Fitness - How to Get Results
You know, every time I follow a plan, ANY plan, for achieving fitness I get great results. Within weeks or even days I can feel the difference.
Any time I don’t follow a plan, I don’t see much improvement!
Funny that!
It’s so easy to have a vague idea about getting in shape, losing weight, running a 5K.
But it’s only systematic day after day effort which makes any difference.
Are you hoping for results and doing the odd fitness session?
Are you playing the odd game of tennis or baseball “when you get time”?
Or are you actually following a plan to achieve the results you want?
Tags: Fitness, get fit, resultsFitness Goals: Targets or Standards?
Although you may have an overall goal to get fit, remember that fitness is not just a target but something you want to maintain in your life forever.
It’s not as if you want to run a marathon and then retire to couch-potato land forever (well at least I hope not) so fitness goals need to be looked at a little differently from those you might have for your career or finances.
Once you have reached a reasonable level of fitness with your initial goal “to get fit”, you may want to set a goal to reach a higher level or you may just want to set standards for yourself.
You don’t have to strive to get fitter and fitter unless you have really got the fitness bug. But if you don’t challenge yourself regularly, you will lose the level of fitness you have reached.
Standards could be things like
- I will work on strengthening my muscles for twenty minutes three times a week
- I will walk at least 30 minutes every day
- I will practice yoga 5 times a week
- I will eat 7 portions fruit and vegetables a day
- I will try a new activity every month
- I will find a dance class I like and attend twice a week
The difference is that standards type goals never end - though you should review them regularly to make sure they are taking you where you want to be.
Keeping up standards can be just as challenging as working on improving fitness and in some ways you need to be even more motivated to keep this up as you will not be seeing so many dramatic positive changes in how you look and feel.Maintaining a log can help with motivation - you’ll be able to see in black and white how well you are sticking to your standards when you mark off what you do each day.
Tags: fitness goals, Fitness Motivation, get fit, goal to get fit5 Ways to Make Exercise Easier on Yourself
1. Plan Ahead
Always have your exercise kit ready and available. Have enough workout clothing so you can get a fresh kit together right after your workout while you’re still feeling good about having gone out for a run or to the gym. And keep it in a handy place at home ready to grab and go or store it in your car trunk so it’s always with you.
2. Follow a Program
Follow a work out program which is suitable for whatever stage of fitness you have reached. If you follow a pre-designed program you never have to think about what to do today - it’s all worked out in advance. If you are more experienced, you can create your own workout plan making sure that you don’t go too far too fast to avoid injury and over-training.
3. Get the Intensity Right
Use a heart rate monitor in conjunction with your program to ensure you are working at the right cardio intensity. You will also be able to follow your progress by seeing a reduction in your resting heart rate and the rate for any particular cardio exercise as you get fitter.
4. Schedule Your Exercise
Make an appointment with yourself as if you had a personal trainer turning up and expecting you to be ready to work out. Write it in your diary and schedule the rest of your life around your exercise sessions so that you make time for them.
5. Stay Healthy
Good food, plenty of sleep, proper hydration and avoiding cigarettes and too much alcohol and will make the job of keeping fit a lot easier than if your life is filled with late night booze sessions and junk food. If you do feel ill, give yourself a break from exercise and don’t force your body to work when it needs rest and recuperation. You’ll get back to full strength a lot faster.
Tags: exercise, Fitness, get fit, gym, heart rate, program, workoutMake Fitness a Lifetime Goal
Photo by Thowra_uk
A lot of people start all guns blazing on a fitness program, put in a lot of hard work, get pretty fit and then give up until the next time they get the desire to do something about their condition.
I have done something similar myself with running (though I usually do at least something to keep fit all year round).
It’s such a waste of effort to let fitness go once you have achieved it.
I’ve just been thinking why so many of us do this and the answer keeps coming back to me that we try and get fit with activities we just don’t like enough.
And I’ve also come to the conclusion that there’s no point even starting something if we KNOW we’re not going to keep it up for more than a brief period.
Now, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try new stuff - after all you don’t know whether you’ll absolutely fall in love with circuit training or yoga or horse riding until you’ve got over the initial few weeks training - the awkward stage.
I just mean that if you know yourself well enough to be pretty certain you’ll never visit the gym regularly for the rest of your life BEFORE you sign up for membership, you are just kidding yourself when you hand over your hard earned-cash.
You see paying for something never made you fit - only doing it on a regular basis does that.
Try activities that you will look forward to doing, that you’d like to learn, that you think you could enjoy forever given half a chance.
Try loads of different things until you find something you will stick at - simply for the pure pleasure of doing it.
Even if you’re not that enthusiastic about an activity to begin with, give everything a fair chance and you’re more likely to uncover the pursuits that will keep you fit and having fun for the rest of your life.
Tags: Fitness, fitness program, get fit, gymFitness Motivation : Are You a Fair Weather Exerciser?
When the roads are icy, rain is beating down and the wind is blowing right in your face, the natural reaction for many of us (including me) is to batten down the hatches and snuggle down in front of the TV.
After all, the day when you have to reveal the results of your laziness on the beach seems a long way off.
But try and curb the temptation to be lazy because it really won’t be long before you’ll regret it.
If you think about it logically, there’s no need to exercise outside anyway unless you really want to risk slipping on the ice and catching pneumonia.
If you are a member of a gym, make the most of the opportunity you have to use the equipment at your disposal - the crowds will have thinned out by now since the joining hysteria in January and it should be a lot pleasanter there.
If you don’t have gym membership, then there are plenty of workout options that you can do at home (with or without equipment) which will get you just as fit as any gym and getting to your lounge or basement will take up less of your precious time. (See all the suggestions for working out at home in “27 Ways to Get Fit for Free“) .
In just 2 - 4 months when the fair weather arrives (depending where you live) you will be so pleased you made the effort when you reveal toned arms, firm thighs and flat abs.
Or you can stay in front of the TV and feel out of shape along with 95% of the population when April comes around.
Don’t ever accept being less than you could be. You deserve better than that!
Tags: exercise, Fitness Motivation, get fit, gym, home workout, resultsSporadic Running
Every year or so I decide to get fit by running rather than whatever I am doing at the time (like walking or rebounding or stepping or nothing).
Last year, I even trained for a 5K race and enjoyed the whole training and event.
At the end of the race I would even say I was euphoric what with all the spectators clapping and the happy hormones kicking in.
And then after the race I never ran again.
What’s the problem then with running being a regular part of my fitness routine?
Well, it seems that no matter how gradually I train, how well cushioned and fitted my shoes, how good my running style, I end up with sore ankles and sometimes knees.
And that’s just running 3 times a week for 30 minutes. At times (although not all the time) I get so sore that I can’t even walk properly and am out of action for a few days at least.
And so that creates a bit of a conflict.
You see fitness for me is about being healthy not just fit and I suspect that running is not actually that good for me.
After a while, of course, I forget about the injuries, the slightly warmer and less rainy weather of spring returns and running starts to look like a good idea again.
So if you hear I’ve taken up jogging again don’t be surprised. But also don’t be too shocked to hear I have given up again after a few months despite all the motivation tricks I know about “just doing it”.
Tags: Fitness, get fit, jogging, motivation, running27 Ways to Get Fit for FREE
If you’d love to get fit but don’t have any funds just now to join a gym or buy the latest fitness equipment, don’t despair - you can get fit without spending money at all.
(For those with a little cash to splash out on a few bits and pieces take a look at our $100 home gym project page where we review some of the best equipment for getting in shape that you can get for very little indeed. )
Cardio Fitness
1. Walk
Actually save money by walking everywhere within a reasonable distance. You save wear and tear on your car. And you’ll save gas costs and parking charges and/or cab, bus or subway fares. All you need are comfortable shoes (take your dressier shoes with you if necessary) and walk, walk, walk.
Pick up the pace as you get fitter to make those short journeys even quicker and smile at all the traffic travelling bumper to bumper in the rush hour. If there’s nowhere suitable to walk in your area try mall walking (but don’t get tempted to buy stuff!)
2. Cycle
If you have a little further to go and access to a bike, try cycling - it’s a great way to get about - just make sure you have all the safety gear you need and take care on the road.
Of course, if you have to buy a bike and safety gear this one isn’t free for you but how many of us have these things at home and rarely use them?
If you use a bike instead of forking out for transport costs then you might find this way of getting fit actually works out as better than free - it will save you money. (Might even be worth buying a reasonably priced or used bike for those savings)
3. Run
If you already have good running shoes you can start a running program - you’ll find a great free program to take you right from beginner level over at Cool Running. I used this one to train for a 5K race from a standing start this year. If you don’t have (or can’t afford) good shoes, give this one a miss as you’ll damage your joints running without them.
4. Play
Take the kids to run around in the park (or a game of football or baseball) and JOIN IN instead of watching them. If you don’t have any kids then you probably know a parent or two who would welcome a break while you take their kids to run off steam. Flying a kite is great fun too and good exercise especially if you climb a hill to reach the best spot.
You’ll find more active play ideas over at this site such as Obstacle courses, Den building, Apple bobbing, Leap frog, Puddle jumping, treasure hunts and welly wanging.
Of course if you are lucky enough to have snow in winter the possibilities for play are endless.
5. Man’s (and Woman’s) Best Friend
Take the dog out for exercise twice a day and run about too instead of just throwing a ball to fetch. If you don’t have a dog offer to walk your neighbor’s dog for free. For more great activities you can enjoy with your dog, take a look at this Dog Play website. Who knew Fido could offer all these opportunities for exercise?
6. Step it Up
Use the bottom stair of a flight of stairs in your house as a step and step up and down to music. Or run up and down the whole flight. You can try this in an appartment or office building too (as long as your neighbors/coworkers don’t mind). For more about using stairs for free exercise take a look at this article on Fit Sugar.
7. Fitness DVD
Borrow a selection of fitness DVDs from you local library or a friend and follow them at home (or get out those you have lurking in the closet, basement or garage from the days when leg warmers were in fashion the first time). If you’re already a member of one of those DVD clubs you can always choose a fitness DVD as one of your selections and change it each month when you get bored with it.
8. Skip
Jump rope in your lounge or back yard using an old piece of rope or clothesline. For inspiration take a look at this rope jumping video on You Tube by a Ford Fitness model
You can also get a free rope jumping workout at ivillage.
9. Dance
Play music and dance the night (or day) away - around your bedroom - you can try out your best moves with nobody watching and pretend you’re Madonna.
10. Clean Up
Clean your place from top to bottom once a week for a vigorous workout. In fact you can burn 50,000 calories a year (that’s 14lbs of fat) just from cleaning up according to this article
11. Dig for Victory
If you have a yard get your garden in shape while you get in shape yourself. Here is a whole free plan for using your garden to get fit at Gardenfitness.com
12. Community
Get fit while making a contribution - you’ll feel great in more ways than one. Join a conservation project where there are usually plenty of activities to get involved in such as cleaning beaches, clearing overgrown beauty spots, planting trees, building walls etc Or join a volunteer project for a disadvantaged group where there’s always something to be done. A great way of making friends too. Do a search on Google for volunteering in your local area.
Strength Training
13. Isometric Exercises
You can tone up and build strength without any equipment at all - just using the weight of your body. Here is a whole series of exercises you can print for free (select those which don’t require any equipment)
And here is a complete 15 minute multi-sequence routine you can print out and use anywhere without equipment
14. Callanetics
Callanetics has been around a long time though it is not that well known but I know it works! It tones up your muscles at a very deep level using tiny ultra-slow motion pulsing movements without using equipment (other than a chair or makeshift barre). See if you can borrow one of these Callanetics books or DVDs
15. Pilates
Pilates is another great exercise system which you can do without equipment to tone and strengthen your muscles and which is highly respected. You might have more luck with getting your hands on information about this because it is a bit better known and there are free sources of information about this on the web.
Here is a FREE Pilates ebook to download. (Right click on the link and choose “Save target as” or “Save Link as). The accompanying Easy Vigour site is also useful.
And here is a series of free beginners pilates videos
16. From the Kitchen
Use the equipment you already have at home as small hand-weights. You can use soup cans (still with contents intact!) or water bottles (filled with water or sand). You can use these for any exercises where you would usually use small hand weights.
If you use water bottles start with water and then as you get stronger you can progress to sand and then maybe to small pebbles or coins. Another alternative for kitchen hand-weights are those plastic milk or orange juice jugs filled with water. They are great because they have a handle to hold.
17. Improve your Grip
Don’t buy an expensive hand grip trainer - squeeze a rubber ball or tennis ball as hard as you can instead.
Flexibility
18. Yoga
Borrow a yoga DVD from your library or use information available for free online and practice the movements every day. You’ll build strength along with getting more flexible. Download a free 73 minute yoga DVD from yoga.org.nz to get started.
19. Simple Stretching
If you prefer classic stretching exercises, you’ll find a selection of simple stretching exercises (along with some to build strength) in this illustrated stretching guide.
General
20. Make Exercise Your Entertainment
Although not exactly free it’s often cheaper (and therefore free in a way) than meeting a friend for a coffee or a meal. Why not meet up and go swimming or ice skating instead? Or take a class together such as belly dancing or tai-chi?
21. Use Local Facilities
Make use of what you can find locally and save travel costs too. You can walk in local beauty spots such as hills and beaches - you’ll often find nature trails already marked out for you. And some local authorities offer free classes and program to help promote health in the local community.
22. Free Gym
Take advantage of open days at local gyms - as long as you’re strong willed enough (or poor enough) to avoid signing up for membership.
23. Websites
You will often get a free selection of exercises of every type at membership sites which provide online fitness guidance. For example, the Workout Pass site which offers specific training suited for every kind of sport and situation imaginable offers a sample of 15 exercises you can download without joining the site including the best 4 exercises for a rock-solid abs, a fat-blasting workout and a 15 minute workout you can do anywhere.
You could build up a whole routine with a little searching.
Also check out government advice on the websites such as http://www.healthierus.gov/. Though the information is generally targeted at beginners you might find a suitable routine.
24. TV
You’ll find many exercise programs on TV these days - find a few that suit your schedule in the listings - or record for later use.
25. Charity
Charities often use fun activities (and sometimes really tough ones) as fund-raisers. Although it normally costs money to join you may be able persuade a whole lot of people to sponsor you and cover your entry fee for a good cause.
26. Freecycle
If you ask or keep an eye out you may find exercise equipment or a set of weights that someone is glad to get rid of on Freecycle.org - they are the kind of things which people buy with high hopes and then the the equipment lies around gathering dust ready for you to happilly take it off their hands.
27. Become an Opportunist
Find opportunities for exercise throughout your day. Use the stairs instead of the elevator (”That old chestnut”, you say, but do you do it?). Park a little further away than you normally would. Stretch at your desk. Hold your tummy in when waiting in line. It all counts. Do whatever you can to be more active wherever you are. It costs nothing.
28. Flat Abs fast - 5 Easy Ways to a Washboard Stomach
Bonus No 28 just added - my easy abs exercises course - no crunches required. Pick up Flat Abs Fast for free.
If you can think of more ways then please share here in the comments. Thanks
Tags: exercise equipment, exercise program, Fitness, Fitness Equipment, get fit, getting in shape, home gym, save money$100 Home Gym Project
Fitness equipment can run to thousands of dollars. And for some kinds of equipment, it’s true, the more you spend the better experience you have with it - and therefore the more likely you are to use it.
But what if you don’t have thousands of dollars (or even hundreds) to spend on home gym equipment? What if funds are too tight to afford a quality treadmill or elliptical trainer or even to join a gym? What can you do then?
The $100 Home Gym Project is for you - because you CAN get all the equipment you need to shape up and gain stamina and strength at home without shelling out a fortune. And the beauty of this equipment is that it
- takes up less space - a shelf in the closet may be enough to hold your home gym
- is often portable enough to slip into your suitcase and take with you wherever you go
If money is a bit tight at this time of year but you want to get in shape, think about taking a budget of just $100 and investing it in a small kit for yourself that you will use over and over again.
See the $100 Home Gym Project page for more details about putting together your ideal $100 home gym kit.
Tags: exercise equipment, Fitness Equipment, get fit, home gym
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