Body Fitness Today
With basic physical fitness and a balanced diet, you can 'get fit for life'!
Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities.
Adults who sit less and do any amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity gain health benefits. Only a few lifestyle choices have as large an impact on your health as physical activity.
Health benefits of physical activity are universal – age, abilities, ethnicity, shape, or size does not matter.
Benefits and Effectiveness of Bodyweight Training
Bodyweight training (using your body weight for resistance) is very effective, regardless of your fitness level. While many people, from beginners to advanced lifters, may skip bodyweight exercises in favor of using weights, bands, or machines, several bodyweight movements help you target muscles and use your body in ways that can be superior.
Learn more about bodyweight training and its benefits and tips on incorporating it into your workouts for the best results, no matter your fitness level.
Weight Training: How to Get Started
5 Reasons Resistance Training Belongs
in Your Workout Routine
Although you might prefer cardiovascular exercise like walking, running, swimming or cycling, you might want to consider resistance training as an addition to your fitness routine.
Resistance training—which is sometimes called strength training or weight training— involves using resistance to build the strength, anaerobic endurance, and muscle. Any well-rounded fitness program includes strength training because it improves joint function, builds bone density, and helps build muscle.
How to Prevent Home Workout Injuries
Working out at home has multiple advantages, it’s convenient, cost-efficient, you have access to the equipment you need all the time. However, workout injuries can happen anytime, even at home, especially when you’re lifting weights or doing a high-intensity routine with improper posture and form. Some people also tend to workout excessively at home which may tear muscles and/or aggravate existing injuries or conditions such as joint or knee pain.
6 Ways to prevent experiencing common home workout injuries.
1. Warm up and cool down.
Stretching, brisk walking and/or jogging in place before working out can help prepare your muscles and your heart rate for your routine, prevent strain and avoid breathing problems. Doing these after workout can also help cool your body down and slowly help your heart rate get back to normal.
2. Practice proper form and posture.
Maintaining good form and posture can help you effectively exercise the right muscles as well as prevent joint, shoulder and back pain.
3. Wear a good pair of shoes with arch support.
Long workouts and multiple repetitions can put stress on your joints and feet, so be sure to wear a good pair of shoes to avoid any chance of inflammation or injury. If you prefer doing high-impact exercises, it would be best to invest in a pair of running shoes with good cushioning.
4. Use mats to prevent joint pain and slipping accidents.
It’s not advisable to work out on a carpet, hardwood, cement or even rugs and towels as they can lead to slipping accidents. The best choice is a thick exercise or yoga mat, especially when your workout incudes jump's, planks and other exercises that require you to lay down.
5. Don’t push yourself too hard.
Listening to your body is key. If you feel like you can’t take one more set, then stop and start cooling down after a few minutes. Don’t push yourself beyond your limit to avoid tendon inflammation, muscle tears, sprains and joint pain.
6. Let your body recover.
Your muscles require time to recover. Remember to get enough sleep, eat enough protein and schedule your workouts in a way that you can still rest, especially if you came from a sedentary lifestyle and started working out just recently.
* If you experience any of these home workout injuries, please consult a doctor as soon as possible to prevent greater health risks in the future.
Renew your body, mind, and spirit.
Reach your fitness goals
in 6 easy steps.
1.) KNOW YOUR LONG-TERM GOALS
What do you want to accomplish? Do you want to lose 40 pounds over the next 12 months? Writing it down helps hold you responsible and accountable for reaching that goal. Putting it down on paper is like creating a covenant you have to stick to. Put that paper on a refrigerator or mirror—anywhere you look on a daily basis as a constant reminder of the pact you made with yourself to reach your goal.
2.) SET YOUR SHORT-TERM GOALS
Writing long-term goals is a great start but achieving them requires detailing a number of steps to help get you there. After all, losing 40 pounds doesn't just happen because you write it down. Create monthly or weekly goals. For instance, you can reasonably lose 1-2 pounds per week in a healthy way. (Yes, you can lose weight faster, but 1-2 pounds per week is considered healthy for most people.) You can then create a monthly or weekly weight-loss goal of possibly 6-8 pounds.
3.) MAKE YOUR GOALS MEASURABLE
Measuring the results? This is crucial to ensure you're on the right path. It's easy with weight because you can simply jump on the scale, your goals must be measurable. Whether it’s losing weight or building muscle. Doing weekly or monthly comparisons ensures you stay on track with your short-term and ultimately your long-term goals. Something as simple as taking a look at your diet and making some minor changes or maybe adding a little bit more cardio or adding more weights to your exercise regimen may be the answer to staying on track.
4.) MAKE YOUR GOALS ATTAINABLE
Unrealistic goals set the stage for failure. You'll quickly get frustrated, and you may ultimately abandon your long-term goal. Setting an aggressive long-term goal can be counterproductive; you'll have a better chance of success of actually reaching your ultimate goal if you give yourself the time you need. Don’t sabotage yourself trying to get there overnight, no matter how badly you want it to happen. It takes patience and persistence, and that has to be your approach to reach your fitness goal.
5.) FOLLOW THROUGH WITH SPECIFIC PLANS
Next, you'll need to create an action plan for your short-term goals. Following with our example, put in place a workout and nutrition plan that allows you to lose 1-2 pounds per week. The plan should fit your schedule and allow you to work out a certain number of days a week for a given period of time.
Be specific about your training plans, detailing how many days and how many hours per day you can commit to. In terms of your nutrition, start by referencing a few nutrition plans that fit your specific dietary needs (losing weight, building muscle, etc.). Don’t forget to record calories, macros and proteins.
6.) FIND YOUR INTRINSIC MOTIVATION
A huge factor in this entire goal is called intrinsic motivation. That is, is your long-term goal something you really, truly want, or is it for someone else?
It turns out that if you're working toward a goal for any other reason than yourself, you're far less likely to succeed. It's that simple. Oftentimes you'll fall short because you don't have that fire in the belly. Don't set goals if your personal interests and heart aren't into it. If this is truly your goal, you can definitely achieve it!
It's a great idea to reward yourself for achieving goals. This can be as simple as buying a new workout shirt or a pair of shoes. Enjoying the process of reaching your goals and looking back on what you have accomplished is one of the best feelings you can ever experience.
The time and effort you put into something you personally wanted to accomplish and the feeling you get when you achieve it is something no one can ever take away from you.
Make it happen and never lose sight of your goals. This process is a journey, and may possibly be a long one, and that's okay. Celebrate each milestone reached. Find activities you enjoy, and that will help you reach your short and long-term goals.
Celebrate you, your journey and the process...everyday!
Benefits of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
If you are looking for a new workout regime, or are just looking for some new challenges, high intensity interval training (HIIT) might be for you.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is an interval style training featuring quick, intense bursts, followed by short recovery periods.
You give it your all during the short bursts, take a quick rest, and then repeat the cycle. Don't be fooled by the short nature of the intervals, if you do it right, these short bursts will give you a thorough workout. This training technique has gotten a lot of attention in the past few years, and for good reason.
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Efficiency
High Intensity Interval Training is much more efficient than a typical workout routine. This holds especially true for people who have limited time to workout.
20-30 minutes is a sufficient amount of time for a HIIT workout. Even though you may not spend as much time in the gym, the intense bursts will make up for it compared to a steady workout, such as a long run.
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Cardiovascular Fitness
Subjecting yourself to High Intensity Interval Training works wonders for your metabolism because your body burns calories during the workout and for hours afterwards. This leads to more fat loss if you are trying to lose weight or just toning up.
Additionally, high intensity interval training is great for your cardiovascular health as you are toggling between your peak heart rate and then back down to a normal heart rate. Over time, your cardio system will become much more efficient at lowering your heart rate immediately following an intense burst. You'll start to notice yourself being in better shape to handle the HIIT workouts, and your cardio will be in better shape too.
*This leads to improving your endurance as an athlete. If you are training for a marathon, mixing in HIIT workouts with your regular training will help you build your endurance faster.
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HIIT Grows With You (Fewer Plateaus)
This is often overlooked, but high intensity interval training grows with you. Most other workout regimens cause the participant to plateau once they've reached a certain level. This is seen by people who train the same way over and over again - their bodies have adapted to that level of workout, and it isn't challenging enough for them to see great improvements.
This is not the case with HIIT, as it grows with you. You're all in for the intense bursts. 100%. Maximum effort. As your endurance and athletic abilities increase, what once was 100% for you may now be only 70%.
As you improve, so does your peak. This means that you'll break through plateaus and get in better shape faster, compared to standard workouts.
HIIT offers many advantages compared with normal workout regimens. They are very time efficient, greatly improve your cardiovascular health in less time, and allow you to achieve new levels of fitness due to its inherent nature of growing with you.
*If you haven't added High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to your workout routine, you may want to give it a try!
10 Essential Nutrients Your Body Needs To Build Muscle
Exercise is great for your body, but it also puts your body under stress. While you’re working out, your body has to work harder to keep everything running smoothly. That’s why eating healthy foods with vitamins and nutrients is so important—it helps your body recover and stay strong. Exercise increases your need for certain nutrients, so proper nutrition plays a big role in how you feel and perform.
1. Water
You already know how important it is to drink enough water for replenishing fluids before, during and after a workout. But staying properly hydrated also aids digestion and nutrient absorption. Hydration is more than just quenching thirst; it means water carries nutrients to the muscles for them to do their work.
Best sources: Beside drinking a glass of water, water is derived from eating some varieties of vegetables and fruits.
2. Protein
Protein is one of the most essential macronutrients for muscle growth and repair because it’s packed with amino acids that your body does and doesn’t produce. That’s why it’s important to have protein post-workout to restore these muscle-building macronutrients. Proteins not only help rebuild and build lean body mass, but they’re also a core part of enzymes and hormones that help communicate with the body to repair itself,
Best sources: Dairy, lean meats, beans and other legumes, seafood, soy and eggs.
3. Calcium
Calcium does more than help build strong bones, the mineral is responsible for triggering muscle contraction. When muscle contraction occurs, these filaments help convert the way your body stores and uses energy. The more you exercise, the more filaments your body needs to keep your muscles moving.
Best sources: Yogurt, fortified milk and cereals, cheese, tofu and spinach.
4. Magnesium
Feeling more tired than usual? A magnesium deficiency could be to blame. As one of the best de-stressing minerals, magnesium is essential for muscle relaxation and preventing cramps, together with calcium, magnesium works to help reduce blood pressure and promote better sleep.
Best sources: Leafy greens, beans and other legumes, squash, nuts and seeds and whole grains.
5. Glutamine
You might have heard of non-essential (meaning your body can produce it) and essential (meaning your body can’t produce it) amino acids, but there are also conditionally essential amino acids. Your body needs more conditionally essential amino acids, such as glutamine, during intense workouts. Glutamine helps repair muscle tissue, including the lining of the digestive tract, especially when the body has experienced stress during high-intensity exercise, like weightlifting and HIIT. Glutamine is also important for boosting the immune system.
Best sources: Chicken, fish, beef, dairy, eggs and spinach, Brussel sprouts and fermented foods.
6. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is probably best known for ensuring strong bones, but it’s also critical for strong glutes and biceps. Vitamin D is linked to healthy hormones like testosterone, which helps with muscle maintenance and growth. A daily dose of D can also improve your mental health and help reduce anxiety. Because not that many foods are rich in vitamin D, some doctors and nutritionists recommend taking a supplement.
Best sources: Fatty fish, like salmon and sardines, fortified yogurt, milk and orange juice, mushrooms and eggs.
7. Potassium
Just like calcium and magnesium, potassium is a key electrolyte in muscle contraction. But it’s also essential for carrying other nutrients to your muscles. Potassium helps your kidneys flush out the excess sodium in your body. Studies have shown that people who don’t get enough potassium are at higher risk for hypertension and heart disease.
Best sources: Bananas, squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, chicken and salmon.
8. Carbohydrates
Carbs are one of the best building blocks of muscles. They’re the key nutrient to support muscle growth and repair. As the best source of glycogen, carbs help fuel your workouts and rebuild muscles more effectively post-workout. Runners aren’t the only ones who can benefit from carb loading. Everyone from weightlifters to HIIT enthusiasts need to restore glycogen.
Best sources: Whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans and other legumes.
9. B12
Vitamin B12 belongs to a set of eight B vitamins known as the vitamin B complex. But what sets B12 apart is it assists in creating red blood cells. Iron builds red blood cells, which carry oxygen to muscle, and helps metabolize protein and fats for use in muscle building and repair,
Best sources: Poultry, meat, fish and dairy.
10. Iron
Iron is a mineral that brings oxygen to muscle tissue. It also helps regulate metabolism and promotes a healthy immune system. Without enough iron, your red blood cells can’t carry oxygen to your muscles and the tissues that need it.
Best sources: Leafy greens, lean beef, poultry, fish, eggs and fortified whole grains.
What is a 'De-Load' in Resistance Training?
Recovery is an essential part of any resistance training routine and de-load weeks are one method you can use to prevent 'overtraining', increase results, and provide a mental and physical break from a consistent resistance training regimen.
De-loads typically last 1 week and are training periods that are performed at a more reduced volume and intensity than your usual training. This often means fewer sets and reps as well as lighter weight during an intentionally programmed week-off of heavy or high-volume lifting.
There are several ways to program a de-load week. Read on to find out why you may want to add one to your training schedule as well as how to incorporate one into your existing routine. Learn more...