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Changing up your fitness routine is key to preventing boredom, keeping
you motivated, and consistently getting exercise, and there's almost nothing as
important to your health as staying fit. Even simple adjustments to your
fitness regimen will prevent boredom and continue challenging your body-which will
keep you steadily working toward your goals by keeping your exercise sessions
fun and fresh.
Change the time or location of your workout to take a break from the ordinary.
If you usually run on a treadmill and the weather allows it, take your run
outside. Your body will enjoy the fresh air, and your mind will enjoy the
variation and all the different sights and sounds you encounter during your
run. If your schedule allows, you may even consider changing the time you
exercise every few months. If you're beginning to dread your post-work visit to
the gym, for example, consider waking up early and working out before you get to
work. Getting up earlier may require some adjustment, but it might be a
worthwhile lifestyle change when you know you get to relax after work, instead
of hitting the gym along with the other 9-to-5ers.
Find fun forms of exercise. Whether it's a hip-hop dance class, a walking club,
or a pilates studio, find activities that just happen to enhance your activity
level, while having fun. If you're enjoying yourself, you're more likely to be
having so much fun you'll forget you're working out.
Take fitness cues from kids. Watching a gaggle of elementary school kids at
play during recess will put even a seasoned gym warrior to shame. Children are
known for their infectious energy and high levels of enthusiasm, so capitalize
on this energy when you're around your children or doing volunteer work with
children. Playing a game of tag or flag football will bring out your inner
child and give you exercise without even realizing it.
 Make a date of it. You may have a hard time motivating yourself to get to the
gym, but it's less likely you'll let down a friend or spouse you've made plans
with. Recruit a workout buddy to keep both of you accountable to each other,
and it's a fun way to get to know someone, too.
Devote your exercise efforts to a good cause, and you'll be concentrating on
how fortunate you are to have a healthy, strong body capable of exercise. You
can use your exercise time to train for a 5K race, a triathlon, or a marathon
to support AIDS research, cancer, lupus, diabetes awareness, and a variety of
other charitable efforts. Many charitable foundations offer ways for those
training for these events to train together-- another valuable way to help
others, meet new people, and get exercise, all at the same time.
Mix up the mix. Regularly change up the music in your MP3 player. Listening to
music while you exercise supports coordination, distracts you from fatigue, and
relaxes your muscles; encouraging blood flow. If music isn't quite your thing,
consider downloading audio-books. If you workout 3-5 hours per week, imagine
all the books you'll read in a year!
No matter what ways you decide to vary your workouts, avoid exercise ruts and
you'll challenge your body, your mind, and stay interested in keeping fit. You
should look forward to your workout each day, thinking of it as a mini vacation
for yourself. If you don't, it might be time to change things up a bit.
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Regular exercise not only supports a healthy lifestyle, it also provides
a host of other benefits, including a more positive mental outlook, less
stress, and a more positive body image.
Exercise helps you feel good about yourself when you see that you're dedicated
and disciplined enough to put yourself first and spend some time regularly
exercising your body. You'll feel stronger and more fit, not to mention reap
the benefits of endorphins-- the powerful chemicals produced by the brain that
are natural painkillers and responsible for what is known as the "runner's
high", a feeling of euphoria and general state of well-being often
experienced by exercise enthusiasts.
When you look better, you feel better, and exercise assists you with both.
Regular physical activity not only helps to maintain optimal weight and body
composition those who regularly exercise enjoy significantly decreased risk of
heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer, among others. And
these benefits are more than just short term; those who regularly exercise are
sick 30% less often than non-exercisers, and fit people generally enjoy longer
lives than their less fit counterparts.
When you exercise, focus on how you feel and you'll likely stick with your
exercise program. If the thought of dragging yourself to the gym for weight
loss isn't motivating to you, maybe it's your body's defense mechanism,
encouraging you to love yourself the way you are. When you exercise, seek
activities that are fun and leave you feeling strong and empowered, whether
it's a challenging spinning class, a relaxing yoga session, or a brisk walk on
the treadmill. Your body will thank you for taking good care of it, and you'll
reap the many rewards of a healthier body and mind.
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When it comes to nourishing your body before and after a workout, many
people think about three big meals a day. However, one of the best things that
you can do for your body is to provide it with more immediate nutrition. Try
timing your workout so that it is in between meals with a nutrient and
protein-packed snack to bookend it on either side. There is a key 90 minute
period in which you want to work out; eating a meal 90 minutes before you
exercise, a quick energy and "fuel" meal right before your workout, again right
after your workout, and another meal 90 minutes later.
Remember, the point of your pre-workout meal or snack is to provide your body
with the materials it needs to fuel your workout. Don't be fooled by
weight-loss theories that focus on how many calories you'll burn exercising.
Any time you are increasing strength and building up your body, you need to
provide your body with the nutrients it needs to carry it through the workout--
otherwise, your body will consume reserve resources in the body, which are much
harder to replace.
The point of eating after your workout is to provide your muscles with the
materials that they need to build themselves back up. When you do any kind of
weight training, your muscles actually break themselves down in the form of
small tears in the muscle fibers and then rebuild themselves even stronger in
the hours and days that follow your workout. In order to successfully rebuild
themselves, your muscles must replenish their resources. Providing your body
with the raw materials it needs to rebuild and refuel itself is the entire
point of your post-nutrition meals.
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Drinking smoothies is one
of the best ways to quickly get easily absorbable nutrients into your body
after a workout. Time is truly of the essence when refueling your body
post-workout-- and using a smoothie, which is liquid and therefore more easily
broken down, is a great way to go.
 Green Power Smoothie:
1 cup liquid- water, juice, or soy/rice milk
1 scoop protein powder
1 serving greens product (Greens+ is a highly recommended option)
1 frozen banana
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
Almond Butter Fruit Smoothie:
1 cup liquid- water, juice, or soy/rice milk
1 scoop protein powder
2 tablespoons almond butter
1 frozen banana
1/4 cup strawberries
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
By using frozen banana, you eliminate the need for ice, and by freezing the
blueberries you increase their antioxidant power. Whey or hemp proteins are
especially easy for the body to digest, so look for a protein powder based on
that criteria. You can use any kind of fruit in making your smoothie, so get
wild and have fun!
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In This Issue:
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Training Updates
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#my_firstname# #my_lastname#
#my_phone#
my website
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The Importance of a Cool-Down
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After you've finished your workout, it is important to properly cool
down. Not only does cooling down provide you with important transition time
between your workout and whatever comes next in your day, but it also keeps your
muscles from being overly sore, and tight. After you've worked your muscles,
you want to gently stretch them back out again.
When you finish your exercise routine, you'll want to keep moving for a few
moments. If you are out of breath, walk slowly for a few moments, focusing on
even, deep breaths. Next, stop and stretch out your muscles, giving special
attention to the muscles you worked the hardest. If you've done an especially
hard leg workout, for example, you'll want to take extra time to be sure you've
stretched out your calves, quads, and hips. Stretching your back before and
after every workout is also a good way to keep it limber and healthy. If you
skimp on your cool-down, you'll pay for it in pain the next day, so go ahead
and carve out the time in your schedule to treat your body right after a
workout.
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Burn More Calories!
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Ready to
rev up your routine and burn more calories? The two main factors in doing so
are your metabolism and your workouts. Here
are a few tips on how to keep those both in tip-top shape:
Shake Things Up: if you're bored with your workout, your body probably is too. Try
interval training. If you're running, run one minute fast for every two minutes
at your regular pace. Likewise with biking or swimming. You can also add some
weights or other muscle building exercises in during your cardio time.
Find More Fun Activities that Increase Health: mountain biking, dance classes,
recreational sports teams, etc.
Drink Your Water: If it helps, put four or five rubber bands around your wrist, and
for each sixteen ounce bottle of water you drink during the day, take one off.
Move Around: Even fidgeting can help you to burn calories, so if you're stuck
sitting, tap your feet, drum your fingers or do exercises in your chair.
Eat Food: real food, and enough of it. Starving slows down your metabolism, so if
you want to burn calories, you have to fuel your body well.
Increase Outdoor Activity: take your exercise routine outside and you'll be amazed how
much more energy you have to devote to it!
Drink Green Tea: instead of coffee.
Eat Five Small Meals: instead of three large ones.
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