How to maintain your commitment to fitness

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BLOG 92Here’s a simple truth you already know: no amount of motivational posters will help you if you are not in the right place in your head, if you push yourself too hard, never let off steam and fail to manage your expectations. This begs the question: how do you get to that right place inside your head? Well, there are a few tips:

1. Give it time

It’s not that we cannot stick to exercise for a long period of time because we’re weak; it’s because we try to do it overnight and on top of that we expect immediate results that don’t happen, that make us give up. Commitment to fitness is not something we can just turn on like pulling a switch in our heads; it’s always a gradual process. You start small and you build up from there, one effort at a time, one day at time. You have to slowly re-educate yourself and get used to the idea of exercise, incorporate it in your daily life in small ways first, and only then will you be able to commit to it more seriously long term.

2. Reward yourself

It’s important that you reward yourself from time to time and have something to look forward to after all of the hard work you are doing. Rest days exist for that exact reason, to help you stay committed. That’s why every VIVRI™ challenge lasts 11 days, you know that after every challenge you can take 1 or 2 days of rest. This way is easier keep your healthy lifestyle.

3. Be patient

There are no shortcuts in fitness, it all takes work, but most of all it takes patience, enough patience to stay on track and enough patience and self-control to not give into fads and crazy diets. Any fast results are temporary results,  instead, set yourself for a long run in this, set targets you can actually meet without killing or starving yourself, pick a healthy lifestyle you can actually maintain.

4. Integrate it into your lifestyle

The easiest way to stay committed to fitness, stay healthy and fit without constantly getting off track, is to integrate it into your daily life and make it something you do by default like brushing your teeth in the morning, after all it’s just as much of an investment in your health. Doing something small like working through a list of exercises, but daily, will beat going to the gym twice a week and spending hours and hours there.

5. Vizualize yourself fit

Fitness is all in your head. Yes, it takes hard work and dedication to get in shape and then stay that way but most of it, really, is in seeing yourself as someone who is capable of that, someone who is able to get and be fit.

Blast cellulite with this workout

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If you want to reshape your legs while at the same time reducing cellulite, this workout is for you. Resistance training is a type of exercise that causes the muscles to contract against an external resistance. When performing this type of training it is expected that gains will be made in strength, tone, mass and endurance. The most commonly used equipment in resistance training are dumbbells, weighted barbells, exercise machines and workout/resistance bands.

Resistance training workout

This routine involves lifting heavier weight and performing few repetitions.  It’s important to lift weight heavy enough to be challenging while at the same time maintaining correct form.

This workout is designed for either the gym or home gym. A workout partner recommended for spotting. This cellulite reducing workout is most effective when combined with a clean eating menu plan.

– Leg Press – 6 reps; 3 sets

Fix Your Form

– Box Squats – 6 reps; 3 sets

BOX SQUAT

 

– Stiff Legged Deadlifts – 10 reps; 3 sets

STIFF LEG DEADLIFT

 

– Leg Extensions – 6 reps; 3 sets

leg press

 

– Leg Curls – 6 reps; 3 sets

LEG CURLS

 

In order to gain the most benefit from this or any workout, it is important to set aside 30 – 45 minutes for performing this workout. Also track your progress which will help determining if and when you should increase the weight, repetitions or sets.

 

 

Effective cardio tools for weight loss

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BLOG 62Effective weight loss happens with the right combination of a balances diet and physical exercise. You can choose between hitting a gym or working out on your own, doing weight, jogging, running and cardio. While most peple underestimate the importance of including cardio in their exercise schedule, the fact remains that it is one of the keys to an overall toned body. Cardio exercises include anything that will increase your heart rate and keep it up for a significant time period. Even though cardio is good for you, you must ensure you do not overdo it. There are limitations. Over doing your cardio workout can soon lead to aching knees, muscle loss and decreased metabolism. The best combination that works for most people is a blend of 10 – 20 minutes of intense cardio and 25 – 45 mins of low intensity cardio. Not only does this not cause any injuries, it also proves to be the maximum benefit routine.

High intensity interval training includes 10 mins of intense cardio exercise. It is devoid of warming up and down sessions and, should be repeated every alternate or 3rd alternate day. The intensity of this workout burns energy from the muscles and hence, must not be done every day, giving muscles time to recover from the stress.

The most effective cardio tools are:

1. Kettlebell

Exercises involving the kettlebell are whole body workouts and work better than isolation exercises. These are very basic exercises, and are most effective when done for a duration of about 30 to 35 mins. Since the whole body works out in these exercises, you burn a lot mote calories with each repetition.

2. Circuit training

A high intense workout including aerobic exercises and resistance training. The cycles, or circuits, are repeated continuosly, with minimum rest in between. Both aerobic and anaerobic exercises can be blended. You can include exercises you like to create a circuit of your own.

3. Stair training

As is evident, this involves a stair or a series of stairs. These exercises increase cardiovascular stamina and work miraculously for toning the lower body. It may be slightly strenuous to start with, but you can easily build up on this exercise and also include it in your interval or circuit training.

4. Swimming

Swimming has been known for a long time to have cardio vascular benefits. Rigorous freestyle swimming can burn as much as 350 calories in just 30 minutes. The breast stroke or butterfly stroke are the best ones for the purpose.

5. Cycling

Compared to static indoor cycling in the gym, cycling outdoors works wonders for the overall fitness. The challenge of maneuvering through different terrains and routes can help add to the adventure quotient of a perceived boring activity. The calories burnt during a cycling session depend on the speed of cycling and the resistance offered by the route take.

6. Power yoga

Yoga has always been a great way to mental, emotional an physical stability. Power yoga in a form of yoga where the postures are performed in a temperature controlled room, with greater focus on cardiovascular fitness. Strengthening you abdomen, back, hips and pelvis, it helps to improves strength, stamina, posture, concentrarion and muscles toning.