Proper nutrition and exercise...they go hand in hand. To do one without the other is really a waste of time. Eating right can be a challenge, but planning ahead is what will keep you ahead. Many people today attend outings that display food spread of goodies that definitely are not on a cleaner' eating program...then there's those pesky fast food restaurants...all those fatty, sodium laden selections. So, what's a serious, goal-oriented fitness individual to do? I'm not saying you can never let sugar (a.k.a. 'poison') pass your lips ever again, or never have another nachos supreme. Allowing a 'treat' will aid in keeping you on track. Now, let's define exactly what 'treat' means. When you first start out a 'treat' is allowable for one meal, once every two weeks. The idea is to work up to a 'treat' being one meal once a month (and you may even find you don't want it!) We cannot allow a whole day binge as that could be detrimental to your weight loss that week. Allowing one meal, within reason...meaning, don't inhale everything in sight! It gives you something to look forward to (especially if you're struggling in that area) and won't affect your weight loss. Also, you can plan ahead by eating something before you walk out the door...that way, you're not famished when you are faced with a buffet of epic proportions. You can allow yourself small amounts, and keep in good with the host/hostess.
When you are traveling or even just going to work, it is necessary to put effort into packing your food. This will involve some time...so allow for that. There are many insulated bags these days...different colors and sizes that will come in real handy for packing what you need. You'll need lots of containers, preferbly glass (you can use plastic bags some too!), and ice packs (they're pretty cheap) to keep your food cold. As you can see, there's really no excuse (not a legitimate one, anyway) for not staying on track. Remember, this is a lifestyle change. It will take a lot of effort to keep it going, and that puts the responsibility on you. I've said it before, and I'll repeat it again and again throughout this blog....nobody else can do this for you! I want you to be successful. I can give you information and advice, but I can't eat for you or work out at the gym for you, or lose the weight for you. Slow but steady wins the race. It's going to take time, so use that time to make proper and healthy choices, the benefits and rewards will come. Hang in there with me, ok?
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
It's All About Those Abs!
Most people would love to have a flat stomach...and more so, only dream of having that elusive six-pack abs. Well...here's some news you may not be aware of...you already have six-pack abs! Yes, you do! They're there...you just have to uncover them!
The above picture shows the placement of these important muscles. This entails your body's core....there is a whole lot of movement going on with this area of the body...more than you may even realize. Rotating from side to side, bending from the waist...you really rely on these muscles, so it's important they be in tip-top shape!
There are 6 of them, and they are key in body posture...the transversus abdominis...this is the deepest of the six. The internal oblique (a pair of these)...they are the next deepest. The external oblique (another pair), and the rectus abdominus....the ones that give that 'six-pack' appearance.
Okay, so you want them....but how do you get them? Well, it's more of....how do you get them to show? There's no magic bullet...nope...there's no supplement, no quickie exercise, no fad diet that will do this. It's going to take consistent commitment on your part in exercise, and close adherence to what you eat. Really, it's almost more of what you do or don't eat. A clean/raw diet is best. Yup....that's some work...much effort on your part. It takes planning and sticking to it. It depends on how much you want it....is it that important to you? You've got to be willing to put forth a lot of effort. It will take a strong, determined, applied mind to win this.
It is so easy for this part of the body to be out of shape, for both men and women. It seems like any overeating goes right to the middle. There are some great machines in the gym to help work all the muscles of the abdominal area. One of my personal favorites is the torso rotation machine. I certainly wouldn't suggest doing hundreds of crunches or sit-ups, they're not really proven to do the trick. You need to work all the ab muscles to get your desired results.
I'm still of the somewhat 'old school' belief that these muscles can be isolated and worked out daily. Right now, I'm working mine three times a week...so whatever benefits I receive will probably be minimal. If you're really wanting that sculpted look, then daily is a necessity.
As I mentioned, it is really more eating properly. That does not mean starving yourself. What it means is eating a lot of 'clean' foods....i.e., raw vegetables, fresh fruit, lean meat, quality dairy and fats. Do away with refined sugar and flour, deep frying, fatty sauces, fast foods, and those awful caloric soda pops (!!)....those types of things. It comes down to developing healthy and proper eating habits. And it most likely will not come all at one time for most people. It will be a slow but steady progression toward integrating these changes into what you are currently doing.
Persistence will pay off....you have to stick with it. There won't be immediate results, especially if you are carrying a lot of excess body fat around your mid-section. It can be done, just don't resort to extremes....not in your diet and not in your exercising. This could be detrimental to your health, and then you've gained nothing.
Spring has officially arrived, so Summer is just 90 days away. If you start now, you can make significant progress and unveil a new you in just that short a period. C'mon...take this challenge with me, will ya? Let me know your progress! Whittle that middle, get your rear in gear, and let's make it a summer about those six-pack abs!
There are 6 of them, and they are key in body posture...the transversus abdominis...this is the deepest of the six. The internal oblique (a pair of these)...they are the next deepest. The external oblique (another pair), and the rectus abdominus....the ones that give that 'six-pack' appearance.
Okay, so you want them....but how do you get them? Well, it's more of....how do you get them to show? There's no magic bullet...nope...there's no supplement, no quickie exercise, no fad diet that will do this. It's going to take consistent commitment on your part in exercise, and close adherence to what you eat. Really, it's almost more of what you do or don't eat. A clean/raw diet is best. Yup....that's some work...much effort on your part. It takes planning and sticking to it. It depends on how much you want it....is it that important to you? You've got to be willing to put forth a lot of effort. It will take a strong, determined, applied mind to win this.
It is so easy for this part of the body to be out of shape, for both men and women. It seems like any overeating goes right to the middle. There are some great machines in the gym to help work all the muscles of the abdominal area. One of my personal favorites is the torso rotation machine. I certainly wouldn't suggest doing hundreds of crunches or sit-ups, they're not really proven to do the trick. You need to work all the ab muscles to get your desired results.
I'm still of the somewhat 'old school' belief that these muscles can be isolated and worked out daily. Right now, I'm working mine three times a week...so whatever benefits I receive will probably be minimal. If you're really wanting that sculpted look, then daily is a necessity.
As I mentioned, it is really more eating properly. That does not mean starving yourself. What it means is eating a lot of 'clean' foods....i.e., raw vegetables, fresh fruit, lean meat, quality dairy and fats. Do away with refined sugar and flour, deep frying, fatty sauces, fast foods, and those awful caloric soda pops (!!)....those types of things. It comes down to developing healthy and proper eating habits. And it most likely will not come all at one time for most people. It will be a slow but steady progression toward integrating these changes into what you are currently doing.
Persistence will pay off....you have to stick with it. There won't be immediate results, especially if you are carrying a lot of excess body fat around your mid-section. It can be done, just don't resort to extremes....not in your diet and not in your exercising. This could be detrimental to your health, and then you've gained nothing.
Spring has officially arrived, so Summer is just 90 days away. If you start now, you can make significant progress and unveil a new you in just that short a period. C'mon...take this challenge with me, will ya? Let me know your progress! Whittle that middle, get your rear in gear, and let's make it a summer about those six-pack abs!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Checking In
Well, we're almost three months into the new year. It typically seems to be about this time that a lot of people who made a resolution to eat better and lose weight begin fading away on their commitment. So, how are you doing? I know it's hard. There are so many temptations!
Spring is just around the corner...just three days away! If it hasn't gotten warmer in your area yet (like it hasn't in mine)....it will get here. So if you throw in the towel now...then what will you do when the warmth gets here, and you want to wear shorts and tank tops? See....keep it up....keep it up! Don't give up! You're getting there.
I'm down three pounds from the beginning of the year when I weighed in. I cleaned out the pantry yesterday. I'm back in the gym (feels so good)...make a list if you have to of why you're doing this. Anything positive that will help. Don't be obsessive with the scale or the tape measure...it's not necessary to over-do it. Once a month should be plenty.
As long as you're going in the right direction with your weight and your eating habits, you're bound to see results. I know, sometimes it seems slow...but slow and steady wins the race. Keep that in mind. Don't listen to negative people, or those who would like nothing better than to sabotage your efforts. Remember....living healthy and well is the best revenge. :-)
Spring is just around the corner...just three days away! If it hasn't gotten warmer in your area yet (like it hasn't in mine)....it will get here. So if you throw in the towel now...then what will you do when the warmth gets here, and you want to wear shorts and tank tops? See....keep it up....keep it up! Don't give up! You're getting there.
I'm down three pounds from the beginning of the year when I weighed in. I cleaned out the pantry yesterday. I'm back in the gym (feels so good)...make a list if you have to of why you're doing this. Anything positive that will help. Don't be obsessive with the scale or the tape measure...it's not necessary to over-do it. Once a month should be plenty.
As long as you're going in the right direction with your weight and your eating habits, you're bound to see results. I know, sometimes it seems slow...but slow and steady wins the race. Keep that in mind. Don't listen to negative people, or those who would like nothing better than to sabotage your efforts. Remember....living healthy and well is the best revenge. :-)
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Power-Up With Breakfast
I've never been able to understand people who don't eat breakfast. It's my favorite meal. There have been numerous times in my life that I've eaten breakfast foods for my evening meal! Whether you're a fan of breakfast or not, it is a most important meal, after all, it derived its name because you are truly breaking a 'fast'. Most likely you have not eaten for maybe 12 hours or more.
Especially when you have added exercise to your routine, you need to properly re-fuel your body. It requires it! Quality protein and complex carbohydrates (carbs) are essential to muscle repair and to provide energy for the day ahead. It doesn't have to be complicated, but it does need to be good food....not junk food, not fast food, but foods that are nutritious. This needs to become a habit for all your meals and snacks. Junk in equals junk out, and it will not give your body what it needs for a workout.
Eggs whites are a good protein and easy to cook up. You can purchase them in a carton, making it very simple to prepare. I like whole wheat English muffins. You can add Canadian bacon, sliced tomatoes, a little organic cheese and have a wonderful breakfast sandwich. Add a side of fresh fruit, and you are starting your day off right.
Fresh fruit instead of store bought juices are a better choice. Of course, juicing fresh fruits for breakfast (or any meal/snack) is a great option! You can certainly add vegetables to breakfast, as an egg white omelet with some chopped green pepper, onion, tomato (actually a fruit), broccoli, etc. is a yummy breakfast paired with some whole grain toast (spread lightly with some organic butter).
Don't leave breakfast out...include it every morning, and you will notice how much better your day is because you started it off right.
Especially when you have added exercise to your routine, you need to properly re-fuel your body. It requires it! Quality protein and complex carbohydrates (carbs) are essential to muscle repair and to provide energy for the day ahead. It doesn't have to be complicated, but it does need to be good food....not junk food, not fast food, but foods that are nutritious. This needs to become a habit for all your meals and snacks. Junk in equals junk out, and it will not give your body what it needs for a workout.
Eggs whites are a good protein and easy to cook up. You can purchase them in a carton, making it very simple to prepare. I like whole wheat English muffins. You can add Canadian bacon, sliced tomatoes, a little organic cheese and have a wonderful breakfast sandwich. Add a side of fresh fruit, and you are starting your day off right.
Fresh fruit instead of store bought juices are a better choice. Of course, juicing fresh fruits for breakfast (or any meal/snack) is a great option! You can certainly add vegetables to breakfast, as an egg white omelet with some chopped green pepper, onion, tomato (actually a fruit), broccoli, etc. is a yummy breakfast paired with some whole grain toast (spread lightly with some organic butter).
Don't leave breakfast out...include it every morning, and you will notice how much better your day is because you started it off right.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Home Gym Vs. Gym Membership
I apologize for it being so long since I've been on here....things have been very crazy. I certainly have lots to blog about, I just could use more than 24 hours in a day!
I'm sure there are many out there who wonder if it's better to work out at home or go to a gym. Well, there's a lot that depends on that. What are you looking to do, how much time do you have to devote to it....are you a real socialite? Sometimes it's easier and more convenient to exercise at home. I believe you can get a decent work out as long as you have the right equipment. When I lost 40 pounds several years back, I did it from home through diet, aerobic exercise and light weights.
One advantage to a gym is the availability of a variety of exercise equipment that if you had this in your home would take quite a bit of room and cost some money to have....most people are short on both....space and money. Especially if you are looking to building some decent muscle tone, a gym would be a better option because you have you have a nice selection of free weights and machines. Also with a variety of aerobic equipment available and many gyms offering aerobic classes....you can really zero in on fat burning.
I'm certainly not saying it can't be done at home. It can....but if you're like me, the 'average' person...a gym membership is of greater advantage. Most places (at least in my area) you can get a full membership for around $20 a month. That's just $5 a week...that's not bad. There are at least a couple of machines that come to mind that I love and certainly wouldn't be able to have here at home, the torso twist and the Smith machine.
With free weights, you can easily change from 5 pounds to 7 to 10 quickly, and this enables you to really pump up your workout for quicker, better results. As far as machines for the legs, the gym really can't be beat. I don't use large weights when working on my legs, as the upper muscles known as the quadriceps respond quickly to heavy weights. And I don't want big leg muscles. I can press quite a bit, and sometimes just for grins and giggles see how much I can press for a couple reps, but then I get it back to a level I know will tone....that's what I want.
Having a 'back-up' workout available at home is quite simple, and doesn't involve a big investment. There may be situations due to weather or other issues, that a quick workout at home is in order. Having aerobic DVD's (I have several), some exercise bands, an exercise ball, various dumbbell weights (I have 7, 10 and 15# which is enough for me), and some kind of compact pulley/band type apparatus works well. I have one I bought that fits on my door and enables me to work out back, leg, arm and ab muscles. I just leave it up there...it doesn't take up floor space, so it's not in the way and I think it cost around $40.
It's a personal preference, really. It's always nice to have other options and enough variety that you'll stick with an exercise plan instead of making excuses and becoming bored....positive results only happen when you do something!
I'm sure there are many out there who wonder if it's better to work out at home or go to a gym. Well, there's a lot that depends on that. What are you looking to do, how much time do you have to devote to it....are you a real socialite? Sometimes it's easier and more convenient to exercise at home. I believe you can get a decent work out as long as you have the right equipment. When I lost 40 pounds several years back, I did it from home through diet, aerobic exercise and light weights.
One advantage to a gym is the availability of a variety of exercise equipment that if you had this in your home would take quite a bit of room and cost some money to have....most people are short on both....space and money. Especially if you are looking to building some decent muscle tone, a gym would be a better option because you have you have a nice selection of free weights and machines. Also with a variety of aerobic equipment available and many gyms offering aerobic classes....you can really zero in on fat burning.
I'm certainly not saying it can't be done at home. It can....but if you're like me, the 'average' person...a gym membership is of greater advantage. Most places (at least in my area) you can get a full membership for around $20 a month. That's just $5 a week...that's not bad. There are at least a couple of machines that come to mind that I love and certainly wouldn't be able to have here at home, the torso twist and the Smith machine.
With free weights, you can easily change from 5 pounds to 7 to 10 quickly, and this enables you to really pump up your workout for quicker, better results. As far as machines for the legs, the gym really can't be beat. I don't use large weights when working on my legs, as the upper muscles known as the quadriceps respond quickly to heavy weights. And I don't want big leg muscles. I can press quite a bit, and sometimes just for grins and giggles see how much I can press for a couple reps, but then I get it back to a level I know will tone....that's what I want.
Having a 'back-up' workout available at home is quite simple, and doesn't involve a big investment. There may be situations due to weather or other issues, that a quick workout at home is in order. Having aerobic DVD's (I have several), some exercise bands, an exercise ball, various dumbbell weights (I have 7, 10 and 15# which is enough for me), and some kind of compact pulley/band type apparatus works well. I have one I bought that fits on my door and enables me to work out back, leg, arm and ab muscles. I just leave it up there...it doesn't take up floor space, so it's not in the way and I think it cost around $40.
It's a personal preference, really. It's always nice to have other options and enough variety that you'll stick with an exercise plan instead of making excuses and becoming bored....positive results only happen when you do something!
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