Welcome to Volume 16 of the Fitness Destinations Journal!
This week we are very excited to bring you a product that has repeatedly been successful on many levels for personal trainers as well as health concious consumers, and we are offering our Fitness Journal subscribers a full 20% discount off of the retail price of the program.
The program is none other than the award-winning Exercise Explorer, and Fitness Destinations is proud to offer this incredibly useful product to all visitors to our site, as well as our loyal Fitness Journal Subscribers!
Exercise Explorer is a program that can do everything from plan and manage your workouts for you all the way up through teaching you everything you need to know about anatomy, sports training, exercise programming, and more! It would take too many words here in the Journal to describe it all, so just click this Exercise Explorer link, or the Exercise Explorer graphic below to learn more.
Don't forget, you have to click one of the Exercise Explorer links on this page in order to get your 20% discount!
Our articles this week are informative as always, including a great way to remember the basic steps to Fitness Success by Saving F.A.C.E., and another piece on how to make sure that you aren't the unwilling victim of Wimpy Workouts!
Have a safe and wonderful 4th of July weekend!
HEALTH JOKE:
Q: How do you know carrots are good for your eyes?
A: Have you ever seen a rabbit wearing glasses?
LABELS:
The government will be requiring new food labels that are more specific. Products will now be labeled: No Fat, Low Fat, Reduced Fat, and Fat, but Great Personality!
I'm on a low-fat, high-stress diet.... Coffee and Fingernails
Have you heard of the garlic diet?
You don't lose much weight, but from a distance your friends think you look thinner..
Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork.
- English proverb
Fitness Article - Saving F.A.C.E. - Your Step Letters to Fitness Success
If you were to search the Internet, your local bookstore, or even a public library, you could easily locate hundreds or even thousands of "How To" references about health and fitness. In fact, information overload is one of the biggest problems in the fitness industry today! There is so much information out there that people don't know who to believe, or which course of action to take in order to get in shape.
There is certainly no lack of knowledge out there regarding the "best" exercise program, the "most effective" diet, or the "easiest steps" to get you into the shape that you have always dreamed of. The amount of raw data regarding what you should or should not do could easily have you running in circles that never even take you to your fitness goals.
Consider the following simple 4-step list that will take you directly to your goals, regardless of your present fitness level. Whether you are a record-breaking athlete in the making, a teenager who simply wants to stay in shape, a middle-aged homemaker with kids, or anything in between, learn how to save F.A.C.E. to realize the success that you envision!
F - Stands for FOCUS
By now you have likely heard about the magical power of Focus, and it is truly a powerful ally in your quest for success in any area of your life. Focus can have many meanings, including Focusing on your Goals. There is a saying that reads "What you focus on grows", and that is a very true statement!
Do you spend your valuable mental energy thinking about how fat you are, how out of shape you are, or how you have never been able to stick to a diet and exercise program? If so, then stop right there! Remember, what you focus on grows! If that is all you think about, then that is all you will ever have, no matter how much you try to attain the opposite.
Using actual mental pictures and imagery, you need to focus on what you want, not what you already have. Spend your mental energy considering how great you will look with a low level of bodyfat. Think often of how you will feel and be perceived when you frequently exercise and practice a healthy lifestyle. Envision yourself exercising and eating right every single day.
Does that sound like a corny idea? Mindless psycho-babble that has been passed around over and over again? If you haven't been doing it, and you also haven't been getting the results that you want, don't you think it might be time for a new approach? After all, Focus is FREE! What do you have to lose?
A - Stands for ASSISTANCE
If you look at the track record of all truly successful people, you will find one simple thing that they all have in common; at some point in their life, they got some help! Whether that help came in the form of a coach, employees or business partners, a supportive family member, a workout buddy, a friend, or even a personal trainer, everyone needs help once in awhile.
Do you think that you are magically different than million-dollar CEO's, top-level athletes, or wildly successful business owners who started out by working in their garage? You are not a one man or one woman show, no matter how much you may think you are, or how badly you may want to be. Somewhere along the line, you will need some help. Recognizing that fact and knowing when to seek that help can literally mean the difference between success and failure.
C - Stands for CONSISTENCY
This may seem like a no-brainer, but specifically with regard to health and fitness, the need for consistency can be demonstrated by answering a simple question: Did you get to the low level of fitness or the high level of bodyfat that you have right now by leading an unhealthy lifestyle for a week or two? What about a month or two? A year or two?
You should see the point by now. If you think that you are going to see "amazing" results in some short period of time because you bought a gym membership or started eating a salad with your lunch everyday, you are in for a rude awakening.
It has taken you weeks followed by months followed by years of unhealthy living to attain your present level of fitness. It is likewise going to take a Consistent effort on your part over weeks, months, or maybe even years to attain your personal fitness goals.
Whether your goals are athletic in nature, having to do with a low level of bodyfat, or even just a higher quality of life, you need to consistently apply the principles of healthy living if you want long-term results. Don't lie to yourself - there is going to be work involved in your future plans of fitness success. If you are looking for a shortcut, there isn't one.
E - Stands for EATING
That's right, Eating. Eating is one of the top 4 steps to fitness success because whether your goal is to lose weight, put on muscle mass, or break the land-speed record for the 100-yard dash, you have to eat supportively for that goal!
Notice the term was "eat supportively". That does not mean grazing on nothing but celery and asparagus until you turn green. It also does not mean stuffing your face with every protein source you can find, regardless of its fat content or its effect on your health.
The term is "eat supportively", and that is exactly what it means. Determine the proper way to eat that will support a healthy lifestyle while at the same time keep you on track for your individual fitness goals.
Supportive eating will vary from individual to individual depending on the goals and lifestyles of each person. Don't believe for a second that there is any "one" system or diet that works for everyone. Determine your individual needs and eat supportively for your individual goals. If you aren't sure of what "supportive eating" means for you, then now might be a good time to refer back to the "A" above, which stands for Assistance!
Regardless of what it is that you hope to get out of your health and fitness efforts, if you can simply remember to save F.A.C.E., you will already be armed with every tool that you will ever need!
About the Author
Aaron Potts is a Personal Trainer and Fitness Success Coach whose customers include consumers as well as other fitness professionals. Sign up for a free edition of his Workout of the Month Club or his value-packed Fitness Journal at http://www.fitnessdestinations.com, or visit his coaching site at http://www.ptsuccesscoach.com
Fitness Article - Wimpy Workouts: Living Large to Lose the Love Handles
Are you one of those people who can't seem to get the results that you seek from your exercise program? Do you go to the gym consistently, but are still unable to see the effects that you are looking for? It is very possible that your problem lies in the very workout that you have been so dedicated to!
The focus of this article is the concept of using your large muscle groups during exercise sessions in order to get the most out of every minute that you spend exercising. Although supportive nutrition and proper rest will always play a part in the success of your program, let's focus right now on simply making sure that you aren't a victim of Wimpy Workouts!
What are Large Muscle Groups?
Large muscle groups are any group of muscles that are worked as a unit in order to accomplish any given movement. Good examples of exercises that utilize large muscle groups include Squats, Deadlifts, Overhead Shoulder Presses, Chin Ups, Lunges, Chest Presses, etc.
Compare that list of exercises to things like Calf Raises, Lateral Raises, Inner/Outer Thigh Machines, Bicep Curl Machines, Forearm Curls, etc.
Do you see the difference? The first list of exercises involved many different muscles working together to move the weight from point A to point B, while the second list contained isolation exercises that require very few muscles to work together.
That does not mean that the isolation exercises are bad for you - quite the contrary. However, smaller movements like that need to play a smaller role in your overall workout program, while "compound movements", such as the first list, should comprise a large portion of your exercise regimen. Consider the following benefits to using your large muscle groups:
BURN MORE BODYFAT
Your body burns through bodyfat in a 2-step process. Step 1 is to release the fatty acids from storage. Storage sites are all over your body, but most of you will recognize popular storage warehouses located on the thighs, the stomach, the chest, and the ever-growing backside!
Step 2 is to transport that fatty acid from storage to your working muscles, where it is burned as energy. Remember that: Fat is burned inside your muscles.
Now that you understand that fat is burned inside your muscles, can you guess why you want to use your large muscle groups when you exercise? That's right: the more muscles you use at once, the more bodyfat you will burn. Simple physics with a body-slimming effect!
BOOST YOUR METABOLISM
Another piece of the fitness puzzle that a lot of people miss is that one of your primary goals is to make your body burn through energy at a faster pace. The higher your metabolism is, the faster your body burns through energy. Cranking up your body's energy-burning furnace should be one of the main goals of your fitness program. When you have done so, you will literally burn more calories around the clock, even when you are sleeping!
By exercising with large muscle groups, your body really has to "pull out all the stops" in order to provide enough energy to support that type of activity. By forcing your body to supply energy for many different muscles at the same time, your metabolism has to crank itself up to a raging inferno, completely obliterating stored bodyfat in the process. Also, this effect lasts long after your exercise session has ended, effectively turning you into a walking, talking, fat burning machine!
FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND NEUROMUSCULAR COORDINATION
One of the many benefits of resistance training is that it prepares your body to better withstand the daily functions of life, as well as unexpected things, such as slipping or tripping, needing to suddenly jump out of the way, catching yourself if you lose your balance, etc.
Can you picture a 90-year old man leaping out of the way of a car that has run a stop sign, or deftly keeping his balance after slipping on a muddy or icy sidewalk or parking lot? If you can't picture that, then you need to step away from the exercise machines, and pick up some dumbbells or barbells and engage those large muscle groups.
By balancing and moving your body through many different planes of motion when you exercise, you develop a significantly enhanced level of neuromuscular coordination (the way your brain talks to your body), and you also teach your conscious and sub-conscious mind how to control your muscles in many different positions and scenarios.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that the Ab Rocker is going to help you maintain your balance and coordination out in the world, let alone in any type of sporting event!
INTENSITY
If your workout sessions don't leave you sweaty, sore, and/or in a triumphant daze of joy because you made it through your workout, then you may need to seriously consider whether or not you are just wasting your time at the gym. Every workout does not have to be so insanely intense that you need an oxygen infusion to make it through. However, if you aren't even working up a sweat, you are definitely doing something wrong.
By engaging your large muscle groups, you will crank up the intensity of your workouts by using more energy. More muscles being worked means more energy being expended. The more energy you expend, the more results you will see from that workout.
Remember that the goal when working out is not to "go through the motions". The goal is to push your body beyond its previous limits, so that you will get to the next level of fitness.
As you plan your next exercise session, consider the benefits that have been listed here about using your large muscle groups instead of your smaller ones. Always remember that you will only get out what you put in when it comes to exercise. If you want award-winning results, you must put forth an award-winning effort!
About the Author
Aaron Potts is a Personal Trainer and Fitness Success Coach whose customers include consumers as well as other fitness professionals. Sign up for a free edition of his Workout of the Month Club or his value-packed Fitness Journal at http://www.fitnessdestinations.com, or visit his coaching site at http://www.ptsuccesscoach.com
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