Heather Mir

Imagine that you could devote some time of each day to just you?  A great way to get started is through a regular exercise routine. Furthermore, you are investing valuable time on your health and positive mental focus. In general, our schedules are full with one task -and then moving into the next- and yet, with planning and time management you can commit to a solid exercise plan. Not enough time? Consider how much more you can accomplish knowing that you have committed to regenerating your body.

After deciding to commit some time to your health and fitness, the next step is to accept your own physique. Sometimes, we think, "If I just could have legs like hers, or abs like that."  We are all born with certain genetic traits that make up our body types. Also, these factors determine how your body reacts to exercise and diet. Yes! You can train your body specifically for desired results. However, measured progress will be a better version of you. Never begin an exercise regimen thinking you are going to look like somebody else. It's great to have role models as a source of inspiration, however, it is even more motivating to become your own role model. The main objective in fitness should be how you can achieve and maintain better health, or how to improve athletic performance. Begin with a positive focus on your physical attributes. The best end result is a healthier you!

Exercise for the sake of health is the best reason to get your body moving!
However, if you want to achieve success be sure to set your sights on a specific goal. The first step can be a commitment to workout four times a week, for 20 minutes, and for one month. Later, you can enjoy raising the bar to a more challenging goal. Whatever your goal may be, you will be better off knowing you met your own personal challenges. A great way to get the most out of an exercise plan is through the guidance of a personal trainer. A good trainer will assess your goals, your current level of fitness, and develop a well calculated plan for positive results.

Let's be even more specific. You are now ready to begin your journey towards a healthy body through positive life changes. Most preconceived notions of fitness routines are going to a health club and hitting the weights or getting on the treadmill.  However, the most important and first assessment in any training program is core stabilization and flexibility. What is core stability and the importance of it? Simply, it is the alignment and posture of your body. Importantly, how you move according to muscle imbalances and tightness. In more specific terms, the "core" is located in your lower lumbar and pelvic hip area. This is the center of gravity and the origin of all movement from within your body. Just imagine for a moment, if you put a pencil in a tall glass, and then shook the glass so the pencil spun about the glass. The pencil is similar to your spine without the strong support of stabilizer muscles. Another example is if you were in a car and put your foot on the gas pedal to move ahead quickly, only to spin out your tires. Your body is a similar mechanism when dealing with force. Consider the negative impact of resistance training when your vertebrae are already in a state of weakness from strain and tightness.  Furthermore, once we stretch and strengthen muscles that aid in proper balance, posture and back discomfort are often prevented.  The number one cause of minor low back pain is from poor core stabilization including tight hip flexors and weak gluteus muscles. Any fitness program that does not include a solid base of core strength and flexibility is not complete, nor is it safe in the long term. Without it, strain and injury are a timely guarantee because weak muscles become weaker and less flexible.

Metabolism is generated by many factors such as genetics, diet, cardio
intensity, age, and lean muscle mass....However, in an effort to burn calories and maintain a healthy body fat percentage, there are simple and effective approaches. First, we can control the rate of calories burned through lean muscle tissue. Muscle burns the most calories at rest. The more muscle you can build and maintain, the faster your metabolism will be. With this in mind, a focus on resistance training is just as important as cardio for weight loss and muscle tone. Furthermore, excessive cardiovascular exercise will break down muscle. As a result, the rate at which you burn calories is decreased.  The smart way to a lean physique  is a combination of resistance and cardio.

The human body is an amazing instrument with an incredible ability to adapt to environmental and external stimuli.  We need to work with our adaptive qualities to achieve substantial results. The most effective approach to lowering your body fat level is a gradual decrease in calories and increase in activity. For example, if you decide your best effort is a crash diet and high intensity cardio for two hours a day...you just asked your body to adapt to an extreme condition...and you know what? ...it will! Where can you possibly go from there? Negative side effects of crash dieting and exercise are loss in muscle tissue and slowed metabolism in an effort to meet the demands of your extreme efforts. It is a no win situation. However, a marathon runner or basketball player would train much differently incorporating strength training, sprints and endurance conditioning into fitness schedules. Simply, it is the "plateau effect" to consider as our bodies adapt to different training techniques.  As body fat levels decrease, so does caloric needs because you have less body tissue burning calories. Furthermore, when calculating your food intake, it is important to know how much body fat you have lost during progression. Always keep a diet and exercise log so you can accurately track your body fat loss, and note when your progress begins to slow down. With this information as a tool, you can adjust your workout intensity and decrease you caloric totals at a careful and gradual level. Your body is the best avenue for planning and strategy towards fitness success!

Nutrition and exercise work together, and must be included in your efforts for health maintenance as well as sport specific goals. If you want to drop body fat- watch your calories and exercise regularly. If you are a sprinter, eat a high carbohydrate diet to fuel muscles for short bursts of intense speed. Keep in mind that you can exercise at a high intensity level.  However, if you eat a few donuts for breakfast, fast food for lunch, and half a large pizza for dinner, your effort in the gym will not be very productive. Remember, with a balanced, informed and patient focus on diet and exercise you will meet and exceed all expectations!

Over training your body will slow down results in almost any fitness plan.
If you do not allow recovery time, your body will never perform to it's maximum potential- and risk of injury is also increased.  Signs that you have over trained are: loss of appetite, irritable behavior, sleeplessness, excessive muscle soreness, joint pain and exhaustion. More is not always better when approaching a workout strategy. Yes, hard work and discipline are necessary elements at any level of success, and usually pays off. Frequently, it is more of a challenge to take a day off, eat a few extra calories, or incorporate light training days into your schedule. Your body is a finely tuned, adaptive instrument- and it's the only one you've got. Excessive strain can take its toll for years to come as a consequence of over training. Respect yourself and your body for the higher functioning mechanism that it is.

Discover your passion through sports activities and adventure!  Maybe, an exhilarating run down the mountains of a ski slope renews your soul. Possibly, running for miles past the setting sun is the fuel for the rest of your life. Whichever you choose, exercise can be an inspiration that instigates a new world of opportunity. Health and fitness is far from competition or body fat levels. The most successful athletes are ones that love what they do, and performance becomes an extension of their passion. Your body and mind are working together to feed your motives. If both are nurtured, you will power ahead.  Frequently, your career or daily routine does not inspire positive energy or diverse adventures.  A renewed focus on fitness can be an outlet of personal exploration in discipline, hidden talent, and risk taking.  Imagine... if you really can climb a mountain, consider the potential in the next challenges you are ready to take?