Weight Loss Articles:

Exercise Excuses

WARNING!! Always seek the advice of a Medical Doctor before starting, or making changes in your diet or exercise program.

In today's fast paced world, sometimes it can be challenging to find the time to get to the gym to workout. I am sure you have heard many people say, "There just aren't enough hours in the day." The number one excuse for not training on a regular basis is not being able to find the time.

Ninety nine percent of all excuses are not valid! If you are serious about getting in shape, if it is a top priority, nothing will get in the way of you achieving your goal. If you want something bad enough, it is amazing what you will do to get it. Here are a few things you can do to eliminate the "I don't have time" excuse.

1. Get up an hour earlier, or stay up an hour later. Dedicate this extra hour of time to training and achieving your fitness goals. Fact: Most people spend more time sleeping than they need to. Eight or nine hours of sleep can be great, but by no means necessary to maintain your health and let you feel good.
   
   Personally, I find it easier and more effective to get up an hour earlier and train first thing in the morning for two reasons. Training first thing in the morning increases your metabolism and keeps you burning calories at an increased rate throughout the day. Another great reason to train first thing is to eliminate the possibility of procrastination and blowing off a workout. By the end of the day, the last thing in the world you want to do after a long day of work and responsibility is workout. Getting your training in first thing will also increase your energy level and make you feel good about yourself. It gives you a sense of accomplishment which will help you tackle the rest of your day and insane schedule with a smile.
   I am sure that at least one "morning person" reading this said to themselves, "Get up an hour earlier, he must be out of his mind!" Even if you get up half an hour earlier, this equates to three and a half hours of exercise time a week that you didn't have before. With only investing a half hour a day, you can get quick, noticeable results.
    
2. Put together a home exercise program for those days you just can't get to the gym. For about $150.00, you can buy some dumbbells, a bench, and a floor mat for abdominal training. Although you can not get as thorough a workout as you could in a health club - it's better than nothing! Herschel Walker, a pro football player, has one of the best physiques around and he has never touched a weight! His workout consists of push-ups, sit-ups, and cardiovascular exercise. You can get great results sticking to the basics. Remember, consistency and intensity are your key ingredients for success.

If money is an issue and you can't afford to buy the equipment mentioned above, all you need is a VCR. There are hundreds of great video tapes designed for toning, weight loss and fat burning. If you don't want to go to a gym, this allows you to exercise in the privacy and comfort of your own home.

All exercise video tapes are designed with music as a background. Music is a powerful tool when it comes to exercise. It lifts your spirits and increases your enthusiasm. Music also takes your mind off the clock and makes your workouts seem to go faster.

Exercise to music that you enjoy. If you like music from the 50's, 60's and 70's, Richard Simmons "Sweating To The Oldies", or Cory Everson's "Step In Time" are great beginner level programs. If you like martial arts and self defense, purchase a tae bo tape.

If you are in decent shape, semi-coordinated and like today's dance music, you can choose from several of MTV's "The Grind Workout Hip Hop Aerobics", Paula Abdul's, "Get Up And Dance", Milo Levell's "Hip Hop Body Shop", Kathy Smith's "Latin Rhythm Workout", or Christy Lane's "Funky Freestyle Dancing."

If you have two left feet like me, you will quickly be able to master Denise Austin's Xtralite Beginner's Aerobics.

All of these tapes and hundreds more are available for sale at most music and major department stores. If you want to check out a tape before you buy it, most of these video tapes can also be rented at your local video store.

Incorporating these simple principles into your daily routine will make it much easier for you to stick to the program, improve your health, and move closer to your fitness goals.

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Avoiding The Common Mistakes

On any given day, you can walk into any gym and find well-intentioned, but frustrated members. No matter what exercise program they try, they can't seem to achieve their goals. Some have gotten positive results for awhile, but have flat lined and just can't seem to get off a plateau. If you are serious enough to dedicate your valuable time to improve your health and appearance, then make it count and get the maximum return from the time you are investing. If you avoid the following common mistakes, you will have a much better chance of building the physique you desire.

1. Too Much Time Between Sets - Most people socialize far too much in the gym. If you want to socialize at the gym, do it after you finish your workout. Make your lips the last muscle group you train. Unless you are a power lifter, you should never let the muscle group fully recover between sets. A good rule of thumb for minor exercises (ex. bicep curls, calf raises, triceps extensions) is 60 seconds of rest between sets. For major exercises like squats, 90-120 seconds may be necessary.
2. Trying To Reduce Fat In A Certain Area - I know men who do endless sit-ups to burn the fat in their abdominal area to get that six pack of abs and get rid of those love handles. I receive e-mail from women who want to get rid of unwanted fat in their legs, rear-end and arms, and think the solution is increased weight training for that particular body part. You can not spot reduce body fat. To get positive results, you need to reduce your body fat throughout your entire body. You can not pick and choose. To reach your goals you need a balanced program of weight training, proper diet and cardiovascular exercise. As you decrease your overall body fat percentage, your problem areas will improve.
3. To Gain Size And Muscularity, You Must Stick With Free Weights - This is a common misconception. Barbells and dumbbells are a staple for increasing muscularity, but by all means complement them with machines. Machines and cable exercises allow you to specifically concentrate on certain areas of a muscle group, and significantly decrease your risk of injury.
4. Rushing Through A Set - A classic example that comes to mind is the young novice trying to show off on the bench press. With no form, rhyme or reason, he bounces the weight off his chest fast and furiously. Other than increasing your chances of injury, this serves no purpose. By slowing down the pace and concentrating on muscle contraction and form, you will get the maximum return from your weight training and significantly decrease your chances of injury.
5. Doing The Same Old Routine - One of the main reasons people plateau is they do not shake things up a little. By doing the same thing day after day, your muscles adapt to the routine and you will stop making gains. Mix things up by adding in new exercises, switching exercise order, and varying the amount of weight and the number of repetitions in a set. Changing your routine will shock your muscle groups and help prevent stagnation.
6. More Is Better - For a large muscle group like your chest, you may do 12 sets to muscle failure. If you train your triceps after chest, they are already pre-fatigued from your chest exercises. All you really need is 6-9 sets to properly finish off your triceps. Two or three exercises, three sets each is plenty. Anything more is over training which increases your chances of injury and slows your progress.

The Positive Weight Loss Approach

Once you have made up your mind to lose weight, you should make that commitment and go into it with a positive attitude. We all know that losing weight can be quite a challenge. In fact, for some, it can be downright tough. It takes time, practice and support to change lifetime habits. But it's a process you must learn in order to succeed. It is said that if you do something for 21 days it will become a habit. You and you alone are the one who has the power to lose unwanted pounds.

Think Like a Winner

Think like a winner, and not a loser - - remember that emotions are like muscles and the ones you use most grow the strongest. If you always look at the negative side of things, you'll become a downbeat, pessimistic person. Even slightly negative thoughts have a greater impact on you and last longer than powerful positive thoughts.

Negative thinking doesn't do you any good, it just holds you back from accomplishing the things you want to do. When a negative thought creeps into your mind, replace it reminding yourself that you're somebody, you have self-worth and you possess unique strengths and talents.

Contemplate what lies ahead of you. Losing weight is not just about diets. It's about a whole new you and the possibility of creating a new life for yourself. Investigate the weight loss programs that appeal to you and that you feel will teach you the behavioral skills you need to stick with throughout the weight-loss process.

First you should look for support among family and friends. It can be an enormous help to discuss obstacles and share skills and tactics with others on the same path. You might look for this support from others you know who are in weight loss programs and you can seek guidance from someone you know who has lost weight and kept it off.

There are success stories across the country today on television and in newspapers, magazines and tabloids about people who have miraculously lost untold pounds and kept it off. In all instances they say their mental attitude as well as their outlook on life has totally changed.

Learning New Skills

Diets and weight loss programs are more flexible now than they once were and there are many prepared foods already portioned out. They are made attractive and can be prepared in a matter of minutes. Low-fat and low-calorie foods are on shelves everywhere.

You will probably need to learn new, wiser eating skills. You will want a weight loss regimen that gives you some control, rather than imposing one rigid system. Look for one that offers a variety of different eating plans, so you can choose the one that's best for you.

Keep in mind, too, that your weight loss program will most likely include some physical exercises. Look at the exercising aspect of your program as fun and recreation and not as a form of grueling and sweaty work. The fact is that physical fitness is linked inseparable to all personal effectiveness in every field. Anyone willing to take the few simple steps that lie between them and fitness will shortly begin to feel better, and the improvement will reflect itself in every facet of their existence.

Doctors now say that walking is one of the best exercises. It helps the total circulation of blood throughout the body, and thus has a direct effect on your overall feeling of health. There are things such as aerobics, jogging, swimming and many other exercises which will benefit a weight loss program. Discuss the options with your doctor and take his advice in planning your exercise and weight loss program.