So the big question is always...do I enjoy myself with my family and relax and not go to the gym or do I go to the gym and miss out on what we imagine a traditional Xmas to be...I would say the perfect balance is between both.
I would not recommend training too hard over the Xmas period as this is downtime from a long year...your body and mind need rest...but also don't do nothing and over indulge. Relax...take part in fun exercises you really enjoy during this period...maybe even get your family involved and do an activity everyone enjoys, even if it is as simple as going for bike ride. The one thing you don't want to do is stop completely. Even professional athletes during their off-season will still eat fairly well and do some form of exercise, even if it is stretching, going for a light run or swimming. But also do not over work yourself...your body needs the rest so when January starts, you can start the year strong and train well and consistently...Don't tire yourself out and be one of those people that burns out by February. Little and often is a good motto to go by if you're just starting out. Consistency is key, so find what works for you, what will ensure you stay consistent enough to get those results you want. If you have a lot of energy, by all means train hard, and make sure you leave time to relax and spend time with loved ones. On the topic of spending time with loved ones. Be careful and do not get carried away with over indulging...otherwise those first few weeks in January are going to be torturous...do yourself a favour and make it easy for your future self to get back into the swing of things, because after January, it won't be long before summer comes and you want to show off your hard work and not cramming in last minute workouts in an attempt to get fit .
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How to get abs or make your abs more visible...
First and foremost abs do not just exist below your fat, even if you are blessed genetically. To have visible abs you will need to strengthen those muscles, just like all the other muscles in your body that you strengthen. Good quality exercises that protect your lower back is the secret to a good ab routine. Be careful of exercises where you can compromise form and where your lower back tends to dip. And like any other muscle group building the muscles in your abs takes time. So practice regularly to see the best possible results. Remember with the abs you have a deeper layer of muscle that sits like a corset around your waist and then you have a superficial layer of muscle too. Both will need to be strengthened. Once you have a good routine going to build the muscles you will need to reduce body fat in order to clearly see all your hard work. So remember eat sensibly...do not over eat or eat large portions as this fills your belly and expands that area making it more difficult to see your abs. Keep your portions small and sensible- eat a variety of whole foods (healthy foods) and add to some cardio to your routine. You don't need to pound the treadmill everyday. Instead opt for fun exercises to do little and often. This is a sure way to avoid over eating and create a steady calorie deficit through your training. So you see, very simple and straightforward...getting abs does not need to be complicated. Just focus on a good quality routine. Opt to train with a personal trainer for a good routine and best results My top 5 tips for weight loss
Unlike other fitness journeys I've always believe weight loss journeys are the most challenging mentally. Because unlike other fitness journeys weight loss is all about mental discipline, it is about making change, and it is about trying to stay committed to that change. Now it sounds very tough, and it is, but if you really want to lose weight then you will. It all starts in your mind. It starts with you telling yourself you will lose weight. You have to be prepared for some slight ups and downs as weight loss is not a straight journey, but one that goes up and down and eventually stays down. Because you need to keep in mind, that weight does fluctuate, day to day, week to week. Someone who weighs 76kg, doesn't always weigh 76kg, this person may weigh slightly more in the evening than the morning. Or they may weigh more after a weekend of over eating...but the persons weight on average is 76kg due to factors such as their lifestyle, calorie consumption, physical build and their relationship with food. I will not go too far into detail on this post about nutrition and diet but I will share with you some of my top tips. 1. Routine, Routine, Routine! Over the years I have found that if you can learn to manage your week and build a good routine. Where you train and eat at certain times and you keep to strict portions each day, you will have a very very good chance at being successful on your weight loss journey. 2. Discipline -_ - This is a hard one. But I will say this if you can practice this skill and crack it. Not only will you achieve your weight loss goal but anything you put your mind to in life you will learn to achieve (within of course the realistic limitations of your/human ability) And I want to mention, discipline isn't something everyone is born with. It is always impressive to see other people who are so disciplined and stick to anything they put their mind to. But discipline is a skill and treat it like a skill. It takes practice, persistence and perseverance. Treat it the same way you would a fitness routine. Practice a little each day 3. Quality over quantity This will be your new mental approach to food and training. Start cutting out low quality foods that are heavily processed and contain a lot of ingredients (this means you need to check labels). Eat simple foods that are of good quality. Don't eat too many carbs but if you do opt for wholemeal or wholewheat, opt for the carbs that don't contain a lot of other ingredients. Big tip... if you like bread why not try something like sourdough? 4. More training does not equal more food. Remember it only takes an excess of 300 calories a day for you to eventually gain weight. And it only takes a deficit of 300 calories a day for you to eventually lose weight..choose wisely. 5. Write everything down Record everything, your exact weight, your body measurements. the exercises you do, reps, sets..the more you write down and track the better you can understand your progress and the better you can learn how to either speed up or slow down your weight loss. Honestly, buy a cheap note book from tiger or the pound shop and start writing it all down. Your future self will thank you :) |
Health & Fitness with BazA space for me to share a bit about my own fitness journey, tips and tricks I've learnt over the years as a personal trainer and some of my favourite health and fitness products Archives
January 2020
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