Yes its December and Yes it is in the 70’s. GET OUTSIDE
It’s that time of year where it feels like the entire country decides to live here for a couple months, and with good reason. They love it here because the weather is fantastic. We’re lucky to live somewhere where winter means mid 70’s and sun. Get outside, enjoy it and get some exercise in at the same time. Here are some great hiking spots just a short drive from Infinity:
We’ve all seen them: the guy who looks like the Incredible Hulk yet can’t lift a thing, or on the contrary, a guy that looks like a complete slob but can lift a house. Or what about the guy that looks great, but can’t walk up a flight of stairs without needing CPR at the top? No matter what your age or gender, I recommend training like an athlete.
How do you train like an athlete?
1. Join us at Infinity Fitness.
2. Increase your work capacity (work capacity= the ability to repeat high QUALITY effort).
The higher your work capacity then the more prepared for training you are; the more prepared you are the more work you can do; the more work you can do the more gains you can achieve. (Gains can mean very different things! For women look at it as *leans* ). To achieve this, shorten your rest times between sets, run stairs (hint,hint), throw cardio into the middle of a workout, do some ploy metrics. It’s not 1982 Golds Gym thinking is 2014 Infinity thinking to keep the heart rate up and continuously move throughout the workout. Maximize your time in the gym to maximize your feeling outside of it.
3. Create or find variety in your workouts.
Find a gym that is not typical. Switch things up daily, don’t get stuck in a rut and move your body in every direction with resistance daily. Your mind and body wants to be pushed and needs to be pushed to create a healthier lifestyle. As they say variety is the spice of life, so spice that thing up!!!
4. Enjoy and embrace the push this type of training gives you.
Have fun. Working out has the word “work” which most people despise. But…..and a big one, it’s not work if you love it. As crazy as this sounds, it really is fun to…
Leave a pool of sweat
Stumble out of the gym after leg day
Have to catch your breath during a workout
Want to quit but continue
REALLY want to quit but give it just that little bit you have left
We all learned in Elementary school the method of creating “S.M.A.R.T.” goals, but may have forgotten this method as an adult. This is a perfect way to create a really good fitness goal! Put your goal somewhere for you to see every day as a reminder, post your goal on Social Media, tell everyone about your goals and ask them to hold you accountable! You’ll have a much better chance at accomplishing your goal if you don’t hide it to yourself.
Specific– Instead of creating a general goal, such as “I want to be in the best shape of my life”, make it as specific as possible. Your goal should answer the following “W” questions:
Who: Who is involved?
What: What do I want to accomplish?
Where: Identify a location.
When: Establish a time frame.
Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.
Measurable– You should be able to measure progress toward your goal. Don’t just step on the scale and use that as your only criteria; take body measurements with a tape measure, and also have your body fat taken. Re-assess every 3-4 weeks with these more specific measurements so you can see your progress. This will help keep you on track, stay motivated, and also will give you a sense of accomplishment to keep pushing you toward the end result.
Attainable– Make your goal something that you’re passionate about. This is YOUR goal, not someone else’s, so it has to have significant meaning to you. Believe it or not, if you set your heart on a goal, you will become emotionally attached to it and find a way (no matter how hard it is!) to achieve your goal. If you try to attain a goal that someone else has given you, you’re less likely to stick to it. Your list of goals, endeavors and desires will shape your self-image; you will develop characteristics and personality that will allow you to achieve these goals if you’re passionate about them.
Realistic– Your goal must be something that you are willing and able to work toward. No goal is too high, but if it’s so far out of reach you might be setting yourself up for disappointment. However, on the flip side of things, if you set a goal too low you will more than likely have an apathetic attitude if you don’t achieve it. You need to set yourself a goal that you can measure your progress along the way and still see the end result.
Timely– Give your goal a time stamp. Create a sense of urgency, create “deadlines” just as you would at work! Your goal will be realistic if you don’t just say “someday I will be in the best shape of my life.” Create a plan to dedicate yourself to your goals. You can start with a short term goal, for example you want to lose 8 pounds this month, lose 30 pounds by the New Year, while your long term goal is to lose 100 pounds this year.
T can also mean Tangible. When your goal is tangible, your goal is more likely to be specific, measureable, and thus attainable!
Goal setting can be overwhelming when you have so many you want to achieve. Write everything down that you want to accomplish, break them down into smaller goals, create a game plan for each one and this will make the light at the end of the tunnel a lot closer. And when you start to think about giving up on your goals, always remember why you started!
We all experience days where our energy levels are low. Days where you don’t feel like getting up from your bed. Days where you simply want to sit on the couch and watch your favorite movie. There’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting these things. We’re all human, and we all need to relax and spend time to decompress from our daily, hectic schedules.
Whether you’re at home or at work, it’s important to remember to fit in exercise to your daily routine. While it may seem as though 30 minutes is a lot, health professionals recommend that adults get at least 30 minutes of daily exercise in for health.
If you need a reminder about health benefits, take a look at this list and share it with your friends and loved ones for motivation!
1. Exercise to look and feel great. Not only does exercise keep you energized, it can also improve your posture, make your skin glow and tone your body. Exercise also acts to reduce the risk of different types of disease – everything ranging from heart disease to cancer and type 2 diabetes.
2. Exercise to lose weight. For many people, burning fat is a motivator especially as summer rolls around. Exercise burns fat and prevents fat storage as well.
3. Exercise to stay energized. Exercise can not only reduce your stress levels, but also ensures you feel less exhausted and ready to tackle any of your daily responsibilities. Start your day with a simple routine, or switch things up to get your 30 minutes in!
4. Exercise to sleep better and age slower. While it fuels your energy levels, exercise can also ensure that you get a good night’s rest. Be sure to catch at least 8 hours of sleep to get ready for the next day. Regular exercise has been linked to fighting aging and reducing inflammation as well.
5. Exercise to relieve different types of pain. By strengthening your muscles and focusing your energy on exercise, you can relieve all types of pain. Of course, it’s good to consult a physician and your Method Fitness personal trainer to get advice on what’s best for your body and health.
6. Exercise to stay happy and enjoy your lifestyle. As part of its many benefits, exercise has been proven to reduce depression, which can lead you to enjoy your lifestyle and fun activities with kids, family and friends.
7. Exercise to boost your confidence and to stay sharp. Staying on track with your fitness is a definite confidence booster as you notice visible results of your efforts. Be sure to monitor your routine, switch up exercises and keep with your goals for exercise. Exercise additionally helps cognitive functions – keeping you motivated and your mind sharp.
You know you’ve created a good goal for yourself when it scares you. I must have created a really good goal, because I’m terrified! Four weeks ago, I hired an IFBB Physique Pro to help me train for my first Figure Competition. This means on November 14th, I will be walking on stage in a teeny tiny bikini and 5 inch high heels in front of hundreds of people to be judged on the physique I bring to the stage. I have created a goal to put myself outside my comfort zone, to hold myself more accountable than ever, and do something I never thought I was physically and/or mentally capable of doing.
I knew I needed to do something dramatic. I am a big advocate of the saying “practice what you preach.” I teach everyone else how to work out, how to eat, how to create good goals for themselves, and tell everyone to overcome temptation to become a better version of “you.” To everyone else, I was in decent shape already; however I wanted more and wanted to be better. I have always been told I should compete, but always just laughed it off and insisted I was not in THAT kind of shape. But why couldn’t I create that?
Three weeks ago I started dieting hard, training even harder, implemented 3am cardio sessions before work, and started working with a posing coach. I knew it was going to be hard, but this is definitely a full time job in itself. So far, it’s totally worth it! My body is transforming into something it has never been before, I’m seeing muscle definition I never have before, and I’m actually eating more than I ever have before too! I’m excited (and terrified!) to share this journey with everyone, glad I have so many people to hold me accountable, and I am VERY thankful for the support I am getting from my Infinity Fitness AZ family.
(I will be competing in the NPC Western Regional in Mesa, AZ on November 14th, Figure division; visit http://www.npcmilesproductions.com for details, pictures, and tickets.)
We all experience days where our energy levels are low. Days where you don’t feel like getting up from your bed. Days where you simply want to sit on the couch and watch your favorite movie. There’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting these things. We’re all human, and we all need to relax and spend time to decompress from our daily, hectic schedules.
You know you’ve created a good goal for yourself when it scares you. I must have created a really good goal, because I’m terrified! Four weeks ago, I hired an IFBB Physique Pro to help me train for my first Figure Competition. This means on November 14th, I will be walking on stage in a teeny tiny bikini and 5 inch high heels in front of hundreds of people to be judged on the physique I bring to the stage. I have created a goal to put myself outside my comfort zone, to hold myself more accountable than ever, and do something I never thought I was physically and/or mentally capable of doing.
