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How To Get Started With Your Fitness Program

Weight and body image. These are two topics you constantly hear people resolve to change around the New Year. “I want to lose 10 pounds.” “I want to fit in a pair of size 4 jeans.” So why wait till next year to make the resolution to get fit? Getting started can be easy as long as you follow through on what you set your mind to doing.

  Beginner Training for Fitness

 You’ve made a goal for yourself. Now it’s time to find the right workout plan to help you reach that goal. When getting started, find a workout plan that is suitable for your current activity level as well as your target goal. For example, if you currently can run a ten minute mile but you want to be able to run a marathon in four and a half hours or less, start at with beginner training for fitness focused specifically on that goal. Use the workout plan to help you get into a regular routine of exercising. By following a workout plan you will ensure that you’re not starting at an Olympic athlete’s level, so you don’t become completely discouraged when you can’t bench press 500 pounds the first day of training. In addition to getting into a routine, find a workout buddy that can keep you motivated and working toward your goal.

 

Customized Workout Plan

 

A customized workout plan created by a personal trainer or other trained professional can be a great way to begin. By having an expert show you the proper way to weight train or use certain equipment you can get the most out of your workout without hurting yourself from improper technique. Also, customized workouts can help you reach your goal more effectively than a workout plan that has been created for the general public because the trainer can identify your strengths and weaknesses. By consulting a professional, you will learn new exercises to keep you and your muscles from getting too bored at the gym and you’ll also have someone there to push you every step of the way.

 

Get Out There and Do It

 

Now that you have found the perfect workout plan to meet your needs (and your wallet) go out there and do it! Half the battle is over. Now it’s time to get moving.

 

About Hyperstrike

 

Online Training Center’s mission is to be the premier training and nutrition resource on the web for fitness professionals. The company offers custom online fitness and nutrition services for gyms and personal trainers that generate new revenue opportunities and improve member/client satisfaction and retention. Online Training Center provides fully managed and hosted solutions with Private Label options available. Learn more today at http://www.hyperstrike.com.

Thanksgiving Survival Guide - Health & Fitness

Top 5 Survival Tips for Thanksgiving

As the holidays get closer, stress levels elevate. We ALL experience it. The key to survival is to recognize that the stress is going to be there and try to combat it before it works itself into a full blown holiday meltdown! Here are some tips that will help keep you sane for the holidays.

1. Plan your time wisely. There is only so much of your time to go around. Take a look at your schedule from now until the end of the year. Focus on the things that are really important, the “have to do” things. Next focus on the “would like to do” items and then on the obligations that you committed to that you really don’t have time for and you really don’t want to do. Eliminate those things from your calendar...immediately if not sooner. Not only will it give you more time for the things you want to do but it will eliminate the stress of going to events where you really don’t want to be and trying to impress, or at least tolerate, people you aren’t interested in spending time with.

2. Stick with your workouts. I cannot emphasis this enough. Your workouts are important all year long but especially at this time of the year. And for good reason. First of all, most of us will be indulging more than we do throughout the rest of the year. And secondly, stress levels are higher than normal. Sticking with your workouts will balance out those extra calories and keep stress at bay.

3. Eat healthy. When you are in control of what you are eating and you aren’t being subjected to a party buffet, make the best choices you can. Getting lots of nutrients in your body will help keep you healthy and will also work to balance out the times that you have that special occasion and want to indulge.

4. Get enough sleep. This is another one that can’t be over stated. Sleep is so important, it is free and yet it is the one thing that most of us don’t get enough of. Unlike costly anti-aging treatments, multi vitamins or trips to the spa, sleep costs nothing and is a miracle “drug” when it comes to looking better, feeling great and being more productive. We often think that if we stay up just another hour or two we’ll get more accomplished when the truth is, depriving ourselves of sleep takes away from our productivity during waking hours.

5. Don’t take on more than you can handle. This time of year it is so easy to get caught up in saying yes. Your Mom just needs you to make one extra dish for Thanksgiving, your husband wants to attend three co-workers parties and your sister just needs you to “be a dear and pick up one thing for her”. Saying yes to all of these things helps everyone else out but puts you in a bind, makes you cranky a stressed and you’ll probably end up giving up sleep to get it all done. Politely say “I would love to help you out but I have about all I can handle on my own plate”. You’ll be glad you did!

To keep tabs on your Nutrition and log your workout programs, visit www.hyperstrike.com. Also, for more holiday survival information, read our article, Holidays and Workouts at HyperStrike.com

How To Spot Weight Loss Scams

This is a great article -

By Jane Harrison, R.D., Staff Nutritionist, myOptumHealth

Content provided by
 

Lose 10 pounds in ten days!

Melt away fat as you sleep!

Eat as much as you want and still lose weight!

Sound too good to be true? It's a safe bet that anything promising quick results without the work means that your wallet - not your body - will be lighter. All the same, phony weight loss products that claim to burn, melt and flush fat from your system have flooded the multi-billion dollar weight loss market.

The FDA warns consumers

The federal government, in an ongoing battle to clamp down on bogus weight loss products, has successfully brought claims against many marketers. Common weight loss scams include these:

• Weight loss patches. Manufacturers claim they help the thyroid work harder, revving up the rate at which your body burns calories. Worn on the skin, these patches have not been proven to be safe or effective.
• Fat blockers. Makers of these pills claim that fat blockers can interfere with how your body processes the fat you eat. But they may cause bloating, gas, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. They can also keep some fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A, D, E and K, from being absorbed.
• Starch blockers. These promise to block or interfere with starch in your diet. Many users report nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pains.
• "Magnet" diet pills. Makers claim these bind to fat, effectively flushing fat out of the body while you eat. However, these can block how your body absorbs important fat-soluble vitamins.
• Bulk producers or fillers, such as fiber-based products. These absorb liquid and swell in the stomach, which may reduce hunger. But some fillers, such as guar gum, can cause blockages in the intestines, stomach or esophagus. Guar gum was declared unsafe and ineffective for use as a nonprescription diet aid, but it is still used in small amounts as a food thickener and binder.
• Electrical muscle stimulators are used in physical therapy, but the FDA has taken several of these devices off the market because they were promoted for weight loss and body toning. When used incorrectly, muscle stimulators can cause electrical shocks and burns.
• Appetite-suppressing eyeglasses are common eyeglasses with colored lenses that claim to project an image to the retina that is said to dampen the desire to eat. There is no evidence that these work.
• "Magic" weight-loss earrings. These and other similar devices are custom-fitted to the consumer's ear, near acupuncture points that are supposed to help control hunger. They have not been proven to work.

Too good to be true?

According to the Federal Trade Commission, any of the following claims are a red flag. Avoid products or diets that promise to:

• Cause weight loss of two pounds or more a week for a month or more without dieting or exercise
• Cause substantial weight loss no matter what or how much you eat
• Cause permanent weight loss (even when you stop using the product)
• Block the absorption of fat or calories so you lose substantial weight
• Safely enable you to lose more than three pounds per week for more than four weeks
• Cause substantial weight loss for all users
• Cause substantial weight loss by wearing it on the body or rubbing it into your skin

So what's the bottom line? Though quick-fix claims can be tempting, the best way to lose weight (and keep it off) is to exercise regularly and take in fewer calories than you burn. That's your magic bullet.

View the original Weight-loss scams: learn how to spot them article on myOptumHealth.com 

SOURCES:

• Federal Trade Commission. FTC releases guidance to media on false weight-loss claims. Accessed: 05/28/2008

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The facts about weight loss products and programs. Accessed: 05/28/2008

Top Tips on Maintaining A Weight Loss Goal

Most people think that the hardest part of weight loss is losing the weight. That is definitely a half the battle, but the other half comes after you’ve lost all the weight—keeping it off. Statistics show that 1 out of 20 people keep their weight off after they’ve lost it. This is not an encouraging statistic; however, following the guidelines below will help you keep the weight off and help improve that statistic!

Make a long-term commitment
One of the biggest mistakes people make is making a short-term commitment, like losing weight for a wedding, or losing weight for a high-school reunion. These people will probably lose weight, but right after the event it will creep back on, because their commitment was short-term. Focus on your health instead of your appearance—this will lead to a healthy lifestyle and ensure that you keep that weight off!

Eat right
This seems like a pretty obvious statement, but a lot of people start eating badly after they’ve lost all the weight. They use rationalizations like “I lost all of that weight, so I deserve a large piece of chocolate cake.” After a few large pieces of chocolate cake, the weight will come back faster than you know it. Eat breakfast in the morning to help kick start your metabolism. Continue eating whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. These foods are good sources of fiber, which will make you feel more full for a longer period of time.

Know your food traps
Knowing when you eat and why can help you keep your weight off. If you know that every day you come home from work, you go straight to the refrigerator for something to munch on, plan something at that time so that you aren’t raiding the refrigerator. Keeping a journal of what you eat and when can help you identify these food traps. If you munch on snacks in front of the television at night, start doing exercises like push-ups, crunches, or squats in front of the television instead.

Monitor your weight
Studies show that people who monitor their weight once a week are more likely to keep the weight off. Knowing from week to week whether you gained, lost, or maintained helps keep the weight loss fresh in your mind. You know that if you gained a little, you can make adjustments that next week to make up for it.

Be consistent
Make sure you are being consistent all through the year. Don’t give yourself a break just because you’re on vacation, or just because it’s Thanksgiving, or just because it’s your birthday. These exceptions will lead to weight gain. It is ok to indulge once and a while, but make sure that you are walking an extra mile or doing an extra 10 minutes of cardio to make up for it.

Continue your exercise program
When people reach their target weight loss, many stop their exercise program because they think they don’t need it anymore. Wrong. You do—your exercise program will help you maintain that lean muscle needed to maintain your metabolism and burn fat.

Get support
Get support from your family and friends and encourage them to encourage you to keep that weight off! You might even talk one of them into joining you at the gym every day, or take an aerobics class at night!

With these seven guidelines, keeping the weight that you lost off forever will not be a problem! If you avoid the mistakes that many other people make, you’ll have no trouble keeping your new body just the way it is!

Increasing Metabolism

Metabolism is one of those words that we hear often—usually in the context of “I can’t lose weight because I have slow metabolism.” It is definitely true that you cannot lose weight if you have slow metabolism. What people do not know is that you are completely in charge of your metabolism. Sure, metabolism depends on genetics, but there are ways to increase your metabolism and turn your body into a fat-burning machine!

Changing your diet and changing your workout are the two best ways to increase your metabolism. There are many prescription drugs on the market that boast a result of higher metabolism, but changing or modifying your diet and workout plan can increase your metabolism without any side effects.

Your body works like a machine; food is fuel, and anything left over is stored in case it is needed later. Your body has a basal metabolic rate, or BMR, that covers body functions like heartbeat, breathing, and maintaining body temperature. The BMR is basically your metabolism at “rest.” Food is needed to maintain your body functions, and anything consumed after that is stored, usually as fat. By changing your diet and modifying your workout, you can increase your metabolism to burn more at rest, or raise your BMR. Here are some ways to increase your metabolism:

Diet
-Eat breakfast. Eating breakfast is one of the most important things you can do to increase your metabolism. The food you consume at breakfast kick starts your metabolism so your body starts burning calories first thing in the morning. If you choose to skip breakfast or skip any meals, for that matter, your metabolism will slow down and all the food you eat will be stored as fat instead of burned off.

-Focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Your body uses more energy to digest these foods than others, keeping your metabolism up throughout the day. For a morning snack, eat some grapes—for an afternoon snack, eat some carrots. These foods will keep your body working long after you are done eating!

-Increase your water intake. Your bodily functions depend on water—with no water in your system, your bodily functions slow down, thus slowing down your metabolism.
-Eat more spicy foods. Spicy foods can increase your metabolism; adding a few peppers to a pizza or salad will make a big difference.

Modifying Your Workout
-Aerobic exercise is very important. A high-intensity workout is even better, because that will allow for calories to be burned after your workout. Any workout will increase your metabolism for a set amount of time, but a high-intensity workout will create a longer burn after your workout.

-Perhaps the most important thing to remember when talking about metabolism is that lean muscle is the key to increasing it. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does, so increasing the amount of muscle on your body will increase your BMR. Adding strength training or weight training to your workout will help you develop that lean muscle in no time.

By changing your diet and modifying or adding to your workout, you can increase your metabolism so your body becomes more of a fat-burning machine than it ever was. HyperStrike has an article about eating more often to stabilize metabolism. If you would like to add strength training to your workout, but do not have any equipment, check out the no equipment workout! Increasing your metabolism is as easy as tweaking diets and workouts—an added bonus is that you will have more energy to do the other things you love!

Lifting On Short Time: 3 Fast Workouts

Lifting On Short Time: 3 Fast Workouts Shared via AddThis

Popular Workout Programs for Active Seniors

No matter your age, you can still enjoy working out. There are plenty of safe ways to still feel healthy and in shape.

First of all, you want to make sure you are prepared and have a safe workout. Here are few things to think about before and while you workout:

• You might want to get a medical clearance from your doctor
• Stop if you feel pain
• You should always warm up and cool down
• Don’t workout if you are sick, have a temperature or are injured
• Don’t exercise outside if the weather is too cold or wet
• Drink plenty of water before, during and after working out
• Don’t hold your breath during your workout
• Use good posture while exercising
• Make sure your shoes are in good condition and provide a lot of support
• Be sure not to overwork yourself
• Avoid eating heavy meals around 2 hours before exercising
• And stop exercising and see your doctor if you experience chest pain or tightness in the chest, neck or throat; Difficulty breathing; Abnormal heart beat; Nausea and/or dizziness; or Light headedness.

A simple way for you to get into the swing of exercising is walking. Start off slow and walk short distances. You can start off with a mile leisurely walk and then increase it by two to five minutes each time after.

If it is cold or raining out and you can’t walk in the park, the mall is a wonderful place to walk instead. You can get your workout in while window shopping.

You can focus on different types of exercises such as cardio and endurance workouts, strength and resistance, and stretching and flexibility exercises.

Cardio/Endurance
Your goal should be doing 30 minutes of cardio exercises each day. This includes walking, cycling and swimming. You can split each exercise up if you wish to do 10 minutes of each. Throughout your workout, be sure to check your heart rate. In the beginning you want your heart rate to increase 50% over your resting hear rate. Gradually you want to work up to where your heart rate is 85 % over your normal rate, but don’t push yourself too hard. It will take a little time to get there.

Strength/Resistance
Strength and resistance workouts can be done by using weights, resistance bands, nautilus machines, or by using everyday things such as walls, the floor and furniture. After strength and resistance training, your body needs at least one day to recover. These workouts could range from 30 to 60 minutes long. Try to do one or two sets of 10-12 repetitions at just a moderate intensity.

Stretching/Flexibility
Your warm ups and cool downs should always include stretching. This will help prevent injuries, stiffness and soreness. Yoga and pilates are some exercises you might want to look into because they focus on your core area and they are beneficial for both your body and mind.

Fitness centers also provide a lot of options between its equipment and classes offered. There are many exercise machines that do not put stress or strain on your joints. Some workout facilities might have classes such as water aerobics. Water aerobics causes less strain on your joints as well. The water supports your weight instead of your legs having to support it. It is a great resistance exercise for your entire body. Water aerobics can be exhilarating and fun too.

There are many options for you stay in shape. The most important thing to remember is to be safe and listen to your body. It knows when you should stop.

Ease In To Exercise and Stick With It

Some of you may be starting an exercise program for the first time while others are getting back into it after a break over the holidays. Here are some ways you can ease into your program and make sure you stick with it.

1. Don’t do too much too soon. One of the quickest ways to sidetrack your workout plan is to do too much too soon. Most people decide they are going to start a workout program and GO FOR IT! They hit the treadmill every day the first week and lift weights 3 of those days as well. Soreness sets in, as well as some fatigue and the next thing you know, you are right back to sleeping in rather than completing your workouts. To stay on track, don’t go for the gold right off the bat.

2. Set reasonable goals for yourself. As mentioned in #1, set goals that are reasonable. Work out 3 days the first week with a day off in between each workout session. This will allow your body time to adjust to the new activity.

3. Avoid injuries. Nothing gets your new workout sidetracked faster than an injury. Doing too much too soon puts you at higher risk for injuries. By taking it slowly at first and gradually adding more activity each week, you will allow your body time to adjust and you will avoid overuse injuries while possibly saving yourself a bad case of shin splints!

4. Create a workout environment you enjoy. No one wants to workout in a dark basement with no music. Or who wants to run on a treadmill facing a wall rather than a television? Make sure that whether you join a gym or are working out at home that you create an environment that you enjoy so that you will look forward to your workouts rather than dread them.

5. Plan short term but think long term. Set weekly and monthly goals so that you are able to experience success often. However, keep the final destination in mind. Chart out your small successes so that you can see how each one rolls up into your final goal.

By easing into your workouts, whether they are brand new to you or you are getting back into your routine, you will keep yourself motivated, injury free and on the road to reaching your long term goals.

Work Smarter Not Harder -

  Most of us approach cardio exercise in one of two ways. We are either moving so slowly that we don’t elevate our heart rate much at all or we go at all out intensity and work too hard, moving our heart rate out of the maximum fat burning range. There are 3 types of fuel that we can burn when exercising; carbohydrates, fat or lean mass. Most of us prefer to burn fat. After all, one of the main reasons that most people work out is to lose weight and/or reduce body fat.

       By working smarter, not harder, you can increase the amount of calories from fat that you burn during a workout. The more intense the exercise the more overall calories you are going to burn. You will also burn more calories in a shorter amount of time. But the kicker is that the higher the intensity, the less number of calories that are coming from fat. The trick is to find a happy medium where you are working hard enough to elevate your heart rate and burn fat while keeping the intensity low enough that you continue to burn fat and not begin to use your lean mass as fuel.

       You also want to make sure that you are working hard enough to build a cardiovascular base and increase your fitness level.

       One way to make sure you are working in the proper zone is by obtaining a measurement of your VO2 max. This is the amount of oxygen that you are able to consume per minute per kilogram of body weight. The more oxygen you can consume the heavier workload you are able to perform. This test will provide you with the proper training heart rate zones for your age, weight, height and sex.

       Another good idea is to wear a heart rate monitor during cardio exercise. This lets you see precisely what your heart rate is during exercise. If you have a VO2 max test, then you will know what your appropriate heart rate zone is for achieving maximum fat burn while still working to increase your overall fitness level. Many heart rate monitors allow you to program your training zones so that you are easily able to stay in your zones while working out.

       Many people are surprised at the low intensity that is required for maximum fat burning. If you are only interested in overall calorie burn then higher intensity exercise is great. It is also good, no matter what your goal, to crank up the intensity at least once a week to maintain your fitness level and possibly even improve it.

       Cardio exercise is a key component to a well rounded fitness program and it will only enhance the results that you will see from consistent weight training. If you can get all pieces of the program firing at once, you will reach your goals in what seems like no time at all and you’ll do it by working smarter, not harder! That is music to my ears!

Health, Fitness & Diet Motivational Starter Guide - FREE

Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter, best-selling author of Your Performing Edge, is a Stanford University Medical Center trained licensed clinical sports psychologist.

As part of your Online Training Center subscription, you get a copy of Dr. JoAnn's Motivational Starter Guide.

Please use the link below to download the guide.

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