Weekly Wellness Tips 10.02

Author: Marc, January 25th, 2010

Marc Mason Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach

This is my favorite time of year. That annual struggle to avoid the onset of seasonally affected lethargy is in full swing. So many people have recommitted themselves to be healthier, have more energy and to look and feel younger that I get a jolt of energy too! That’s why I’m continuing the Resolution Sale, Act fast to get a month of expert fitness training and guidance ($300 value) for only $79!

The January Muscles-in-Motion Boot Camp started last week and has three weeks remaining. We have evaluated and set our initial goals. You can still join.

The E3 book is progressing slowly. Another re-write is in progress but look for it soon! In the mean time, here are some tips for you to follow using my E3 (Eat, Exercise, Evaluate) method (the top 10 is long but worth looking at):
Evaluate:

Record and Review: If you don’t keep track of your workouts and improvements, how will you know if you’re making progress? Whether it’s fat loss, building muscle tissue, or just feeling better; keeping a log helps and motivates you to get there. When you see where you were, and where you are, you realize you’re making progress! Marc Mason Wellness Online includes a powerful fitness & nutrition tracking program that is easy to use and will help you reach your fitness goals!

Eat:

Eat Your Breakfast – I was bad at this many years ago, but I learned to fuel up early in the day. Eating a good solid breakfast to start your day helps supply you with the fuel you need to get started, especially if you are incorporating an early morning fitness program in to your day. You need the fuel to get your engine going in the morning. Do not starve your body early; because you may have the tendency to binge-eat later. Your body gets into the craving mode. Feed your body early!!

Exercise:

Top 10 Reasons You Don’t Exercise; What’s Your Excuse?

Adapted from the article by Paige Waehner, About.com Guide

Almost two thirds of Americans don’t get enough exercise to keep them healthy. Of those two-thirds almost half of them get no exercise at all. This is true despite all the constant reminders from our educators, lawmakers and especially our health care providers. Well here’s one more reminder from your wellness coach.

10. You really hate to exercise.
Any big change takes getting used to. Like anything else you have to acquire a taste for exercise. There is a reward for those persistent enough to get into the exercise habits. Your body gets used to the energy and boosted metabolism regular exercise provides. The secret is to choose something that fits your personality and lifestyle, such as group fitness. If you like social setting group exercise can be a social event. Most fitness centers and community centers offer a full range of healthful activities. Here are some other ways to change how you feel about exercising:

Muscles-in-Motion Boot Camp is a great way to get fit and enjoy the camaraderie and support only a small group can provide.
Play Games - Games like Wii Fit are great for having fun while you exercise.
Exercise videos – You can exercise any time with videos right in your own living room. Check out your local library or video rental store.
Exercise at Home – Workout with your own equipment or use water bottles or milk jugs as weights. There are dozens of workouts to choose from at Marc Mason Wellness Online. You can browse them for free too! Don’t forget chores like raking leaves, shoveling snow or sweeping burn calories too.
Fitness Apps – If you have a smart phone, a variety of fitness apps can turn it into your very own personal trainer.

9. You’ve tried to exercise but you keep quitting.
People often quit working out for a variety of reasons:

Doing too much too soon – Going from no exercise to 7 days at the gym is bound to leave you exhausted and burned out. There’s a reason they call me a trainer. Increasing your activity is like training. Do the right amount to challenge you at your current level and as you continue to challenge yourself your level will improve.
Confusion – If you’re not sure how to get started, you may choose random exercises, wondering if you’re even getting a decent workout. Work with a trainer – An experienced trainer can turn a lackluster workout into an effective, challenging routine.
Boredom – The treadmill and other machines offer great workouts, but walking or pedaling to nowhere can get old fast. You may wonder: Do I really have to do this every day for the rest of my life? Try different types of training to keep things interesting, such as circuit training, high intensity interval training or kettle bells. Regularly changing your strength and cardio workouts will keep things interesting and help you avoid plateaus.
Soreness – Some soreness is normal when you’re a beginner, but you should be able to function. Don’t blast through a work out you haven’t prepared for (see a. above)! Unless you are in dire pain avoid skipping your workouts. Light stretching and movement help alleviate that exercise soreness.

8. You can’t afford a gym membership
There’s no reason you have to join a gym to exercise, but there are more affordable options such as the YMCA or local community centers. More ways to save money:

My Resolution Sale! I’m bringing fitness within your reach!
Walking or running – All you need is a good pair of shoes for a simple, accessible workout.
Buy multi-use equipment – An exercise ball can be used for core work, weight training and even cardio workouts. Dumbbells are often inexpensive and can be used for the entire body.
Workout at home – Use videos, make up your own routines or just put on some music and get moving.
Find free resources – The Internet is a great source for workouts and weight loss programs and your library is an excellent resource for trying workout videos or finding books about exercise. These emails and my blog are free as well!
Try no equipment workouts - You can get a great workout without any equipment, just by using your own body. There are plenty examples at Marc Mason Wellness Online!

7. You’re not seeing any changes in your body.
Not losing weight fast enough? Unfortunately, that’s true for everyone. You don’t put weight on overnight and it won’t come off that quickly either. Once you start exercising, give your body time to react. It could take up to 12 weeks before you start seeing major changes, so make sure you’ve set realistic fitness goals and focus on the many benefits of exercise.

6. You don’t know how to exercise.
This is a popular excuse, but it won’t fly what with the wealth of information at your fingertips. Try working with a personal trainer or use one my online wellness service to get started.

5. You want to exercise but you have to take care of the kids and family.
You don’t have to neglect your family to fit in exercise. Carving out workout time will not only give you the energy you need for a busy schedule, it shows your kids what it means to be healthy. Some ideas:

Join a health club that has a daycare center.
Do exercise videos while the kids nap or while you’re waiting for dinner to cook.
If they’re old enough, have the kids participate in your routine by lifting very small weights, counting your repetitions, or take them with you on your daily walk.
Find activities the kids will enjoy.

4. You can’t seem to stay motivated to continue working out.
If you’re tired or stressed, it’s hard to keep going with your workouts. However, waiting to feel motivated to exercise can actually backfire. Motivation is something you have to work at every day:

Remember your goals – Set reasonable weight loss goals and remind yourself of them every day.
Reward yourself – Each time you reach a goal, whether it’s completing your workouts for the week, losing weight or having more energy, reward yourself with something you truly enjoy. A massage, a new exercise playlist, new running shoes or a quiet night reading your favorite book.
Learn how others stay motivated.
Make it a lifestyle change – Focusing on treating your body well with exercise and nutritious foods may keep you motivated, even if the weight loss is slow.

3. Exercise HURTS!
You don’t have to hurt yourself to reap the benefits of exercise. Some tips for making it more comfortable:

Ease into it – Start with a few days of moderate cardio (like walking) and a basic strength workout to build endurance and strength.
Stay in your target heart rate zone – You should be able to carry on a conversation if you’re working at a moderate intensity.
Start light with your weights – When it comes to weight training, there should be effort involved since lean body tissue only grows when you challenge yourself. When you’re just starting out, any weight you lift is a challenge, so focus more on good form and increase your weight once you’ve mastered the exercises.
Take extra rest days – If you’re extra sore or exhausted, schedule extra rest days to allow your body the time it needs to repair and recover.

2. You can’t make the commitment to stick to an exercise routine.
When you look at exercise in the long term (i.e., that you have to exercise on a daily basis forever), it can be overwhelming. However, you don’t have to change your life overnight. Some tips for staying committed to your workouts:

Start with small goals – It’s easier to stick with exercise when your goal is to walk an extra 10 minutes each day or get up early for a short yoga workout.
Plan ahead – Plan your workouts and prepare for them ahead of time so you’re not tempted to skip them.
Make exercise a priority – Is exercise really important to you or do you just want it to be? Figuring out what you really want can help you set your priorities.

1. You don’t have time!
Physically inactive people have just as much free time as exercisers, so you can chuck this excuse. Here’s how to get past a busy schedule:

Schedule your exercise time.
If you can’t find a full 30 minutes during your day, break it up into 10 or 15 minute segments. Split workouts are just as effective as continuous workouts.
Use every trick in the book to squeeze in exercise. Get up a few minutes early and take a brisk walk, use 15 minutes of your lunch hour to walk the stairs and walk the dog or lift weights after work.
Keep a calendar of your workouts to you can track your progress and stay motivated.
Remember that exercise generates energy. The more energy you have, the more you’ll get done each day.

Categories: Eating, Evaluating, Exercising, Offers and Events Tags: E3, Eating, Evaluating, Exercising, marc mason, wellness