If you are trying to control your weight or lose weight, should you skip meals? NO!! And that goes especially for breakfast! Not only do we need this meal for energy, but breakfast also jump-starts our metabolism for the day and helps to get us on the right track for successful choices later. I always encourage my clients to eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day to maintain sugar and energy levels and stabilize their mood. If we allow ourselves to become famished, we may lose all control and eat whatever we can find quickly, and chances are this won't be something healthy! So remember to eat a healthy breakfast every morning, and you set yourself up for success.
Most of my clients need to improve their balance, core strength, and alignment. All of these issues can be addressed with functional exercises. Although the machines are useful for strength gains, I suggest using a variety of tools instead if you are trying to make functional gains. Medicine balls, TRX straps, stability balls, the bosu, rocking boards, foam rollers...the list goes on and on. There are many ways to change up the routine and have some fun during your workouts if you are trying to gain functional strength.
Tendonitis, arthritis, bursitis... I have so many clients with the "itis" issues. I talk to people every day who are suffering from these and other inflammatory conditions. Although we do what we can during the workouts to maintain range of motion and functionality, I also believe that some people can actually improve these conditions with a modified diet. There is now a lot of information available about an anti-inflammatory diet. I believe that if we were to make even 3 basic dietary changes, we could improve our bodies ability to control inflammation. 3 helpful ideas are listed below:
1) Increase your omega fish oils and foods high in this product (such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, olive oils, nuts, avocodo, etc).
2) Add fruits and vegetables which are strong antioxidants and therefore helpful in strengthening our immune system.
3) Reduce the amount of dairy in your diet (which may actually lead to inflammation in our bodies).
Consulting a dietician is always a great way to get started as well.
Before starting your golf warmup, it's important to think about what you are trying to achieve. When I warm my clients up for golf, it is to prepare their body for the game physically, to reduce the likelihood of injury, to provide mental clarity amd improve concentration. There is an effective way to do all of this in less than ten minutes! I recommend golf-specific movements such as linear and lateral leg swings, partial upper body rotations and shoulder/lat stretches. If you are unsure how to go about your golf warmup, I suggest you hire a TPI certified golf-fitness instructor to show you how.
Are you well on your way to reaching your new year's resolutions? We are past the 6 week mark, which means you should be seeing some definite results by now with your fitness-related goals. Otherwise you might want to take some time to re-evaluate your plan and make some changes. By telling someone your goals, you have already greatly improved your chance for success! Don't hesitate to hire a trainer if you're unsure how to get where you want to be with your fitness goals! This will save you a lot of time because you will probably do your workouts more efficiently and more consistently.
I've had so many clients ask me how to get ripped, strong abs. Truth is, most of your success defining your abs comes from your nutritional intake... I would say about 80%. Yes, we need to work our abs to develop strength and muscle tone, but also doing some hard cardio to burn the fat, and eating healthy, lean meals is key. I suggest lean proteins, fruits and green leafy vegetables, unsalted nuts, and plenty of water. Also, hitting the weights 3 times a week to boost your metabolism, which burns fat around the clock is essential.
If you are 10 days in and feeling discouraged with your progress towards your New Year's Goal (fitness related or not), remember that it's not going to be easy, but it will definitely be worth it!
Run Happy
Run Grumpy
Run Speedy
Run Slow
Run A Little
Run A Lot
JUST RUN!!!
Thought for the day:
Work hard because you LOVE YOUR BODY,
not because you HATE your body!
This isn't any old Monday... It's Cyber Monday. Aka the Monday after Thanksgiving! We've all been shopping, eating and watching football games. It was a lot of fun, but now we all need a good workout...and it always helps to have a positive attitude going into our work week! How about an intention for the day... I love this:
"Work Hard, Stay Humble"
Hope you make time to hit the gym today. I know I will! And when you're there, maybe you could do or say something kind to another person. That's my plan! Have a GREAT day.
