Custom Fitness Concepts

I know, I know, of course you really want to lose weight. Everyone really wants to lose weight. Maybe a better question should be:

Are you willing to do what it takes to lose weight?

This doesn’t mean jumping on the latest fad diet plan, putting in a solid 20 minutes of exercise here and there, or paying money for home equipment that will later turn into clothes hangers.

This means, first and foremost, understanding what it takes to lose weight Know how to eat the right foods, know what kind of exercise programs work and how to do them, and finally implementing these things. It means having willpower to do these things consistently for the rest of your life, not only until you lose the weight.

If you are still not sure exactly what I mean, don’t worry I’ll explain…

The secret everyone seems to miss

Often when dieting and trying to lose weight, we get focused on how many calories we burn in an hour, but then forget later to count how many calories are in the ice cream, beer or cheese fries at meal time.

That’s right – here’ the secret:  The biggest key to long-term weight loss is managing “calories in vs. calories out”.

It’s that simple.

If you burn more calories than you take in, you’ll lose weight. Of course, there are many ways to go about this; you can starve yourself and work out excessively, and you’ll lose weight. You’ll be tired and hungry all the time, in addition to the damage you’ll do to your body, but you will lose weight.

A better option is to eat the right foods, and do the right exercises so that you give your body fuel and nutrients, while burning off the right amount of calories.  But how do you track these?

Step 1:  Get a BodyBugg

We don’t get any money for endorsing it, but the BodyBugg is something every person who wants to lose weight should have.  These devices are no bigger than a watch or a small iPod and will help you keep close track of how many calories you burn throughout the day.

Step 2:  Commit to an exercise routine

If you are serious about losing weight and getting into shape, then you need to be serious about what you need to do and understand that diet and exercise are the two most important factors in weight loss.

This means finding the right exercises for you and your goals, and most importantly, doing them on a regular basis. If you have a well-developed fitness routine, a great support system, and the motivation to keep doing it, you will succeed.

Step 3:  Monitor what you eat

So often we sabotage our efforts to lose weight, often unintentionally. If you are serious about losing weight and getting into shape, then get started today by counting calories in and comparing it to what your caloric output is.

Remember, to lose weight and keep it off, it’s important to understand that these techniques should be for life. By doing it the right way, not only will you lose weight, but you’ll also feel and look much better.

We hear this phrase all the time, and may even own shoes which are supposedly built just for the task, but do we really understand the concept of cross training?  Cross training can be especially confusing for those new to fitness, but it’s not hard to understand once you learn a bit about it, and you can easily learn how to make it a part of your exercise program.

Cross training – explanation and benefits

Cross training is simply adding another sport or exercise to your routine in addition to your main sport. It basically supplements your program and has a lot of benefits, especially to those who tend to do the same thing over and over, such as running.

For one thing, it helps keep your muscles balanced. When you run or do any other exercise over and over, you are essentially working the same muscle groups over and over, which means those are strong, but any muscles you don’t work will be weaker, which can lead to injury.

Since many cross training activities are cardio exercises, when you cross train, you’ll be giving your heart an extra workout, thus improving your heart, which is always a benefit.

Another big benefit of cross training is that it will lessen exercise boredom, which can happen to even the most active exercisers. Less boredom equals more motivation, so if you are someone who isn’t thrilled with the idea of physical activity, anything to reduce doing the same tired thing over and over again is like a breath of fresh air.

Is cross training really necessary?

While you can certainly get fit without it, cross training is a great addition to any work out. There are many different types of cross training, and you can do anything from low impact activities such as swimming or other water sports, to an exercise bike. Anything that will keep your body moving, your muscles balanced and boredom at bay can work wonders on your state of mind, not to mention the state of your overall fitness level.

Tips for getting started

Before you get started with any exercise program, you should of course consult your doctor, and if you have access to a trainer or other fitness professional, they can guide you in the right direction to get you fit and healthy in no time.

An expert can guide you in the right direction, as well as tell you which moves will fit in best with your plan. They’ll also be able to assure that you do the move correctly, which is the number one way to avoid injury.

Cross training can be a big benefit to those trying to get fit, and is especially beneficial to reduce boredom, keep you going and help you avoid injury. It’s a great way to keep your routine fresh and fun, and is a great step in the right direction to overall better health, and feeling better about yourself.

Your body’s “core” is the group of muscles that make up your mid section, to include your stomach and lower back. This is where your center of gravity is located, and also where all of your body’s movements start.  Whether you are lifting your toddler or going for a 5 mile run, your core is the origin of these movements.

The importance of a strong core

Many people often overlook this area of their body in their fitness routines; unless they are trying to get those elusive six-pack abs we all strive for. Tight muscles are not the only reason to keep your core strong, however, and there are many benefits that outweigh the most common reason people work out the middle of their bodies.

Since your core is the center of your body’s motion, it makes sense that you would want it to be as strong as possible. When you have strong core muscles, the rest of your body works together well, leading to better fitness and less injury.

Core exercises are also a great way to alleviate lower back pain, as well as improve your balance, and as an added bonus, will tighten and tone your abs, resulting in that six-pack we all long for.

How to get a strong core

There are several muscles in your core and each layer needs to be worked properly for optimum performance. You can target each muscle separately, or you can work them all at once, although some experts say this is a less effective approach. Finding exercises that work all of your core muscles will give you the most effective work out.

Typical core exercises are things like crunches, sit ups, planks , and even squats. Like any workout, you should start slow to focus on form as well as avoid injuryThis can be tricky at first, especially if you’re a beginner, but the wrong movements are a surefire way to end up hurting yourself.

A tip that can help avoid injury

Before attempting any kind of core exercises on your own, you should consult a fitness professional who can not only tell you which movements will be most helpful to you and your routine based on your fitness goals, but will also help you prevent injury. This will not only make your program more fun, but less stressful as well. And if you are in a CFC bootcamp, you can rest assured our personal trainers will help you with this.

Doing core exercises should be an important part of your fitness routine, and you should do them regularly in order to get in shape, stay in shape and be in overall better health. Once you start doing these, you’ll be amazed at just how much better you look and feel.

If you can’t get to the gym, then P90X, Insanity, or programs that are similar sure seem like a good alternative. There are definite benefits of these programs, but they aren’t for everyone, and if you’re starting from scratch, you should be careful that you don’t hurt yourself first.

Growing popularity of P09X and Cross Fit

These extreme training programs are becoming so popular because they provide a great workout for those who have busy schedules, or those who are gym shy and don’t want to work out in front of other people. While they aren’t cheap, once you’ve purchased the video programs, you don’t have the ongoing fees associated with gyms and training programs, so if you lack motivation initially and want to come back to it a year from now, you can. That doesn’t make these perfect exercise programs; they’re far from it to be exact.

The devil is in the details – your form is VERY important!

The biggest problem with these programs, and the reason they aren’t so great for the average person, is that watching a video an listening to a personal trainer tell you do something is not the same as having a trainer live and in person working with you.

If you’re in your living room listening to a guy on your TV tell you to “bend your elbow 90 degrees”, you’ll bend it to what you think is 90 degrees and move on to the next exercise. If you did it right, great, but if you don’t, the guy on TV can’t tell you that you did it wrong or instruct you how to do it right.

This creates several potential problems:

• You may not being doing the exercises correctly, meaning you may not be getting the benefits you’re hoping for, and even worse, you run the risk of injury.
• Maybe you’re doing it right, but if you’re doing it wrong, best case you do the same moves over and over and don’t get the benefits, worse case you injure yourself.
• Neither of these options is ideal, and chances are if you aren’t very fitness minded, you won’t do it correctly.

Cross Fit is similar in the fact that while it is a great program, and it has plenty of benefits, without a trainer telling you what to do, you run the same risks if you take on any fitness program on your own. If you don’t have actual live support, you run all those same risks.

What can the group do for you?

The other thing these programs lack is the group dynamic that comes from having an actual trainer and other participants there to support and motivate you. A personal trainer can change things up if necessary, and keep it interesting. A trainer on a TV repeats himself every day. It can get boring, and for this reason, the results you see on TV are not typical. Not even close.

When you work out in front of the TV, it can be easy to take shortcuts, stop early, or simply skip. But when you workout as part of a group, you make relationships with others that help inspire you as well as hold you accountable.  If you are not there, they notice.

So before you decide which route to take, you must first decide if you are serious. If so, you should do it the right way. Only you can decide what that is.