Workout Tips

Workout Tips

When I first started working out I started at the Y.  Included with my membership was a free fitness consultation where a Personal Trainer went over my goals and gave me a basic plan.  He walked me through the equipment and showed me how to use it adjusted the weight for me and wrote everything down for me.  I had a card on file that I would pick up every time I went to the gym and I would do my workouts from there every time I went.  I do understand that not everyone is able to go to the Y and I’m not sure if all Y’s offer this type of assistance but I loved the structure it provided for me since everything was very new for me.  

My suggestion to you if you want to start a workout regimen and can afford a personal trainer, hire one.  However, I know that this may not be an option for all, myself included, so you have to do some homework and learn your way around the gym.  I was very intimidated at first because I looked around and saw that everyone appeared to know what they were doing.  However, I kept reminding myself that they all had to start somewhere and I was there for me not for anyone else.  Here are a few tips that I recommend for you:

Set up a schedule - if you write down a schedule of what you are going to do, it helps you to keep accountable, organized and it helps with time management at the gym.

Ask questions - You would be surprised just how willing others are to help you if you ask them.  I have found myself asking for help a lot and every time I do I am helped without hesitation.  I now see others in the gym doing certain exercises incorrectly and I want to go to them to tell them but don’t do it for fear of inadvertently embarrassing them.  I still ask questions because there is always something new to learn.

Try different things - There are so many different exercises and variations of exercises out there so my suggestion is, don’t be afraid to try different exercises.  This teaches you what exercises work for what body parts.

Don’t get stuck - Plateaus are a big part of weight loss, I am almost positive that we all hit them at one point or another.  In order to get over a plateau you have to change your routine, perhaps incorporating more cardio or more weights.  A personal trainer friend of mine told me that changing your routine from week to week helps keep the muscles confused so if you do Cardio on Monday then do it on Wednesday the following week. Once your body gets accustomed to a routine, it gets bored and it won’t change so you have to continue to challenge yourself in order to continue to improve.

You can’t outwork a bad diet – Boy is this so very true and I am true testimony of it.  I have been unable to lose more weight because I am not eating the way I should.  I know this is an issue for me and I am working on fixing it but I am also not in denial, I know I am responsible for it.

Gym vs. at home workouts – This depends on your personal preference, there is no right or wrong just what works best for you.  I personally find it very hard to workout at home, I don’t like it, it bores me.  However, this may be the opposite for you and that is absolutely fine, you have to find what works best for you and that is key.  This is why fitness is not a one size fits all fix, it really is very customized according to each person.

Use available resources – With today’s technology it is amazing just how much information is available at our fingertips.  You can google workout routines, workout schedules, exercises targeting different areas and so much more.  Through my research I found a really good website www.bodybuilding.com which is so full of resources . This website has healthy recipes and a wealth of information about fitness and nutrition, I can’t get enough of it.  This website has different programs that you can do based on your goals and it gives you a detailed schedule of your workouts and even include meal plans as well.  My favorite feature is the exercise guide, where you type in a particular exercise and they show you a video of how to perform the exercise.

What is form? – Exercise is very important however, performing it correctly is even more important.  Form is the way your perform an exercise avoiding injury and getting the best results out of it.  If you perform an exercise without proper form it will not work and it will injure you.

Educate yourself – A healthy lifestyle is an always evolving process, there are fads that come and go both in fitness and in healthy eating and there is nothing wrong with following fads, it keeps it fresh.  However, the one constant is the fact that balancing the two is key to living life to its fullest.

Now go, get moving!