I just joined the gym for the first time in years. Previously I’ve been doing Pilates from the comfort of my home. I however over indulged during the holidays and added 2 Kgs which I need to shed together with the 5 Kgs I was supposed to loose last year. Gym is no longer an option but necessity. I have worked out since I was in college and I have to admit the most difficult thing is the ability to maintain consistency in one’s work out regime. People tend to get bored or burn out. So how can you create a work out regime that will work for you in the long run? Here are a few tips that I’ve learned from my experience, others’ experiences and fitness trainers.
DIY fitness: There are many exercises you could do outside the confines of the gym. In fact, you could easily workout methods your hips, legs, bum, and pretty much everything else in the privacy on your home.
You might want to set smaller goals. An hour is a long time to work out. You might want to try for 10 minutes. That isn’t too long and you can generally find 10 minutes in your day. It is really better than doing nothing at all.
Membership fitness: So what does the word ‘exercise’ mean to you? This is a question you should ask yourself. Was there a time in you life when you enjoyed going to a fitness or dance class? Were you a regular gym goer or part of a sports team? Is there something you once enjoyed doing but life got in the way?
For a real in-depth discussion on this topic, attend the Energy System Training seminar held periodically by Olympic strength coach, Charles Poliquin. You will wait an hour in any parking lot for a closer spot after hearing what Poliquin has to say!
The exercise ball is a great item to have for your abdominal Let’s hang out. The exercise ball can be incorporated to your existing ab workout routine. If you don’t already have one, there are some things you want to know before you purchase an exercise ball. The ball should come up to your knee and you should be able to sit on the ball with your feet planted comfortably on the floor. If you purchase a ball too big or too small you can hurt your back or suffer from other injuries. Also, keep the ball properly inflated at all times.
The circadian rhythm, on the other hand, is tied to cycles of light and dark. Darkness causes the pineal gland in the brain to secrete the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. Although bright lights or melatonin tablets can be used to affect the circadian rhythm, my favorite method involves tanning beds. Believe it or not, tanning beds are also useful to improve circadian rhythms and increase vitamin D production particularly in the winter not to mention give you a bit of color, which improves muscularity and enhances well-being. I like to “fake bake” once a week in the winter usually on a day I’m not training.
It’s these kind of thoughts that subliminal messaging puts in your head. It’s these kind of thoughts that help you get up and start doing something physical. It’s these kind of thoughts that help with work out motivation.