STAYING HYDRATED FOR YOUR WORKOUT

Staying hydrated during your workout is extremely important. Dehydration adversely affects your performance, energy level, and even your coordination. Severe dehydration can even cause muscle cramps, headaches, and dizziness during your workout.

Hydrated During Your Workout

The more intense your workout, the more fluids your body loses. But that doesn’t mean that a light workout doesn’t require proper hydration. As your body loses fluid, your blood volume drops, making it more difficult for your body to get the oxygen it needs from your blood and to remove toxins from your cells.

Tips for Staying Hydrated All Day Long

Proper hydration begins long before you ever hit the gym. Drink plenty of water all day long. If you have trouble getting enough, consider adding flavor with a dash of fruit juice. Eating lots of fruit can also help you maintain hydration during the day.

Avoid caffeinated or sugary beverages, which don’t hydrate your body as effectively as water. And remember that it takes your body at least twenty minutes to absorb any fluid you take in, so simply drinking during your workout isn’t enough.

Hydration during Your Workout

During your workout, you lose fluid through sweating. To ensure that you stay hydrated, drink a ½ cup to a full cup of water every fifteen minutes or so. Most of the time, water is the best choice for re-hydrating. But if your workout is particularly long or intense, you’ll want to supplement water with a sports drink; these beverages contain electrolytes, which your body also loses as you sweat. Meanwhile, embrace that sweat! It’s part of your body’s way of cooling itself. When you finish your workout, drink plenty of water again, and pick up your daily hydration routine right where you left off. By staying hydrated, you’ll notice that your body feels better and your performance stays stronger.

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3 SUPER FOODS THAT BOOST YOUR ENERGY

The old saying your parents told you when you were a child, “You are what you eat” is still true today. If you are feeling tired, worn down and fatigued then you should be changing your diet. By replacing empty calorie, high fat foods with super foods, you with is a drastic improvement in your energy and overall mood. Super foods are foods that are richer in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, nutrients, electrolytes, and phyto-nutrients. These foods also contain fewer calories than other foods, while deeply nourishing your body. Below you will find 3 super foods that will boost your energy.

Organic Cacao

Yes, we did say that chocolate is a super food! Unfortunately this does not refer to the chocolate bars in the checkout lane at the grocery store. Organic Cacao is chocolate in its raw, organic form. You can use cacao beans if you wish, however they are quite bitter. The organic cacao powder, that can be found is most health food stores, is incredible for making desserts.

Cacao is rich in antioxidants, magnesium, iron, chromium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin C, phosphorous, copper, tryptophan, and more. All of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants packed in cacao makes it great for weight loss and boosting energy.

Goji Berries

Goji berries are a fruit that can be found in Asia and the Americas. It is one of the most nutritious fruits on the planet, containing protein, amino acids, and vitamins: B1, B2, B6, E, and C. The antioxidants that can be found in Goji berries help protect your body from free radicals and the aging process. While the B-vitamins found in the berries are a tremendous source of energy.

Try using the Goji berries to make a breakfast smoothie. It is a great tasting, refreshing, energizing way to start your day.

Kale

Kale is basically the top dog of the greens category of super foods. One cup of Kale is packed with more iron than a steak, more than 1000 percent of your daily recommended vitamin K allowance, plus antioxidants that promote bone and regulate blood clotting. Plus it is also an excellent source of dietary fiber and vitamin B6.

Kale is a versatile green that is enjoyed greatly worldwide. One of the greatest things about this super food is when prepared by steaming, microwaving, or stir-frying, very little nutritional value is lost. Making it possible for salads, stir-fries, soups, sausages and more to be enriched with this energy boosting food.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF STRENGTH TRAINING YOUR WHOLE BODY

Without adequate strength training, even the simplest daily activities can seem more difficult. Did your back hurt or twinge a little bit the last time you carried groceries in from the car, or had to carry your son around in the store? Were you sore after moving furniture or lifting bags of fertilizer while doing yard work? Even these simple activities require strength and endurance!

Inactivity Can Cause Muscle Loss

Many people lose muscle and strength with age. However, most of this loss is due to inactivity. When inactive people grow older several things happen. Their tolerance for exercise and physical activity declines, their body fat increases, their muscles decrease in size and become weaker, and their bone thickness decreases. These changes make simple tasks hard and increase the risk of injury. Inactive people also have an increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, thinning of the bones, and other diseases.

Overload Your Muscles!

Strength training can prevent and even reverse these changes. Overloading the muscle develops strength. Proper strength training makes muscles stronger by asking them to do more than usual. This is called overload and means lifting more weight than one usually lifts. The body responds to this challenge by becoming stronger. Strength training must be done slowly and carefully.

Types of Strength Training

There are several different methods you can use for strength training. One example is weight lifting with barbells. Barbells are one of the easiest methods to build strength. Start light, focus on technique, and add weight systematically. The more weight you have on the bar, the stronger you get. Body weight exercises are another method. These exercises force you to use your own body weight as resistance. Another method is to use machines that balance the weight for you. Be sure that you know what you’re doing when using the machines, because positioning yourself incorrectly or using too much weight can lead to injury. If you need some assistance learning about strength training, Columbus has services that can help!

Start Slowly & Work Hard

It takes hard work to develop strength and muscle potential. A simple beginner program is a full body routine performed 3 times per week. Perform 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions per muscle group. Begin with a light exercise program. Exercise slowly with good posture, full range of motion, and regular breathing. Performed properly, strength training should maintain or even increase a joint’s range of movement. It strengthens bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and improves fitness and health. It can also help prevent accidents and injuries and speed recovery when injuries do occur. It improves one’s ability to do everyday chores and activities. Strength training can and should be done for a lifetime. Medical studies show benefits of strength training for people well into their 80’s and 90’s, so it’s never too late to get started!

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TOP TIPS FOR BREAKING YOUR UNHEALTHILY EATING HABITS

You’re getting on track – you exercise several times a week and the pounds are beginning to fall off. But exercise is only half the battle against the bulge! The other half: your diet! Eating right is the key to consistent and healthy weight loss. We all know this, so why is it still so tough to make great choices about what we eat?

Most of us let our lifestyles, emotions, and all kinds of thing get in the way of eating right. And in the meantime, as we put off making those decisions, we form unhealthy patterns that become deep-seated habits. Those habits become comfortable, familiar, easy—making them even more difficult to overcome.

Tips To Break Unhealthy Eating Habits

Take an honest look at your diet Sometimes we don’t even realize what we eat each day, or when. It’s often helpful to keep a food journal for a few weeks, so that you can identify your dietary patterns. You may realize that you go days on end without vegetables—or that the base of your food pyramid is made up of ice cream (not the strongest foundation)! After you’ve tracked the trends in your diet, identify the most important habits to change.

Eating Habits

Figure out why you eat what you eat Many of us make poor dietary choices because we’re pressed for time, we’re eating to deal with stress, or we have emotional relationships with our food. Identifying these underlying issues is the most important step if we’re going to change them long term. This awareness will give you new control over our everyday decisions because you’ll pay more attention to the foods you choose to eat.

Make changes that are reasonable and realistic for you and your lifestyle Just as you must be honest with yourself about your current eating habits, you also must be honest with yourself as you decide which habits to break—and how to break them. If you’re eating too much red meat, aim to switch to fish on Fridays, or go meatless on Mondays. Smaller changes will be easier to stick with over time, and you won’t feel deprived or resentful about the changes you make.

The benefits of changing your eating habits stretch beyond weight loss. Eating right will give you more energy, improve your overall health, and even make your skin glow. Talk to one of our personal trainers about tweaking your diet to support your weight loss and fitness goals. To stay up to date and to get daily motivation, please like us on Facebook!

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BENEFITS OF INTERVAL TRAINING

What is interval training?

Individuals who are looking to increase the strength of their heart, lungs, and specific muscles of the body will appreciate the benefits of interval training because of how it can help tone the body without straining muscles. Interval training is simply a specific workout technique where an individual alternates between high and low intensity workouts to achieve their desired result.

Interval Training

In general, this workout technique enhances the strength and vitality of all cells in the body because of the amount of oxygen it circulates throughout the body. With this being said, professional athletes, nutritionists, and those who are experienced in cardiovascular exercise actually recommend the use of interval training because of how it influences the cardiovascular system. The more oxygen your cells and tissues receive while using this workout technique, the more effective your workout routine will be.

Interval Training Techniques

If you think that an interval training routine is right for you there are many exercises that you can incorporate into your daily routine. High intensity workouts may consist of running, sprinting, or going up hills or long distances. The general idea behind fast-paced workout routines is to increase the amount of muscles used to reach desired fitness goals, which relies on anaerobic cellular breathing.

Those interval training techniques that are slower in nature may consist of walking or running, which allow you to reach your resting heart rate in a healthy manner. It is important to alternate between high and low intensity workouts to allow muscles to rest while absorbing larger amounts of oxygen so that you do not become fatigued or cause damage to your body.

Interval training techniques can improve the amount of blood that is pumped out of your heart, therefore creating many positive health benefits. Optimal circulation reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and high cholesterol that lead to the overall degeneration of the body. However, interval training can boost your metabolism so that you can sculpt your body from the inside out. Additionally, interval training can increase muscle enzyme levels so that muscles can be toned and rejuvenated with each move made. All in all, the more oxygen your body receives the better off your health will be due to consistent workouts using these techniques.

Healthy Reasons to Stick to Your Routine

There are many benefits associated with the use of interval training techniques that can increase the longevity of your cells. If you are interested in ways of maximizing your daily workout routine if you live in Columbus, fitness center professionals are available to meet your needs. No matter what health condition you are in, the right workout routine that focuses on specific parts of your body can benefit you.

Professionals recommend the use of this training routine for those who are serious about getting in shape while minimizing risks of damaging muscles of the body. If you are someone who loves the thrill of new exercises to increase cellular strength and durability, interval training is for you. Contact us today if you want help learning how to interval train.

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5 WAYS YOU’LL GET RESULTS FROM SMALL GROUP FITNESS

There are a wide variety of ways to encourage you to maintain your training regimen, but small group fitness is one of the best. It’s not only a great starting point to working out, but it allows you to see how you’re suppose to lift and you get to make friends while you’re in there. Let’s look at some reasons why small group fitness training is good for you!

Small Group Fitness

Benefits Of Small Group Fitness Training

Support System

Having people there alongside you to share in your experience and encourage you along the way is often the difference between a successful exercise plan and one that tends to fizzle out over time. Share your challenges and your successes with your fellow group members and be supportive of their efforts, as well. You get built in support when you’re part of a small group fitness program!

Lack of Intimidation

In a small group fitness class, the intimidation factor is gone and the personal attention from an instructor ensures that exercises are being performed correctly. In addition, the instructor can provide modified movements to cater to a healing extremity, sore spot, or sensitive area. And the enthusiasm and energy that generates from the group environment is still there!

Cost Benefit

If personal training packages are just a little much for your budget right now, small group fitness training provides an attractive alternative. Small group fitness training classes are a little expensive than one on one personal training classes and you get the benefit of close training too. If you’re looking for small group fitness, our fitness center offer classes just for you!

Small Group Fitness is Fun!

Most anyone will agree that exercising alone can become boring and tedious. When that happens, you’re that much more likely to give it up before you have had the chance to reap the full benefit of the training program. Having other people to talk to and share experiences with while you work out can help you keep going and to have a good time while you exercise.

Accountability and Adherence

Just like with personal training you have the added benefit of accountability with small group fitness. It’s easy to make excuses to yourself and not stay consistent with an exercise program on your own. One of the benefits of small group fitness training is that you have accountability to others in your group.

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ARE YOU TOO OLD TO START WORKING OUT?

Maybe you spent your 20’s playing video games and your 30’s watching reality television. Now your doctor is reminding you about blood pressure, diabetes, and other health issues. But is it too late to get fit? Many of our clients assumed they were beyond help. The reality is, it’s never too late to start! Regardless of your age, your body will almost always benefit if you increase physical activity—especially if you’ve had a sedentary lifestyle.

Tips To Working Out More

Talk to your doctor first, especially if you have medical issues. Before starting any workout routine, make sure you’re healthy enough for the exercises you want to try. If you have specific medical concerns, your doctor can also suggest exercise that will be safe and effective for you.

Find a personal trainer. If you’ve never worked out before, getting started can be intimidating. A personal trainer can help you get in to a new working out routine, provide motivation, and show you how to workout properly to maximize results and avoid injuries.

Choose activities that appeal to you. If the thought of huffing and puffing on the treadmill makes you cringe, opt for group fitness classes or swimming laps instead. If you participate in activities you like, you’re more likely to stick with your fitness plan over the long term.

Be patient with yourself. You’re not going to be a marathon runner overnight! Work with your personal trainer to set realistic goals—and not only for weight loss. Give yourself benchmarks for physical performance, such as adding more weight to your strength training routine or reaching a certain distance on your daily run.

OUR FITNESS TRAINER COLUMBUS KNOW WHAT YOU NEED!

No exceptions. You are unique. From your personality, to your appearance, and on into your specific needs, you stand apart from the rest. You want a fitness trainer who hears, recognizes, and teaches you how to utilize your individuality to your advantage. Your search for a Columbus fitness trainer can lead you to the personal trainer equip with the knowledge necessary to design a specific routine built around your needs.

Fitness Trainers Columbus

There are many reasons folks pursue the assistance of a personal trainer. While some seek advice on intensity moderation, others may be looking for ways to begin—so that they may get to the point of upping the intensity of a work out in order to achieve more, or something different. There are a wide and diverse amount of physical fitness training needs to be met out there. Some individuals’ needs are as specific as lowering cholesterol levels, improving muscle endurance, and some look to personal trainers to help them with mood regulation and self-esteem issues.

If you’ve heard the saying, “no pain no gain!” you should know that physical activities do not require the need for dread. Not only will an educated fitness trainer know how to listen for and identify your specific fitness desires, but he or she will also show you how to make your workout routine anything but tedious. Racket ball and cycling are not the only alternatives to the typical gym experience. Individuals are adding rock climbing, hiking with varying levels of difficulty, kayaking, kickboxing, yoga, and many other activities as a means of spicing up or supplementing a routine. Your personal trainer should know you and your needs so well you’ll be craving your next workout adventure once you get a sense of the program which has been designed for you.

Knowledge and empowerment is going to mean either the success of, or your disappointment in, your experience with a Columbus personal fitness trainer. You’ll want to learn about topics such as calorie management, muscle mass, body fat, bone mineral density, core stabilization, good balance and coordination, how to obtain more energy to keep you going throughout your day, injury prevention, how to decrease your risk of heart disease and improve heart health, and simple exercises you can implement into your regular routine to push you out and ahead of your goals. Make sure you research and find the experienced trainer dedicated to your success.

Is it important to you to lose weight? If it is, then chances are, it is also important to you to be healthy as in your choices as you attain your desired weight. You are probably aware that health and aging go hand in hand—the healthier you are, the more likely you will be to have an easier time with the aging process. While you realize the value of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and implementing an effective workout routine, you will—with the support of an experienced fitness trainer—come to know the role these life changes will play in all facets of daily life. It’s time to learn how to optimize these applications and get the most from your efforts.

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FITNESS TIPS FROM A PERSONAL TRAINER

You can fast-track your fitness regimen by working with a personal trainer, but before you start your one-on-one regimen, keep these tips in mind!

Personal Trainer

Select your personal trainer with care!

Not everyone you meet will be a good friend, and not every personal trainer will be right for you. Check credentials, talk to clients, watch the personal trainer interact with others, and listen to how the personal trainer talks to you. If you don’t enjoy working with your personal trainer, you’re going to be reluctant to work out. You should look forward to each training session!

Set realistic goals … then push past them

The key to success in any fitness program is to set goals that are attainable. Why bother, if you know from the get-go that you can’t succeed? But when working with a personal trainer Columbus fitness buffs should remember that a little extra effort—five more reps, five more minutes, five more pounds on the free weights—can pay off big time. Each time you train, try to add a little extra effort.

Take time to stretch

A few minutes of stretching before your workout will help loosen your muscles, improve your flexibility, and avoid injury. And remember: a massage is a great way to pamper yourself after a workout, and it helps stretch those deeper muscles, too.

Mix it up

Your personal trainer can recommend exercises that will keep your fitness routine from feeling like the same old same old. This gives you two benefits: it keeps you from getting bored, and it makes sure you exercise different sets of muscles for a better overall workout.

Keep your eyes on the prize

Whether your main goal is to lose excess weight with targeted fat loss techniques to tone your body, or to increase your strength, stamina, and muscle mass, it will help to set milestones that will highlight the progress you’re making toward your fitness goals. Your personal trainer can help you set those milestones, and celebrate your successes.

With help from a personal trainer Columbus residents will see steady improvements in their athletic performance, with increased speed, strength, agility, and flexibility.

Your personal trainer is knowledgeable about nutrition

Listen to your personal trainer’s advice about which foods will support your fitness goals, and which will work against you. With exercise and nutrition, balance is important. Your personal trainer will help you strike that balance.

Buddy up

Working with a personal trainer doesn’t mean you have to give up the encouragement and support of an exercise partner. Talk to your personal trainer about working out with a friend on days when you’re not focused on your one- on-one training. Having someone to share your fitness goals and help chart your progress can keep you motivated on those days when you might otherwise skip a workout and sacrifice your momentum.

Great expectations

By working with a personal trainer Columbus exercise enthusiasts will find they enjoy more than a better body: your regular exercise routines will improve your joint function, improve mind/body coordination, and elevate your spirits!

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CREATING ROUTINES WITH WEIGHT LOSS COLUMBUS

Most of us approach weight loss pretty ambitiously. We decide to clean out the pantry and resolve to hit the gym six days a week. Or maybe we resolved that a few months ago and our weight loss efforts have petered out. Sometimes, starting out slowly is really the way to success, and that’s certainly true when it comes to losing weight and establishing a healthy routine.

Our Bodies Love Routine – Use It To Increase Weight Loss Columbus

As humans, we develop habits because they make life easier. When you have a habit, you don’t have to think about that component of your life anymore—you just do your usual routine. For example, if you always go home, feed the cat, and turn on the television, you no longer have to think about what to do when you get home from work. But what happens when you change that routine? First, your body and mind may feel confused, and it’s easy to drift back into your regular routine. Change too many things at once, and your body can go into a total tailspin!

weight loss Columbus

Introduce Change Gradually

Rather than completely upending all your routines, opt to change one element at a time. This strategy will allow you to focus wholly on each change and really make it a part of your lifestyle.

Commit to two days a week at the gym. Two days a week is a reasonable place to start, and it’s enough activity to jump-start your weight loss Columbus.

Once that’s done, start making dietary changes. Again, introduce one change at a time to avoid shocking your system and undermining your own success.

As you get more comfortable with a healthy routine, up your days at the gym over time until you reach the desired number of workouts per week.

Eventually you’ll also get comfortable even with your fitness routine itself. When this happens, you’ll want to shake up your routine with new activities or a different approach to fitness.

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