I have a lot of clients ask me this and I even remember thinking when I was a beginner that it really wasn't important. I couldn't have been more wrong. More and more research keeps coming in about the many benefits of deep breathing with the diaphram. It has been proven to reduce blood pressure, reduce stress, work the core more, give much needed oxegen to the muscles, reduce soreness, and makes exercise more doable and enjoyable. When lifting a heavy weight, that is the time to exhale either through the nose or mouth. When releasing the weight that is when you inhale deeply. You should see your stomach rising when inhaling. Even runners can benefit by inhaling every two steps and exhaling on the third step. Try it and see if you are able to lift more and enjoy your workouts more!
I am a huge advocate of body weight training. First of all, you don't need any equipment and secondly you are working many muscles simultaneously which is more functional and burns more calories.
Personally, I do mostly body weight training for my upper body using the TRX Suspension Trainer and I feel I have a lot of muscle definition without being too bulky looking. I also do pull ups for upper body weight training.
However, since I am a pear shape, I have re-shaped that part of me by doing heavy squats and dead lifts. That has worked for me and also works for many of my female clients that are bottom heavy. So, in summary, it depends on your goals. Body weight training is enough for a client that is looking to get moving, but that same client may need more as he/she gets conditioned.
This is a question I get asked a lot. It is a good idea to do interval training at least twice a week and three times is better. Interval training will help with your overall endurance so if you are training for a long running race, you can cut your running time in half according to a recent study.
A good place to start is with 30 seconds all out on a bike or running or any exercise. Then take up to 2 minutes rest at first. Repeat this at least 4 times and work up to 8 times. Eventually you will be able to cut your rest time way down to even 30 seconds. Your will be amazed at how long you can work out at a steady pace after training this way.
It is a good idea to check your heart rate after each interval bout to make sure it is increasing. By the last bout, you should be at your heart rate max or you didn't work hard enough. Happy training!!
Let me answer this with another question. Do you take a break from life? Do you take a break from breathing? The answer to these questions is a definate, "NO!" I have been in this business for 4 years and was just featured in the national news in an article about baby boomers and their effect on the fitness industry. Every single time someone I am training tells me they are taking a short break and will come back next month, 2 months from now or so on, it doens't happen. I help people get a new healthy life style which needs to be addressed everyday. If you find yourself saying this, just know you are setting yourself up for a huge setback. You may gain several pounds in a short period of time and then want to stop trying after that. How much do you value your health? That is the real question. Your loved ones want you around a long time. Don't you think you owe it to them to do everything you can to be there?
How did you do with your workouts this past month? Did you get a few extra ones in to compensate for a few extra calories you don't normally consume? Did you plan for ways to deal with the challenges that are hardest for you? I planned ahead to avoid the holiday cookie challenge. First, I didn't bake any. Secondly, I avoided cookie exchanges and the like. I did eat a few of my favorites here and there, but overall I think I was successful this year on that front. I hope you all were successful yourself!
Even if you didn't lose weight, but maintained, that is a very good thing! The average weight gain used to be 7 pounds, but it has climbed up to 12 pounds according to one source I read. I am holding a Holiday Challenge for my clients to encourage them during this time of the year. I weighed them in before Thanksgiving and will again after New Years. Those that maintain their weight are winners and those that lose the highest percentage of weight are eligible to two free training sessions.
For many years I let the scale define who I was as a person. I would weigh everyday and if I wasn't where I thought I should be I would eat because I was depressed. Then if I was under where I though I should be, I would eat to celebrate. In essence, when I was losing weight, weighing everyday didn't work for me. Now that I am at my goal weight, I can weigh everyday, but I still chose not to. I like what was recommended to me when I was losing. Once a week is enough at the same time everyday because otherwise it is too easy to get thrown off by water weight etc. due to the flucuations in our bodies. I tell my clients to go by their clothes, by their inches, and body fat more so than the scale. What about you?
An important part of staying fit for me is having fun. I like to do things that I did when I was a kid like riding my bike or roller skating. I also like to be outside and be in control of the time, so I do these activities work for me because I can do them alone.
Did you play sports when you were younger? If so, joining an adult league is a great way to stay motivated and have fun at the same time. Many of my clients play tennis, basketball and softball well into their sixties. If you are motivated by competition, you may want to consider some of these options.
Social people tend to do better when they work with a group. Every area has running or biking clubs. If you enjoy those activities like I do, check them out. I am organizing a bike club now in my area because convience is everything when working out.
If you are a gym rat and a social person, why not consider joining a small group training classes like TRX Suspension Training or a boot camp class. Good luck and have fun while working out and burning calories.
Hello Everyone,
Just like getting up every morning and brushing our teeth, we need to have a routine for exercise. If you are having a hard time forming that habit, remember it takes 21 times to form a new habit. Sign up for an exercise class that meets 2 times or 3 times a week. After a few weeks you will be hooked and will find yourself looking forward to it. That is how I started. Then when I needed more I hired a personal trainer to show me how to use the equipment in the fitness room. It is a good idea to invest in 20 sessions or 2 months of exercise classes so you are completely in the habit before you venture out on your own. Good luck!
Yes, it really does. Our bodies have natural rhythms. There are certain times of the day that our bodies expect to be awake and digest food and other times we are to be at rest. When resting we excrete the human growth hormone when we build muscle and even burn fat. However, this process is interupted when we eat right before we go to bed. A good rule of thumb according to Bob Harper the trainer on the Biggest Loser is to stop eating 3 hours before we go to bed. The expectation is that we will sleep 8 hours and be in a fasted state for 11 hours so our bodies can be the best they can be!
I get this question a lot. The people who need a trainer are those people who haven't gotten in a habit yet of working out. Also when they do work out, they don't push themselves as hard as they need to in order to see results. In addition, they need the extra accountability of someone weighing them in weekly and to be a nutrition coach.
Even regular exercisers need a trainer. For example, I got a personal trainer even though I was going to regular exercise classes because I needed more information on nutrition, accountability with it, and how to feel comfortable in the weight room. I wanted to know how to do the exercises correctly and not look stupid. I never knew at that time when I was a school teacher, that I would be helping people like I was helped. It changed my life and I know I can help you change yours!
