Creating Better Body & the Truth of Body Building
Lifetime fitness presents… The truth about body building is that you don’t need to have a genetic blood of masculine body to have six packs abs and body full of muscles. In short, there is no special body type needed to get ripped and buff.
A good body shape is an option. People just get skinny or have fat body because they do not put effort in exercise, they eat unhealthy foods or they simply no knowledge on how to improve their body.
Some people think that a muscular body is unhealthy and not normal. They think that to have a muscular body, steroids or performance enhancing drug is needed. Or they think muscular body involved overworking one self and it hurts to go through those intense training. These are misconceptions about the real strength training.
Replace Fats with Muscles
The first thing you need to know is that building muscle and losing weight are two different things. You can’t burn fat at the same time build muscle. Overweight individual lessen the consumption of calories and burn fat while bodybuilders eat more and consume more calories and good fats. The reason for this is that bodybuilders need a lot of fat during training since the body will be creating new muscle tissue.
Do the Math
So, if you are not overweight and just want to improve the shape of your body, it is time to think bigger and get bigger. You need to eat more. However, some people misunderstood this concept. They are taking it literally and start eating as much as they can. You should do the math by knowing your Basal Metabolic Rate, meaning your needed calories just to live everyday. Then add a set amount of calories to your everyday consumption. If you take too much calories, you develop too much fat and your body may not utilize it.
Lifetime-Fitness.net (c) 2012
Lifetime Fitness: Three Types of Weight Training Discipline
There are many options for you to choose if you want strength training. Sometimes it is hard for you to choose and you do not know where to start.
All you have to do is to know your goals and strategy. The following would help you decide whether to go for body weight, machines or free weights.
Body Weight Training
While body weight training is good for your heart, it is also used to build bigger muscles and increase strength. Bodyweight training is good for everyone who does not have time and money to go to the gym or buy equipment. It is also good for people who already experience injury because of weight lifting equipment machines or who frequently experience soreness. Bodyweight exercises can give you flexibility while improving the health of your heart. Bodyweight training includes sit-ups, pull-ups and push-ups.
The disadvantage of this kind of strengthening training is that weight always stays the same. Even though you can add weights as you go along, you put yourself to a high risk of injury. Bodyweight training is only advice if you are just started building muscles.
Machine Weight
Weight machines are very popular to bodybuilders or strength-trainers. The number one reason of their popularity is the high-powered support they give. Machines are easy to use and give support to avoid injury.
The disadvantage of weight machines is also the advantage. They are so supportive making you use fewer muscle groups simultaneously. As a result, you only burn fewer calories.
Free Weight
Free weights are the most preferred weight training discipline because they allow you to move naturally and you can customize your workout for your weaknesses.
The disadvantage is that they are very time consuming and sometimes can cause injury. You need also to know how to use the system to have effective weight training discipline.
Lifetime Fitness Approach to Build Muscle for Average Person
Most people who want to build muscle fast buy magazines with different tips on how to be like the people in the magazine. However, most of those guys just do not exercise much just like what you read. Most of them are just genetically gifted and never started training just like what they mentioned. Their routines are not effective to average person.
The following are tips to build muscle fast for average person to prevent physical and mental overtraining from doing too much at start.
Get more strength power. The stronger you are, the more muscle you have. Take a strengthening training. You may try weight training. It is usually good to everyone because it allows you to start light and adds you muscles. Start light and learn proper technique. As you go along, add weight to your bar and continue to push for your desired muscles.
Consider free weights. Barbells allow you to lift the heaviest weights. The more you put stress, the more muscles will form. Use dumbbells for assistance exercises. Do not use machines unless necessary.
• Machines can cause injury because of your fixed and unnatural movement patterns during exercise while free weights just go with your motion.
• Free weights can make you control and balance the weight allowing you to easily gain muscles while machines only balance the weight for you.
• Free weights are really cost effective especially when you plan just to exercise at home.
Don’t do isolation exercises. While isolation exercises are fine, they are not advisable for starting to build muscles. Exercises that hit different muscles at the same time are much better.
Exercise your legs. Squat and Deadlifts exercises hit your entire muscles. They work your body as one and allow you to lift heavy weights. Squat & Deadlift heavy weights are better than Biceps Curls.
Take time to recover. Pro athletes train hard 5 or 6 times a week but they did not begin that way. As a starter, you need time to recover yourself.
• Muscles grow while resting not during your workout. Start by doing full body workout 3 times a week and focus on intensity not on the time of exercise.
• Take at least 8 hours of sleep everyday. Growth hormone releases during sleep. You may take a nap after every workout.
• Drink water at least 2 cups each meal and sip water during workout to avoid dehydration and help muscle recover.
• Fill your body enough calories for recovery.
Eat natural foods. Eating whole foods give you many nutrients and fewer fats. Additionally, vitamins and minerals help in recovering.
Eat a lot. In muscle building, training is a primary concern than diet. Eat more for optimal energy.
• Don’t skip breakfast because you need to get calories from the start of your day.
• Eat after workout, especially foods rich in proteins and carbohydrates to help muscle recovery and replenish your energy.
• Eat every 3 hours to give your muscle a constant intake of protein, help muscle repair and recovery and boost your metabolism.
• Track your everyday intake of calorie to maintain weight.
Gain weight. You must gain weight to look good with your muscular body.
Take protein. You need 1g protein per pound of body-weight everyday to maintain and build muscle. You may take whole proteins every meal.
Lifetime-Fitness.net (c) 2012
Diet Coke & the Basics of Sugar
Diet is important if you want to lose weight. Maybe you tried Diet Coke before and wonder why there are a lot of Diet Coke softdrinks available in the market and why they have different faces.
Diet Coke is not a bad idea since you are trying to lessen your sugar intake. However, keep in mind that diet drinks can be addicted because of its artificial sweeteners. You may tend to drink a lot because of misconception that diet drinks do not have ill-health effects.
Initially, diet drink of Cola-Cola did not carry its brand name for a long time. The company experimented with the Tab logo instead. Coke only decided to put label on its diet drink when Pepsi introduced their Diet Pepsi. The original Diet Coke was released in 1982 and was not an altered Coke formula but rather a brand new formula with no sugar content. A year later the company put aspartame and saccharin, both are artificial sweeteners. Coke then switched to NutraSweet when Diet Rite cola began using “100% aspartame” text on the label as a marketing strategy.
When another artificial sweetener Splenda became popular, the company developed a Diet Coke with Splenda product. Splenda Diet Coke did not sell well and the company decided to create a new formula called Coca-Cola C2. The new formula has half the carbs of the original Coca-Cola. After a year, Coca-Cola Zero followed and it is still in the market until now. This product addressed what many nutritionists hate when it comes to softdrinks, the calorie content. Indeed, the new Coca Cola Zero has zero calorie, only has sugar and other flavors.
However, many health-conscious individuals stay away from Coke Zero because of artificial sweeteners. Some research revealed that aspartame and other sweeteners pose danger to health.
There is nothing wrong to drink Coca-Cola or Diet Coke but you need to drink in moderation. If you are thirsty, consider water as your first option. Just go for Coca-Cola as occasional treat to yourself.
Lifetime-Fitness.net (c) 2012
Tips for Older People When Exercising
Health may subside as you get older. Weight training has been known to have substantial benefits for both the young and the old. This is particularly good for older people who are more concern on how to achieve the ultimate lifetime fitness they desire. This is common for those who are health conscious and do not want to get illnesses which would lead them to fatality. Maintaining a better shape could build self-esteem n seniors, who commonly have insecurities as well as changes in the way they see themselves.
In most cases, older people are often viewed as the ones who are under supervision of nurses, resting in a wheelchair or even kept for home care. According to research, muscle deterioration among older people can be avoided through exercise. It has been known that deterioration in the muscles is the dominant factor affecting the mobility of seniors. In contradiction to common belief, deterioration of bone and the muscles has very little thing to do with aging as it does with being inactive. If you look at it in a close manner, humans are becoming more and more sedentary as they get older, and they eventually lose lean muscles while gaining more pounds as their lifestyle changes. This really affects their aim of having lifetime fitness.
If you want to age in a graceful way, try balancing high-protein and low-fat nutrition with regular exercise. It could be insufficient for those who are in their 50s and above if they just do cardiovascular exercises to lose fat. Aside from weight training, cardio exercise routines for older people should also be complemented with exercises that aim to improve flexibility. Before starting any exercise training program, it is better that a person of any age should first consult to a doctor.
You must be aware the importance of warm up before doing any routine. Stretching is the best way to prepare your muscles and bone before engaging in an intense training. When lifting weights of your size, you should start slowly in a steady manner. This could prevent any premature injuries. Do not put more stress on your body if you think that the routine is far beyond what you are capable of. Lastly, stretch again every after you workout.
Doing the lifetime fitness guidelines above would make you feel young even after your prime.
Lifetime Fitness: Stay Fit All Year Long with these Fitness Tips
Everyone must have an ambition particularly in fitness and wellness discipline. New Year’s resolution is what most of adults made every year. However, most of them end up not following their fitness resolution all year long and end up to only make short term resolution.
Now, how to make a lifetime fitness change and not a short term resolution?
Know your reason in making a change. If you need to lose weight, focus on losing weight and nothing else. If you want to lower cholesterol level in your body, then do not eat high in cholesterol foods. If you want to prevent chronic disease, then eat a lot of foods rich in vitamin C. So, whatever it is, it can be unique to you.
Be realistic in your goal. If losing weight is your goal, set a realistic goal, but divide your goal into weeks. If you want to lose 20 pounds then break it down into 20 weeks making you to lose a pound every week.
Make a plan that needs many steps. Losing weight this year may need you to (1) bring a snack to work to keep yourself away from vending machine, (2) turn off the television early so that you will not be tempted to check what are inside the refrigerator, (3) don’t be a couch potato, instead join a yoga class or simply go to the gym for workouts.
Keep track on your efforts. Whether positive or negative, write down everything that you did everyday. By doing this, you can easily monitor your progress and use this to keep you motivated. Keeping yourself liable any actions you’ve made is vital for your success.
If you lose track on your fitness program, you can get back immediately. A new change can be incorporated easily and not necessarily wait for another year for a New Year’s resolution.
Lifetime-Fitness.net (c) 2012
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