Getting into good shape can seem like a lot of hard work. It's possible that all you can think about when it comes to fitness is the endless tedium of doing crunches or a time in the past when you were sedentary and overweight. Just let old feelings go and you can begin to enjoy a healthier body. The following article offers great advice on how you can achieve this.
Planning your workout with a routine will be easier if you start by purchasing the services of a personal trainer. A good one will discuss your goals, as well as your problem areas, to determine the best workout plan for you. Having someone there to meet you at the gym on your first day will make the situation less daunting, more enjoyable, and the routine much easier to get into. Hiring a professional will put you on a path you'll be motivated to continue on.
If you want to maximize your fitness results, count all calories taken in and burned through exercise. By counting the calories you consume each day, it can help you lose weight. The combination of burning calories while exercising and closely watching your calorie intake will produce quick, major results.
Grow your own garden. It can be surprising to most people how much work is actually involved in gardening. There is weeding, digging and there's also a whole lot of squatting going on. Gardening is a great home activity that keeps you in shape.
You should plan on no more than an hour of lifting weights. Do not work out more than an hour because you might lose muscle. Therefore, keep an eye on the clock when you're working out with weights, and limit your time to 60 minutes or less.
Strength Training
Depending on your ultimate goal, the frequency of your strength training will vary. If you want to get bigger and stronger muscles, you should do strength training exercise sessions less often. Yet in order to get leaner you are going to want to do more strength training workouts.
A good tip to keeping in good shape is joining a health club and when you do, pay for a few months upfront. The guilt you will feel by not using the club will hopefully get you to go more often than you normally would. Don't do this if you can motivate yourself to go to the gym on your own. This strategy is meant as a last-ditch effort.
To stay motivated and enthusiastic about exercise, try a variety of fitness classes. If you keep it fresh you will find something you want to focus on and inspire you to go to the gym. Check out a yoga group or enroll in a dance class. Or you can take a martial arts or aerobics class. You are not making a long-term commitment to these classes, and each time you try something different, you will be shedding pounds.
When you are doing repetitious exercises that require you to count how many you're doing, start at the number you want to achieve and count backwards. Your motivation will increase and you can focus better on how close you are to finishing the exercise.
A good exercise tip to get you into shape fast is by doing dips. Dips can be a great way to target your shoulder, chest and tricep areas. There are many ways you can do them as well. Dips can help you build triceps. Try holding some weights when you do these exercises.
An excellent method of quickly building strength in the legs is to perform wall sits. You'll need a space against the wall which is wide enough for your back. Then face away from the wall about 18 inches away while standing up. While bending the knees, lean yourself backwards until you can feel your whole back touching the wall. Bend your knees slowly until your thighs are perpendicular with your legs. Retain this stance until you feel you must move.
Box Squats
Box squats are a great exercise to use to help build your quadriceps. You will get better results by doing box squats which will help you with regular squats. Setting a box of the appropriate height behind you is the only preparation you need. Perform regular squats, but when your posterior touches the chair, hold your position for a moment.
Donkey calf raises are an excellent way to bulk up your calves. These are a very effective way to strengthen your calves. Raise your calves as someone sits on your back.
No matter what kind of exercise you're doing, wear the right shoes to do it. If you were shoes that are properly designed for a specific activity, you risk leg and foot injury. They also provide the correct cushioning for your feet so that you are more apt to stick with the workout due to comfort, rather than giving up.
After reading this article, you should be ready to alter how you feel about your body and your health. This can not only extend your lifespan but allow you to fully enjoy it as well.