Fitness and Recovery: How to Recover More Efficiently

The recovery process is a key factor in every athlete, fitness enthusiast and amateur and it cannot be overlooked if we wish to increase performance, preserve the body and avoid serious injury.
It involves returning to a normal physiological state, re establishing the energy levels, nutrients and liquids for reduced soreness and eradication of psychological symptoms.

In order to achieve a better recovery process there must be a certain level awareness on the basic principles ruling it and the best way to apply each of the following advices.

Here a 6 key elements that must be taken into consideration for a proper recovery.

1- Gradually reduce intensity for 10 to 20 minutes in order to speed removal of lactic acid from the muscle and the blood.

2- A high fast absorbing carb diet such as dextrose, sacarose or maltodextrin within the first 24 hours following an intense and long work out will bring muscle glycogen back to its optimum levels. For optimum results these must start being taken on liquid form within 15 minutes of finishing the work out.

3- The amino acids brought in by the consumption of protein will stimulate better results on the muscle building and repair process.

4- Water only does not replace all the electrolytes lost by the body during exercise besides from being quickly filtered through the kidneys. For this particular reason, the ingested liquid should be accompanied by an electrolyte mix to replenish levels of sodium and potassium.

5- Along with sweat the body loses fluid which must be replaced. Such bodily fluids are needed to maintain the blood volume required to transport nutrients to the muscles.

6- A good quality rest, a deep repairing sleep are key for a good recovery after a grueling work out. The opposite can affect performance, causing fatigue and weakness on the following sessions.

It is also recommended to follow an anti oxidant rich diet made of vegetables, dairies and eggs. Avoid all processed food an opt for fresh and raw aliments instead besides from reducing or eliminating the consumption of tobacco and alcohol.

If possible incorporate multivitamins containing both B and E complex and supplement your diet with amino acid supplements such as leucine, taurine and specially glutamine besides from using powder protein to prevent muscle and volume loss.

The muscles are composed of about 70% of water reason why preventing excessive dehydration is also a fundamental part of protecting the muscle for an enhanced recovery.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dorian_Da_Silva

Read More

5 Ways To Exercise At Home If You Want To Avoid The Gym

If you don't want to go to the gym as part of your keep fit and weight loss program there are effective ways to exercise at home. A lot of people just don't like the idea going to gym and would rather do exercises at home or outside in the fresh air. Also, it can take up a lot of time going to the gym on a frequent basis and cost a fair amount of money.

Here are a five ways to exercise at home, plus ideas and tips on how to give your home workout program a great start!

1. No equipment? No Worries.

The most obvious kind of exercises at home and away from the gym which require no equipment are walking and jogging. However, there are a variety of other exercises that are effective where you use nothing but your body. Press-ups and sit-ups are classic examples. Pull-ups, squats and leg lunges are others. Using exercises like these it's possible to cover nearly every muscle in your body.

2. Get On Your Bike!

It is very easy to keep fit and shed excess pounds if you go out cycling on your bike. If you normally use an exercise bike at the gym then this is an obvious alternative. It can be much more enjoyable too as you can set your own route, be out in the fresh air and see what you want to see as you get your exercise. You can also set yourself different routes depending on how much time you have and to keep things interesting.
3. Bench and Weights.

You can buy a bench and weights for your exercises at home if you've got a bit of spare cash. You can normally buy these for a pretty reasonable price and probably for more or less the same price as one month's gym membership. With this equipment you can do practically all of the exercises that your gym weights machines do, without paying any more than it cost to buy them. In addition to that, you can use them any time you want and not just when the gym is open.

4. Try Yoga.

One of the cheapest ways to exercise at home is yoga. Although yoga isn't for everyone, it's incredibly popular and is a great way to stay healthy when taken seriously. To do yoga you really need nothing more than your body, but you might want to get a yoga mat too. That's all you'll need to start doing your own home yoga program. If you're not already familiar with yoga practice, then you can pick up some great yoga instruction online for next to nothing.

5.Make Use Og Household Items.

There are various ways to exercise at home with makeshift apparatus instead of the 'actual' thing. For instance, you don't actually need dumbbells to do resistance training. All you need are heavy materials that are you can lift. For light aerobic exercising you can use food tins like baked beans. For more heavy weights, try using big bottles of mineral water. Both are every bit as good as real weights but cost nothing and are around and about your home.

When you've got music or a TV readily available when you are doing exercises at home, it's your choice what to watch or listen to as you exercise. You can catch up on some of your favourite TV programs that you have recorded. It's things like this that will help you to say motivated and keep-up with your fitness without feeling guilty that you have not gone to the gym.

Do you want to learn more ways to lose weight and get fit? Are you confused about healthy eating? Do you want to know the best workout techniques to get the results you want? Get more nutritional information, the best exercise programs, fitness motivation and a FREE ebook with over 100 tips for losing belly fat here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Allo

Read More

Fitness Motivation 101

As a fitness professional I have witnessed plenty of people start an exercise program only to come up with a reason (or excuse) to quit altogether after a couple of months. The main reasons for this change of heart is usually due to a lack of direction (i.e. specific goals) and/or unrealistic expectations. I believe that passing things off by saying I'm just lazy is never true. Most people who go to the gym want to "get into better shape". While seemingly noble, these four words are totally useless to you if you really want to change for the better. There are always deeper reasons, whether conscious or sub-conscious. Of course, the media is the worst offender when it comes to promoting unrealistic expectations. Most people have an instinctive urge to want to look like they did at the age of 19 or 25. This is a recipe for disaster.

Vanity is a great motivator

A lot of doctors and personal trainers will tell you that you should only focus on the health benefits of exercise, but we are vain creatures. We want to impress the opposite sex and most importantly we want to please our own eyes when we look in the mirror. The great news is that once you acquire the great feelings you get from exercise (during and after) they will motivate you as well. The other benefits don't hurt, such as

- More energy

- Better sleep

- Willingness to make better food choices

- Fitting into your clothes beautifully

- Toned arms

- A lifted butt

- Better sex

- Improved memory

- A happier disposition

What You Should Do

Part of moving forward with a positive lifestyle change is letting go of what used to be and focusing on what is possible for your future. How do you want to feel in 6 months? What do you want to look like in 2 years? If you really contemplate these questions, you set yourself up for success that will surely surprise even your most optimistic nature. A helpful analogy of fitness goals is the comparison to working towards a promotion. You first need to learn the job description (learn the rules of the game), then prove you can not only perform the duties, but that you can become that position in your company. This is called faking it until you become it. You need to start to see yourself in a totally different light. Of course, proper guidance speeds up the process tremendously.

Patrick Williams is owner of Fuel RX Fitness in Sherman Oaks, California. He is a Personal Trainer and fat loss expert and his group training programs have helped hundreds of people lose weight, feel better, and get swimsuit ready. Check out http://fuelrxfitness.com to download your free fat loss report titled "weight loss secrets revealed".

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_M_Williams

Read More

Difficulties in Losing Weight and Keeping Fit While Working in an Office

Sitting all day at work is common for most Americans. Count in the commute time and any leisure time at home and it would not be unusual to have 13 hours in sitting down time.

The Sax Institute in Australia recently found that for every 11 hours a day a person sits while at work they have a 40% higher risk of dying within three years than people who sat 4 hours a day. Heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers can be linked to a sedentary lifestyle. Known as the "sitting disease" the condition shows prolonged sitting affects the body both physiologically and metabolically. Not only does it affect the body in that way but it also predisposes a person to neck and back pain due to atrophy or underdevelopment of the core abdominal and gluteal muscles.

A good rule of thumb is to get out of your chair at least once an hour. You could ask a colleague a question, go to the water cooler, take the stairs or take a bathroom break. Other office helpers are standing desks, stability chairs as well as the more often seen ball chairs. Ball chairs provide just enough stability, due to its being heavier on the bottom, to force your legs and arms to engage so there is no wobbling while you sit.
There are some easy exercises that can be done at your desk and some while using a ball chair:

The squeeze

- In this exercise you'll actively squeeze and contract all your muscles in turn. Start with your feet set about a foot apart and work your way from toes to head squeezing and contracting each muscle group. Hold each muscle contracted and see how long you can hold them that way.

Hip rotations

- Without moving your shoulders, neck or head sit on the ball and rotate the ball in a circular fashion with butt and hips. Then move them in the opposite direction. You should be able to feel all your lower body and back muscles working. Do each way 5-10 times for 3 sets.

Squat

- While holding your arm out grasp the ball and squeeze. The ball weighs 4-5 lbs so you should be able to feel your arms and chest engage. While squeezing keep your core tight and squat down. While keeping your knees wide and butt back keep your arms straight out. Squeeze your butt and stand up. Do this 5-10 times for 3 sets.

Leg extensions

- While sitting, plant feet firmly about a foot apart and move one leg to the center and lift straight out. Hold your leg up for a few seconds. Repeat this and do the same for the opposite leg. This gets the quads moving and engages the core for stability.

For many people time is a short commodity. Taking small snippets of time here and there to do the exercises, go for a walk during lunch or taking small breaks every hour helps in a cumulative effect and will make a difference in your health and make you feel good!

Tammie Cappuccio has been writing article for over 25 years. She has had over two dozen articles published on varying subjects worldwide.

Visit her website/blog at: http://weightlossandhealthyeating.wordpress.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tammie_Cappuccio

Read More

3 Keys to Fitness

The good news is that every single person goes through it. Even after 15 years of dedication and passion for fitness and the lifestyle, after a week of vacation, I need to motivate myself to get back at it.

Do you ever notice that after you have the initial surge of motivation and you finally make it into the gym, or take on some form of exercise, that after a few weeks the motivation seems to fade? While the motivation fades, the cravings for some food you really want or maybe that night out that you haven't had in weeks seems to be more and more on your mind?

Let's look at some ways that we can hit that mental hump and climb right over it.
1) Remember why you're doing it.

When things seem to be coming along really well, and you hit that mental wall, remember your 'why'. We all have a reason to get up in the morning, to go to work, to go to school. I have had my own reasons for competing in drug free bodybuilding. One of my most important effective methods of staying motivated is to remind myself daily why I'm doing it. Why I have taken on this challenge. By remembering daily why it is what you are doing you will keep the motivation fresh in your mind. Maybe it's for a vacation, and you want to look good without a giant sweater on, look at some old pictures. Maybe its because you are no longer happy with your body, and you have made the decision to make a change, in that case remember what it is that you want to change, and why you got started in the first place. It seems simple, but when used, the simple act of focusing on your 'why' is the most important tool in your arsenal. Find your why.
2) Mentally recognize the hump is coming.

Another strategy is to keep that mental hill in your mind. Know that you have hit it before, and you know what it looks like. See that gives you an edge. That's a different way of looking at it isn't it? Now you have experience with this wall, and you know what it feels like to be "bogged down". But unlike those other times, this time you will sail right over it. Know for a certainty that when you reach a point when your motivation seems to be lacking, (you will remember this stage) remind yourself that this is the time you will move forward. Just by allowing your mind to visualize that process, you will build pathways and the mental strength to smash past it, and the next one, and the next one after that. The process is somewhat like a train starting on a hill. When the engines fire, they will groan and have to work to clear that first hill. Once the train does though, it picks up speed and the next hill is easier, and again. After a few times, the train is now a force to be reckoned with if it needs to be stopped. Approach the mental hump in the same way. Be a freight train.

3) Look for motivation daily.

I heard a quote once from Zig Ziglar "Motivation doesn't last. Well neither does bathing, that's why it's recommended it daily". I think this is pure genius. Every day I focus on motivational things. Now that's not to say that I wake up and say "it's a great day, im happy happy happy, the world is sunshine and roses". But what I do is, is make a habit of noticing things daily, even several times a day, which will redirect my energy into something positive. So it can be in the form of quotes, videos, books or maybe just a great conversation.
Once you have been able to recognize the mental hump, deal with it and move on, you will see that the road gets much, much easier. Along the way you will develop ideas, goals, and strategies that you can apply not only to fitness and your health, but to all areas of your life.

See this is the key; to be able to make a decision, move forward, realize the challenges, and move on. By harnessing these abilities you will be able to make major improvements in all areas of your life. When you look back, you will realize that you have gotten in great shape along the way from what seems like a byproduct of success in life.

Be sure to check out the video series "The Ethos Shift" on YouTube for more tips on being happy and successful.

Live big, dream bigger.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mitch_Robinson

Read More

How to Take Up Fitness

The first thing you need to know about fitness training is that you cannot do it alone at first. If you're a novice there is no way you will be able to perform sustained training without screwing it up. Most people want to look like models in no time. They are called season sportsmen, and what they do is waste away their money and time gaining nothing in return.

You need a trainer. It is a bit expensive, but think about it: you only need a trainer at first, for a month tops. because a professional will be able to train you on how to train. Your body is composed of many muscles and you need to have them all worked out separately in order to maintain symmetry and growth. For example, if you plan on lifting weights, the wrong size and the wrong lifting position will only contract your muscles. You may even spring a rupture while attempting to be healthier.

Also, always remember that your body will cheat on you. When you have to make 15 repetitions of the same exercise, after the eight it will become harder to perform in the correct position. And that's when your body will adjust itself in order to be able to reach the finish, only by adjusting itself it will switch the weight distribution and the muscles you were currently working on building up will loose the tension and other muscles will kick in. That's not good, because by releasing the muscle's tension it means they will no longer grow and the muscles that have just kicked in will only support a part of the exercise, but less than it is needed for them to develop.

So basically, working by yourself is a no win situation. Online training or videos won't help either, because you will think you do it correctly without a proper guide to follow your positions closely and adjust them as you slide away from them. Trust me, I know this from personal experience.

If you want to put on weight or lose weight, nutrition is the key. without it exercises are useless. You will need a certain level of protein and a certain level of calories. You cannot decide that by yourself and a nutritionist can't help you either, because they are trained to suggest the clinical optimum, not what you like to look like. By having complete measurements taken, a fitness trainer can help you out with whatever nutrition diet you need all the while corroborating it with your exercises to achieve the desired effect.

Oana is a member of Lacartes.com - an online community where people can meet new people and stay connected to friends, families and share photos, updates, reviews and more.If you decide that it's time to do something about your body, take a moment and think about it, because it's not as simple as it looks. We all want to have a great body and keep in shape, but you can't do it on your own. This article can only be reproduced in its entirety when the link to lacartes.com is live at all times.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Oana_Coroian

Read More

Tips to Making It Through the Tough Days in Fitness

Tips to making it through the mentally tough days in fitness.

I have my days. Lots of people will say to me "I don't know how you do it". How do I eat what I do, how do I train when I am exhausted. How do I do it? Everyone has a place in their own mind that they can go to focus, and make it through tough times. Make no mistake about it, there are and always will be hard days.
But. The difference is how you handle it.

This is what I do. This is what I am. I have a passion for the iron. I'm addicted to the war I have waged on myself to improve, to show others that it is possible. If you want me to succeed, tell me I can't do it. The more you say it isn't realistic, the more determined in my mind I am to make it happen. Push me and I will push back twice as hard. You may do something different, you may be good at something different. You may be good at golf, you may be good at landscaping. This is what I am good at. Being a bodybuilder, being a champion of my mind.

The first thing to look at is recognizing that you need to focus on the task at hand, and not the negative thoughts that can enter your mind. You need to realize that the choice that you make in that moment will determine the outcome that you will achieve. Every action you take from there on in is going to shape and mold your victory.

So will you cancel your workout? Or will you push through and prove to even yourself that you can do it. Will you look at your inner voice and smile, knowing you will silence it?

You see the war isn't on the outside with people, haters, bosses etc. The war is on the inside, and that's right where you want it to be because you can call the plays, you can control the shift in momentum. Realizing that and using it to fight the battle is the key to achieving what is possible. Over the last fifteen years being a drug free bodybuilder I have had my share of days that I do not want to play anymore, I don't want to diet, I don't want to do my cardio, and I sure don't want to push that food away that smells like heaven. But once I have strung together a few of the bad days and I have come out on top, I see that its OK and it will always be OK.

Secondly, know that one of the keys is that whatever you can think of, can be achieved. While you are going through the thoughts in your mind day to day, keeping the goal in mind will allow you to keep going when you think it's not worth it. There are loads of times, even daily, that I will be thinking "why am I doing this?" it takes me some time to remember my why, and the reasons I started this journey. I challenge you to do the same. You will have bad days even with things that you are passionate about, but I encourage you to remember why you started.

I challenge you to look for the goal, look for the reason why when you are "in the trenches" in your mind. Do not forget the why. Whether it's family, work, or your own personal reason, use it.It becomes more and more increasingly important to keep your faith in your vision and goal, and not stray from it along the path no matter what kind of challenges you face.

"Progress is impossible without change. Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." - George Bernard Shaw

Check us out at http://www.championofmind.ca for our affordable, flexible services.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mitch_Robinson

Read More