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There are many benefits to exercising in a group fitness class. Honestly, the best workout I ever got was in a class. I felt I needed to be the example for the group, so I pushed myself harder than I would’ve on my own. I saw many members of the class improve quickly. Also we looked forward to seeing each other and encouraged each other every time we came. Even the slowest out of shape person improved because they had us there helping the along the way. If you workout alone or don’t really know how to approach your goals, don’t be shy, try a class.

 

Here’s a great article on 10 benefits to taking a class.

 

1. Saving Time: The pace of group fitness classes makes the time fun and the energy level of the instructor helps you to forget you’re working hard.

2. Saving Money: Personal training, which I also recommend, is roughly three times the cost of a single group fitness class making group exercise classes perfect for the money conscious. The benefits you gain with a workout also save you money on health care, as people who workout are far less likely to get sick and also recover from illness and injury quicker than non-exercisers.

3. Make it Social: Group fitness is a great way to meet like-minded and like-motivated individuals. You’ll find you share common goals and interest which can be a great motivator to work hard in class and create accountability for coming back week after week.

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4. Set the Tone: Group fitness is no longer confined to big-box gyms or health clubs. Small studios and fitness centers are on the rise with their personalized and detailed attention to your needs as a client.

5. Motivation: Having someone telling you to work harder and encouraging you to take your fitness to the next level will get you there. The instructor sets the tone, while having others in class offers another level of motivation through a tiny bit of competition and camaraderie.

6. Challenge: #5 benefit of motivation ties into the benefit of being challenged to work harder. You want to keep pace, meaning you will be challenged to work harder. Studies have proven that working out in a group results in a bigger calorie burn.

Tae Box class Monash Sport

7. Keep it Fresh: Is there anything you CAN’T find with group fitness? Pilates, yoga, boot camp, HIIT, Zumba, boxing, circuits, TRX, running clubs and hiking groups. Whatever your flavor or need, chances are you can find a class or encourages someone to start one.

8. Learn Something New: A good class and a great instructor will show you how to work your body and muscles properly. Trying something different challenges both your mind and body, two things that ward off the effects of aging.

9. Safety: When beginning a new or different fitness routine, feeling safe and being safe are key. Instructors will be able to help explain and model what you’re doing, how to do it and what you should be feeling. Never hesitate to ask questions or as for alternative exercises if you need additional assistance.

10. Make it your own: An experienced group fitness instructor will offer modifications that allow for different fitness levels among the participants. Most classes will offer beginner, intermediate, and advanced exercise options. Make sure to come at least 5 minutes early when you’re taking a new class and introduce yourself to the instructor. Developing a relationship with your instructor is the key to finding the workout that will challenge you in a safe manner.

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~ it’s about what YOU see in the mirror~

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http://www.phillyburbs.com/

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THESE ARE REAL ADVERTISMENTS

So your friend tried this new diet, and they’re telling everyone about it. It sounds crazy, but you are thinking of giving it a try anyway. The diet consists of eating whatever you want for one day and fasting for two days straight. It worked for them but you know its unhealthy. What do you do? I’ll tell you what you are going to do, have some patients, continue to do what you’ve learned, and be consistent in your efforts. All too often there is a comes a miracle diet, miracle powder, miracle pill, miracle drink that will change the way you approach health and fitness all together. It lasts for a couple months, dies out, then the next big thing hits the market. Sometimes you end up with lawsuits like Fen Phen(http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=118016) and Ehpedra(http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/lawsuit/pph_class_action.html#.U3C2pPldXEw). Ok, one may lose or gain weight from a ridiculous diet depending on their purpose, but at what cost? I often advise people to consider approaching health from the inside out. On the outside they may have changed but what ill-effect will it have on your liver, kidneys, arteries, etc. Being healthy is about more than looks, its a “total” body concept. I wouldn’t want you dropping 100lbs but still running the risk of keeling over from a heart attack because your focus was only about your weight and not health in general. I know its not spectacular and dramatic to hear “drink water, eat veggies and fruit,  lean cuts of meat, no white starches or wheat, no sugar.” Its fairly simple……too simple. I think that’s why some flock to the abnormal. The funny thing is its becoming abnormal to eat in that fashion. I get criticized on a daily basis myself. “You don’t eat this?!” “You only eat how much of that?!  “You crazy!” I also think that’s why these so called miracle cures/diets become so popular. It seems that it has become more widely accepted to parade around saying “I’m on a diet right now”, than it is to “live” a healthy lifestyle and cut things out you don’t need. Don’t be deterred, make your changes as you see fit. Hold your head up and continue to apply what you’ve learned. That criticism is people’s way of making themselves feel better about their current state and choices (I  will be talking more about that one day). So remember, my slogan is more of a self-esteem building concept. Its not meant to be looked at superficially, and the results you seek should be from a health stand point not a superficial one. Therefore, no matter what results a person has, the very first thing your should consider is “How did they achieve them”. If it doesn’t sound healthy, its probably not……..

~its about what YOU see in the mirror~

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That’s an appealing title isn’t it? It seems that in this day of fitness a great majority of people want results with little to no effort. People wonder why it takes them so long to reach their goals but won’t approach them in a logical manner. If little to no effort is how you got the way you are now, then how can you expect to have the opposite effect on your body from that same approach? If you are saying in your head “something is better that nothing” right now, then I’m speaking to you.

What is your INTENSITY level when you exercise? Do you expend all the energy you have in the shortest amount of time, or do you try to conserve energy until the predetermined time has elapsed?……….Plain coming english in 3,2,1……Do you 1. Go hard, catch your breath, then go hard again? OR 2. Go through the motions until your 30min. or however long you decided to workout has past…….on your cellphone, talking to your friends, reading a book, looking at everyone else like they’re crazy cause they’re sweating all over the place. Walking out the gym looking the same way they did coming in. Then get online talking about how you got it in at the gym today. (are you uncomfortable reading this right now?) Understand this, no matter what it is in life, your approach dictates your outcome. If you want mediocre results then give a mediocre effort. If you want life changing results then give a life changing effort. If you want the effects to last short term then give a short term effort. If you want the effects to last long term, then give a long term effort. Simple logic. These post are a direct result of what I see everyday. I have people coming to me on a regular basis asking how can they reach their goals, but wait til the VERY last second to start achieving them, with a laundry list or things they don’t want to do. It seems everyone wants that spectacular “after” photo, but will put more effort into searching for the easiest way to get there, with as little effort as possible, than actually working towards that goal.

Take a look at these pics and decide who’s going to reach their goals quicker……

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The reason I chose this topic is because this is how the fitness industry makes BILLIONS. They tell you what you want to hear…..QUICK, EASY, CONVENIENT. Well I’m going to tell you the exact opposite. Get up! Get out the house! Skip putting on make-up (ladies)! Put the phone down! Close the book! AND GO HARD! Go until you need to catch your breath. Go hard until it burns. Go hard until you need to lay down in the middle of the floor no matter where you are. Get up and do it again…….and after that, get up and do it again. This is how you change your life.

~it’s about what YOU see in the mirror~

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Your feet  are very, very  important! You must take care of them.You use them for standing, balancing, running, jumping, and simple walking. Think about it, if your feet are not prepared, your activity will suffer. Kinda like buying the top of the line sports car, with all the bell and whistles, 0-60 in 4.3, but putting the cheapest tires you can find on it. I for one have feet that can get really bad if they aren’t taken care of. The soles of my feet callus up, my heels can split, and bleed. Not a pretty sight. TMI, maybe but if you have a problem or run the risk of developing foot issues then this may help you.

I’ve experimented with some different options for daily maintenance to help keep my feet in a satisfactory condition. Some of them yielded better results than others.

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First I tried baby oil: It didn’t soak in too well or protect my feet my feet overnight.

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Next I tried good ol’ Vaseline: It absorbed into the thick skin and my feet were conditioned nicely

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3rd I tried 100% glycerin: It did soak in but didn’t last all night. It was kind of mess also.

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4th was Zinc Oxide: I was impressed with the way it accumulated in the creases and cracks, but zinc oxide keeps moisture out not in. My feet felt dry the next morning and were not soft at all. This may be an option foryiou is your feet sweat.

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5th I tried a combination of Destitin (which is basically petrolium jelly) and vicks lemom scent vapo rub. I figured the Vicks would open the pores and the Desitin would soak in and moisturize my feet. It worked well. Probably just as good as the Vaseline alone.

Bi-weekly pedicures are great if you can afford them but I try to be a little more practical with my spending. I have a Ped Eggpedegg resize. This is great for exfoliation (removing dead skin), which is something you should do before moisturizing. Take a little extra time every night to devote to your feet. Don’t wait until you’re incapacitated before you address the issue.

~its about what YOU see in the mirror~

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Did you start your workout yet?  Have you changed your diet? Do you feel that its hard to  live an active lifestyle after being sedentary for so long? Do you feel that you will never get eating healthy down packed? Do you feel like your goal was too far fetched? The one thing I know about training and counsling is ATTITUDE is one of the most important weapons you can have in your aresenal. I often used to ask myself, why is giving up so easy? Why is it so easy to give in? Why is it easier to do negative than positive? When I am confronted with unmotivated people, I keep the answer to these questions in mind. One of the first things I tell new Fitness Freaks is that once you decide to make a positive change in your life, EVERY reason possible will rear its ugly head to deter you from your goal. How do you overcome this?

at·ti·tude: noun
ˈatiˌt(y)o͞od/

a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person’s behavior.

Every negative situation, every negative person, every negative thought should be met with the ATTITUDE that reflects your deepest desire. You started on this journey because you wanted to change. Your life, up until this point has accommidated what you no longer desire. So what do you think is going to happen once you decide to change? Opposition.  And what do we fight opposition with?……. ATTITUDE! I won’t give up! I won’t give in!  I won’t quite! I do still want this! This is tough but I am tougher! I won’t look for the excuse, but the solution! I won’t look for the way around, but the way through! We ALL started with a day1, and don’t think every day after that has been consecutive. There has been bumps in the road and side tracks, and but progress has always been the goal. God didn’t make any of us perfect, therefore our journey won’t be perfect.  Keep this in mind when you feel like this healthy life wasn’t meant for you. Remind yourself over and over that…………..

~its about what YOU see in the mirror~

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Getting fit is more than just the activity you perform. Your recovery time is just as important.

I don’t have to tell you to get your butt in gear…..well some of you I do. What I might also have to tell you that spending hours lifting, running, and jumping day-in-and-day-out will stall your progress. Rest and recovery are essential components to any strength and conditioning program and most coaches and trainers would argue it’s just as or more important than the lifting itself. Recovery must occur before progress can be made. It’s important for staying injury free, long-term consistent training, and maxing out from time to time.

Here are some recovery tips I’ve gathered from varios sources to help you.

Rest– Getting plenty of sleep and resting your body may be the most effective treatment. 8 to 10 hrs of sleep a night is ideal. You actually burn calories in your sleep while your muscles recover from resistance training.  

Hydration – Drinking plenty of water can help flush out toxins from your body and prevent dehydration, which can make muscle soreness even more painful. While there is no consensus on how much water you should drink, somewhere around 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water per day is a good starting point.

Blood flow: Circulation of blood in and out of a stressed body part improves speed of recovery. Techniques that can improve blood flow include cooling down after your workout with a walk or easy bike ride, performing light stretching during or after each workout, alternating every 30-60 seconds between hot and cold running water in your post-workout shower, taking an ice bath after a very strenuous weight training workout or long run, and performing a light walk, swim, or easy exercise routine the day after a hard workout.

Pre & Post-Workout Nutrition – My formula for this is to consume a healthy carb (usually 1 cup of raw almonds,walnuts, and dried fruit) and water pre-workout, and a healthy carb (piece of fruit) and protein (1 boiled egg) post-workout.

Topical Creams – creams like Ben Gay and IcyHot provide the perception of pain relief, but have no effects on the underlying muscle.

NSAIDS – nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Advil and Alleve can help relieve the discomfort of muscle soreness. It’s not advisable to use NSAIDS on a consistent basis, but rather for an acute bout of soreness.

Stretch! Stretch! Stretch!– it is very important to legnthen the muscles for good range of motion. Most cases of muscle pulls are because the muscle hasno elasticity. You see this alot with body builders. Their biceps are so tight that the can’t straighten their arms. Tight muscles are one of the main causes of pulled hamstrings.

The top 3 inhibitors to making progress in your training are….

1) Lack of sleep

2) Lack of proper nutrition

3) Overtraining

The best way to avoid very sore muscles and improve recovery is to use a progressive exercise program where workouts become harder at a measured pace over time. Remember not to try to accomplish all your goals in one day. Pace yourself. It took you this long to get to wherever you are now. Give yourself time train and time to recover.

~its about what YOU see in the mirror~

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http://www.mensfitness.com/

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/