Fitness Tips
Tip #1: Both Cardio and Weight training can get you to your ideal goals; however everyone's body is different so finding out your perfect training technique is key.
Tip #2: Yoga is the most inclusive exercise method in the fitness industry. Yoga offers cardio, strength and conditioning, stretching and a bit of a HIIT type of workout. Yoga can be used for whatever goal it is you have for your fitness journey.
Tip #3: A calorie deficit is the only way to lose weight. This is the most factual information in the Personal Trainer world and though there a million of "proper" ways to lose weight- Everybody's body is different so the ways in which you go about exercising may vary, but your only LOSING weight when your in a caloric deficit.
Tip #4: "Detox Teas" or "Fat Burning Teas" are not the reason your losing weight. Teas are really good at helping your digestion or helping lose excess water weight, but that isn't weight lose that's a digestive aid. Teas are amazing to add to your diet, but they should NOT be the focus of weight/fat loss.
Mind you, we love tea ,but it shouldn't be a diet mentality!
Tip #5: Proprioceptive training is very beneficial to strength training and body toning. This form of training asks you to constantly be adding to your workout routine with an unstable base. This type of training incorporates more of your stabilizer muscles and nervous system. For example; Pushups vs. Pushups on a stability ball
Tip #6: Using your own body weight. Weight bearing exercises help strengthen bones because your working against gravity. You could do a handful of exercises within this category, but the most important part is proper form in which ever you train. For this you could do; Yoga, Rock climbing, HIIT training, Treadmill (walking or running), Hiking, Pilates etc...
Tip #7: Training for coordination and balance is really important when you first start working out or get back into it. Proper form is top priority and if you need to move slower or do mortifications you should be doing so. Form is very important for building proper muscle adaptations and once your form has been drilled enough it'll come as easy as muscle memory.
Tip #8: Beginning to work out. If your just now starting to workout of exercise and get back into it these are some tips to begin- If you start a workout program, create your own, even just start an exercise keep at it for a minimum of 4 weeks (this gives your body enough time to adapt and change). Next, make sure your working out 2-4 days, same days a week (this programs your body habitually to move). Last, pick something you love, you can't stick with something out of obligation.
Tip #9: Proper Stretching. Proper stretching's allows your muscles to open up gradually and helps prevent injury. You need to be holding each stretch for at least 30 sec to allow the muscle to relax into the position.
Tip #10: Training abdominals can significantly help lower back pain by strengthening the muscles are it.
Tip #11: If you have underactive arm and shoulder muscles you should use the cardio machines that have less strain on your upper back, like: stationary bike, stair climber, treadmill (no hands on railing). This is so your back is in alignment and your legs are putting in more work.
Tip #12: Repetition of posture, moves, and exercises will help you progress faster by ensuring your body adapts to those muscle movements.
Tip #13: The most effective exercises that use large or multiple muscle groups is: Bridge, Plank, Single Leg Balance, Squat, Lunge, Back Row, and Deadlift.
Tip #14: Small behavior changes towards; eating habits, exercise habits and sleeping habits, will help you in the long term of your goals. If your looking for a major life change, you should be starting with small changes and building up to that chosen lifestyle.
Tip #15: If you have underactive leg muscles avoid Leg Extension and Abductor/Adductor machines. These will end up perpetuating your overactive muscles to keep working over your agonist muscles.
Tip #16: If your exercises last longer than an hour it'll be in your best interest to drink something with sodium/glucose as to replenish your electrolytes immediately.
Tip #17: If you have underactive arm and shoulder muscles you should avoid using machines like: Lat Pulldown, Chest Press, and Shoulder Press. When we have underactive muscles we are putting too much strain on the assisting muscles and intern those muscles will stay weak.
Tip #18: Five ways you can raise your metabolism:
Get 7-9 hours of sleep
Reduce Stress and how it's handled
Limit your exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (clean sanitary environment)
Exercise with resistance or HIIT Training
Eat a consistent healthy meal as unprocessed and organic as possible
Tip #19: Movement. Just moving your body is so important for relieving stress. Exercise helps the brain release endorphins which hep relieve pain and increase happiness. Any type of exercise or movement is better than none.
Tip #20: Post Exercise food. Within a 90 minute window its recommended tp consume some type of carb/protein to increase recovery and protein synthesis. This could be anything from fruit, protein shake, or a meal.
Tip #21: Creatine. Creatine is naturally made in body and can help increase muscle mass, strength and help anaerobic exercise. Some studies say it can help Parkinson's, other neurological diseases and lower blood sugar levels. However, it does in fact help build and recover muscles and improve brain function.
Tip #22: Pre workout caffeine. Caffeine should be taken about an hour before exercise as too maintain healthy body functions and to not over work your adrenal system.
Tip #23: Benefits of sitting with your legs up against the wall: help balance blood pressure, improve sleep, help manage varicose veins, help relieve head pain, alleviate back tension, relieve leg cramps, improve circulation. You could ideally hold this anywhere from 1-10 minutes (the longer you hold it the better it will feel).
Tip #24: Plank. Planks are a truly great exercise that works your full body. It helps improve balance, posture, and endurance. It will not only strengthen your core but, your local stabilizing musculature. A proper plank, high or low, should be with arms parallel, 90 degrees to the ground and maintaining a strong back and core so your a straight line. (It's highly recommended to not do low plank with locked hands as to not inverse your shoulders).
Tip #25: You will burn more calories hiking than walking for the same period of time. The proprioception of hiking will incorporate more muscles and energy than walking on a mildly flat surface will.
Tip #26: Core Training. If you do not exercise and begin training your core exercises should start with Bridge, Plank, and Cobra (form is more important than reps). If you lightly exercise and want to make your core stronger you should work on ball crunch, reverse crunch, cable rotations and back extensions. And if you regularly exercise and want to build muscle and tone you should be doing medicine ball movements and exercises that involve power.
There are many other ways to build core strength, but in a gym setting these are the best.
Tip #27: Training Cardio. If your fitness goals run along the lines of training cardio you should be working within three training zones.
Stage 1 Training- your working up to 30-60 minutes of consistent cardio
Stage 2 Training- your working within a 1:3 ratio of cardio/rest
Stage 3 Training- is working with both all HR zones consistently.
Tip #28: Heart Rate. When your training any type of exercise and have mastered proper form you could now begin to gage if your in a sufficient calorie burning zone. We measure this with the Maximal Heart Rate formula-
[ 208 - (0.7 x age) ]
You should in fact consult your doctor before you aim to get your heart rate that high to make sure you are in fact in optimal health!
Tip #29: Overnight weight gain. You didn't gain weight overnight, if your body is bloated it may look bigger and inflamed and if the scale is reading higher it may not be weight gain. Most of the time when the scale runs high in the morning and its because you didn't sleep well, you ate more sodium, you drank a lot of water, your muscles are fatigued, you ate a big meal last night, or you need to go to the bathroom. Nine out of ten times you don't gain weight overnight and weighing yourself daily isn't going to help pull you closer to progress.
Tip #30: What matter most for long term weight loss is Calorie Deficit, Sustainability, Self awareness, Patience, Flexible diet, Resistance training, and Consistency. Those are the tools and though they may be hard to implicate, weight loss is quite simple, it's finding our own path to get there that requires work.
Tip #31: Getting Toned. When you shift your focus from weight loss to strong, lean and toned; a few things will change. First, you need muscle for this so weight training or resistance training will be your friend (no they won't make you bulk). Second, you need to be in a slight calorie deficit so you can lose your body fat and maintain muscle. Going crazy on cardio won't be necessary and even just a consistent 3 days a week could get you there. When your goal is to be toned and lean remember strength and recovery is the most important thing!
Tip #32: Remember, choosing to be fit and healthy over skinny, you are choosing self-love or self-judgement. Your progress is your progress and doesn't need to be compared to standards or others.
Tip #33: Calorie Trackers. Calorie trackers tend to overestimate how many calories your actually burning so be mindful not to eat back the calories you've burned if your trying to lose weight. Making sure your in a 200 calories give or take zone is important.
Tip #34: Planning out your activities for the day is important so your always aware of what you're making time for. Even a 30min movement is better than nothing and making time for your physical health is important. Taking a 45min walk after work every single day can help your mind just as much as your body. If you don't have a workout regimen and don't know how to start just start moving and activities you love will start shaping around that.
Tip #35: Ten Stretches to start implementing- Standing calf stretch, seated inner thigh stretch, seated hamstring stretch, lying quad stretch, kneeling hip flexor stretch, standing lat stretch, standing chest stretch, standing trap stretch, standing levator scapulae stretch, and kneeling/standing thoracic spine stretch. If your short on time hold each stretch per side for 30sec and if you have time before your workout you'll want to go through these stretches a few times before you start your workout.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
