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Fitness for the New Year: a reality check
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This time of year we have an annual tradition in the gym business. It's universal. The gym overfloweth! Every new year the gym is bursting at the seams, much to the dismay of the regular members who can't find a parking spot and find their workout space invaded. Never fear! When March rolls around they'll all be gone and everything will get back to normal. Before the big rush, let's have a reality check. Hopefully this will head off any disillusions and disappointments as our resolutions are carried out in the gym.
One thing people must realize is that clinically obese people who have been obese for several years or more will not be able to lower their body weight and body fat to that of the fitness models in the magazines in just a few months. Don't even expect to lose weight and body fat at the rate seen on such shows as"The Biggest Loser". This level of fitness can be achieved, but it takes die hard committment over a long period of time. That means working out like a banchee very consistently and eating a very "clean" diet for a long period of time. Being consistent and sticking to it day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year is the step by step approach that works. I can attest to that because that's me. For 20+ years I've hammered away and eaten a clean, healthy diet and I am definitely reaping the rewards. They call me the mother of 5 with 6 pack abs, you know.
Speaking of abs.....You cannot get that 6 pack doing a ridiculous amount of ab work. Sure, you need to do lots of ab work to build the abdominal muscles, but that's not going to give you that visible 6 pack. Burning the bodyfat that sits on top of those ab muscles will reveal your 6 pack. In other works, there are lots of people running around with great 6 pack abs. You just can't see them! This also sits true for all other body parts. The visible definition comes from burning the body fat that is on top. That's where it all comes together, diet, cardiovascular work AND weight training.
You can't get showy 6 pack abs from doing ab work alone.
An overweight pear shaped person who diets and only does cardiovascular workouts will merely reduce overall body weight. In other words, this person will end up being a smaller version of that pear shaped body. Weight training is the magic bullet that will make those huge improvements in the body. It gives the body shape and form. Try to combine the healthy diet, cardiovascular work and weight training for earth shattering body transformations.
Ladies! You will not end up looking like a man if you weight train. Correct weight training will give the female body a firm, athletic and shapely look. Those women who look like muscle men got that way due to testosterone use, or in other words, steroids. 'Nuff said.
Some of your measurements will reflect your stature and bone structure. If your ribcage is large, your waist may also measure large even if your bodyfat is low. My bodyfat is 15% and I am very ripped and defined through my abs. Yet my waist measurement is not that small. I have a big ribcage and a short waist that ensures that. If you have wide hipbones, your hips may measure larger than you'd like even at a low bodyfat. You can't change your bone structure and your frame. However, building your shoulders and upper back will always make the waist and hips appear smaller. All of us tend to be a bit unhappy with the hand Mother Nature dealt us. But with the proper use of weights, cardiovascular exercise and clean, healthy eating you can move mountains! Just realize that it takes time, consistency, dedication and you must STICK WITH IT.
For those of you who are making resolutions to get fit and lose weight, good luck! You're doing a great thing so don't give up when the going gets tough or frustrating. For those of you who are workout regulars, keep up the great work! I will too.
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- Donuts - almost 500 cals and 30 g fat!
- Marshmallow Fluff - chemical fluff or white poison
- Colas and Sodas - 7 to 9 teaspoons of sugar, chemicals
- Bacon,Deli Meat, Processed Meat - high fat, nitrites,perservatives
- Sugar Loaded Breakfast Cereals - sugar, sugar, sugar + trans fats
- Fruit Juices and Fake Fruit Drinks - high sugar content, preservatives, food coloring
- Junk Food - chips,fried snacks, microwave popcorn are high in fat and preservatives and sodium
- Candy - calorie dense, sugar loaded, health destroying time bombs!
- French Fries - unhealthy fats and trans fats with a side order of free radicals
- Twinkies - If they don't decompose in a dump, what happens to them in your body?
- Giant Sets - 3 or more exercises linked togther and performed in sequence. One set is one time through the giant set.
- Super Sets - 2 exercises linked together that works antagonist or opposing muscle groups like chest and back, quadraceps and hamstrings or biceps and
- Drop Sets - Starting an exercise at one weight, going to failure, and without resting, dropping the weight and continuing on to failure. Continue thi
- Pyramid - Raising the weight with each set or lowering the weight with each set.
- Slo-mos - Doing each repetition very slowly, like 10 seconds up and 10 seconds down.
- Negatives - Using a spotter, the eccentric or muscle lengthening phase of the repetition is emphasized. The spotter assists with the concentric or mus
- Get 6 to 8 hours of sleep nightly
- Combine lean protein with complex carbohydrate at every meal
- Drink green tea daily
- Keep healthy snacks handy
- Get 25 grams of fiber daily
