Ok; so yesterday, I felt awful. I felt bad, depressed, whatever you want to call it. I got to the gym, and I had no motivation. I did the bare minimum--not even enough to call it a workout. My night got even worse. I can't talk about it. It's like 7:15am, I've been at work since 6:20 and I got literally less than an hours sleep last night. April has got to get better. And that's all I got to say about that.
OUCH!!!!!!!!!! That's what I yelled when I rolled out of bed this morning. For the past few monts, due to the weather and the early darkness, I've done all my cardio inside--usually on the elliptical; however, yesterday I had off. I decided to run a couple of miles around the track. When I was in high school and college, I'd run at least 5 miles every other day, but I haven't done that in a while. After I finished 2 miles yesterday, I still had a lot of gas in the tank, so I went for another mile; and then I walked a cool down lap. After I finished running(took me 36 mins to run and another few minutes for the cool-down), I done a full body work-out, using free weights, for about another 4 hrs. The workout is not what I'm sore from, because I do that all the time. The run, however, is killin me today. My legs hurt when I touch them. I definitely should have slowly worked my way into running 3 miles on the track again. I guess if you're not sore, though, you have done any good, right???
At Home
It's convenient, comfortable and safe to work out at home. It allows your children to see you being active, which sets a good example for them. You can combine exercise with other activities, such as watching TV. If you buy exercise equipment, it's a one-time expense and other family members can use it. It's easy to have short bouts of activity several times a day.
-Do housework yourself instead of hiring someone else to do it.
-Work in the garden or mow the grass. Using a riding mower doesn't count! Rake
leaves, prune, dig and pick up trash.
-Go out for a short walk before breakfast, after dinner or both! Start with 5-10
minutes and work up to 30 minutes.
-Walk or bike to the corner store instead of driving.
-When walking, pick up the pace from leisurely to brisk. Choose a hilly route.
-When watching TV, sit up instead of lying on the sofa. Better yet, spend a few
minutes pedaling on your stationary bicycle while watching TV. Throw away your
video remote control. Instead of asking someone to bring you a drink, get up off
the couch and get it yourself.
-Stand up while talking on the telephone.
-Walk the dog.
-Park farther away at the shopping mall and walk the extra distance. Wear your
walking shoes and sneak in an extra lap or two around the mall
-Stretch to reach items in high places and squat or bend to look at items at floor
level.
-Keep exercise equipment repaired and use it!
At the Office
Most of us have sedentary jobs. Work takes up a significant part of the day. What
can you do to increase your physical activity during the work day?
-Brainstorm project ideas with a co-worker while taking a walk.
-Stand while talking on the telephone.
-Walk down the hall to speak with someone rather than using the telephone.
-Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Or get off a few floors early and take
the stairs the rest of the way.
-Walk while waiting for the plane at the airport.
-Stay at hotels with fitness centers or swimming pools and use them while on
business trips.
-Take along a jump rope in your suitcase when you travel. Jump and do calisthenics
in your hotel room.
-Participate in or start a recreation league at your company.
-Form a sports team to raise money for charity events.
-Join a fitness center or Y near your job. Work out before or after work to avoid
rush-hour traffic, or drop by for a noon workout.
-Schedule exercise time on your business calendar and treat it as any other
important appointment.
-Get off the bus a few blocks early and walk the rest of the way to work or
home.
-Walk around your building for a break during the work day or during lunch.
At Play
Play and recreation are important for good health. Look for opportunities to be
active and have fun at the same time.
-Plan family outings and vacations that include physical activity (hiking,
backpacking, swimming, etc.)
-See the sights in new cities by walking, jogging or bicycling.
-Make a date with a friend to enjoy your favorite physical activities. Do them
regularly.
-Play your favorite music while exercising, something that motivates you.
-Dance with someone or by yourself. Take dancing lessons. Hit the dance floor on
fast numbers instead of slow ones.
-Join a recreational club that emphasizes physical activity.
-At the beach, sit and watch the waves instead of lying flat. Better yet, get up and
walk, run or fly a kite.
-When golfing, walk instead of using a cart.
-Play singles tennis or racquetball instead of doubles.
-At a picnic, join in on badminton instead of croquet.
-At the lake, rent a rowboat instead of a canoe.
So, how was everyone's weekend. Mine was great. The weather was beautiful. Saturday, I worked in the yard pulling up shrubs about the house. I bent the bumper of my truck a bit(only noticable if you know where to look). Still it ticked me off a little. Saturday I rode my bike for 1.5 hrs. Last night I went bowling with some friends; I'm horrible. I won't even go into the scores--it's no ones business. But it's back to work today. I hope everyone had a great weekend.
Usually, during the week, I bring my lunch. Sure, I have the occasional sandwich from Quiznos or Subway, but mostly it Healthy Choice or the Hormel Meals. I eat out on Friday and Saturday nights, but, when I do eat out, I "pig" out. While I was reading some stuff on the net, I found these 25 tips. Some of them made some sense, so I thought I'd share them:
1. If you know the menu from the restaurant you’re going to, plan what you’re going to have ahead of time. This will help save you from making a last minute decision that could result in high-calorie choices.
2. Drink at least one full-glass of water or iced tea before eating your meal. This helps your digestive process, and, because you’ll feel full sooner, you will eat less.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for the ’senior citizen’ special or kid’s-sized portions. Most restaurants will accommodate you and often you’ll pay less as well!
4. Order first. That way you’re much less likely to be influenced by the choices of your companions.
5. If you’re not sure how something is prepared, don’t be afraid to ask. And if the dish is cooked in oil or butter, you can always ask if they have a fat free option.
6. If everything on the menu is high in fat or calories, ask if the chef could prepare a plate of fresh fruit and vegetables. Many restaurants offer a vegetarian selection, so if you don’t see it on the menu, ask.
7. When ordering meat or fish, ask that it be grilled or broiled, and prepared without oil or butter. (When you eat it, use lemon or herbs and spices to give it flavor rather than heavy sauces).
8. Order an appetizer and a salad as your meal. Or a soup and salad. For dessert, choose fresh fruit.
9. When choosing soup, remember that cream-based soups have many more calories than broth-based ones.
10. If you’re having a full meal, split the appetizer and desert with your companion.
11. If you decide to order pasta, tomato sauce has fewer calories than cream-based sauces, just like soup.
12. Choose breadsticks over bread, or if you eat bread, don’t add butter. Stay away from muffins and croissants, and choose whole grain over white.
13. Choose steamed vegetables instead of baked potatoes or other starches. Again, use lemon and herbs and spices rather than butter to flavor them with.
14. Whenever possible, eat like the Europeans do, and have your biggest meal at lunchtime. Not only will you save money, but you’ll cut down on calories at the same time!
15. Take the time to enjoy your meal. Savor the flavors and textures of your food, and enjoy the company you’re with. When you eat slowly, you give your body’s internal clock the time it needs to know when you’ve had enough. When you’re full, stop eating. Ask your server to remove your plate so you’re not tempted to keep eating while you wait for your companion to finish.
16. Ask for salsa on your baked potatoes, rather than sour cream and butter. Not only is salsa much lower in calories, but it adds a spicy flavor to potatoes.
17. Order salad dressings and sauces “on the side.” This gives you more control of how much to use. Another tip for salad dressing: rather than pouring the salad dressing on your salad, dip your fork into the dressing first, and then into the salad. You’ll get the same amount of flavor, without all the added calories!
18. Choose brown rice over white rice (or french fries), whole grain breads and rolls over white. Not only are they lower in calories, but they are better for you.
19. Stay away from “all you can eat” buffets and salad bars. It’s too easy to lose track of the amount of food you’re eating, even when it’s salads. If that’s your only choice, then stay away from the pasta, marinated salads, cheeses and fruit salads with whipped cream. Stick to soups, raw vegetables and fresh fruits.
20. Have your soup first. It will help to fill you up, and most soups have fewer calories.
21. If you’re craving something sweet, and don’t want fresh fruit, choose sorbet. If you absolutely HAVE to have the chocolate sauce, use the same trick as you did with the salad dressing: dip your fork into it first, then your dessert.
22. Split your dessert with your companion. You’ll still feel like you got to be indulgent, and you’ll only have to exercise half as long to burn off the extra calories!
23. When ordering sandwiches, order them with mustard only, rather than mayonnaise. Not only does mustard have almost no calories, but you won’t miss the mayo!
24. If the portion you were served is large, only eat half of it. Take the other half home. Not only will you get two meals for the price of one, but you’ll cut the calories in half as well!
25. Go for a walk after eating. Stroll along the beach, walk through a park, visit a zoo. You’ll burn calories and get your exercise at the same time!
Machines vs Free Weights
Exercises can typically be done 2 different ways... by using machines or by using free weights. Machines are... well... machines. Free weights usually refer to dumbbells and barbells. While both can be effective, free weights are better for the purpose of increasing muscle and strength. Here's why...
Machines are designed in such a way that they do part of the work for you. They keep the weight stable. The machine puts everything in a constant stable position that allows you to only have to move the weight from point A to point B. Free weights on the other hand are just that... free weights. They are weights that aren't being held in place by anything except, well, you. Free weight exercises require you to not only move the weight from point A to point B, but to also keep the weight stable throughout the entire movement. Doing so requires the use of additional stabilizer muscles which would not be used had you done the exercise on a machine.
Again, both are effective and can be used in your workout routine. Is one better than the other for gaining muscle? Yes... free weights.
Isolation And Compound Exercises
There are generally 2 types of exercises, isolation and compound. An isolation exercise is an exercise that isolates one muscle to perform the movement. Some examples are bicep curls, leg extensions, lateral raises, and tricep pressdowns.
A compound exercise on the other hand recruits the use of additional muscles to perform the movement. Some examples include squats, the bench press, deadlifts, pull ups, dips, and rows.
While both types of exercises are effective and should be used in your workout routine, compound exercises are more effective when it comes to building muscle and increasing strength.
Proper Form
Always use proper form. I know, it seems stupid that I'd have to say that, but I do. I think everyone on the planet is fully aware that proper form is not only important for the purpose of increasing muscle and getting the most out of each exercise, but it's also obviously important for safety. We all know this, right? However, despite knowing this I still see tons of people in my gym using terrible form for the sole purpose of lifting more weight.
By "more weight" I mean more weight than they can handle with proper form. They think the key to increasing muscle and strength is lifting heavy weight. They are 100% right as long as they are lifting that weight and doing that exercise with the proper form. They aren't. Instead they are NOT going through the full range of motion and are therefore NOT getting the most (or sometimes anything) out of the exercise.
Not to mention, they are also putting themselves in a position to get injured. This is bad. Ignore your ego. Ignore what weight everyone else is lifting. Ignore everyone and everything. Worry only about yourself and only use weight that will allow you to perform an exercise with proper form.
Cravings are all about blood sugar. If your levels are consistent throughout the day, your eating patterns will be, too. But when you starve yourself for hours, cravings call. And you will answer.
Trouble is, fast-rising blood sugar triggers your pancreas to release a flood of insulin, a hormone that not only lowers blood sugar but also signals your body to store fat. And in about half of us, insulin tends to "overshoot," which sends blood sugar crashing.
The most effective way to keep blood sugar in check is to avoid foods that are made with added sugar—soda, some fruit juices, baked goods. You can eliminate those entirely. As for foods that contain high amounts of starch—pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, or any other flour-based food—we'll admit they're delicious, and they can also provide vitamins and fiber. But you should limit yourself to 30 to 40 grams (g) of total carbohydrates at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and 10 to 20 g at any given snack. (Check labels.)
In addition, follow these three rules.
Eat regularly—approximately every 3 hours. This allows you to eat smaller meals without becoming hungry.
Have protein and fat (meat, cheese, nuts, or eggs contain both) at every meal. This slows the digestion of carbohydrates, which helps prevent spikes in blood sugar.
Go whole grain. Shop carefully for carbs. Make sure any bread, pasta, or rice that you eat is 100 percent whole grain. Because whole grains contain fiber, their effect on your blood sugar is reduced.
I found the following article on MSN. I never thought about working abs while I was walking, but I guess it would work over time. I never been much of a power walker, though. I know it's great for you, but I've always felt like an idiot doing it. Just a stupid little quirk of mine I guess; however, this looks like a pretty good routine.
6 Weeks to Slim
Ultimate Belly-Flattening Workout
Your Workout at a Glance: The three plans below offer intervals of fast-paced Power Walks and moderate-paced Tempo Walks to burn calories and shed fat. During each, you'll do Walk 'n' Tone moves (below right) to work your abs harder and Stop 'n' Tone exercises to really sculpt.
Do each full routine 3 times a week. On alternate days, take the walks but skip the toning moves.
Pace Yourself
Based on a 1-to-10 intensity scale:
Warm-up, cool-down (3-4 intensity level) Easy enough that you can sing
Tempo Walk (5-6 level) Moderate enough that you can talk freely
Power Walk (7-8 level) Brisk enough that you can talk but you'd rather not
Weeks 1 & 2: Firm up fast
The basics: As you walk, engage your abs by lifting the crown of your head and lengthening your spine.
Start: Warm-up, easy pace (3-4 intensity level)
4:00: Power Walk, brisk pace (7-8 intensity level) with arms bent
5:00: Tempo Walk, moderate pace (5-6 intensity level)
7:00: Power Walk
8:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Side Pull-down
8:30: Power Walk
9:30: Tempo Walk
11:30: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Curl
12:30: Stop 'n' Tone—Cross Punch
13:00: Power Walk
14:00: Tempo Walk
16:00: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Reach
17:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Knee Twist
17:30: Power Walk
18:30: Tempo Walk
20:30: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Press
21:30: Stop 'n' Tone—Lunge Run
22:00: Power Walk
23:00: Tempo Walk
25:00: Power Walk
26:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Slip a Punch
26:30: Power Walk
27:30: Tempo Walk
29:30: Power Walk
30:30: Stop 'n' Tone—Standing Crunch
31:00: Cool-down, easy pace
35:00: Finished
Weeks 3 & 4: Burn off fat
What's new: Tempo Walks are longer to burn extra calories and uncover the firmer abs that you've been working on.
Start: Warm-up, easy pace (3-4 intensity level)
4:00: Power Walk, brisk pace (7-8 intensity level) with arms bent
5:00: Tempo Walk, moderate pace (5-6 intensity level)
9:00: Power Walk
10:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Side Pull-down
10:30: Power Walk
11:30: Tempo Walk
15:30: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Curl
16:30: Stop 'n' Tone—Cross Punch
17:00: Power Walk
18:00: Tempo Walk
22:00: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Reach
23:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Knee Twist
23:30: Power Walk
24:30: Tempo Walk
28:30: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Press
29:30: Stop 'n' Tone—Lunge Run
30:00: Power Walk
31:00: Tempo Walk
35:00: Power Walk
36:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Slip a Punch
36:30: Power Walk
37:30: Tempo Walk
41:30: Power Walk
42:30: Stop 'n' Tone—Standing Crunch
43:00: Cool-down, easy pace
47:00: Finished
Weeks 5 & 6: Boost benefits
What's new: Stop 'n' Tone moves are longer (60 seconds each) to really tighten and firm your midsection.
Start: Warm-up, easy pace (3-4 intensity level)
4:00: Power Walk, brisk pace (7-8 intensity level) with arms bent
5:00: Tempo Walk, moderate pace (5-6 intensity level)
9:00: Power Walk
10:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Side Pull-down
11:00: Power Walk
12:00: Tempo Walk
16:00: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Curl
17:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Cross Punch
18:00: Power Walk
19:00: Tempo Walk
23:00: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Reach
24:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Knee Twist
25:00: Power Walk
26:00: Tempo Walk
30:00: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Press
31:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Lunge Run
32:00: Power Walk
33:00: Tempo Walk
37:00: Power Walk
38:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Slip a Punch
39:00: Power Walk
40:00: Tempo Walk
44:00: Power Walk
45:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Standing Crunch
46:00: Cool-down, easy pace
50:00: Finished
Walk 'n' Tone Moves
Add these simple arm exercises to your walk to boost its tummy-firming power. "Moving your upper and lower body at the same time makes your torso muscles work harder to provide stabilization and balance," says Cole. The result: "You'll shape up faster."
Curl: With arms out to sides at shoulder level, bend elbows, pulling hands toward shoulders like you're doing biceps curls.
Reach: Raise arms out in front of you at shoulder level like you're punching. Alternate arms in opposition to legs.
Press: Alternate reaching arms overhead.
Stop 'n' Tone: Ab Exercises
Do each move for 30 seconds. If it works only one arm or leg, do 15 seconds on each side. Double the time in weeks 5 & 6.
Side Pull-down
Targets the obliques on your sides to give you a more defined waistline.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended overhead. Shift weight to right foot and contract left side of torso, lifting left knee out to side. At the same time, bend left arm and pull elbow to left thigh. Extend arm and leg back to start, but tap toe on ground and repeat. Switch sides.
Cross Punch
Firms your lower belly by targeting the transverse abdominal muscle. The twisting also slims your waistline.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and abs pulled in. Bend arms so fists are at about chin level, like a boxer. Keeping feet planted, twist to right and punch with left arm, then return to start. Contract lower abs with each punch. Repeat, alternating arms.
Knee Twist
This twisting move works your waist-whittling obliques.
Squat with hips and knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart, and hands behind head. As you stand up, raise left knee as you twist to left and pull right elbow toward left knee. Lower and repeat with right leg.
Lunge Run
Tones your rectus abdominis, the long muscle that runs from your ribs to your pelvis, to give your abs super definition.
Lunge with left foot in front and right foot about 2 feet behind it, arms bent at sides. Keeping left knee bent and torso still, lift right knee toward chest and lower, swinging arms back and forth. Switch legs and repeat.
Slip a punch
Another benefit to working your oblique muscles: shrinking stubborn love handles.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent slightly. Bend arms so fists are at about chin level, like a boxer. Keeping shoulders relaxed and lower body still, bend at waist and lean torso to right as if you were trying to avoid a punch. Repeat, bending to left.
Standing crunch
Like on-the-floor crunches, this move tones the rectus, the muscle group responsible for the six-pack look.
Lunge with right foot in front and left foot about 2 feet behind it, arms overhead. As you straighten right leg, raise left knee toward chest as you bend and pull elbows down toward left knee. Return to start. Switch legs and repeat.
These are very true. Follow these tips, and I know from personal experience, they will make exercise more enjoyable:
If you've been sedentary for a long time, are overweight, have a high risk of coronary heart disease or some other chronic health problem, see your doctor for a medical evaluation before beginning a physical activity program.
Choose activities that are fun, not exhausting. Add variety. Develop a repertoire of several activities that you can enjoy. That way, exercise will never seem boring or routine.
Wear comfortable, properly fitted footwear and comfortable, loose-fitting clothing appropriate for the weather and the activity.
Find a convenient time and place to do activities. Try to make it a habit, but be flexible. If you miss an exercise opportunity, work activity into your day another way.
Use music to keep you entertained.
Surround yourself with supportive people. Decide what kind of support you need. Do you want them to remind you to exercise? Ask about your progress? Participate with you regularly or occasionally? Allow you time to exercise by yourself? Go with you to a special event, such as a 10K walk/run? Be understanding when you get up early to exercise? Spend time with the children while you exercise? Try not to ask you to change your exercise routine? Share your activity time with others. Make a date with a family member, friend or co-worker. Be an active role model for your children.
Don't overdo it. Do low- to moderate-level activities, especially at first. You can slowly increase the duration and intensity of your activities as you become more fit. Over time, work up to exercising on most days of the week for 30-60 minutes.
Keep a record of your activities. Reward yourself at special milestones. Nothing motivates like success!
OK, so I'm pretty strong in my legs; however, I'm obviously not as strong as I thought. I worked my legs yesterday, an I believe I pulled a muscle. I done all the warm-up, and then I squatted. While I was squatting, I felt something in my left hip pop, but I've had trouble with that hip ever since I went snow skiing last year--long story. Today, however, it hurts something fierce; so I've decided that, when I fully recover, I'm not going so heavy on the legs anymore. I guess for the next couple of weeks, I'll just work upper-body and cardio. The cardio will also exercise my legs.
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I did. I had a good workout Saturday. Sunday I played basketball, football and wrestled outside ALL afternoon with my fiancee's little 6 year old brother, and that counts as a great workout. Ya'll try to have a great Monday.
I've started doing this workout at least one day a week for the past couple of weeks. You guys may have heard of it. You use a regular bar and light weight-like 55 or 65lbs. Go outside, and exercise. The sheet I have list several exercises to do:
1. jumping jacks
2. power clean
3. regular curls
4. power clean squat
5. back squat
6. bend over row
7. split squat
8. reverse curls
9. front squats
10. military press
11. sit ups
12. push ups
Now, in between each set, or other set, run a short sprint, like 25 to 50 yard. Do this for 30 minutes to an hour. It completely wears me out. I can hardly talk afterward. Remember, keep yourself hydrated, because, believe me, you will sweat your little heart out.
You must always voice fast food. Gone are the days when all you could get a fast food restaurant was a burger and fries. Fortunately, fast food chains now offer a variety of healthier options like salads, chicken sandwiches and fruit. So instead of ordering a burger, try one of those. If you order chicken, make sure it's grilled and not fried. If you get a salad, ask for the dressing on the side and avoid creamy ones that are loaded with calories. And instead of getting a shake or a soda, get a diet soda or a bottle of water.
Some foods make you burn calories. It would be great if there were foods that speed up your metabolism. Sadly, there is no such thing. There are, of course, foods that are good for you, like most fruits and vegetables, but none of these will make you lose weight. However, if you are on a weight-loss regimen. you may consider eating foods that are high in water and fiber because they stay in your system longer, fill you up, and keep you from overindulging at your next meal, which can help you lose weight.
If you consistently eat and exercise, you'll never gain weight. Exercise can certainly help you lose weight, but if you take in more calories than you burn off, you will gain weight. There is just no getting around it. And you also need to be aware that your metabolism slows down as you age, so you will probably have to work out more as you age to burn off those calories. One thing you may try, though. is lifting weights which will cause your muscles to continue to burn calories even after you finish exercising.
You can never snack. No, you can still snack. In fact, snacking is a good thing. Eating multiple small meals throughout the day is better than eating two or three huge meals a day. It helps maintain your metabolism and prevent binging. This does not mean you should be eating a bag of potato chips or box of cookies. Snack responsibly. Try a piece of fruit some cut-up vegetables or a handful of nuts. Low-fat cheese and yogurt are also a good choice.
All carbohydrates are bad when you are dieting. Not all carbohydrates are the same. What you want to avoid is processed carbohydrates which are found in products like sugar, white bread, pasta, white rice. But don't let anyone tell you that you should avoid all carbohydrates because certain carbs are really good for you, such as those found in vegetables, many fruits, beans, whole grain breads and cereals.
Did you know that simply changing the temperature of the water you drink can speed up your metabolism and burn more calories? Drink hot water!
Did you know that foods like bran cereal are more dense and will make you more full because your body cannot digest fiber?
Did you know that certain foods like rice work very well with liquids to expand in your stomach making you more satisfied?
Did you know that if you cut 3 tablespoons of butter per day from your diet you could drop 1 pound every 12 days just for not eating butter? Let's hope you don't actually eat 3 tablespoons of butter every day though!!!!
To lose body fat you must eat fewer calories than your body burns off, so EAT LESS --but you must NOT starve yourself, otherwise you will lose more muscle than fat!
Start eating 5-6 meals per day (space them out to about one every 3 hours). You are eating more often, but not necessarily more.
Increase your protein intake. Without protein your body cannot build new muscle. Protein also helps to increase your metabolism - which burns calories.
Increase you water intake. A good formula for this is to multiply your bodyweight by .66 to get the required number of ounces per day.
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