1Eat Five orSix Times Per Day.
This may seem counterintuitive,
but eating five or six meals per day can help you with one of the most crucial elements of weight loss: portion control. Themore often you snack (healthfully!) between meals, the more likely you won’t overeat at your larger meals, and the more stable your blood sugar levels (fewer highs and lows) throughout the day. Of course, it depends on what you eat. A good rule of thumb is to consume one or two calories per pound of body- weight for each snack, and three to five calories per pound for each meal, for a total of 14 to 20 calories per pound.
2ChangeYourWorkout at Least Every EightWeeks. Your body
adapts quickly.Without new challenges to pique the interest of yourmuscles and neurons, progress can slowdown consid- erably. Training plateaus are inevitable. The good news is that you don’t need a complete workout makeover. Instead, consider adding or switching exercises or trying a new machine—anything that delivers a different stimulus. Join a fun exercise class or go for a swim. Just make sure you switch it up.
3Invest inQualityTrainingShoes.
We’re all different when it comes to
our degree of pronation and arch, and need a shoe that accommodates our idiosyncrasies while providing adequate stability, cushioning and motion control. Appropriate footwear not only prevents injury, it also allows you to increase intensity and endurance while training.
24 IHRSA |
www.healthclubs.com
Take your unique biomechanics into consideration, and consult a podiatrist or a knowledgeable shoe-store employee to help you choose wisely.
4Cut Back on Liquid Calories.
Many people take in a shocking num-
ber of calories in the formof liquids. If you’re not paying attention, you can easily guzzle asmany as 1,000 liquid calories a day!Emphasize non- and very low-caloric drinks, with water the obvious best choice. Beyond water, other good drinks include coffee, tea and juices—butmake sure it’s real juice and not the sugary kind. Also, keep inmind that lattes and cappuccinos can contain loads of calories. A Starbucks Grande Caffe Mocha prepared with whole milk has about 400 calories. Yikes!
5Drink at Least Two Liters of Water per Day. Regardless of the
type of exercise you perform, keep your- self hydrated at all times, and, as noted above, water is the best way to do that. You can also fight fatigue with training by taking consistent breaks to rehydrate with water. Also, you’ll eat less by drink-
ing plenty ofH2O, which is why you should drink 8 oz of water before ameal.
6Try Interval Training. Interval train-
ing alternates between high- and
low-intensity work.Here’s an example of interval training on a treadmill: After a shortwarm-up, start off at a moderate walk for about five to 10 minutes, then kick it up into amoderate-to-fast jog for about one to twominutes, drop it back down to a walk for two minutes, then kick it back up to a
jog again for one minute, and then finish it with awalk for two minutes. (For more interval workouts , see page 34.)
7Leave Your Cell Phone in the
Locker. Althoughwatching television
or listening tomusic while you train on a cardiomachine is one thing, sitting on an ab cruncher and yakking on the phone won’t help improve your fitness levels and will annoy your fellow gymgoers.When you exercise, you want to keep yourmind on your workout. Studies prove that visu- alization is a powerfulmotivator, and maintaining an image of your dream physique willmake youmore optimistic, motivated and focused on reaching your ultimate fitness destination.
8Hire a Personal Trainer (even if
just temporarily). This is money
well-spent, especially if you’re not a health-club veteran. Personal trainers can make a huge difference in mastering a variety of training techniques, and a good trainer can help you develop good work-out habits that last a lifetime. Ask your health club about available personal trainers on premises, or get a referral from a friend.Many trainers will work with you on rates if that’s a concern, but even if you can afford only a couple of sessions, it’s well worth the investment to receive expert help in fine-tuning your program to more effective ends.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44