Fitness Advice

There are many tips and lots of advice out there on how to best get fit and how to achieve best results.   In this article you will find great information I have collated over the years to make your fitness journey enjoyable and productive.  The fitness tips that will help gain strength include: 

• Make sure you do include some strength training in your weekly exercise program no matter what your fitness levels and goals.  It has been scientifically proven that resistance training does provide many health benefits.
• Don't be afraid of strength training, even if you are a woman.  Your muscles will not grow huge (unless you are really trying to).  Resistance training is easy to start and with the correct guidance and direction, you can quickly learn how to train best.
• Some strength training is better than no strength training.  It is better include some strength training in your weekly exercise program than none at all.  So, even if you can only squeeze in just one strength training routine a week, you will still benefit from it.
• Focus on the correct form.  If you are unable to do the exercise using the correct form, then you are probably are using weights that are too heavy.  Choose weights that allow you to train with correct form.  If you are using too many weights, you are in effect cheating and may not gain as much from the exercises.
• Make sure you concentrate on the muscle group you are training during a specific exercise and do not allow other muscle groups to assist with the exercise.
• Make sure you are training with the correct resistance.  You should choose weights or resistance that fatigues you after 8-12 repetitions.
• The frequency of your strength training depends on whether your goals are to get leaner and more defined muscles (requiring training more often) versus get bigger and stronger muscles (requiring training less often).
• Selecting the correct amount of rest time between sets is very important.  For greater muscle endurance and leaner muscles, the rest time between sets should be shorter.  For building bigger muscles and in order to get bulkier, the rest time between sets should be longer.
• Try starting your exercises with lighter weights and add more weights after each set till you can only perform 8 repetitions.
• Track your workouts. Keep a daily or weekly log to track all of your workouts so that you can ensure that you are progressing in the right direction and keeping your body challenged. Track such things as frequency, duration, intensity, weight sizes, sets, reps and how you felt during and after your workouts.
• Have back up plans for all of your workouts. For example, you may plan to workout for an hour after work by doing both cardio and strength training. Then your boss asks you to say late. Your workout time is now limited to 30 minutes. Know ahead of time exactly what workout you'll do in that shortened time period so that you don't waste precious workout time or worse decide to forego it all together.
• Avoid highly processed foods whenever possible. Stick to whole foods. Complex carbohydrates are fine, just avoid the over-processed, simply carbs.