Getting Gym Results
Same ol’ same ol’
Do you do the same exercise session, using the same weight even standing in exactly the same spot in studio sessions? (I’ve seen people nearly come to blows before when someone actually dares to stand in ‘their’ spot!) Do you do the same walk/jog on the treadmill? The same speed and no incline?Try another studio session and dare to stand somewhere else (OK that might be pushing it!!) Spice up the treadmill with some interval training; 2 minutes regular speed, 1 minute fast, walking or jogging to get you out of your comfort zone. Most gym equipment has interval training programmes so give it a go. HIIT /Insanity classe will also give you interval training, look out for them on the timetable. You need to challenge yourself and sticking to the same routine every time won’t do this your body will find it very easy.
1 kg weight for ever! You need to shake it up!
If you are not using resistance or are still using 1 kg since you joined in 1999 you will not progress. Your body gets used to what it’s doing and needs to be put under stress to progress. Overloading the muscles with heavier weights causes tiny tears in the muscle. Your muscles respond by creating more muscle fibres which in turn increase the size and strength of the muscle. After resistance training your metabolic rate is increased for hours which means the rate of which you burn calories is increased. Your metabolic rate is increased during CV exercise but returns to normal once you’ve finished. So, if it’s weight loss you’re after add some resistance exercise to your programme.
Stuff your face!
You’ve had a great workout; you’ve sweated, you’re red in the face, you pong a bit, great! You deserve a bar of chocolate, noooooooooooo!!!! All that hard work for nothing. You will not see results if you have this mind set. After exercise it is much better to eat some protein fuelled foods to help with muscle repair. Same goes for drink. Unless you are doing an endurance sport you really don’t need an energy drink, good old water will be enough to rehydrate you and keep you going during an average gym workout or studio session, minus the 6 tea spoons of sugar. For more information on what you should eat before, during and after exercise see earlier blog.
Stress head!
If you suffer from stress your body releases a hormone called cortisol, this usually helps to regulate stress but if you suffer from long term stress your body reacts negatively to it. This can result in a decrease in muscle tissue, an imbalance in blood sugar and an increase in abdominal fat which will then increase the visceral fat (fat around the internal organs) which increases the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. Try and make time to relax; yoga and Tai Chi are a great way to de-stress or have a long bath with candles, read a book, listen to music, whatever helps you to unwind. For more tips for stress relief see earlier blog.
Sleepy head
Lack of sleep has the same effect as being stressed. Try to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time, even at weekends if possible. See earlier blog for tips on getting a good night’s sleep.
If you exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet you will get fitter, lose weight, improve your strength and muscle tone. You definitely will! But, you have to put the effort in, when things become easier, challenge yourself again, set new goals, when you reach those goals, set some more!
It is fantastic to see people improve. Jacky is one of our customers who has proved that you can reach your goals, it can be done; you just need a bit of willpower and a gobby instructor!!!
“I got a GP referral offer so decided to try it and initially the plan was to go couple of times a week. I really wanted to do the classes, but didn’t feel I could manage it and thought I would feel uncomfortable so I just started off going on the machines in the gym and getting used to exercising in general.
I had healthily started losing weight and after a few months had lost just over 3 stone and was starting to feel a lot more active. I then decided it was time for me to try out a studio session.
I thought ‘aerobics’ would be a good class to start with, I remember feeling apprehensive about going, I had never felt I could do a class before, when I got there the instructor was very welcoming and gave me low impact options I could do if I felt I couldn’t manage the high impact. I started doing the low impact options and after going to a few more classes and getting to know the instructors I felt totally at ease and comfortable and have made so many new friends in each class that support and motivate me.
I started to get myself into a weekly routine and planned what sessions I was going to attend each week, the more I went to the gym, the better I felt about myself.
After a few months of going to classes each week, I started trying the high impact options, and to my surprise I was able to do many of them, they were (and still are) hard work, but I was doing them, and feeling good doing them!
More recently I had a Health MOT (Boditrax)’ and this showed me what my body composition is. The Consultant gave me suggestions on how I could improve and we set some targets and timelines to achieve them – One of them I am excited to achieve is to do an Insanity Class!
I have just had my second ‘Health MOT’ and have seen improvement, I have lost even more weight, and the inside of my body is improving just as well!
Since starting earlier this year I have grown in confidence and the encouragement I get from the instructors and people in the class is so uplifting. There are those days that I don’t feel like going, but I make myself go, and after the class I always feel better for it. My whole lifestyle has now changed for the better, I eat the right foods and exercise regularly and after seeing such good results in such a short amount of time, I plan to carry on and enjoy my new healthy and fitter lifestyle”.
It’s over to you……