Are you tired of being out of shape? Do you want to get back into the shape you were in when you were a teenager (or at least your twenties)? We have some pieces of advice that can help you accomplish these goals. Follow this advice, and you will be on your way.
When selecting a fitness routine, don’t fall for gimmicks that say you can lose weight or build muscle without needing to work hard. The whole point of a fitness program is to work hard. Pick a workout routine that fits with your schedule and is difficult enough to challenge you without resulting in injury.
When starting a new exercise regime, have a plan! Make a list of your goals in an exercise journal. Choose a workout that you enjoy, and begin by performing a low intensity version of this. With each week, increase the intensity and add an extra five minutes to your workout. Remember to make a note of your progress in your exercise journal, as this will only encourage you to stick with the plan.
Choose the ideal time of day for your body to exercise. A morning person will find it quite easy to fit in their workout routine early in the day, whereas someone who feels at their best later on in the day should wait until the afternoon or evening to exercise. If you work out when your body and mind is feeling in tip-top condition, you will get the best results possible.
Exercising with your dog can be a great motivator. Having to take your dog out can increase the frequency of your workouts as well as your enjoyment. Some health clubs even offer classes or activities that can be done with your pet, such as “doggy yoga”!
A high calorie diet will allow for you to fully utilize your workout. You will be using the calories to provide energy and make your workout last longer. This will allow your muscles to grow because the intense workout causes small tears and once healed makes the muscles stronger and also increase in size.
Plan to eat healthy and exercise on the weekends. The weekend is a source of rest and relaxation for a lot of people. You can have fun on the weekends, but don’t forget about diet and exercise. In order to succeed at losing weight, you have to make healthy living a 24/7 routine.
Treadmills, whether at home or in the gym, are convenient, but a run outside is a better exercise. It’s easy to praise treadmills in the cold winter months, but when it comes to exercise, there’s no substitute for running on solid ground.
If you want to build up muscle faster, make sure you have meat in your daily diet. Studies have shown that if you eat meat in your daily diet, you’ll gain more muscle and gain it faster from your workouts. Chicken, turkey, and fish count as meats as well, so you can mix it up a bit.
Most people don’t realize that regularly performing dead lifts and squats can actually give your abdominal muscles a great workout as well. By performing at least five sets of ten reps each, your body is toned in a way that enhances your natural posture and firms the oblique muscles with no additional effort.
If you are a runner and would like to build endurance and speed, train like Kenyan runners. The first third of your run go slowly. The middle third start running at your normal pace. At the end run faster than normal. Each week slowly increase your starting pace, and this will help to increase your normal and fast pace, too.
Everyone wants to run further and further each time they get on the treadmill or go for a run. Some people extend their legs so they get less of a strain. If you want a better workout, you should increase the speed of your steps and not your stride.
Be sure that you are getting enough protein in your diet. Protein is crucial to the development of your body and the growth of your cells. It is the energy source that keeps you going throughout the day. Protein is available from both animal and plant sources, so it is not difficult to incorporate enough protein in your meals.
Decide to walk for 45 minutes a day instead of 30. Walking for 45 minutes has been scientifically proven by Duke University to result in fat and weight loss. This can equal up to 30 pounds of weight loss per year for just an added 15 minutes a day. For maximum weight loss, try walking up a hill instead of down.
Drinking plenty of water and some sports drinks can help you to prevent muscle cramps. Cramping is often the result of becoming dehydrated, and losing valuable electrolytes due to sweating. It is therefore important to replenish both your fluids and electrolytes, especially after a strenuous workout.
Don’t just stretch prior to exercising, stretch the muscles you are working between repetitions too. By doing this simple task, studies have shown that you can increase your strength up to 20 percent! All you need is 20 to 30 seconds of stretching between sets. This is a quick and effective technique.
If you want to be a better tennis player, enhance your ability to change your focus quickly from far away to near by. This simulates the same focus it takes to hit a ball, and then react to a ball hit by your opponent. Soon you will be beating your opponent with ease!
Work on your flexibility. Flexibility and stretching often fall by the wayside in our hurry to get through our cardio and strength training and get on with our days. To prevent injury, improve flexibility, and decrease soreness, take the time to stretch after your workout. Better yet, enroll in a yoga class to limber up even more.
Therefore, achieving your fitness goals can be done. However, as you can see, it will require some hard work on your part. You can’t expect to get into shape without putting a lot of effort into it. If you don’t have this drive, then there is no reason to try. However, if you do, then follow these tips, and accomplish your goals.