Big Gyms VS Small Gyms

Gyms: Big vs. Small

“You’re always one decision away from a totally different life.”

You’ve probably heard this saying before (or at least seen it on Pinterest a million times), but have you really stopped to think about it? Just one seemingly run-of-the-mill choice can mean the difference between heading down your path to success or taking a complete left turn to Stucksville. And when it comes to health and fitness, there’s one particularly simple decision that could open up a whole new life for you: choosing between joining a big gym or a small gym.

While it may seem like there’s little difference, the truth is, not all gyms are created equal. Here are a few things to consider before making your decision:

• Personal attention – Big gyms have a tendency to make you feel like just another sheep in the fold, a lost face in a sea of nameless gymgoers. When you opt for a smaller gym, you’ll work with people who get to know you and are truly there to help you. And if there’s one thing the show Cheers taught us, it’s that “you wanna go where everybody knows your name.”
• Convenience – There’s nothing worse than gathering up the motivation to go workout, only to then arrive to see throngs of people in an overcrowded gym. Add to that having to go at times inconvenient with your schedule because of inflexible classes, and it’s pretty clear why small gyms have a distinct advantage here.
• Accountability – Sadly, most big gyms take the “sign, pay and have a nice day” approach; whether you show up to actually workout after that is not their concern. Having the support and sense of community that a small gym provides – especially when you’re surrounded by people with similar goals vs. the mixed bag of big gym gumbo – keeps you motivated, on track and coming back for more.
• Results – When you have the three major keys above – personal attention, convenience and accountability – you end up with a regimen that is easier to stick to and, ultimately, more progress in a shorter timeframe. It’s as simple as that.

So if you’re lacking motivation or not seeing the results you want, maybe it’s time to consider making a fitness decision that could help lead you to a totally different life. We are Xtreme, and we’re here to help.

Ditch the "OLD" way of working out and add these "NEW" elements to your workout!

There was once a time when we would stretch, possibly complete some warm up prior to strength and resistance training (lifting weights or machines) and then jump into our workout. Well with most of us, our jobs have become sedentary; which in turn increases not only your chance of sustaining an injury but tension/weakness in specific muscle groups. I know-I know you only have 1 hour when you go to the gym to workout; well let's work on making the best of that hour!

We start with some foam rolling to working on those stubborn muscles that just will not seem to allow you to fully complete an exercise; namely your hip flexors (sitting for long periods of the day) lats (sitting at a computer for long periods of the day typing.) From there your start a small dynamic warm-up, I normally have participants start with Jumping Jacks for 1 minute, Knee-Elbow rotations for 1 minute, Mountain Climbers for 1 minute (working all three planes of motion) and a very light jog. If needed from there you should stretch lightly, especially the hip flexors and lats. Now you are ready to begin, you should notice when completing exercises that your range of motion should increase slightly and your posture when completing the exercises comes with ease as opposed to your old routine.

Your actual workout should include: Twice as much work for the upper back, than the shoulders or chest, twice as much for the glutes and hamstrings as the quadriceps and twice as much work for the abs and obliques as the erectors (lower back.)

From there a light cool down is order, stretch the muscles worked as well as your hip flexors and lats and you are done!

With this "NEW" holistic approach not only will you feel better but you will still attain your goals of fat loss/toning of your physique!


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I like to eat WHAT I WANT! 2 of 3

Now that we have timing down let's take a look at what we are eating. Do we truly take a look at what we eat on a day to day basis? The answer here is simply, NO! With the advent of fast food and an increase in demand at work; families are left to fend for food from the closest restaurant; albeit fast food! The problem here is most of the food you eat from these restaurants is processed, whether its fried or the preservatives used to maintain everything from the taste to the color. Your goal should be to eat the least amount of processed foods; starting with something as simple as only fruits and veggies and a source of protein. No canned fruits or veggies only fresh or frozen! Try eliminating breads, pasta and rice for 6 weeks, this will let you know whether or not  you have a sensitivity to gluten. Which is an entirely different subject. Let's kick this year off with a non processed menu, create an eating plan for the next two weeks that does not included anything that is processed. Yes I know it's hard but it's a start and you have to start somewhere. Once again it's as simple as all fruits and veggies and your source of protein; whether it's chicken, turkey or fish or peanuts. Make sure you plan for snacks mid day when you have those unwanted craving attacks. Ideally you want your fruits as snacks which will give you the natural sugar to combat the cravings for those problem foods.















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I Like to Eat, WHAT I WANT! 1 of 3

I Like To Eat What I Want! Part 1 of 3!!!

 

Lets face it we all have our vices, some of us are drinkers, some of us are addicted to sex; and some just like to eat what they want! Now if we really take a close look at those first two vices they normally take you down a path that leaves you to regret.
I know you are saying how does my vice fit into that box, well it does!
Unhealthy eating and or overeating leads to diabetes, heart disease and in most cases DEATH!
We all die but who wants to leave in their prime? So to start this New Year, let's make some small adjustments to what we eat, how we eat and when we eat.
Let's start by tweaking how often we eat, instead of once or twice; let's work on eating 5-6 small meals per day. Sounds hard right; you don't have the time, how can you work eating that often? Well let's break it down, breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up,a small apple or turkey sausage and egg whites.
You should then snack no later than two hours later and have lunch two hours after that. For a snack the following work very well, they are fast, easy to consume and easy to carry; peanuts, pecans, apple slices, pear slices, grapes etc... You only need a hand full to suffice until your next meal.

With lunch you want to stay away from processed foods, so a healthy source of protein and vegetables will do. The break between lunch and dinner (two hours after lunch) insert another snack. Make sure it's not time consuming or something that's too costly, because when it's uncomfortable we don't normally follow the plan.

Then there is dinner; once again stay away from the processed foods you want the natural choices only, make sure your are not exceeding the two hour time limit! Following dinner one last snack to cap off your day and WOW; that looks like 6 meals in a day! Take it one day at a time, some days maybe better than others, if you stick with it you are well on your way to becoming a better/healthier eater!


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New Year New You!

New Year New You!

 

As the year progresses and New Years Resolutions are viewed in the rear view mirror; we have to ask ourselves did you really give your resolution your all? A resounding 95% of you will say no! Whether your resolution is/was to swear off alcohol, to save money or to lose weight and get into better shape; after the first 30 days resolutions are fleeting thoughts, as we go about our busy day. Since this is a fitness blog we'll conquer the latter losing weight and getting into better shape. Lets assume you've already fallen off the wagon, getting back on path is as easy as picking yourself up; dusting your self off and pushing forward!Let's sprinkle some elements that will undoubtedly help you achieve and even exceed your goal! Determination, motivation and honesty (with yourself); we will take a gander at these three to figure where your problem truly lies!
Determination, how determined are you really to reach a size 6 by summer? We all know by now we have to set goals, so start with setting your goals and a completion date of each goal.
Determination is the driving factor when one is looking to cross off one of your many fitness goals. If you are determined nothing can lead you astray, not the infamous "Super Bowl Party", Happy Hour you'd pass on and let's not forget the maligned heart shaped chocolates for Valentines. You have to say I am going to go to class three days this week and stick to it; or I can complete four days of  cardio this week, stay determined and you will not have a problem crossing off your goals as they are accomplished!
Motivation is next as explained in a previous posting, really think about what your true motivation is and set your goals accordingly. If you are wanting to look like a model, I seriously think you should reconsider your motivation to achieving your fitness goal. Going from a size 10 to a size 6 is realistic, wanting to get into better shape to keep up with your grand kids is realistic. Now wanting to lose 60lbs in 1 month, not so much! So reconsider your motivation for accomplishing your fitness goals, set your goals accordingly and stay determined to reach those goals.
Our last ingredient may not seem very important at all but if you are not truly honest with yourself, you may fall short completely on achieving your goal. Let's take a look, you started the New Year saying I want to wear a size 6 by summer, at present you are a size 10. Your free time is restricted to the mornings since you have children, this means you have to get up early to workout before going to work. So you set your alarm for 5:00a and plan on being in the gym by 5:30a. Your current goal is 1-2lbs a week and or 1-2 inches a week and it sounds attainable. First day you are up at 4:50a because you are excited and you really want to buy size 6 clothing. After a vigorous workout, you are exhausted you; sleepy and have to make it to work by 9:00a never mind the fact the kids are not up and ready for school. Day 2 you set your alarm for 5:00a you hit the snooze twice and wake up at 5:20a. As you roll out of bed you notice every muscle in your body is sore and some of the bones. You press through the pain, make it to the gym at 5:45a and all the equipment is taken. This is where your determination should kick in and it does, so you wait your turn, complete your workout and go about your busy day. Now after two days your motivation is keeping your focus in check but honestly how long can you keep up with this pace? Then reality hits, getting to a size 6 really is not as simple as it sounds because after two weeks at this pace, you've not lost an inch and only lost one pound. Honestly is this a goal you can take on, without a professional? In most cases no, if you can I have to give you your kudos. Its best to set your program up at time you can really accomplish the without distraction, whether that's early in the morning at lunch at work or in the evenings.
Start by setting your goals, stay determined to complete those goals, re-configure/configure what your motivation is for completing your goal and be honest with yourself; can you really accomplish these goals? Now wake up it's 5:00a!

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Try not to set yourself up for failure

Try Not To Set Yourself Up For Failure!!

 

With The Biggest Loser running weekly and other programs geared to inspire those wanting to shed those unwanted inches and pounds, we ask that you take caution in setting your goals.
Unbelievable as the results of some of the shows are, they are normally a catalyst in your setting of  your individual goals. As you watch with glee from your sofa, the painful approach the weight loss shows transition each participant through, we think to ourselves; "I too can lose 100lbs in a month."The problem with this line of thinking is that, most people think if they can duplicate the environment the participants are in they could too LOSE 100LBS IN A MONTH! Well not really; yes it's possible but let's take a look at what it would really take too lose that amount of weight just short of a month. If 3500 calories equals 1lb; you would need to deprive your body somehow of 350,000 calories (In my Doctor Evil Voice, from Austin Powers)! Now with that being said try eliminating 11,666 calories daily from your eating as well as with a workout routine. There is only 1440 minutes per day, you'd have to burn roughly 1 calorie per minute; sound impossible well it is!

Try setting a goal you can actually achieve, 1-2lbs per week. At the high end you are eliminating 500 calories per day from eating and adding 500 calories per day of activity; sounds simple enough right? No really it's a little more complicated than that, participating in calisthenics for 1 hour for an average adult burns about 542 calories per hour. You would have to complete 1 hour of calisthenics (which consist of push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks etc.), 7 days a week as well as eliminate 500 calories  (substituting lunch for a salad) from your diet 7 days a week! Can you imagine tripling or quadrupling the input (exercise) or the take away (eating habits)?

Take it easy on yourself and set goals that are attainable, you did not gain it in a month and you probably will not lose it in a month. If you have to work with a professional, that is if you lack the motivation to do it on your own; find one in your area.

There are several apps out there that will assist in you achieving your goals namely: http://www.prohealth.com/weightloss/tools/exercise/calculator1_2.cfm, this site will give you an idea of how many calories you are burning through working out!

Start slow and pick up the pace don't overdue it, add additional exercises weekly, your body gets acclimated to the exercises very quickly.

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Motivation

Definition of MOTIVATION

1

a : the act or process of motivatingb : the condition of being motivated 

We all  have differing motivating factors when deciding to start a fitness program, rest assured we have methods of honing your motivation and converting it into results!

Daily you are bomb-barded with advertisements of scantily clad models, appearing bred from pure perfection. If this is your motivation I can assure you will not achieve that look, well without a little airbrushing! 

Better quality of life, looking "your" best on your wedding day or even feeling comfortable in a bathing suit this summer are all reasons you will need a full service program that addresses not only the exercise aspect of weight loss and toning; but also addresses your eating habits and your lack of range of motion. 

Here are some tips when lacking motivation when it comes to weight loss:

1. Take it one day at a time; in the beginning weight loss can be a very difficult and tricky process. Stick with it, the results will come it takes time in some instances. 

2. Don't get discourage; When something doesn't go our way we get discouraged. If it were easy I assure you everyone would do it, stay the course.  

3. Create realistic goals, otherwise the 1 & 2 will come into play.  What is a realistic goal? 2lbs a week or a dress size in a month. 

Now let me ask what is your motivation and how do you plan on translating that motivation into results?