20 Steps For Spring Exercise Motivation

We all have the days where we plan to work out and know that we should, but when it's time to lace up your shoes and go…You. Just. Don't. Wanna.

I have those days, too, but when I remind myself how GOOD exercise makes me feel, and how it will help me reach my goals, I generally suck it up and do it anyway. Getting started really is the hardest part. Once you get going, you're generally glad you did. And when it's over, you feel even better.

But some people have less willpower or dedication. Some give in to the temptation to skip exercise too easily. While that's fine once in a while, it can become a hard habit to break if you skip out on your workouts too often. Below take a look at some things you can do to spring forward to exercise motivation.

Keep Track of Your Progress
Remember to chart your progress, whether it's with a high-tech online tracker or an old-school fitness journal. Seeing incremental improvements, whether it's improved time, increased reps, or greater frequency of workouts, can boost your exercise motivation.

You are not Perfect
Be prepared and not feel like its either all or nothing. Taking small steps always reap bigger rewards. Trying to be a perfectionist when starting any no exercise plan will surely lead to burn out. If you miss a day or two of your workout its okay. Always keep in mind you have another day to make things right.

1. Do it anyway. (This was the most popular answer!)
2. Tell myself to go for 15 minutes. If I still feel bad or unmotivated, I can quit. I have yet to quit.
3. Ask a friend along to the workout it helps us both with accountability.
4. Do a heavy house cleaning (vacuuming, moving furniture, scrubbing) so I have a reason to work out.
5. Take a 10-minute brisk walk.
6. Take the dog for a long walk.
7. Force myself anyway and feel better for it.
8. Go to a yoga class. It gets me moving, and I always have fun!
9. I sit by myself for a few minutes and think about all the things I can't enjoy because of my poor health.
10. Work out anyway…then bask in the awesomeness!
11. Find something new to do! If you run then go for a swim or a bike ride. Maybe you are getting bored with the same routine.
12. Complain about not feeling motivated, then go do it, since I don't like hearing myself complain.
13. I drag myself to the gym anyway. Before I realize it, an hour is passed and I'm glad I went.
14. Post about your lack of motivation on Facebook, and get chewed out.
15. Do it anyway because this is for me.
16. Try to force myself to just do something for 1 minute (jumping jacks, squats, etc.). But usually I tell myself I will be happier that I did it instead of mad at myself for not doing anything.
17. Put on my work out clothes, lace up my shoes and go for a walk. Once I'm out and moving I find my motivation.
18. Remember a time when I couldn't work out, and how sad I was when I was heavier, and how I don't want to feel sad again!
19. Listen to some music—something with energy that I like. It's funny how the right music can make you move even when you think you don't want to, and it usually provides a mood boost, too (which is probably why I didn't want to workout in the first place).
20. Put my feelings aside and use logic and reasoning. My feelings then change after a good workout.

Losing Weight Vs Exercise

Losing or gaining weight can be a challenge for any person, especially when multitudes of fad diets and products geared toward bulking up or slimming down bombard you in magazines, television ads and even the aisles of your grocery store. Losing or gaining weight really comes down to a simple equation of how many calories you take in and how many you burn. If your goal is simply to be healthy, maintaining a good calorie intake while engaging in moderate exercise most days of the week will fight diseases and keep you strong.

 

It takes 3,500 calories to lose 1 lb. If you are trying to lose weight, restrict your calorie intake each day to burn more calories than you take in. If you restrict your current diet by 500 calories each day, you will lose 1 lb. each week. You may find restricting your calories is easy if you cut portion sizes, swap high-calorie foods for low-calorie ones or simply forgo your daily treat or dessert. Talk with a physician, nutritionist or health coach to determine how many calories you need each day to stay healthy before any calorie-restricting diet.

A new study confirms the overall research findings that dietary change, specifically eating less fat, produces more weight loss than changes in exercise. But it also shows that changes in one kind of behavior may help promote changes in the other, especially among women.

Many studies have compared weight loss resulting from changing diet versus increasing activity. Most often, weight loss during programs focused on dietary change produced two to three times greater weight loss than programs focuses on exercise.

The truth is, exercise is a complicated business and there are a number of things that can affect how many calories you burn. Knowing what those are will help you set realistic goals and get the most out of your workouts.

Pampering4life Get Ready For The New You 2012

Abdominal exercises for women, perhaps surprisingly, should not be any different than ab exercises performed by men. For those women who fear that training like a man will cause them to gain unsightly muscle mass should not worry. Women do not have the requisite amounts of testosterone necessary to bulk up. If anything, training like a man will make your muscles shapelier.


Below Are Helpful Tips To Start Your New Year 2012 Off Right

1. The Janda Sit Up

   • According to Pavel Tsatsouline, former trainer for the Soviet special forces, the problem with traditional sit ups and crunches is that they involve the hip flexors to a much greater degree than the abdominals (see link in References). To curb that tendency, Pavel invented the Janda Sit Up, which is a partner sit up that seeks to take the hips out of the equation, allowing the abs to take the brunt of the stress and the benefit.
     To perform a Janda Sit Up, lie on the floor with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle with feet completely on the floor while a partner holds your legs right below the calves. Now sit up about halfway while applying forward pressure with your legs against your partner's hands. Keep your hands folded across your chest during the entire movement, and make sure the soles of your feet do not leave the floor. You should feel these sit ups mainly in the upper abdominals. Aim for 2 to 3 sets of at least 20 repetitions, gradually adding more reps over time as you become used to the exercise.

   Swiss Ball Crunches

   • While traditional ab techniques do involve the hips quite significantly, that does not make those movements entirely ineffective, so long as a full range of motion is used. The problem with performing sit ups on the floor or on a bench is that the tension drops off too soon, as movement stops when you come into contact with the surface. According to Charles Poliquin, a Canadian strength coach who trains both professional and Olympic athletes, a more effective technique for training the upper abs is to perform crunches while lying across a Swiss Ball (see link in References). By using the rounded surface of the ball to your advantage, you will increase range of motion, and thereby increase effectiveness of the exercise. Aim for 2 to 3 sets of 20 or more reps, and add resistance through a plate or dumbbell on your chest as you grow stronger.

   Bridging

   • Our final exercise choice for training your upper abs is a simple static bridge. A static bridge is performed by lying face down on the ground, supporting your body on just three points--your toes and both forearms. Maintain a neutral (slightly curved) spine, and try to keep the rest of your body in a relatively straight line from head to toes. Brace your abs throughout the entire movement to maintain correct posture, and hold for a period of 30 or more seconds. When you can hold a bridge for 90 seconds, your abs will be rock solid.