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Most women tend to rely mostly upon cardio for fitness, but the ones who include weight lifting in their exercise regimens can expect far superior results.
Muscle Burns FAT! |
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Greetings! 
Exercise motivation is probably the single-most common reason we don't achieve our goals. Whether it be recovering from injury, losing weight or simply toning up a little... that "I did it!" moment seems unreachable. Well the truth is, it may well be unreachable without good exercise motivation. We've all heard (and used!) the age-old excuses. "I don't have time!!!" You can always find a way to make time. "Exercise is boring." Find an activity you enjoy doing, mix it up. Each of those excuses is actually saying "I have no motivation to exercise".
So... how do we get that exercise motivation?! I'm not the first (or last) to say it's not easy. If it was easy, we wouldn't be making excuses! But here's the crucial bit, all of us can do it. Believing that you can do it is the first, massive step towards actually doing it. That's true in any walk of life, not just exercise. Close your eyes and visualize an image of yourself after achieving your goal, sense the feeling and emotion of how you'll look and feel. Tell yourself that you will become that person. Whenever you stumble (there will be hurdles you don't clear the very first attempt), remember that feeling of the "new you", and keep going. |
| Why Women Should Lift Weights |
 While weight training has traditionally been a male activity, over the last twenty years women have taken to the weight rooms of gyms and health clubs, and to their own spare rooms at home, with increasing enthusiasm. The benefits of strength training for women should not be underestimated. Although large muscles tend not to be one of the acquisitions women get from weight training, increased strength, balance and bone density are. |
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| 10 Fitness Do's & Don'ts |
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Hot Habits: Incorporate these into your workout to boost safety and fitness:
- Warm Up. Try gentle movements, like walking, to prepare your muscles before leaping into a more rigorous workout.
- Stretch More. Stretching can improve range of motion and flexibility, and reduce the risk of muscle tightness and strain.
- Bring a Bottle. Always bring a bottle of water with you to the gym and drink from it regularly-before you feel thirsty.
- Find "Just Right." Ask your gym's fitness advisor to help determine workout goals that are right for you based on your age and fitness level.
Risky Routines: Avoid doing these and improve your workout IQ.
- Lifting Too Much. Talk to your fitness advisor to ensure you're lifting weights that are appropriate for you-otherwise you could injure your muscles.
- The Machine Lean. Stair-climbers, elliptical machines, cross trainers, and treadmills may seem like equipment made to lean on, but this may put undue stress on the wrists and back. Monitor your posture during exercise for the most effective results.
- Jerking Weights. Find a weight you can control with a smooth lift. This goes for weights on machines as well.
- Going Nuts With Food and Drink. Aways check nutritional labels to make the best selections for your overall health.
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| A Little Excercise Goes A Long Way |
 For Older Adults, A Little Exercise Goes A Long Way
Just one workout a week is all it takes for older adults to maintain their strength and, possibly, their independence, according to a new study from researchers at the Human Performance Laboratory at Ball State University, Muncie, Ind.
Ten sedentary 70-year-old men were recruited to take part in a 12-week strength-training program. After training three times per week, the men had increased their muscle size and strength by 50 percent. At the end of the program, half the men went back to their sedentary ways, while the other half did the same routine, but only once per week. After six months, the sedentary men had lost much of their muscle size and strength, but the once-a-week exercisers were still going strong. Sarcopenia, or loss of muscle size and strength, is a major cause of the falls and injuries among older adults that result in a loss of independent living. ''One day per week seems to be effective,'' writes Scott Trappe, Ph.D., in the April issue of the Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences.
''Older adults could engage in a low-volume, high-intensity resistance-training program and still maintain independence and reduce their chances for falls and injuries.'' | |
Think of what you would have in your ideal life (health & fitness), and where you'd like to be in two, five, or even ten years, and see if your goals bring you closer to that picture. If so, they're good goals to stick with. If you can keep in your mind the image of where you would ultimately like your goals to take you, it's easier to stick with them.
Let us help you reach your Goals!
Phil & The Fitness Factory Staff |
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