Fitness Programs for Women: Four Essential Tips

Fitness programs for women are often wrought with bad advice and pseudoscience. It's no wonder that so many fitness programs for women utterly fail! There's plenty of great information out there, but it can be impossible to find amidst the gimmicks, fad diets, and ineffective workout routines. If you're looking for fitness programs for women that really work, try using the four following tips.

1. Lift Heavy Weights

Plenty of women make their way into the weight room now and again, but most are afraid that they'll get "bulky" if they lift too heavy. That's nonsense! It takes male bodybuilders years of dedicated effort to pack on muscle mass, and they've got testosterone and tons of food on their side. Not only will you not get "too big" by lifting challenging weights - you'll actually look better.

Lifts like squats, bench presses, deadlifts, and other heavy movements are great for stimulating your metabolism and packing on a little bit of lean mass. Whether or not you realize it, that's really what you want! The right amount of muscle gives you a lean, fit look that you simply can't achieve with cardio alone. Challenging yourself in the gym will also cause you to burn more calories, which means you get to eat more and still lose weight.

2. Low Fat is NOT Healthy!

Some nutritionists are still stuck in the 1980s' low-fat craze, but avoiding dietary fat is NOT going to get you the results you want. In fact, most "low-fat" products like crackers, pretzels, and other grain-based products will make it nearly impossible to get lean! They make your blood sugar levels skyrocket, which in turn causes your body to secrete tons of insulin - a hormone which actually makes your body store even more fat. If you're trying to get lean, ditch most of your carbs and eat plenty of olive oil, avocados, nuts, and even some red meat.

3. Ease Up on the Cardio

If you're going to start lifting heavy weights (which you should!), then you're also going to need to ease up on all of that cardio you're probably doing. Slaving away on a treadmill or elliptical is simply not necessary, and it eats up way too much of your time. It's great to do a few short sessions per week for your cardiovascular health, but hours upon hours of monotonous movement aren't going to help you lose fat.

However, there is a much better type of cardio for optimal fat loss: interval training! On a track, treadmill, elliptical, or exercise bike, simply alternate short bursts of all-out sprinting with longer bouts of active rest. For example, you might do eight rounds of fifteen-second sprints and forty-five second "jogs" on an elliptical machine. The whole thing will be over in under ten minutes, but the intensity of the workout will cause your body to burn more fat all day long.

4. Don't Under-eat

One of the worst things you can do in fitness programs for women is to eat too little. Your body is an adaptive machine, and it will respond to severe calorie restriction by slowing its metabolism way down. Have you ever noticed how lethargic, tired, and cold you get when you don't eat enough? Those are sure signs that your body is burning less fuel!

That's not to say that you shouldn't cut calories at all - your body does need a reason to use its fat stores for energy instead of your food. The key is to eat just little enough that you can burn fat while avoiding hunger. Focus first on the right food choices, and then start counting calories if you truly need to. Overall, it's best to take it slow and steady with your fitness programs for women and focus on losing no more than a pound per week.

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Make Your Gym Sessions More Productive And Comfortable In The Right Gym Shoes

Getting a gym membership can be exciting whether you are looking forward to losing weight and shaping up, building muscles or simply getting fit. Whatever your reasons for going for some gym activities, you ought to remember that the shoes you select can have effects on how comfortable and productive you remain. A good gym shoe is one that does not keep reminding you that you are wearing it probably because it is too hot, too tight too heavy or because it pinches. You need to choose the right shoe to make sure that you give maximum concentration on  the gym workout.

Grip – This is very important especially when you are looking for weight lifting shoes. Shoes that offer a flat firm grip on the floor or ground gives you proper form and they keep you safe from skidding when lifting heavy weights. It is important to avoid thick soled high tech shoes when in the weight room for safety and effectiveness in the activity. Always look at the sole of your shoes and the anti-skid features it has to ensure that you select a pair that is bound to offer firm grip regardless of the gym floor that you get exposed to.

Support – This is another very important aspect of gym shoes especially for strength training and cardio sessions. Remember these are activities that consist of side to side shuffling and jumping and you therefore should look for a shoe that has ample support. Wide toe box high top sneakers can be great choices when you are looking for optimal movement. Look for shoes that offer ankle support and arch support as well to keep the aerobic movements swift and safe for you. Shoes that are able to keep your feet from inward rolling are best for treadmill time  so make sure you pay attention to this supportive feature as well.

Comfort – It is definitely something you must pay attention to. Choose high top sneakers that have ample cushioning to keep your feet comfortable whether you are strength training or lifting weight. A comfortable gym shoe should not only be cushioned but also light enough and breathable for your feet so that they don't end up feeling overheated and heavy as this can slow you down. Comfort also relies on the shoe size that you select. Make sure your workout shoes fit comfortably. Avoid choosing very tight shoes or very large ones because either way you will have a hard time keeping up with the gym demands.

Style – You might be going to the gym but you definitely do want to look stylish. There are so many stylish sneakers you can choose for your gym workouts so you do not have to compromise your sense of style just because you are hitting the gym, go for workout high tops! When you take time to weigh your options, you will find a gym shoe you love and one that matches your personality. Love the shoe to enjoy wearing it to the gym.

Bodybuilding sneakers are very important for any gym workout. Ensure you remain safe, productive and comfortable by selecting excellent gym shoes that have all important features included and get the right fit for your feet.

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5 Tips for Starting a Fitness Routine

Take the dread out of getting fit! It really doesn’t have to seem like an chore to get a fitness routine going, and stick with it. You’re most likely to follow through if workouts are planned in advance and you have realistic goals that have some flexibility.


Before you get started, remember that if you want to lose weight and feel healthy, you’ll need the right foods to fuel your body. You might like 11 Top-Rated Skinny Recipes Under 275 Calories, 5 Guilt-Free Comfort Foods with Fewer Than 275 Calories, and the 7-Day Clean Eating Menu.


1. Take Small Steps

Studies show it only takes 20 minutes of exercise for the brain to release the feel-good endorphins that lift your mood. Start with 20 minutes, then add about 10 minutes to the workout each week to ease yourself back in. If you’re really pressed for time and need a jumpstart, try Beginner’s 4-Minute Fat Blaster Workout or 4-Minute Lean-Down Workout.


2. Schedule Your Workouts

You know how it works. If you don’t schedule something, it doesn’t happen. Treat your fitness routine like any other important commitment and give it the priority it deserves. You’re worth it!


3. Try Something New

The best way to beat the holiday fitness slump is to enjoy your workout. Let’s face it. If you hate to do a specific exercise, you aren’t going to keep it up. After all, not everyone is designed to be a runner. Don’t be afraid to try new exercises and figure out which ones work best for you.


4. Find a Workout Buddy or Group

Team up with a friend who will keep you motivated and on track for success. Fitness classes are a smart way to stay motivated, too, because you can share and receive support from other class members.


5. Embrace Weights

The ideal workout combines cardio and strength training. Yes, strength training! Women are often afraid to lift weights out of fear of developing man-muscles. However, pumping iron tightens the body while boosting metabolism for faster weight loss. Try this 4-Minute Kettle Bell Fat Blaster.

These tips for jumping into a fitness routine will help get your body back in gear now that the holidays are over.

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Low Calorie Diet - Does It Work?

Looking for a quick and uncomplicated solution to drop a few pounds so that you can fit into that little black dress of your desires or just to attain your pre-pregnancy figure? Many diets out there are boasting ultra quick weight loss results.
From a dietitian's perspective, that is total rubbish. In order to lose the fats in a controlled manner the low calorie diet plan would be recommended. There has been proof that this diet works and you don't need to be a rocket scientist to carry it out.
Before I elaborate in depth about the low calorie diet, lets get the basic terminology right. The term calorie(kcal) refers to a unit of measurement for energy, and more commonly applies to the measurement of energy in food. So what's the big deal about calories? We need food to give us the energy to carry out our daily tasks. And our body uses these calories to carry out its daily activities or to fuel our workouts.
The problem with most people is they are eating way more calories than they actually need.
Calorie in > Calorie out = Weight gain
Okay now that you understand what causes us to gain weight, follow me though a 3-step plan to help you embark on a low calorie diet plan effectively.

Step 1: Find out what your daily calorie requirement
The amount of calories your body needs is a combination of your basic metabolic rate (BMR) and activity level. So basically anyone can calculate their BMR following the equation below.

Women:
BMR = 655 + (9.6 X weight in kilos) + (1.8 X height in cm) - (4.7 X age in years)

Men:
BMR = 66 + (13.7 X weight in kilos) + (5 X height in cm) - (6.8 X age in years)

To estimate your daily calorie requirement, multiply your BMR using the following table:

Activity Level Total Daily Calorie Requirement
Sedentary (BMR x 20 percent) + BMR
Lightly active (You exercise 1-3 times a week) (BMR x 30 percent) + BMR
Moderately active (You exercise 3-5 times a week) (BMR x 40 percent) + BMR
very active (You exercise intensely on a daily basis) (BMR x 50 percent) + BMR
Extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training) (BMR x 60 percent) + BMR
I would assume many of us would be classified as 'lightly active'. Most of us will fall into the category of sedentary of lightly active. So let me give you an example on how it works. The estimated calorie requirment for a 47 year old sedentary woman who is 68kg and 163cm tall will be:
BMR = 655 + (9.6 X 68) + (1.8 X 163) - (4.7 X 47) = 1380 kcal
Total daily calorie requirement = (1380 x 0.2) + 1380 = 1656 kcal

Just to give you an idea, a typical western diet provides 3000-3500 kcal a day which is twice the amount that an average woman needs. This is not surprising given the number of overweight and obese people.

Step 2: Decide on how much you need to cut out from your diet, create a calorie deficit
To lose weight, you need to eat less than what you body needs. If you cut out about 500 calories from your daily diet, that would mean 3500 calories less in a week.
So to put it in simple terms, the lady who requires 1656 kcal will lose approximately 1 pound after a week if she consumes approximately 1150 kcal per day. This is in theory. I would not suggest anyone consuming less than 1200 kcals per day as this will cause your body to lose it's effectiveness in burning fats.
3500kcal deficit = 1 pound of weight loss
If you need to lose 10 pounds, you will need to create a deficit of 35000 kcal. One thing to rememeber is to slowly cut your calories. Don't start jumping on the wagon and starve yourself for the entire week to create a 35000kcal deficit.
A healthy weight loss diet is one that helps you lose 1-3 pounds per week
There is no STATIC DIET. What it means is that if same lady who consumes 3000 kcal per day makes a conscious effort to cut down her calorie intake to 2500kcal daily, She will shed those unwanted pounds. This is because even though she is still consuming more than her actual calorie requirement, her body is reacting favorably to her decreased food intake. Sounds easy in theory? Think again. The hardest part is in the execution.

Step 3: Take note of what you eat
By taking down what you consume you will have a better understanding of your eating habits. You may discover that you are taking in more calories than needed. Okay I admit it is a chore but I guarantee you won't regret it!
Write down all the food and drinks you consume and the estimated amount (in household measurements e.g. cups or tablespoons etc) over a period of 3 days. Try to be as detailed as possible. Do include condiments you may consume e.g. salad dressing, sugar). Remember, keep your diet as normal as possible.
There are many online tools that can assist in calculating your daily calorie intake.
By doing this, you can easily know where the unwanted calories are coming from. You can then decide what to remove from your diet to create the calorie deficit.
As with all dietitians, I love to write meal plans. Here is a sample nutritionally balanced low-calorie meal plan.

Breakfast:
a wholegrain bagel with a thin spread of light cream cheese (300kcal)
1 glass of low fat milk (90kcal)

Mid-morning snack:
1 cup of Low-fat yoghurt (130kcal)

Lunch:
Wholegrain sandwich bread, with a spread of mustard, salad veggies and lean meat (chicken/beef) (350kcal)
1 serving Minestrone soup (150 kcal)

Afternoon snack:
1 serving of fresh fruit (70 kcal)

Dinner:
cup of pasta with tomato sauce + 1 palm size grilled meat/fish or chicken OR cup of lean mince (400kcal)

Side salad with fat-free dressing (70 kcal)
1 serving of fresh fruit (70 kcal)
Total Calories: 1630 kcal

This is just an example and not a definite eating plan. If you follow through with the food diary activity and get yourself familiarized with the general calorie content of foods, you would have already known by now what are the high calorie foods that you need to reduce your intake of.

Here are some easy ways by which you can reduce your calories
1) Go for a diet soda instead of a normal soda
2) Use fat-free salad dressing and low fat mayonnaise
3) Have 2 servings of fresh fruit instead of 2 cups of processed fruit juice
4) Use less oil in your cooking
5) Always choose lean cuts of meat
6) Reducing your portion sizes by a quarter
7) Sharing a dessert instead of having the whole thing by yourself
8) Cut down on the amount of fried stuff you consume
9) Switching to low fat dairy products
10) Drink less alcohol

The key to a successful low calorie diet plan is consistency. Treat yourself to a little something 'sinful' at every milestone. Just don't end up eating a whole chocolate cake and regret it later. Do not be hard on yourself in you exceed your daily calorie intake. It is a collective effort over a period of time that will help you get to the weight you want.

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4 Easy Tips on How to Make Healthy Recipes

Discover quick healthy recipe tips to cook healthy meals for you and your family. Learn how eating healthy is simple with easy healthy recipe ideas.

For many people, making healthy recipes seems too difficult and time consuming...

 

 But with some advance planning and some basic knowledge of nutrition, it is easy to create a week's worth of healthy meals that you and your family will love. The key to creating delicious and healthy meals for the family is planning ...and lot's of it!

Planning ahead of time an entire week of healthy recipe meals is the best way to create dishes you can be proud of, while keeping cost and time commitment to a minimum.  So below are amazing tips you can use to make healthy meals all the time.

 

 Healthy Recipe Tip #1

Using convenient appliances such as slow cookers and microwaves can be a huge time saver when planning and preparing meals.  There are many delicious and healthy recipes that can be started in the morning and left to cook all day in a crock pot or slow cooker.  These are great choices for working families.

In addition, making the meals ahead of time on the weekend and heating them in the microwave is a great way to stretch both your food and your time.  There are many microwavable healthy meals you can make at home, and single serving microwave safe containers allow every member of the family to eat on their own schedule.

When planning the meals for the week, it is a good idea to create a chart listing each day's menu and each days' schedule. Here's a smart tip...plan the quickest and easiest to prepare meals for the busiest days of the week.

Healthy Recipe Tip #2

Get your family involved in creating the week's meal plan by asking for their input and noting everyone's favorite foods. It is still very important to eat healthy meals, so that (of course) does not mean eating pizza every night or having ice cream for dinner.  But involving your spouse and children in healthy recipe planning, you'll help to increase their interest in healthy eating right away.

It is also a good idea to get your entire family involved in the preparation of the meals.  Even children too young to cook can help out by setting out the dishes, chopping vegetables, clearing the table and washing the dishes.

Healthy Recipe Tip #3:

Cooking large quantities of healthy food recipes - and freezing the leftovers - is a easy way to save time.  Cooking large amounts of stews, soups, pasta, chili and casseroles can be a huge time saver.  Making double and even triple batches of these staple foods, and freezing the leftovers for later use, is a great way to save both time and money.

When freezing leftovers, however, it is important to label the containers carefully, using freezer tape and a permanent marker.  Try to keep the oldest foods near the top to avoid having to throw away expired items.

Stocking up on meats when they are on sale is another great way to use that valuable freezer space.  Stocking up on such easily frozen foods as chicken, turkey, ground beef, steaks, roasts and chops is a great way to make your food dollar stretch as far as possible while still allowing you and your family to enjoy delicious healthy meals every day.

Healthy Recipe Tip #4:

Keeping a well stocked pantry is as important as keeping a well stocked freezer.  Stocking the pantry with a good supply of staple items like canned vegetables, canned fruits, soup stocks and the like will make healthy recipe preparation much faster and easier.

Stocking the pantry can save you money as well as time.  Grocery stores are always running sales, and these sales are a great time to stock up.  Buying several cases of canned vegetables when they are on sale, for instance can save lots of money and provide the basic ingredients for many nutritious, easy to prepare meals.

Examples of great staples to stock up on include whole grain cereals, pastas, tomato sauce, baked beans, canned salmon, tuna and whole grain breads.  It is easy to combine these staples into many great meals on a moment's notice.
healthy recipe

I hope you found these easy !!




Damian@FitnHealthy

The Benefit of Keeping Your Body and Mind Active through Fitness Workout Program

When you try to follow a dependable fitness workout program, it is also necessary to prepare the exact garment and footwear. This is crucial to make sure that when you exercise or train, you feel comfortable doing your routines.

When it comes to keeping the body healthier, we can say that effective fitness programs are the best choices today. Of course, it is very important to choose the most suitable training scheme that meets your fitness requirement. Remember that we all have different perceptions on why we need to stay fit and look athletic. This is the reason why you need to determine that the results of your training depend on your performance and determination. 

 

When you are trying to follow a dependable fitness workout program, it is necessary to prepare the exact outfit and footwear. This is crucial to make sure that when you exercise or train, you feel comfortable doing the routines. Just like many experienced fitness gurus out there, they invest quality footwear designed for fitness training. This is aside from buying healthy foods and supplements to improve their daily diet better. 

It is very important to perform the techniques properly to avoid any unwanted injury during the process. You have to follow the exact guidelines of the program to complete your training efficiently. This is the only way to reveal the best fitness results once you notice that your body starts to develop or tone up. During your free time, spend about 40-60 minutes to walk and jog because this particular strategy will help you lose weight gradually. 

Like what many professional gym instructors do, it is important that you give yourself a nice break and not forcing to exercise 7 days in a week. Remember that if you are busy working daily, your body and mind require proper resting to regain your energy better. If you force yourself to exercise daily, you may not discover positive results because of fatigue. Again, the best fitness workout program becomes effective if your mind and body function properly to complete your training. 

Do not lift heavy dumbbells just to develop muscles without following the guidelines of your fitness program. Stretching and breathing will also help you relax your body to execute your training correctly. Breathing helps in relaxing your mind while stretching flexes your muscles and bones to avoid strain before you start the routines. 

Once your body became used to this method, you can perform your training better even through regular basis. 

A dependable fitness workout program guarantees you the best wellness through proper workout discipline. The moment you start the training, you may also consider getting information using the Internet to increase your knowledge. The online world is the most dependable resource today that offers countless information for various purposes. Regarding fitness programs, we can reveal thousands of options available for both average and experienced fitness enthusiasts. 

Lastly, when you follow the best fitness regimen, you have to plan in reaching a positive goal to live healthy. Think about improving your stamina, physical strength and burn off those undesirable fats. If you have a goal like this, it is not impossible that you will see yourself enjoying a remarkable and healthful lifestyle.

Lower Body Workout Routine Options, Machines, Dumbbells or Body Weight?

Many women and men think taking up a lower body workout means heading off to the gym and chewing up hours each day. 

This doesn’t have to be the case. 

You can train effectively using the hints below at home, while travelling or even at work.

Developing a lower body workout routine that actually works for your body can be challenging. 

You may identify with some of the most common obstacles that ordinary people come across when they decide to start working this area of the body:

Limited access to weight machines and other equipment.

Lack of knowledge about what exercises are effective and which ones are a waste of time.

Limited information about different movements and modifications of harder movements.

Inaccurate beliefs.

Lack of motivation

Inaccurate beliefs and the lack of knowledge about what exercises to perform are big problems for many people who want to start a good lower body workout routine. One of the most common inaccurate beliefs is that you have to use weight machines or other fitness equipment to work the lower body effectively.

It's true that the machines you see at gyms can be great tools for working the lower body muscles. But that doesn't mean that they’re vital for getting in a great workout. Far from it. You can use the weight from your own body to strengthen, tone and challenge the muscles in your lower body.

Here is just a small sampling of classic exercises that can be incorporated into a lower body workout routine with great results:

Squats. 

Stand with your legs about shoulder width apart. Have your hands either out in front or folded in front of your chest. Have your toes pointed slightly outwards. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing frontwards. Now squat as if you were going to sit down, leaning into your heels, until your backside is inline or parallel to the floor. Then using your thighs and butt push yourself back up again. Do not lock your knees out when returning to standing position. Keep your knees soft and the movement flowing. Continue with the second squat, then third etc until you have completed the set.

Lunges. 

Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, do not arch your back. With your hands on your hips or by your sides, step forward with a large stride. Bend both your knees. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle (your knee and shin should be in a straight line with your ankle). Your back leg should be extended behind you and your knee should be nearly touching the floor. Now with your front foot push up carefully to starting position. Keep yourself steady throughout the exercise. After you have performed the required amount of reps on that leg, swap to the other leg.

Step-Ups, along with various floor and mat exercises.

With just these exercises alone you can create a lower body workout routine that is very effective for sculpting and shaping your legs, hips, butt and thighs. And of course there are modifications you can also implement for each of these movements.

For instance, you can do a variety of different types of squats to target different lower body muscles in different ways:

Sumo squats with your legs very wide apart, squats with legs placed together, single-legged squats that exhaust the muscles one side at a time. 

Including a wide variety of floor exercises that mimic the work done on larger weight machines can really work wonders for your thighs and butt. You may need to do more reps than you would do of a movement with weight machines, but a lower body workout routine using only body weight can be highly effective.

Those who don't want to add bulk to the thighs and butt are often better off working with very light weight or no weight at all with this area of the body.

Damian@FitnHealthy

Too tired to exercise ?

Too tired to exercise: Have your iron levels checked

If you already exercise and find you’re approaching your daily workout with excessive fatigue and lack of motivation, see your doctor and have your iron level checked. Your doctor can do a blood test called a ferreting level which measures your body’s stores of iron. Aerobic exercise can cause slow depletion of iron levels with iron being lost through sweating and through leakage of small amounts into the gut with sustained movements. Plus, it’s not uncommon for women of child bearing age to be iron deficient. If you’re iron deficient, iron supplementation may make all the difference in your energy levels and your attitude towards exercise.
   
Too tired to exercise: Exercise when you awaken in the morning

If you feel tired and less motivated to exercise in the evening, try setting your alarm thirty minutes early and get your exercise session out of the way before the day starts. An early morning exercise session can help to energize and motivate you for the rest of the day. Plus, you can look forward to an evening of relaxation knowing you’ve accomplished your goal. This can be a simple solution to the problem of being too tired to work out.

 Too tired to exercise: Do it anyway

Sometimes the best cure for fatigue is a vigorous exercise session. Have you ever noticed how you can walk into the health club exhausted but after thirty minutes of motion you feel energized and invigorated? There’s nothing like exercise to get your blood flowing and zap fatigue. If it’s difficult for you to get motivated to make that trip to the club, promise yourself a small reward after you finish your session if you follow through. Just make sure it’s not a jelly donut!

Too tired to exercise: Lighten up your workout

On nights that you’re too tired to work out, follow a lighter, less rigorous routine. To motivate yourself to take the first step, tell yourself you’ll only exercise for ten minutes. After ten minutes have elapsed chances are you’ll feel so invigorated that you’ll want to keep going.

Too tired to exercise: Change your exercise format

If you feel fatigued with a lack of motivation towards exercise on a particular evening, change your workout entirely and substitute something fun. Instead of walking thirty minutes on the treadmill at the club, take your dog for a brisk walk or do thirty minutes of stretches while you watch your favorite T.V. show. You can get back on schedule the next time you exercise and the variety will be good for you both physically and mentally.

Give these tips a try and soon you’ll no longer need the old excuse of being too tired to work out. Plus, you’ll look and feel like a new person

Damian@FitnHealthy

How to balance indulgences and fitness

The key to a healthy and happy life lies in finding balance, not in denying yourself life’s basic pleasures like comfort food and TV. Provided you can balance things out with exercise and healthier food choices, you can and, arguably, should indulge yourself.
The basic principle of it is familiar because we’ve all had it drummed in us when we were growing up: if you worked for it – you can have it.


It’s all about whether you deserve to have an extra hour of playing a video game or eating a chocolate or not. And it works, if you pay for it, first.

Food Indulgence

Food indulgences are tricky since you can’t let yourself have something nice and comforting after every training session otherwise you’ll cancel all out all of your hard work. It really comes down to using a simple formula correctly. If your body is getting the extra food = energy to burn in, it has no reason to dig into your reserves. So it’s not a good idea to have a chocolate after each run unless you have run over 10K and will have a calorific deficit even after a mars bar, for example. You can, however, make your “payment” in installments over several training sessions. So three full training sessions earn you a meal of your choosing or a treat. It doesn’t mean you can have a bucket of ice-cream, of course, but it does mean that in moderation you can have anything you want.

Food indulgences are important for keeping your spirit strong. If you have something to look forward to, it’ll be easier to put up with your training regime and you’ll feel happier and not deprived all the time. I suppose you could say that by doing it this way you can have your cake and eat it - sort of.

TV & Video games

These are fun, especially good quality series and good quality games not something you watch and play out of boredom. The TV or games aren’t the problem, the constant sitting down and idleness is. Our bodies are designed to work and are their happiest when they have been exercised. This is indeed the situation of “use it or lose it”. And most of us spend a lot of time sitting down all day so we need a lot of extra activity to compensate for that already.

There is a good way to fix that, get fit in the process and still indulge in viewing and playing: pay in exercise in advance. As a matter of fact, make a price list for yourself consisting of basic routines that you have to perform before you get to have your fun. So to watch one episode of your favorite series you have to first do 20 burpees or you can’t play a game until you do 40 squats. Every fun, but idle activity has to have a pricetag on it so that all of the sitting down is accounted for.

It's all in the balance

Eventually you get used to the daily exercise and won’t even think about it twice. It’ll become as normal as brushing your teeth; and to be fair it should be just as much part of your life as that for you to get and stay fit.

It’s all in the balance and in being accountable for everything you do. Eating lots of sweets and fries and then promising to be good “on Monday” doesn’t work because come Monday, you’ll be saying “I meant next Monday”. What’s better? To promise be better tomorrow, eat fries and feel good for five minutes or work for your fries first and then feel good long-term? And if everything else fails and things get out of hand, you can always use Scarlett o’Hara’s wise words “I’ll eat it tomorrow” (yes, I am pretty sure that’s what she said).

Earn your play time and you’ll never feel guilty about it ever again.

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Which Is Better For Muscle Mass? Full Body Workout Vs. Split Routine

Full body workouts versus split routines for goals of maximizing muscle growth. There are many possible ways for you to lay out a weekly training routine for muscle building. 

You could do full body workouts multiple times per week, do various 3, 4, and 5 day split routines, or you could simply alternate days between upper body and lower body workouts. But which approach is going to be superior for gaining muscle at the fastest rate while building a well-rounded, well proportioned physique? 

Full Body vs. Split Routines

There seems to be a bit of a push recently in favor of a full body routine, especially for beginners. Since muscle protein synthesis is only elevated in a given muscle for around three days after it's been trained, more and more people seem to be in favor of higher training frequencies as a way to maximize growth. Also, it is a fact that muscles do seem to adapt to higher training frequencies by recovering at an increasingly efficient pace over repeated sessions. Therefore, it would seem to make sense that just hammering every single muscle three days per week would be the best way to go. Now this does look good on paper, but in the real world it's really not that simple. Split routines are quite a bit better than full body workouts if your primary goal is optimized muscular hypertrophy, and to build a complete well-balanced physique. 

So before we outline the specific reasons why we think this is the case:

First off, we're not saying that a full body approach doesn't work. All we're saying is that it's probably not the very best option available. Any workout routine that allows for progressive overload over time is going to produce no worthy sized gains. A full body workout can obviously accomplish that.

Secondly, based on the goal of maximizing muscle growth for the serious trainee. Full body workouts are definitely a viable option in a variety of cases, especially if you're interested in gaining muscle, but not necessarily at a maximum level.

Full body workouts are suitable if you're just looking to improve your overall health and fitness, and you want to include a resistance training program in your plan. Additionally, it would be recommended if your goal is fat loss, and you want to employ a faster-paced circuit training style workout to maximize calorie burning, while still providing decent stimulation to your muscles. Or if hypertrophy is not your main concern, and you're more focused on developing total body strength and functionality. For example, if you are a power lifter or athlete. 

From a muscle-building perspective

So now that we've covered that, let's go over a few key reasons why a full body workout is actually inferior to a split routine from a pure muscle-building perspective.

A full body workout does not allow for complete focused development of each individual muscle group. If you truly want to optimize your total body gains, you usually need to perform at least a couple of different exercises for each muscle group in order to target the various functions of that muscle. Now a full body workout is usually not going to allow for this. There's no way that you can enter the gym, and fully cover all the necessary movements that are needed for your chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and your back, because they are made up of many individual muscle groups. Also your quads, hamstrings, calves, and abs all in one workout session is just not going to happen. Unless you want to be at the gym for many hours on end. Even then, it just isn't practical from a strength and energy perspective, which brings me to the next point. 

A full body routine will likely make your workout too long. It won't allow you to maintain peak mental focus and strength from the start of your session all the way to the end. So even if you were able to train your entire body in a single workout, it would likely require you to be in the gym for an unreasonable amount of time, like in excess of 2 hours. Even if that specific time frame is not an issue for you, the necessary mental focus and energy that would be required to make sure that every single muscle is training with equal intensity is just not going to be there for the overwhelming majority of trainees. Which ever muscle groups are being trained toward the latter half of your session would inevitably suffer, and so would their resulting development. 

Disadvantages of a full body workout (bodybuilding perspective)

A full body workout may prevent you from utilizing enough total training volume per muscle group. Not only will a full body routine likely prevent you from including all the necessary movements that are needed in the order to maximize your total body gains, but it will also probably prevent you from performing enough total training volume as well. Your muscles need to be overloaded in the gym by training with weights that are either at or beyond their total capacity. They also need to be put through enough overall metabolic fatigue, which is largely a function of the total number of sets that you perform. Even if you performed just four total sets for each of the major muscle groups that was previously listed, that alone would be a workout that totals around 32 sets.

The risk of over training with a full body workout

A full body workout is going to increase the chances of burn out from overtraining. Yes, the concept of over training was probably exaggerated in the past, and we now know that most hard training bodybuilders and athletes can recover much more effectively than was once thought. Nonetheless, let's assume that you are able to hit every single muscle group using all the necessary exercises and sets. Throughout multiple hour sessions several days per week, this is still going to be very taxing for most people, and in addition to this, training the same muscle group three times a week will also likely put your joints under an excessive amount of stress as well. 

Additional accessory work

Finally, a full body workout is going to make it a lot more difficult to include additional accessory work if necessary. Things like external rotations for the rotator cuff, or specific core work that you need to do or stay focused for. A basic full body workout is going to be hard enough to execute on its own, without even considering additional accessory work.

What split routine will achieve that a full body workout will not:

#1 It's going to allow for complete balanced development of all your body's major muscle groups.

#2 It will limit your workouts to a reasonable time frame, and allow you to maintain peak focus and energy throughout the entire session.

#3 It's going to allow you to utilize total volume per muscle group in order to maximize overall metabolic fatigue and overload.

#4 It's going to prevent you from burning out in over training, and allow you to easily include additional accessory work in your program if necessary.

Not to mention that a split routine is just downright more fun to execute for most people. Not only is an enjoyable training session a good thing in itself, it's also going to make it more likely that you'll stick to your program over the long run. 

So what type of split routine should you choose?

Well there's no end to the number of different ways you can figure this out. We personally prefer to split the muscles up over three different sessions. As a quick recommendation, here's one good way to go about this: a legs-push-pull structure is a good solid way to do things. Legs on day one, chest, shoulders, triceps on day two, back and biceps on day three. Just perform the workout routine 4-5 days per week, rotating through each muscle group as you go. This is a more realistic, sustainable, enjoyable, and effective approach to gaining muscle over the long run, compared to performing a full body workout multiple days per week.

Source Mike Asara

Fit n Healthy Challenge !!

With our 16 Week Challenge we are searching for 10 committed people , who want to transform their health and their physique.

This program is a 16 week program, broken down into 4 sections, which you can follow from home..--> Lose Fat
--> Build Lean Muscle
--> Clear Skin
--> Energy and Vitality
--> HEALTHY Clean Body
--> Re-set your Metabolism to Fat Burning Furnace
--> Understand how to Fuel your Body Long Term
--> Closed Facebook Forum for Support
--> Personal Mentoring and Support
If you would like to be considered, please like and head over to our FB Page and message us https://www.facebook.com/fitnhealthyu 

Damian@FitnHealthy

Used Fitness Equipment: To Get Fit

Today, more and more people are getting more and more concerned about how their body looks. You can never deny the fact that having a great looking and muscular body is very attractive. With those well-defined muscles, you can be sure that you will have more FitnHealthy appeal than your average person with that extra "love handles" or "beer belly".

You also need to consider the health reasons behind the great looking and muscular body. Having a great looking and muscular body means that you will also have a healthy heart. First of all, you need to consider that muscles burn fat inside your body. By doing this, you will be able to prevent heart related diseases where fat clogs up your arteries and make you suffer from heart attacks and strokes.

You have to realize the fact that there is a significant increase of heart related diseases and diabetes cases in the World. Thanks to fast food and automation, people are getting more obese each day .

Because of this, more and more are turning their TV off, and are now starting to exercise in the gym. Exercising is the best and the normal way to develop your muscles and keep your heart healthy. It is very important to remember that by exercising, you will be able to have that muscular body you have always wanted. However, what if you don’t even have time to go to the gym and you prefer staying at home?

You can consider answering this question by purchasing your own home fitness equipment. However, you also need to realize that home fitness machines are quite expensive. If you are a type of person who is in a low income level and you still want to exercise, you can still do so by jogging around your local park. However, the main disadvantage of this is your local weather. If it rains or snows, you can never go out and do your daily run.

So, the best way to exercise without going to the gym is by purchasing used fitness equipment. These are second hand fitness equipment that the previous owner doesn't want anymore because of various reasons. Some sells their fitness equipment because they plan on replacing their fitness equipment with newer models, while other says that they sell their fitness equipment because no one actually uses it.

However, before you purchase used fitness equipment, you have to consider the fact that this equipment are already used and may have maintenance problems. If it is possible, you have to try it out first for a few times. By doing this, you will determine if the used fitness equipment being offered is still in good working condition. Never buy used fitness equipment that emits strange and unnecessary noise when being operated.

If it is possible, you can bring your personal trainer along when shopping for used fitness equipment. They will be able to determine if the used fitness equipment being offered is in top working condition or not. They will also be able to recommend some fitness equipment's that you need.

These are some of the things you should remember when purchasing used fitness equipment.

Damian@FitnHealthy

Calf Raises

The Complexity of Buying Running Shoes

Before the big names in running shoes created the modern approach in design and functionality, anyone who likes to buy a pair of athletic or running shoes would simply buy a generic brand and style common to everyone. 

All they actually have to determine is their shoe size, preference in color and brand. Other than that, it was simple and easy to buy without much trouble.

However, with concerns regarding injuries and constant research and development, many manufacturers like Nike and Asics have created modern running shoes to cater to every possible need of a runner or athlete. 

We all know how an athlete's career can be put on hold if he or she suffers a major injury on or off the field. The importance of having the right gear and keeping performance at its best are given more value in designing the perfect pair of shoes for every type of runner or athlete.

This may be great for many runners out there, but the whole process of buying, trying out different type of shoes and knowing your running profile and style becomes more complex than simply buying off the rack. Here are some tips on how you can easily determine which pair of running shoes to buy.

Answer the Where and How?

There are different types of shoes for various runners. Identify the common place where you run and how you run. Different kinds of shoes are used when running on pavement, treadmill, or challenging trails. You would also have to know if you need more cushion or more lightweight design to cater your running profile.

Many shoe stores and websites nowadays promote proper buying of running shoes. You can learn from there if you are a regular pronator or moderate to heavy pronator. Pronation is defined by how much your foot rotates when you run. 

The more your foot rotates, the heavier pronator you are, and there's a specific type of running shoes ideal for a type of runner. The idea behind this is to reduce injuries and muscle strain to be able to provide the best running experience and performance to any runner. 

A heavy pronator would need more cushioning to prevent excessive rotation or movement while regular pronators can benefit well from lightweight designs with less cushioning. You can check with a local salesperson for assistance when you're about to buy a pair of running shoes. 

Be patient. For a first-time buyer, it would take some time for the salesperson to figure out your foot type and running profile. 

Some stores even have a designated area where you will be tested on how you run and what your running style is. 

Going through this process may be a bit of a trouble for some, but it will be beneficial in the long run. You will be preventing future injuries because of an inappropriate pair of shoes, and you will have less to worry about injuries, blisters, and muscle strain.

The next time you'll buy your next pair of shoes, you won't have to go through the process again and just take note of your running profile and style for future reference. 

Knowing how expensive running shoes are these days, you need to put more effort in your choices. It might be complex now but finding out what's best for you will be more value spent for every dollar.

Damian@FitnHealthy

5 Helpful Things to Do to Start Your Personal Fitness Program

The most common challenge that people I talk to face is how to incorporate fitness into their lives. They know they have to do something to get in shape but they really don’t know how. It can be discouraging because of the abundance of information out there......

The most common challenge that people I talk to face is how to incorporate fitness into their lives. They know they have to do something to get in shape but they really don’t know how. It can be discouraging because of the abundance of information out there. 

So much that you may not know where to begin.

Our society has so many food choices that it is easy to pack on the extra pounds. Also our day to day jobs are less physical as they where 100 years ago so we have more sedentary life styles. We know there are benefits involved when we exercise and cleaning up or diet. However, most of us know don’t know how or where to start. 

So where do we begin? Or is the question: How do we begin?

try these 5 things to help you get started:

Make the Choice to Start Exercising and Eating Right

Making the decision to do something provides a form of commitment you made to your self. Deciding that you need to change behavior creates new possibilities. 

When you say to your self “I need to get in shape”, it means something. 

You should be answering these questions in your mind: 

When can I work out? 

What exercises do I need to do? 

What foods should I be eating? 

Make your self think about the commitment you just made. Only then you can let go of the past and take steps to move forward. 

Write Down What You Do

You need a reference that is realistic towards your weekly activity. Write down everything you do during the week. This should include work hours, commuting hours, nights spent with your spouse, your child’s activities and anything else you can think of that you do. You should also include what you do on weekends. You should make a list for each day of the week. Here’s why….. 

Some people set lofty goals like working out for 2 hours a day. This can be due to an old saying, “More is Better”. However, this is not the case. 

Knowing your schedule will help you set realistic goals and help you find a few hours a week to start exercising. You’ll have a visual perspective on what you can and can’t do with your routine. 

Research and Get Information

Most people do not have enough information before they start a work out program. So how do we get the information we need? The good news is we live in the information age. Take advantage of your favorite search engine and learn a little bit about fitness and nutrition. However, do not go overboard and lose focus. Find a source of information you like and take notes. Find the simplest and easiest workouts and nutrition tips. Don’t over load yourself with information, take a look at our Home Workouts and look at circut training 

If you have the money, hire a personal trainer for a few sessions to help you get started. Hiring a personal trainer is a great way to get started because you have made a commitment to meet someone to workout. Your goal is to have the trainer show you the basics on exercise and eating healthier. It may also be safer to learn how to perform the exercises (especially if you have not exercised for a while).

Create a Simple Plan and Set Realistic Goals

Keep it Simple! Following a simple plan while on a hectic schedule is much easier than following an elaborate plan. You should have a plan of which days you want to work out and one goal to change your eating habits for the next few weeks. For example, “I will work out for a half an hour for 3 days this week. I will eat a little less each meal.” Simple is success. 

Execute Your Plan

Now that you have a plan, all you need to do is follow it. This is another big step. You should look at your plan every day upon waking. You need be mentally prepared for the great day ahead of you. Having your daily schedule in hand will help you achieve your goals for the day. When you complete your workout for the day, highlight it or cross it off your list. It will show you that you accomplished something for yourself. No matter what you must execute. This will be the hardest (and most rewarding) step. 

I hope these things help you get started on a new life of physical fitness. Life is filled with making decisions, knowing your commitments, getting information, planning and execution. 

Try these approaches for yourself and you will see that having your own workout and nutrition program is not as far fetched or complicated as you think .. If you need help reach out to us HERE 

Damian@FitnHealthy 

Become Healthier, Become Fitter

A look at why being fitter is better for you.

If truth be told most of us want to be a lot fitter then we are. It is something we should all be aiming for, a better level of fitness.

To be honest there will always be something out there that will help, or maybe you can take a little information from each one to build your own fitness regime.

Are there any benefits to being fitter? Guess what the answer is. Yes, fitter is better. Fitter equals less body fat as this is something that is burnt off during exercise and exercise is how to become fitter. You could just diet to become slimmer but your chances of loosing weight will be much greater if you exercise as well as diet.

A fitter person has a lower heart rate which improves your well being and as you will be breathing harder during exercise this will increase your lung function so you will enable your body to absorb more oxygen to feed your brain and muscles.

Being fitter can also have a positive effect on cholesterol levels, reducing LDL cholesterol, (which is good), yet helping to raise the HDL level, (which I understand is also good).

Greater fitness can also help your heart and lower the chance of having a stroke.

Your stamina and strength will increase greatly from working out and this is even more important to people as you get a little older.

A great way of developing a fitness regime is to seek help and your local gym should have a personal trainer, (or you can find your own).

These will advise you on the best way to become fitter and remember they are the experts. A personal trainer knows the things we don’t and it is sensible advice to listen to their advice.

They will not set up a fitness regime that is so strenuous that it will kill you on day one. A personal trainer will help you build up your strength and stamina by developing a sensible program of exercise.

To develop a sensible fitness program we need to consider 4 important areas.

Aerobic exercise is a form of exercise which is low in its intensity but lengthy in its duration. Put simply this means not too hard but goes on a long time such as walking, swimming and aerobics on your own or in aerobic workout classes.

Another way of getting fitter is to pull weights which is known as resistance training. My experience of this training is limited but to do it sensibly start with low weights and build up the weight as your fitness builds up. Remember, be sensible and don’t over do it as you can damage your body easily with unsupervised weight training.

You could take up a fitness regime involving flexibility exercises such as yoga. Remember though you still need to eat a properly balanced diet of sensible foods as part of your fitness program.

Getting fitter can be easy, just do easy exercises a little at a time and then do it properly and intensively. To get fit quick though, consider being advised by a specialist fitness trainer, either a personal one or one based in a gym.

They will help you find out what is best for you.

A personal trainer can, and will, do this. Another thing they can do, which is usually something I need, is they can help to motivate you in order that you can develop your own fitness regime. Becoming fitter takes time and time is something that many of up are short of in today’s modern world.

Damian@FitnHealthy

How You Can Get Your Body In Its Best Shape Ever With HIIT Fitness

HIIT Fitness is a growing fitness trend in the US. Hit Fitness, or High Intensity Training Fitness, is a fitness system built around a unique combination of science and sport.

HIIT Fitness in the Spokane Valley, WA area is a growing trend

Hit Fitness , or High Intensity Training, is a fitness system built around a unique combination of science and sport.

Hit Fitness is definably an "alternative" way to personal fitness, but it is a method that is worthy of a look.

What Will I Really Be Doing In HIIT Fitness?

Hit Fitness combines a unique combination of typical fitness along with sporting elements, such as the practice of Fencing or Kenpo.

Some of the activities that are included in HIIT Fitness include:

*Circuts

*GRIT

*Personal Fitness

*Other Sporting Activities

The types of activities that you participate in depends on the type of HIIT Fitness Spokane program that you join.

Different instructors of the HIIT Fitness way have different methods. Regardless of the methods that your fitness coach uses to teach you Hit Fitness, you will experience a unique exercise technique that will benefit your body more than a traditional fitness plan can accomplish.

HIIT Fitness Sporting Events

Participating in sporting events in the Hit Fitness program is a big part of your training. Not only will these sporting events help you to achieve your fitness goals at a faster pace, but several of the sports can be used later in life, even after you complete your fitness goals.

Sounds Fun. What Does Hit Fitness Spokane Concentrate On? Well, the HIIT Fitness program is quite the unusual exercise system. The HIIT Fitness program focuses on the following aspects of the fitness world:

Anaerobic Threshold Balance Body Composition Strength VO2 Max (maximal oxygen consumption)

Hit Fitness Anaerobic Threshold

A basic definition of the Hit Fitness Anaerobic Threshold is that it occurs when muscles "burn" glucose without the use of Oxygen. Anaerobic Threshold is ideal for those who need that short extra burst in their life. On the flip side, Anaerobic Threshold would not be ideal for a distance runner.

Hit Fitness Balance

Another important part of the Hit Fitness way is the aspect of balance. A majority of people who participate in the Hit Fitness exercise plan are athletes. These people require a great amount of agility and balance to succeed at what they do best. By having great balance, you can even increase the efficiency of your Spokane workout.

Hit Fitness Body Composition

Hit Fitness Body Composition is a way of describing the percentage of bone, fat, and muscle in your body. The Hit Fitness Spokane system puts a lot of attention on the aspect of body composition, as it is vital to balance the mass percentages of bone, fat, and muscle in ones body.

Hit Fitness Strength

Hit Fitness works with your overall body strength. Since the Spokane Hit Fitness way of exercise revolves around sporting activities, it is important to have strength as it will give you the opportunity to push your body to the next level.

Hit Fitness VO2 Max

What is VO2 Max? Basically, VO2 Max is another meaning for the maximal amount of oxygen consumption. It plays a very important role in Hit Fitness as your VO2 Max directly determines how physically fit you are. Each person has a different VO2 Max.

Damian@FitnHealthy