Home Gym Verses a Facility? Pro's and Con's

The new year is just around the corner and this is when many of us vow to change our eating and fitness habits.  Sadly only a small percentage of those who start into a regular fitness program come January first will still be committed to it 'regularly' if at all by the end of March.  As with anything in life if you are not doing it because you 'want' to and do it because you feel you have to, it takes the fun out of it.  Some people will find a type of situation perhaps at a gym, a regular exercise class or setting up a home gym that fits into their lives and makes it easy for them and they look forward to their time committed to their goal for health and well being.

The decision to joint a gym, or perhaps set up a gym at home is one of personal choice.  This hinges on you as an individual and how you function and your schedule.  You need to sit down and weigh out the obvious pro's and con's.  Ask yourself the following questions:

1/ Will I take the time to travel to the gym, does my schedule allow for this?

Most gyms are open extended hours and some even with 24 hour access where parking is well lit and there is camera survellience so you should be perfectly safe.

2/ Do I have the space for a full home gym? 

While resistance training is ideal, you can use your body weight for resistance or have some resistance bands that will store easily.  It is very possible to work out at home with some simple pieces and a small space.

These are typical road blocks people will throw up when they are researching their new route to fitness.  Some people need the music, people, selection of machines, classes and free weights to keep them coming back.  They have choice and selection at a gym and friendly supportive faces smiling and some to watch over and answer questions or offer assistance.   Others don't feel comfortable in a gym setting and prefer to use their own space, moving at their own pace and able to go 'do their thing' without much planning or forethought.

The main thing is for you to feel good about your environment and want to keep taking part in your program .  If it meets your needs and you are able to continue to make it part of your routine then you have made the right choice.  Giving up would be the bad choice.

Over 40 and Need to Whittle Your Middle?

We will tend to carry weight in new places as we 'mature' and some will be based on genetics and some on our activity, or shall we say 'INactivity'. Have you ever heard someone say they are trying to lose weight on your midsection or thighs? Well all I can say is 'good luck with that!'. When you lose weight you will drop it all over your body, you can't pick and choose. To trim down around the midsection there are three areas to address:

1/ Cardiovascular exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes.  If you can increase your intensity, or perhapsy switch your machine of choice, or do an interval where you push your self for 2 minutes then step back for one.  These techniques will assist in burning calories and dropping the excess baggage.

2/ Working the muscles in the core area through balance exercises will give you some stronger, leaner toned abdominal muscles.  You can modify almost any strength training exercise so that you are challenging and strengthening your core.

3/ All the exercise in the world can be so easily undone by eating too many calories and specifically those foods high in fat and sugar.  These can work to load you up on calories.  Eat a healthy well balanced diet, 5-6 smaller meals a day, focus on whole grains and make sure at least half your plate or two-thirds of it is loaded full of vegetables and fruit if you can.

Success with Diet and Exercise – No change, no gain

Are you of the mindset that you are too old to start an exercise program? Too heavy to lose weight and get in shape? The odds are against you so why bother? Then the life you have now will never change or improve. If you repeat the same behavior, whether its sitting watching TV doing nothing in terms of exercise or overeating junk food, fatty food and high sugar food why would you think for one minute things would become different in your world? You do nothing to make positive changes in your life, so you get no positive changes in your life.

People today are taken with ‘reality’ TV where they take ordinary people and follow them in unique situations. Take two groups, one set of strangers put in a remote location for weeks on end with little to eat and exposure to the elements and another that is set on a farm with chefs providing healthy nutritious meals and a strict exercise routine. At the end of the challenges for both teams one is tired and gaunt looking, the other group are smiling and happy that they have made huge strides in changing their lives for the better. The second group learned the importance of nutrition and exercise and how to use those tools to continue on a path to good health. These are people from age 18 to age 70 and we all feel good to see those before and after pictures knowing it came from very hard work.

While you may not have access to a chef and trainer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week there is plenty of information available to you to assist in achieving similar goals. Discuss with a doctor, trainer, and nutritionist to get some expert advice when you are uncertain. Learn how to shop for food, prepare and portions when it comes to your diet plan. Learn to do exercises correctly so you don’t injure yourself. Gimmicks and fads don’t work for anything. The promises to make thousands a day online doing nothing – not true, there is always a catch and the same thing applies to losing 10 pounds in a week with one magic little pill. Hard work and being focused is how people get rich, in terms of wealth and in terms of a happy healthy lifestyle.

5 Holiday Tips for Healthy Eating and Tackling Temptation

1/ Take inventory of the events you have to attend, or host. Be very aware of what you have on your agenda that will make eating healthy a bit of a struggle. You never need to deny yourself a little indulgence now and again however pick what is really ‘worth it’ and what you can walk away from. Don’t make it a free for all at the buffet, tiny portions and sample sizes of those things you really, really want to taste will be a mouthful of liquid gold. It’s like budgeting for your gift giving, don’t spend your calories all at once!

2/ Work up a sweat. Perhaps add a few minutes to each weekly cardio session to make up for the extra intake. Small steps like parking as FAR away from the mall as possible and a brisk walk in and out will be a little extra step. Try to power walk through the mall to get your heart pumping, maybe a couple of laps around. You’re there, it’s not snowing inside so go for it! Just because you are ‘busy’ running errands doesn’t mean you are active. Sitting in the car or a shuffle through the grocery store does not count as exercise.

3/ When doing any cooking or baking search out some healthy recipes. There are all kinds of low fat, low sugar substitutes for almost any tasty treat, just look online! If you are not sure what is in something that is offered at a party, you can always say ‘NO’.

4/ If you have to get groceries for a party or meal, eat a meal so you are full before you head out. If you go out hungry you are more likely to pick up more than you need and things you can consume quickly… like in the car on the way home. This same process will work when going to a party, try snacking on something that fills you up a bit before you go. High protein and fiber items will make you feel full and ward off the nibbling temptations.

5/ Drink LOTS of water!

This is a hard time of year so if you overdo it don’t beat yourself up. Stay positive and get your motivation back so you don’t worry and get back on track.

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