   ·           Carbohydrates:   Some have argued that carbohydrates are the most important nutrient that an athlete consumes, because carbs fuel muscle.  Every time you move one of your...

  How often do you hear someone say, “I had a great night’s sleep last night!” or “I feel refreshed and energetic!”?   Probably not very often.   Feeling sluggish seems to be the new normal.   In fact, according to the National Sleep Foundation, it is the new normal:   most Americans are sleep-deprived.   But not getting enough sleep may be causing more trouble for you than just that pesky drowsy feeling:   it could be seriously harming your health. Why aren’t we sleeping? Centuries ago, it was common for people to sleep 8 to 9 hours each day.   But now, only about 25% of Americans get 8 or more hours of sleep.   The reasons we are not sleeping are many.   We live in a 24/7 society—practically anything we want to do is available around the clock, from fitness centers to pharmacies to department stores.   We are working long hours, transporting our kids to activities, trying to make time for friends and fitness and entertainme...