Recent studies have shown that when people are given specific strategies to improve their activity levels, their motivation is higher than people that are starting out on their own without useful information to change their behaviors about exercise. The following strategies are simple, yet action-oriented to get you started on implementing a fitness program into your life.
Mix up your intake of sugars before working out. Multiple sugars are better for a workout than sticking to one type of sugar for energy. While manufactured foods usually offer one type of sugar, natural foods such as fruits and granola can give you more than one type of sugar and increase your energy output and stamina.
Try your best to change the way you eat and drink food, choose healthier methods to get your body into shape. You want to stay away from additives such as high fructose corn syrup, which can be found in a lot of sodas. Your best bet would be to drink water and stay away from sodas and fattening drinks in general.
Going to a commercial rock climbing wall can be a good way to get out of the house and have fun while still improving physical fitness. The climbing of the rock wall will work out the entire body and also stimulate the mind as one looks for a path to climb.
Make sure you’re stretching before and after your workouts. You want to do moving stretches, like jumping jacks and windmills, in the beginning, to loosen your muscles up. Afterwards, you should do stationary stretches to stretch out your muscles and let your body cool down, after your work out, to avoid getting any cramps.
If you are going to the gym, try to strength-train with weights as much as possible. This is beneficial as it will help to reduce the amount of fat in your body and increase tone, helping to give you the shape you want. Do not strength-train too much, as this can strain muscles and set you back.
When trying to increase the muscles in your legs, a good way to do this is to try some lunges. Put barbells in each hand of any weight, and take a knee then extend your other leg out and take a knee with the other leg. This builds leg muscles.
You can use common household items as weights without having to go to the gym. Milk jugs make a fabulous weight for lifting. Hold a jug in each hand and do lunges down the hall. You can also lift it repeatedly over your head or from your side to straight out. You will slowly start to build up more strength over time.
When trying to figure out what you want to do to get exercise, make a list of things you really like to do. If you can incorporate an exercise program with activities you like, You will be more likely to keep at it since it is more enjoyable to you.
Get some sets of quality workout clothes. The right clothing makes a difference (and quality brands tend to last much longer). Proper workout clothes can help you stay cooler during your workout, and they can also help you to avoid irritation caused by friction. You will have a much better workout if you are comfortable. It also helps if you know that your choices help you to look good!
When working with heavy weights over your own body weight, you should always try and wear a weight belt. This helps keep your spine in line and in case something happens, it can prevent death or serious injury. This is essential with working out with weights that you might not be able to handle.
Chart all of the exercises that you do on a spreadsheet, if you are looking to maximize your results. This will give you a clear picture of what you have done and the work that you have left to do. Seeing your workouts on paper can help to increase your motivation.
It is important that you follow a routine when training for a marathon. This way you are properly prepared for the run. In the beginning third of the race, run at at a slow pace. Toward the middle of the race, run at a normal pace. When you have reached the last third of the race, run at a fast pace.
Buy toys or equipment that will get your children active. Fitness begins at home and if you provide the tools and equipment that interest your children, they are likely to get up off of the sofa and get active. Create a family fitness time that gets everyone involved and healthy.
Don’t waste your money on expensive gym equipment. Most likely you won’t use it more than a few times and it’ll end up sitting in a corner somewhere gathering dust. Instead, use your body to workout. You can do push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and hundreds of other exercises without any equipment.
Count backwards when doing repetitions. When you are doing exercises that require numerous repetitions, counting backwards can increase your motivation. When you count forwards, your mind only focuses on how many you have already done, however just like the countdown to midnight on New Year’s Eve, counting backwards builds anticipation as you get closer to zero.
Give different muscle groups a break. Working the same group of muscles, such as your abs, can become counterproductive if you don’t give them some downtime to recover. Design your workout as a circuit of training that focuses on alternate areas of your body each day. This allows more recovery time and keeps your workouts more interesting.
Staying on your fitness program is the single-most important gift you can give yourself and family. By significantly increasing your activity levels, the pay-off will be that you will feel better, look better, and the exercise will increase your energy level. Give yourself the gift of health by implementing a fitness and exercise plan into your life.