Tag: Strength Training

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General Weight Loss Tips

What I Couldn’t Do Two Weeks Ago

There is something to be said about trying something you know you can’t do.  Every time I go to the gym I stare down the hanging leg raise. Have you seen it?

Basically you have to hold your body up while pulling your legs up to your chest. For those that can do it, they make it look easy. For the rest of us, well, it’s kind of sad (and kind of funny) to watch. I decided I was okay with making a fool of myself January 20th and get on.

I couldn’t even hold myself up to hang. It was truly painful, so I got off and decided that this would be a progress point for me.

Two weeks later, back at the gym I decided to get on again. I knew in my mind that holding my weight up with my arms would be hard, but I wanted to try again. This time, not only could I support my weight, I was able to lift my knees up to my chest not once, not twice, not three times…but four times.

I was so shocked that I stopped. Am I really doing this? I couldn’t even hold myself up two weeks ago! And sure enough I think I could have done a couple more had I not been so freakin’ excited.

So that is real progress that I can see. It’s not a lower number on the scale, or looser fitting jeans- it was proof that I’m getting in better shape.

Today begins week four of the Insanity workout training and I have to say that working out every day has gotten easier mentally. I know what to expect and I’ve accepted that 45 minutes of my day will be spent exercising. I’ve never worked out this hard in my life on a consistent basis. Not even during couch to 5k training. It’s hard for me to believe that I’ve exercised all but three (I take sundays off) days in the past three weeks.

We’ve got more plans. As the weather gets warmer and our stamina increases, we’re going to add running back to our schedule three days a week.

Right now the exercise schedule looks like this:

Monday-Wednesday : Insanity workout

Thursday: yoga and strength training

Friday- Saturday: Insanity workout

Sunday: Off

In about a month it will look like this:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Insanity workout + running

Tuesday, Saturday: Insanity workout

Thursday: yoga and strength

Sunday: Off day

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Weight Loss Exercise

Winter Workout Homework

By Jim Rollince of Gym Source, a vendor of home gym and exercise equipment, including treadmills, ellipticals, arc trainers, bikes and more!

This season, don’t let the arctic temperatures impact your normal exercise agenda – A lot easier said that done, right? Sure, buying yourself a brand new treadmill or any one of a number of different home gyms would be an easy solution, but very costly at that. So why not make your way into the nearest athletic center?

Now you’re saying “anybody could have told me that!” But in actuality, this is trickier than most people think. During the winter, it can become quite habitual to go to work; come home and relax; eat dinner, then go to bed.

And this is a routine that nobody should to get too comfortable with. Some people just can’t bare the cold, or simply aren’t prepared for it. These behaviors can become heightened in frequency as it becomes cooler throughout December, January and February.

A list of general winter predispositions can include:

  • Drinking more coffee/tea
  • Engaging in indoor activities
  • Eating fattening foods

Similarly, holiday parties can have a huge impact on weight, along with increased appetite. And technically, as human beings with certain requirements, we’re exposed to less sunlight, which will certainly lead to fluctuations in hormones and chemicals in the brain. At the same time, the blood vessels in our skin begin to contract, moving blood towards the centre of the body, which impacts our digestive systems.

In combination, all of the above directly affects our ability to stay healthy. Yet, the biggest challenge remains – leaving the house. Here are some great tips:

Clothing

Dress Warm. This includes warm-ups and under armor. And it’s okay to change at the gym; don’t be ashamed to show off your body in the locker room!

This can be a huge obstacle for a lot of self-conscious people. The warmer you are before your workout, the easier the transition into full cardio or strength training. Tighter clothing will also with warmth.

Food

It’s almost guaranteed that as human beings, we’re going to eat more during the winter. But eating at the right while eating the right foods will eventually enhance your workout and drive you to stay at the gym longer. Be sure to eat foods that are high in protein, along with beverages rich in carbohydrates and vitamins. Calcium and Potassium are very important for nutritional health and avoiding sickness. Although these foods/proteins/vitamins may not get you to the gym, they will surely keep you from missing out!

Also, try substituting some of your every day foods for things like almonds, peanuts, dates and raisins – These are high in protein and natural sugar; guaranteed to give you that extra drive during the day.  On a side note, they also are great for your digestive system. If not properly upheld, obstructed bowel movements can cause distress and back pain, lowering workout motivation.

Water

Drinking sufficient amounts of water during the day will also help with digestion, and also acts as a preventive measure for muscle aches and back pain. And most importantly, it helps with weight loss.

Muscles

Lastly, be sure to strengthen your muscles by constantly stretching. This doesn’t have to be at the gym – Use your spare time to stretch your muscles, including the ones in your face. The cold will eventually make you feel achier and tighten everything up. A quirky, yet effective example would be to stretch while in the shower. This is when your core temperature has a chance to rise, allowing for easier stretching.

If you’re already actively involved at a gym, it doesn’t mean that you wont’ gain weight either. Winter’s affects can be quite brutal! Trips the store; walking; playing outside; side-work – This can all be cut in half due to the cold. In order to remedy this, be sure to spend an extra few minutes at the gym, perhaps exploring new exercises. If you abide by these simple stipulations, you’ll find that it’s easy to keep that great summer shape!

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Weight Loss Exercise

Biggest Loser Season 11 Starts Tonight

Biggest Loser Season 11 Starts Tonight

Biggest Loser Season 11

Well here we go again. Biggest Loser Season 11 starts tonight and this season is expected to be even “bigger” than every other season has been.

There are going to be a few things to watch for tonight that I am excited about.

Two New Biggest Loser Season 11 Trainers

There seems to be a bit of a change coming on Biggest Loser Season 11. You may remember a few years ago Jillian Michaels left for a season or two and Kim Lyons was brought in . Most people did not like Kim but by the end of her time she seemed to soften up on camera and was a lot easier to like as a trainer. Bob Has been there the whole time, says he would never leave the show  and now Jillian says that this is her last season as she concentrates on other parts of her life including adopting some kids and living a more normal life.

Further to this there are two new trainers starting tonight. This has been perhaps a terribly kept secret but here is what I have heard around the blogosphere on who the new trainers will be it looks like Brett Hoebel and Cara Castronova.

 

Biggest Loser Season 11 Starts Tonight

Brett Hoebel

Brett Hoebel – Brett is a 15-year veteran in the health wellness industry and is a popular celebrity trainer and  founder of Hoebel Fitness. Brett is one of the most sought-after weight-loss, nutrition and lifestyle coaches in New York. His RevAbs program infomercial of ab-focused workout DVDs also came out this year.

Brett’s integrative philosophy and body-mind approach come from his diverse experience in Eastern and Western disciplines, including his martial arts training in Afro-Brazilian capoeira  and Muay Thai kickboxing as well as his undergrad education as a premed in biomedical science  and post-graduate studies in functional strength training, nutrition, yoga and holistic health.

 

Biggest Loser Season 11 Starts Tonight

Cara Castronova

Cara Castronova -Cara is a ex-champion boxer and a fantastic boxer for sure but she has been working on her acting and has been in a few movies over the last few years but is just really getting started.

A lot of people seem to be bashing her on her lack or credentials but really if Cara is the new Biggest Loser trainer she will be in charge of just a few people and as we all know motivation is the biggest part of weight loss once you get your eating and exercise in place. I am sure she knows how to get in shape with all the training that comes into become a champion level athlete.

So is this season a tryout for these guys? Are we going to see three trainers in the future or are we going to see one of these two new guys actually take over Jillian Michaels spot on the Biggest Loser Season 12?

Two People Starting Over 500 Pounds

We have seen a lot of big people on the Biggest Loser for sure but on Biggest Loser Season 11 apparently there will be to contestants that will be over 500 pounds. As we saw whne people et over 400 pounds there is a lot more to worry about then just losing weight.

I always have to wonder and maybe we will get a bit of insight this season. If you can walk at 500 pounds then you need lower body strength to carry that mass but what about upper body strength? How can you lose 200 pounds of fat and not lose all of your muscle? Over the long term this is easy, do weights, build muscle mass, and then lose your fat slowly at the same time. But how do you lose 20 pounds a week of fat without losing what little muscle you have? There are a few questions.

The Rolly Polly Guy

This is my kids highlight to see tonight. In the commercial for Biggest Loser Season 11 there is some guy that falls off of a treadmill (come on, why do they make someone fall off every season). And instead of just falling this person seems to roll off like a ball. We have seen this highlight a bunch of times on our PVR and I am looking forward to seeing it on the show tonight. I do hope though that the guy is ok.

So I know that last season I said I was onde iwth the Biggest Loser. I know that I should be, it is the train wreck of the diet industry and is really teaching some bad ways to lose weight (harsh dieting and 5-6 hours a day of exercise) but I do really like to see the tips thaey give and I think the show as badly edited as it is has some interesting moments.

Have fun tonight watching Biggest Loser Season 11 and we can talk about it tomorrow here.

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