Fitness 101: Your Go-To Start-Up Plan

The chaos of this year has been dramatic to say the least, with many of our personal training clients – even the most disciplined ones – experiencing some waistline woes and fitness let-downs. Not to worry, under my watch they’ll be just fine…

My focus this week is on YOU, the newbies. The ones who are tired of feeling down, low energy, or even hitting 50+ with crazy hormonal issues pulling you in all directions, and desperately need to get your fitness groove on. I’ve got you!

I’ve seen this soooooo many times; you’re completely new to having healthy goals, or you’ve tried before and failed and still don’t know where or how to start THE RIGHT WAY. Well, I see it like this: life is like a ball of fishing line – you drop the ball once and you’re left with a tangled mess to straighten out. That’s where I come in. I have the SIMPLE plan to get you on track to seeing weight loss and exercise results in no time. From a few weight loss and nutrition quick tips to some simple yet crucial goal-setting tools, plus our newest incredible Online Weight Loss Plan deal, I’m making sure you’ll have everything you need to supercharge your healthy lifestyle goals!

Mindset

A focused approach is key here, so if you’ve fallen off the fitness wagon and succumbed to creating more excuses than time for exercise, I’ll start you off with 3 basic tips to power up your routine so you can get it right this time!

1. Get visual to start shedding the winter pounds.

Use the idea that spring comes quickly as motivation: It’s been proven that what’s out of sight will be out of mind, so avoid that pitfall. Think of 5 good reasons for wanting to look and feel great, write them down and post them where you’ll have a constant reminder that won’t go away. The next key here is to take a moment and visualize what it will feel like to be at your best after having achieved your goals. Pretend you are there, looking and feeling great in the body you want, and having the perfect health you desire. The understanding here is that when you add emotion behind what you truly want, it will manifest in your reality much faster. A simple thought can fade away, but an emotionally charged image in your mind helps you feel the rewards of your hard work. Try it. I also do this. And I’ve helped many, many clients use this technique as well. It will amaze you!

2. Shake off the cobwebs with friends who share the same goals.  

Ensure commitment: Recruit some friends who have the same fitness goals and start up a plan together to walk, jog, or run outdoors for your cardio sessions. Studies show that when in a group, positive energy is released, creating the desire to do more and stay committed.

3. Go light on your food portions for calorie control.  

Like most, at the first sign of a snowflake you may have opted to trade in your spinach and chicken salad for heartier, soul-warming meat lasagna. But now, with the cold weather nearing an end and soon to be spring, it’s time to shave the calories to shed the pounds.  

Match Your Goals with These 5 Best Tools:  

1. Write it down. I mentioned it above, but it’s also relevant here too. Although the most basic rule for any worthy endeavor, putting your goals on paper will serve as steady reminder to stay on track. Also, the act of writing things down solidifies that intention in your subconscious, therefore, keeping it from slipping away over time. Start by listing your most important goals in order, from losing weight to toning to simply having more energy. That way you’ll be sure to see results with your training and nutrition.  
2. Make your goals attainable and realistic. That doesn’t mean you can’t think big, just make sure to break large goals down into smaller bits that you can aim for to successfully conquer along each step of the journey. Download your FREE eLifestyle GOAL-SETTING PDF!
3. Make time for research. Discover what you’ll need to match the right equipment with your goals. If you’re looking to improve cardiovascular health, then a stepper, treadmill or cross trainer will be the right ingredient. To bolster strength and muscle tone, your own bodyweight, a few dumbbells, some tension bands and a stability ball can be all you’ll need. Better yet, if space and budget isn’t a setback, a multi-purpose unit (functional trainer) offers the advantage of covering the needs of all muscle groups in the convenience of one machine. Treadmill Factory has amazing selection if you want to take a look.
4. Establish your perfect space. Make sure your home workout area is both suitable and comfortable. An area you’ll want to spend time in should be well lit and have optimal space to maneuver while doing exercises that require you to take steps forward and back. 
5. Take in proper nutrition. Simply guessing at what foods are necessary to reach your goals can have you over-eating, under-eating or taking in the wrong types of nutrition altogether. Our 7 Day Weight Loss Kick-Start Plan is the perfect way to get your nutrition on point – and it’s JUST $7!

Training Quick Tip:

Use free weights when you train. Unlike a weighted machine that is fixed in one position, free-weight training is effective in recruiting additional stabilizer muscles to provide balance and coordination during any chosen exercise.

Weight Loss Quick Tip:

Use your cardio machine to its full potential. To stoke your metabolism into high gear, take advantage of all the programs and intensities your treadmill or any other unit has to offer. If you perceive cardio machine training to be quite boring and monotonous, think again. Varying the type of programs and intensities you use on training day will make for a more enjoyable cardio session, not to mention burning a ton more calories than you’re use to. And that means faster results!

Fit Body Fact:

Understanding protein powder supplementation. There are many good nutrition websites out there, and it can be of great benefit to anyone searching for a safe, easy way to decode proper nutrition on a busy schedule. One of the most common questions I receive is around protein powder supplements; what are they and what do you look for? Check out this informative article by Men’s Health: “14 Whey Protein Powders to Add More Muscle.” It’s got loads of info that will help you understand the ins and outs of this important topic.