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Three Quick Tips

Posted: 10/25/2011

Take In More Protein

            One of the best ways to add quality muscle tissue and get rid of the flab is to consume more protein! This strategy helps to fire up your metabolism due to the fact that the more muscle tissue you carry, the more active your metabolism will be. Be sure to mix in some strength training and you’ll be on the fast track to success.

 

 

Don’t Starve Yourself!

            One of the common misconceptions of weight loss is that you can’t eat! The trick is to have low caloric meals no more than three hours apart. This ensures that your metabolism is constantly fired up and working. Once your body adjusts to this method you will be hungry every few hours and shouldn’t have to force yourself to eat.

 

Count Calories

            You’re working out hard and can’t seem to get rid of the stubborn last few pounds. Maybe your eating patterns are the true problem. A detailed food log could be your solution. By measuring portions, limiting sugar, and tracking your daily intake you may find what’s holding you back. Not sure what to cut out or where to begin, consult the Fitness Together professionals for advice.

How to Get Started

Posted: 10/17/2011

Do you have an interest in working out but are not sure where to begin? Deciding to workout is a great first step, but after that, it can be complex and confusing. Many people dive right into the gym without a plan, and without any idea of what they want to accomplish by going (other than vague goals of health and weight loss). Not to worry, if this is you! It's never too late to formulate and stick to a plan - and you'll be glad you did once you start seeing more results.

• Set goals. 

• Set a timeframe for your goals. 

• Figure out how to meet your goals with an exercise program. 

• Structure your program. 

Stay on target - but be flexible. 

Do you make these results-slowing mistakes?

Posted: 10/11/2011

Putting speed over form - Don't confuse speed with intensity.  Intensity is important, the harder you work, the quicker results will come.  Speed, on the other hand, can get you injured.  Speed for speed's sake almost always compromises form.  When you break form, not only are you not working the muscles properly and optimally, you're also possibly putting yourself in a position where a muscle, ligament or tendon can be improperly stressed...and damaged.  Nothing will stop your results in their tracks like an injury will, so please, please be careful and use correct form.  This is one of the many places where it is so valuable to get expert guidance, feedback and coaching.  Just looking at a picture in a magazine or book, or watching the exercise performed by someone else on a video, can be deceiving.  

 

Reading a magazine while doing cardio - Reading takes your concentration away from the task at hand, which is an intense, heart-pumping workout.  And all sorts of bad things can happen when you're not focused on what you're doing while running along at 6mph on the treadmill, or even when you're on a stationary bike.  I've seen it all, and some of the spills I've witnessed weren't pretty!  If the person could get back up, he'd get up with an embarrassed look on his face, that's for sure.  But it's not about embarrassment, it's about safety and getting results.  I'm not trying to be a scrooge, I just want you to know that getting results, particularly if you want them fast, requires focused effort.  Instead, put on your IPod with some motivating music...and rock it out!

 

Ignoring weight training - Guys obviously understand the benefits of weight training, but ladies...not so much.  And I get it.  You don't want "bulky" muscles.  But the truth is, that just won't happen.  Remember, muscle is more compact than fat.  And women don't have the muscle building testosterone men have. So, when a woman trains with weights, your body literally shrinks.  It doesn't expand, and certainly won't get "bulky."  Instead, you'll enhance your feminine curves by toning them up, and tightening them down!  Tight, toned and terrific is what you get from weight training...done right.  

 

OK, so now you understand a few of the common mistakes that sabotage results. I hope you're put them to practice in your workouts.  And if you need help, you know how to reach us!

 

Self consciousness is the 'big' problem

Posted: 10/04/2011

A new study out of George Washington University Medical Center discovered that obese people actually believe MORE in the importance of exercise than healthy weight people.

 

You may ask, "where are things breaking down?"

 

The answer, as the study points out, is that most people are self-conscious about the clothes they wear, and how they look as they sweat, and if they are using the equipment right.

 

Does it strike you as odd that a business established to help people get in shape actually scares off many who need it most?

 

If this describes you, check out what it means to work with a fitness professional in a PRIVATE training suite.  It can make all the difference in your success.  We offer a complementary session to all who are interested.  Just call 517-347-9020 for a free assessment and consultation

Metabolism Boosters

Posted: 09/29/2011

If you don't increase your body's metabolism, you won't be able to burn the fat you want to lose. And remember we are heading into some traditional weight gaining holidays!

 

So what can you do to boost your metabolism, lose inches, and eliminate belly fat?

 

Follow the tips I outline below

 

1) Strength training

 

Strength training should be at the core of any fat loss program. It boosts metabolism up to 10% after a training session. The lean muscle that strength training helps you build will firm and tone your body like nothing else. Strength training must be a part of your fat-blasting workout routine.

 

2) Breakfast

 

Research shows eating breakfast is associated with successful weight loss. Breakfast increases metabolism because it breaks your overnight fast. So make it a habit to consume some protein, fiber,& fruit (& even veggies) at this time. This will keep your appetite in check till your next meal.

 

3) Eating every 2-3 hours after breakfast

 

Eating 5-6 small meals per day boosts metabolism and can help control blood sugar levels.  Try and split your meals up into smaller meals that can be eaten over the course of the day.  This one simple tactic can be the difference between becoming a fat burner or a fat storer.

 

Change it up!

Posted: 09/20/2011

There are at least two reasons to change up your exercise routine:

1. To avoid boredom. If what you do becomes boring to you, there is a high likelihood that you eventually will find a reason to stop all together.

2. To avoid hitting a plateau in results. If you don't change your routine your body's muscular system will fully adapt to the repetitive training stimulus in 6 to 8 weeks. Soon you won't seem be making any progress.

So what can you do?

-It could be as easy as changing the order of the exercises. You will be fatiguing the muscles in a different order, and you will get different results.

-You could bump up the intensity: still doing the same exercises, but with more weights. Maybe shorter rest periods. For cardio, perhaps changing the speed every two minutes.

-Then there is the obvious: new exercises. To get ideas you could look online, ask friends, or ask your friendly Fitness Together trainer. We'd love to help.

Our bodies are amazing machines! I believe that with the right stimulus at the right times we will see the results we desire. Now, let's make a change!

Ditch the Diet Soda

Posted: 09/13/2011

I've found over the years that people put a lot of pride, or value on their diet soda choices.  While a step away from full sugar soda is commendable, don't make the mistake of stopping there. In fact, drinking diet soda is strongly correlated with overweight and obesity.  

Diet soda has 5 calories or fewer per serving, of course, but emerging research seems to suggest that drinking sugary-tasting beverages, even artificially sweetened ones, appears to develop a preference in the human body for a whole range of other sweet things. And when we consume sweeter cereals, snacks, breads and desserts, we tend to consume more calories, and eventually put on pounds.
A 2005 study, by Sharon P. Fowler and colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, showed that people who drink diet soda gain weight - lots of it. In fact, the research found, "There was a 41 percent increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day."

Nutrition expert Leslie Bonci says, "Diet drinks aren't diets, a lot of people say, 'I am drinking a diet soft drink because that is better for me.' But you can't go into a fast-food restaurant and eat a high-calorie, fatty meal and say, 'Oh, it's OK, because I had diet soda.' If you don't do anything else but switch to a diet soft drink, you are not going to lose weight." Also, drinking multiple cans of diet soda every day squeezes out from our diets the healthful beverages - juices, water and teas - that can best benefit our bodies.

Burn Some Extra Calories!

Posted: 09/06/2011

     There are many simple ways to burn calories throughout the day, it just takes a little bit of effort! Instead of combing the parking lot for that space 10 feet from the door to the shopping plaza, park farther out and walk in. Gather all the carts you see on the way in for an additional challenge. Also carrying your packages to your car can provide a great upper body workout as well.

     It is easy to take advantage of effort saving devices like carts and elevators.  Let's get off the "easy autopilot."  Why don't you choose to expend a little more effort for the sake of your health? 

Food Logs Bring Success

Posted: 08/30/2011

If you were told that keeping a list of what you ate and drank would help you lose weight faster, would you do it? An extensive study conducted by Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research revealed that keeping a food diary helped study participants drop pounds at twice the rate of those who did not log dietary intake. And the more detailed the food diary, the more the pounds disappeared. The two-year study followed 1,685 men and women. In the first six months, those who logged their eating lost between 13 and 20 pounds. Participants who kept no food diaries lost only about 9 pounds. Why is this effective?  “We tend to forget what we eat, so the awareness of writing it down and figuring calories is helpful. You don’t always realize where extra calories are coming from,” said Stevens, an investigator at Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research in north Portland. “Second, a lot of people set a calorie goal for the day. When they hit their personal target, it’s time to stop eating. You can try to stretch it out over the day, which is why we recommend eating smaller amounts more frequently,” Stevens said. “Third, when you write it down, you’re being accountable to yourself. We had them hand in their food records to us and we often shared them at meetings. When other people know, that changes what you eat,” Stevens said in a phone interview.  Which is why at Fitness Together, you have the accountability of your trainer looking at your journal, and the helpfulness of their feedback.   Don't give it a try.  Give it a commitment.

 

Osteoporosis

Posted: 08/24/2011

Osteoporosis is the progressive deterioration of bone mass with a consequent increase in the bone’s fragility.  It is estimated that 44 million Americans have this disease, or are at risk.  And guys, don’t tune me out: 20% of them are men.

What can you do?

Calcium consumption is the nutritional approach.  If you are at risk you should consume 1200-1500mg of calcium.  Your body can only absorb about 500mg at a time, so you will need to spread it throughout the day.  FYI: An 8oz glass of milk is about 300mg.  Calcium tablets are widely available to supplement your intake.

The other solution is weight bearing exercise.  When you put your bones under stress in weight training they respond by reinforcing the skeletal structure.  It is actually possible to increase bone mass even after many years of bone density loss!