The 5 Best Tools To Keep You on Track

Exercise & Workout article by Ben on Saturday, April 25, 2009 2:09:14 PM EST

Below are 5 of the best tracking tools to help keep you focused, positive and striving towards your goals!

1. Complete an activity such as a run, jog, bike ride, etc. through a set course or to a specific destination and repeat it to track improvements in time and performance.

2. Measuring tape and body fat calipers.  As long as they are being used by the same person they can provide a great range of relevant and comparable data.

3. Scales that measure body composition.  These types of scales provide much more data than just your weight.

4. BMI.  It’s a very general estimation but is still an easy and quick reference point.

5. VO2 Max, Lactate testing, hydrostatic weighing and DXA body composition scans are far more accurate methods of testing but can be expensive.

Strength Training - Keep It Simple

Exercise & Workout article by Ben on Monday, April 20, 2009 2:04:35 PM EST

Here are a few tips to help keep your training more consistent, effective and simple.

1. Train between 3-5 days each week.

2. Don’t split up your program too much, try to stick to full body work-outs or 2-3 day split programs.

3. Take minimal amount of rest in between exercises or do active recovery exercises in between to help improve balance, agility, core strength.

4. Always allow 1-2 days of rest before training a muscle group again.

5. Add cardio to your weekly program to make your training more effective and to help burn extra body fat.

6. Always drink plenty of water before, during and after you work-out and have a well balanced snack when you’re finished that contains a good source of protein.

7. Get lots of sleep.  You break down your muscles when training so you want to be sure you are getting the appropriate amount of sleep every night (7-8 hours) to ensure your body has enough time to recover and repair the damaged muscles. 

Ten Of The Worst Eating Habits

Diet & Nutrition article by Ben on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 2:08:45 PM EST

1. Not eating enough during the day.

 

People starve themselves during the day and then usually over eat at night.

2. Eating only protein after working out.

 

You actually need mostly carbs to replace muscle energy and some protein for tissue repair.

3. Skipping snacks.

 

You should be eating 3 meals and 3 snacks a day and if you skip your snack you could possible over eat at your next meal.

4. Keeping snacks around your desk and grazing all day.

 

Make sure your snacks are measured out and you are only eating them at the appropriate times.

5. Eating on the run.

 

When you eat in a rush you don’t enjoy the food as much, may not be as satisfied and may over eat to compensate.

6. Portion Control.

 

Find out what different servings sizes look like (chicken, vegetables, fruit) so you have a reference when preparing your plate.

7. Waiting too long too eat.

 

Blood sugar gets low and this is when cravings begin to set in.

8. Eating just before a work-out for a boost of energy.

 

Proper nutrition takes a lot longer to kick in so make sure to eat well throughout the day and if it’s an early morning work-out, make sure to eat a bed time snack and have plenty of water in the morning to help give you the energy you need.

9. Drinking too many calories.

 

Keep track of the glasses of juice, milk, coffee and pop that you drink.  You would be amazed at how many calories most juices, pops and coffee drinks contain.

10. Following the wrong diet.

 

You need to find a diet plan that suits your lifestyle, food preferences and tastes so trying to stick to the “diet of the week” will probably not work for you.  You need to find something that you can follow and stick to!