Do You Have A Fitness Battle Plan?
In fitness, as in war, you want to be on the offensive, not the defensive and this means that rather than reacting to maladies as they occur, far better to be in good general physical condition; preventive maintenance is preferable to remedial effort every time. One general rule of thumb I use is energy is the basic coin of the fitness realm and without it is damned difficult to mount any kind of serious fitness effort. To obtain energy to power through workouts is the first order of business: if you are tired all the time, exhausted by life and unable to get it together physically or psychologically, I would suggest two immediate lifestyle changes -- cut back on the amount of food and begin walking every morning. Overeating is an energy-sapping culprit. Too many calories, particularly the wrong kind, the type that cause insulin to spike or the type of nutrient that converts easily to body fat, will drain energy faster then leaving the car door open all night and keeping the lights on. Early morning walking, particularly done out of doors, is invigorating. Plus early AM power walking elevates the basal metabolic rate. The rate at which the body oxidizes calories is kicked up by cardio in general and most particularly by cardio done on an empty stomach. Another trick of the trade is to have a cup of coffee or a caffeine-laced tea before the cardio walk. Caffeine on an empty stomach taken in combination with exercise accelerates the mobilization of trans-fatty acids. After an all-night sleep/fast the body is low on glycogen, the emulsified form of carbohydrate, when aerobic activity is performed the body will burned stored body fat to fuel the cardio activity. If you ever travel to a hardcore bodybuilding gym early in the morning you'll see all the hulking bodybuilders performing cardio. They are there to take advantage of this particular physiological anomaly and burn off body fat via pre-breakfast cardio. In addition, hitting an aerobic-style exercise session before breakfast elevates to metabolism for hours after the conclusion of the session and elevating the heart rate in a systematic fashion improves heart and lung functionality and food digestion. Perhaps the strongest rationale for early morning cardio is that by doing it 1st thing it GETS DONE! Life has a way of throwing obstacles galore in our path as the day's events unfold and by hitting a walk around the neighborhood 1st thing, daily events and cumulative fatigue will not derail the session. Start with a comfortable walk at a comfortable pace and add one minute per session. If you power walk five times a week and start off with a 10-minute session, at the end of a month the session will be up to 30-minutes. At that point, 30 minutes five times weekly, keep the frequency and the duration and consciously seek to increase the intensity, i.e. walk faster. This creeping incrementalism eases you into the game. In conjunction with the walking, cut back on the caloric intake. After calories are reduced, clean up the food selection. Again all this flows together in a loose momentum building effort. More walking, early morning walking, fewer calories, better selection?your energy will skyrocket and the effort will unfold in a sane rational fashion. After a month or two, add in some progressive resistance training and you'll be shot from a proverbial fitness cannon. The nice summer weather makes early outdoor walking a joyful experience and when we truly enjoy an activity we seek to repeat it ?- this melding of enthusiasm with exercise is the long-term secret to fitness success. Marty Gallagher is a former fitness columnist for washingtonpost.com. He is also a former national and world champion powerlifter. Marty's articles have been featured in Muscle Media, Muscle & Fitness, and Powerlifting USA magazines. His website, http://www.martygallagher.com, assimilates years of accumulated knowledge from the athletic elite and makes them accessible to the common person. The "Purposeful Primitive" way has been proven effective time after time after time for weight loss, increasing muscle tone, and complete physical transformation.
Related News
Exercise, calcium can keep osteoporosis at bay - Palladium-Item
Exercise, calcium can keep osteoporosis at bayPalladium-Item, IN -14 hours agoExercise is important is maintaining good bone health, as well. Weight-bearing exercise such as walking, running, aerobics, and weight lifting stimulates ... |
Air Force exercise thunders over Townsville skies - ABC Online
Special session could be exercise in futility - Chicago Daily Herald
Special session could be exercise in futilityChicago Daily Herald, IL -19 hours agoBy John Patterson and Nick Shields | Daily Herald Staff SPRINGFIELD - Next week's special session on the state budget is shaping up to be a 48-hour funeral ... |
Post-Exercise Caffeine Helps Muscles Refuel - WebWire (press release)
Post-Exercise Caffeine Helps Muscles RefuelWebWire (press release), GA -5 hours agoBETHESDA, Md. (July 2008) — Recipe to recover more quickly from exercise: Finish workout, eat pasta, and wash down with five or six cups of strong coffee. ... |
Workouts to become compulsory for tots - NEWS.com.au
Missile-defense exercise held in Middle East - NavyTimes.com
Exercise your blessings, America - Salisbury Post
Exercise your blessings, AmericaSalisbury Post, NC -18 hours agoWhat if we lived in a country where we weren't allowed to go to church or read our Bible? What if we weren't allowed to go to church or attend school? ... |
When running with dogs, exercise with care - Houston Chronicle
Smaller gyms help exercise social skills - Los Angeles Times
Smaller gyms help exercise social skillsLos Angeles Times, CA -6 hours agoAs exercise-averse as I am, I'm always there three mornings a week, and it's at least partly to swap tidings and bon mots with the likes of: Jay, ... |
Outdoor buffs must exercise caution on smoggy days - Los Angeles Times
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
People Walking: How Some People Enjoy Their Exercise Walking
People walking regularly for exercise often walk for more than just that. They are those who have found their sweet spot in walking.
The Importance Of An Active Lifestyle
Over the past 15 years or so, we have been told that a healthy lifestyle is important. Scientists recommend we should be accumulating on average 60 minutes of exercises a day in order to maintain healthy levels. What exactly does that number mean? Over the course of a regular day, we should be doing some sort of physical activity that adds up to approximately 60 minutes. Whether it is in the gym on the treadmill or just in the garden for the afternoon, adding physical activity is vital.
Forget Exercise - Go Play
Can't seem to get the energy or motivation to exercise? Forget exercise - go play. For most of us exercise is a chore. So many people hate to exercise, or just can't get motivated to start an exercise program. If you are one of those, forget about exercise, go play.
Interval Training
Are you in an exercise rut? Do you want to kick your fitness level up a notch and increase your endurance? Would you like to add more intensity to you workout? Interval training is a good way to achieve all of these goals in a safe and systematic manner.Interval training is simply a matter of alternating high intensity exercise and low intensity exercise. It allows one to get the benefits of the high intensity work while giving the body some rest time. It allows one to extend a workout time period and build endurance gradually.Running on a flat surface burns calories and gives your heart and lungs a great cardiovascular workout. Running up hill challenges your muscles, heart, and lungs, burning more calories and providing additional toning. But taking a 30 minute run up hill or on a steeply inclined treadmill would quickly exhaust most of us, or likely force us to stop early. However, running up hill then back down, or up hill then on flat ground would allow for high intensity work counter balanced by intervals of slower periods of active recovery. Interval training burns more calories and pumps more blood than continuous lower intensity exercise because it includes intervals of energy and oxygen-hungry work.Because interval training burns a lot of calories and provides good muscle work, it may help you save time. A pound of feathers weighs the same as a pound of bricks. Likewise, running one mile burns the same number of calories as walking one mile. But walking one mile takes a lot more time. If your goal is calorie burning and toning, and you are short on time, then interval training does more, faster. Just remember that improving cardiovascular health requires aerobic exercise of 30 ? 60 minutes, so don't make all of your workouts quickies, save those for when you're in a rush. Interval training can also be helpful if your goal is to move yourself up to the next level of endurance and fitness. Maybe you have been trying to start a running program, but can't seem to maintain such a demanding exercise. Interval training is, in fact, one of the most effective ways to train the body. Marathoners commonly use this method to train for an up-coming race. A good program is to run for 4 minutes then walk at a good clip for 1 minute, or do a 3/2 interval. Your body will work hard then rest (while remaining active), work hard then rest. Your heart, lungs and muscles will make the transition to running, running farther, or running faster in a safe and productive manner. There are a lot of ways to add intervals to your workout. If you are already a runner add hills or speed segments. If aerobics classes are your genre, add explosive moves like jumps or sprints. Include segments of speed walking in your normal walking routine or take the incline of your treadmill up a little higher at timed intervals.Interval training is productive and can add excitement to your ho-hum exercise routine. Doing interval work in place of your normal routine, once a month, once a week, or once a day, is a good and effective plan. E-mail me if you need suggestions on how to intensify, endure and enjoy. You'll be glad you did.
Weight Loss and Exercise in Tough Environmental Conditions
Working out is working out, right?
Get Fit From Home-Part 2
---------------------
Using The Stairs
---------------------
Struggling To Keep Your Workout Schedule? So am I!
Sometimes following a fitness program or workout schedule is not quite as do-able as the folks writing the advice make it sound. I suppose the idea is to tell you what you should be doing to achieve your fitness or weight-loss targets, but you know sometimes life gets a bit in the way of all these plans, and there is just no way you can follow your intended program.
Exercise Motivation: 7 Sure-fire Tips
So you've begun an exercise program to get in shape and loose weight. Congratulations! You've taken a big step towards making big improvements in your life. However, you may be faced with the challenge of waning enthusiasm for your exercise program after the initial thrill of starting something new wears off. Don't despair! Here are 7 sure-fire tips to keep your exercise flame alive!
Tone Up While at Work
I know better than anybody that sitting at a desk all day can take a toll on your body. You don't get much movement and you can get what I like to call "spread butt"
How to Keep Your Body Fit
Fitness is just as imperative as health. As a matter of fact, fitness is linked directly with your health. If you are not taking care of your body, you will get sick. Here are some great suggestions that will help you to keep your body fit:
5 Ways to Fit Fitness In
Five points to consider when you want to fit fitness into a hectic life
Current Recommendations are 30-60 Minutes of Exercise, Everyday?
This is the latest advice to the public and many are surprised at the sheer quantity and confused as to what constitutes exercise.
When to Exercise
Do you hit the gym in the morning, before your crazy working day, or you check it out late at night. It is hard to figure out what is best for you and what best fit in your busy life style, but with few tips you can make your lifting life much easier.
7 Ways To Guarantee You Stick To Your Workout Program
1. Begin Looking at Exercise Differently. Think of exercise as a way of life. Do not look as exercise as a chore or task that hurts you. Exercise is probably the most inexpensive and fun thing you can do for your life. Find something in exercise that you enjoy doing such as meeting new people, getting out of work, or your means of stress relief. It will be like brushing your teeth or eating breakfast. The sooner you view exercise as a activity of health and way of life, the sooner your results will show up.
Will Your Personal Trainer Help You Achieve Your Goals?
Hiring a personal trainer can be a significant investment ? even with hourly rates differing vastly across regions and countries ? you are still paying a fair amount of money for the expert knowledge that will help you achieve your health and fitness goals and look after one of, if not, THE most important assets you have ? your body.
Arthritis Exercise for All Levels
Exercise can be very beneficial for arthritis sufferers, often relieving stiffness in joints, strengthening muscles thereby reducing stress on joints, keeping bone and cartilage tissue strong and healthy, and increasing flexibility. A recommended 30-minute minimum of daily activity is the norm. Before starting any exercise program, it is vital that one speak to their doctor to ensure there are no unseen risks, however you will find that most doctors recommend exercise for their arthritis patients either on their own initiative or when asked.
10 Best Workout Tips
Top Trainers share their secrets to getting slim, toned and strong in record time. It guarantees that you will see results in no time.
Lower Back Extension Exercise
This is an excellent exercise for the lower back that is very simple to perform. This exercise requires no equipment and it can be performed almost anywhere, even at your office. Many people neglect to do exercises that focus on your lower back. Your lower back, Erector Spinae, supports your upper body and affects almost every sport and every day activity that you do. It is important that you exercise this part of the body. The lower back extension is probably the best exercise for strengthening your lower back as well as eliminating or preventing lower back pain.
The Degradation of Fitness Science
The world and our selves evolve and exist in a cyclic
fashion; good times and bad? ups and downs? we
experience changes that seem to repeat, including everyday
cycles of sleep-wake and cell regeneration. History is a
broad example of cycles, whereby we enter the "dark ages"
followed by an "age of enlightenment." We now are in an
irrational dark age of fitness. Irrational is an ideal term to
describe a method of exercise considered dangerous,
impractical, unproved (yet implemented when other proven
methods exist) and irrelevant (i.e., claiming to do something
that cannot be achieved). Below is such an example.
A Great Way To Spice Up Your Workouts -- Interval Training
There's been a lot of buzz recently about Interval Training. So, you may be wondering what it really is and, more importantly, why you should incorporate it in your fitness workouts. Well, if you want a workout that can help propel you to the next fitness level, burn more calories, increase your speed, improve your power and more, then it's time to learn more about this effective technique.
|
