Whether you are a novice – trying to improve your physical fitness or a professional exerciser who has been training for a long time… you already know that CONSISTENCY is key.

If you want to reach and maintain your fitness goal, you must be CONSISTENT!!!

Our physical and mental health, how our bodies look and feel, improve with the gradual increase of resistance training. Our bodies demand more energy to compensate for the expenditure caused by resistance and cardiovascular training. Energy fuels our muscles, energy assists in the growth and improvement of our cardiovascular capacity. Our bodies demand this in order to adapt to more physical and challenging workouts CONSISTENTLY.

The first step in providing your body with an optimal environment for growth and improvement is to set a realistic schedule – one that you can easily commit to.

For most of us, to train six days a week is unrealistic and often necessary. We do have a life!!!!  

Schedule three to four quality workouts a weeks. CONSISTENCY does not mean all the time – it just means commit to what you can. Scheduling fewer days a week allows you to take advantage of the other days in the week to make up for any missed days!!! The key to CONSISTENCY is completing quality workouts.

Missing workouts lead to psychological frustration and under-training other areas. A six day schedule leaves out room for motivation and takes the fun out of your valuable time. Stay motivated. Spread your workouts throughout the week.

For many, improvement of physical health and fitness sometimes only requires two workouts a week. Quality workouts contribute to dramatic results for individuals looking to improve their health and fitness, and even for those who just want to feel better.

Remember, two workouts a week, on a consistent basis, add up to over a hundred workouts in a year!

Imagine what you can achieve with a hundred opportunities to improve yourself! And just think, three or four workouts a week add up to over TWO hundred workouts a year!

Imagine where you would be today, if you had decided to consistently commit three hours a week  every week for self improvement!  Create a schedule you can commit to, be CONSISTENT and start changing your life today!

Filip (ed. R.M. 2011)

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Warm-up:

Begin your workout with a 5 minute bike ride – work on your breathing, and become acquainted with your new environment.

After, proceed to an elliptical or treadmill, and walk or jog from 6 to 20 minutes (depending on your cardio needs).

After completion of cardio, proceed to warm up your shoulders. Use light weights, no more than 15 pounds. Complete 16 to 20 repetitions of dumbbell press.

Hotel gyms may have variations of the following machines:

• Chest press machine
• Rowing machine, most likely a seated row machine
• Leg extension
• Leg hamstring curl
• Floor mats

Try the following routine:

For each machine use a heavy weight, one that is difficult to lift (always use proper form to reach your desired range of motion)

Want to build muscle?  Use lower repetitions

Want to increase muscular endurance and density? Use higher repetitions

THe Program:

Complete 3 sets of 12 to 20 repetitions on the chest press

ADVANCED:

• In between sets perform one set of 20 repetitions of an abdominal crunch (repeat step twice)

Complete a 3 minute jog or elliptical exercise at a high intensity (70% – 90% of your maximum heart rate)

Complete 3 sets of 12 to 20 repetitions on the rowing machine

 ADVANCED:

• In between rowing, complete 2 sets of planks with a leg raised (elevate each leg 10 times away from the body as far as you can without bending your knee)

Complete another 3 minute jog or elliptical exercise at a high intensity (70% – 90% of your maximum heart rate)

Complete 3 sets of 12 to 16 repetitions on the leg extension machine

Alternate between the hamstring machine, complete 3 sets of 12 to 16

Complete the workout with 6 minutes of elliptical exercise (or cardio of your choice) at a medium intensity (60% – 80% of your maximum heart rate)

Cool Down:

Take 3 to 5 minutes for a slow paced walk

Slow down your heart rate, control your breathing – and Relax!

Congratulations you have just completed a whole body workout…Happy Travelling

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Filip (ed. R.M 2011)

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OUR Pro Supplements Shop is now OPEN!

You are what you eat! Yes, a phrase we all heard before, but let’s face it, we can’t build muscle from nutrients we don’t have. Our Pro Supplements Shop is now open to give you everything your body needs to feel and look its best. Eating healthy and providing your body with the right nutrients is easy if you have the right tools. Nutritional supplements are a great aid in keeping a balanced diet that is easy enough for anyone to follow.

Currently, we stock high grade nutritional supplements, which have been hand selected by the leading manufacturers. Not all supplements are made equal. We need to be conscious of what we put in our bodies. “Pharmaceutical Grade” is a phrase that is often thrown around in the industry. There is more to the meaning of the phrase, more than just a catchy slogan slapped on a tub of protein. Pharmaceutical grade supplements are supplements that are created in laboratories that meet government regulations and standards, which classify them as “pharmaceuticals”. This classification ensures that you are getting the highest quality products, created in clean and safe environments – not just raw ingredients mixed together in an unknown location, by some unqualified or unknown individual!

The greatest obstacle for healthy eating is the lack of time and convenience our busy lives provide. You must consume 4 to 6 small meals a day in order to keep your body’s metabolism active, and to prevent unnecessary weight gain.[1] In an ideal world we would have all the time in the world to sit down six times a day and enjoy an entree of savory chicken breast with a side of almond rice, and a lush garden salad, made from crisp romaine lettuce and fresh vegetables. Sounds great, right? Sure, only if we all had the luxury of such nutritious meals at the convenience of our work place, or personal chefs on a lucrative payroll, who could make us these meals, where three hours of preparation for each meal is just a passé. So, we resort to finding compromise in take-out, dining-out, and fast food, only to stuff ourselves with nutrient deficient fillers – fillers, which are prone to make us sluggish and even more tired.

Time to make eating healthy easy…

Nutritional supplements are used by individuals who want to supplement their health without sacrificing time and money. Protein bars and ready to drink protein shakes contain more nutrients and vitamins than most foods. The best part… they require no preparation time! Whether you are looking for a nutritious snack, a healthy meal replacement or a pre-workout energy boost, these products are customized for you – and you can bet your last dollar, that you are not the only one in need of this solution! There are products out there made for almost anyone, made for you!!!

Proper post and pre-workout nutrition is as essential to anyone who regularly trains their body, as it is to an athlete. At the end of a grueling one-hour workout, your body needs the right nutrients to recover, for optimal and enhanced performance. After a hard workout your body only has limited time and the ability to absorb nutrients at a higher rate. It is important to deliver the right nutrients to your body in that window to see optimal results from your training. Even the healthiest, high protein meal takes time to digest and break down before its nutrients can be used. Solution? Post workout supplements. They can be instantly used by your body, without the long wait that food requires to digest.[2] We have the best tools at our disposal – Lets use them!

Treat your body right, come visit us at our Pro Supplements Shop and let us help you put together your supplement plan!!!

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This is extremely important. You will reach your goals more effectively in the long run, reduce excessive tension on your body, muscles and heart, caused by stress on the body from working out!

These three components are important elements of a workout regime, that you must commit to not on a “whenever I want to” basis, or “whenever I feel like it” basis, but on an “all the time” basis, this should not be one of those things that you did ‘yestertoday’ and might incorporate next week.

I know we all have read about the importance of these three elements. We have heard about them on television, even viewed them on billboards, we are inundated with an ocean of information on the web…and there is a reason for that. These are all signs, signs that we need to take what we do to our bodies seriously.

The skinny of it is:  LISTEN and PRACTICE to what the professionals say, they know!!! It won’t burn a hole in your pocket, there is no extra cost involved, its a win-win for you, a positive gain that only enhances your well being.

I think you get the picture…

Warming up, stretching and cooling down are important for you and your body-like flossing and brushing are to your teeth- you’d never miss that, would you?

Let me explain:

The benefits to incorporating a warm-up, stretch and cool-down to your routines are simple. I’m not going to get into the mechanics or the science of it- I’m not a scientist, just someone who understands the importance of exercising with proper technique and providing the body with proper relief- I do it for myself!

Warm up Whys?

Exercise and warming up cold muscles, connective tissues and tendons (so to speak) are important because they allow us to obtain maximum and optimal results-the best we can do! They allow the muscles to be further stretched without tension (increases range of motion of muscles and joints), which may lead to injury, or discomfort otherwise. Cold-muscles and tendons are believed to be more prone to damage, since they are more likely to tear. Have you ever thought you tore a ligament or muscle? Only to find that you may have pulled a muscle or ligament…can you imagine the pain associated with a tear? I’m not going to take you there.

Furthermore,

• Warming up will relax the muscles of the body, which will allow them to be stretched effectively
• Warming up will gradually increase the heart rate and prepare the heart and lungs for strenuous exercise to follow
• Warming up provides muscles with an adequate amount of oxygen supply, which in turn will reduce the accumulation of lactic acid, and reduce premature fatigue of the worked muscles (have you ever felt that burning sensation in the muscle or body part you were working out? that is caused by lactic acid build up)

Stretch Whys?

Many people skip this important step, there is not enough evidence that stretching will prevent injury, however your body and mind will definitely benefit from stretching.

It is a good idea to stretch after the muscles have warmed up, usually after your warm-up, or even after your exercise. Some people may incorporate forms of stretching in their cool-down, after their work-outs. This is a FABULOUS idea!

Other times, you may want to incorporate a stretch during the workout. This is something I do myself many times. Often I will incorporate a stretch during my workout, to break up the tension and decrease the lactic acid build up, which allows me to eventually complete my work-out with vigor. I may end the workout with another stretch as my cool down also.

Aside from physical benefits, stretching also provides many mental benefits. Have you ever taken YOGA or PILATES?

I can not tell you how many times after an extensive cardio session (usually the first part of my workout routine), my mind starts to play tricks with my body, telling it to stop performing and to skip the second part of my workout routine (strength training)- just call it a day!

Many times I have thrown in the towel, and succumbed to my mind- fully knowing that my body was more than ready to complete the workout. And if you are like me and hundred’s and thousands of others out there who workout avidly or every now and then- that feeling of guilt follows you around like an elephant’s shadow. Only we know how we cheated ourselves out of our commitment, and only we know why we are not fitting into our new smaller waist jeans… (Don’t worry that will stay between you and me).

So once and a while I incorporate a little stretch half way through my workout, this allows me to recoup, re-energise and relieve stress from the body for the first half of my routine, which then allows me to complete the second half.

Sometimes, lack of motivation takes over, and that is why investing some time and money into a good personal trainer may become essential- I myself train with a world class trainer. If your budget is tight, feed off of the energy of the others training in the gym (I can not tell you how many times I have run faster or more effectively when another patron of the gym gets on the treadmill beside me), or find a workout buddy who can accompany you and feed off of each other’s energy and motivation. We will talk more about this another day- but back to stretching…

• You can stretch during your cool down period, or after your workout on its own
• Stretching increases flexibility of your muscles and range of motion in your joints
• Stretching enhances posture, which will benefit you with your day-to-day tasks, help you move more effectively in the work place or at home, or while playing with your children or pets
• Stretched muscles provide increased circulation of blood, and flow of blood to your muscles
• Stretching decreases stress by allowing your body temperature and heart rate to minimise to a resting point, it calms and releases tension
• Stretching lowers blood pressure
• Stretching may minimizes soreness, which also benefits body performance, many different stretching regimes are used by sport specific injury prevention professionals
• Implement stretching to a minimum of three to four days a week for best results

DO NOT:

• Stretch cold muscles
• Force a stretch beyond the point of mild tension (stretching should not be painful)
• Bounce when stretching- it should be fluid and gentle 
• Hold your breath when holding a stretch. Remember to breath slowly, this allows oxygen to enter the body and reach the muscles

Cool down whys?

The cooling down period is followed by your workout. This period is short, of low-impact and should take place when the body is still warm.

Since stretching is most receptive to warm muscles and joints, the cooling down period may be incorporated with a series of stretching routines.

Cool down is important to take the stress of exercise off your body, and to bring down the heart rate and blood pressure.

Warming up, stretching and cooling down are extremely important, as you can see they provide benefits that we may take for granted. Great job for working on yourself and your health, wellness and your body- but make sure you are doing the right things. Always remember to get the proper go ahead from your General Practitioner or Professionals in the field.

Stay healthy, and have fun!!!

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We all want to invest in something, we all want our hard earned money to grow for us, for a down payment on a home, to the purchase of a brand new vehicle, or for that trip around the world you deserve so much-  and rightfully so. What else are you working so hard for? I do the same.

But really, when was the last time you thanked your body? When was the last time you thanked your soul? When was the last time you religiously took 5 to 15 minutes of your scarce time to put into the one thing that is always there when you are working extremely hard to make your investments turn into profitable gains, whatever they may be? That one thing that is always there no matter how much it wants to give out, it sleeps with you, wakes up with you and never leaves your side…YOUR BODY, your very own BODY! How amazing is that?

Let me ask you something- when was the last time you thanked your body for performing so well and so hard at everything you make it do? I’m not talking about material rewards either.

I bet you know when you changed the oil in your car, or when you last took your vehicle(s) for a tune-up or an alignment, and the amount you paid, or the last time you cut your lawn, watered the grass, the veggie garden? I think you get the point.

The point is, these things that we have to do, pay our bills on time, and build for our future, whether we are 5 or 65 are extremely important in life- but if we don’t take care of the one thing that helps us do all of this, we might as well stop doing everything else and just call it a day! Sianara, Ciao, Au revoir, Adios – that’s good bye in whatever language you may speak…

I don’t mean to speak on behalf of everybody, but I will speak on behalf of most noticeable bodies out there, PLEASE take a few minutes of your day to sit down with your body and have a one-on-one with it. Find out what it is saying to you, find out what it needs.

Take an extra 15 to 20 minutes EVERYDAY, and invest in your body and mind!

Whether it is 5 minutes today and 20 minutes tomorrow, your body needs you! It is craving for a tune up, an alignment- it is dying to be watered!

Take 5 minutes of your web-surfing time and grab a large towel, or yoga mat, I know you all have one or the other- and lie on the mat, close your eyes, feel your body and listen to what it is saying to you- why not treat your body to a light stretch! After 5 minutes of proper stretching, watch that pep come back into your step, watch your energy levels go up- the rewards and benefits are endless.

Do this for yourself not at any moment that you might get, but make the extra time and commit yourself to yourself, the same way you commit yourself to doing everything else.

There are important benefits of listening to your body and finding out what it needs from you, in order for it to perform at optimal levels…whether it may be through fitness, stretching, meditation, coaching…enlist in the services available to you if you must, but do it, do it now, and do it every day from today, tomorrow and the rest of your life. You have to, you only have one body, and I can guarantee you, once this one is gone, you will never get it back!

And for all those that are disciplined and committed to taking the time to invest in their temples- their bodies and their minds on a consistent basis….

We  applaud you and thank you for being an inspiration to us! 

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Common Fitness Goals

Repeatedly failing to stick to your goal might mean that your goal was nonstick in the first place. Either that or that you haven’t figured out how to reach it. This means you’re gonna have to put down that phone (I know you were about to order some infomercial fitness gadget, weren’t you?) and pay attention. Below are some common goals and the simple way to reach them.

Losing Fat

Fat Loss occurs when you burn more calories than you eat. If you burn an extra 500 calories per day, you would lose about a pound a week. You can’t choose where you lose fat–Spot training doesn’t work because your body draws energy from the entire body when you exercise, not just from the area you’re exercising.

Gaining Muscle

Muscle gain occurs when you eat more calories than you burn coupled with heavy strength training. If you lift weights, you can build muscle but if you want to put on some serious size, that requires serious work, extra calories and commitment.

Sports Conditioning

To be a faster runner, practice running fast. To jump higher, practice jumping higher. You will often include other types of training even when you’re interesting in a specific sport. For example, you might lift weights to keep your body strong for running or cross-train with other activities to use your body in a different way and avoid injury.

Health

Being healthy is probably the simplest goal to reach since there are tons of things you could do right this second to be healthy. Drink some water, eat fruit, take a walk, etc. Even a few minutes of exercise has a number of health benefits, some you will experience instantly and some that may come over time.

Now that you have a basic ideas of different goals, we’ll spend some time on each one to give you a better idea of what it takes.

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(ARA) – Stress from traffic, cell phones and balancing work/life is so pervasive today that it has become a driving force behind rising health care costs.

In a six-year study of more than 46,000 workers, depression and unmanaged stress emerged as the costliest risk factors in terms of medical expenditures. And, according to the American Institute of Stress, 75 to 90 percent of all doctor visits are stress-related.

When someone is under stress, adrenaline pours into the blood stream as part of our “fight or flight” response and muscles throughout the body tense in anticipation of a challenge. Immediate effects can range from a short temper to difficulty sleeping; long-term effects can be even more dangerous.

While impossible to eliminate stress from modern life, one can control the effect it has on the mind and body. People with increased levels of anxiety and nervous tension need to develop effective ways of coping with stress.

“Regular physical activity can help counter the potentially damaging effects of stress on the body and may help prevent stress-related illnesses,” says John McCarthy, executive director of the International Health Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). “These activities provide a natural way to release tension in the body and will often lead to an automatic state of relaxation that naturally follows a good workout.”

The link between mind and body was accepted in ancient India, the birthplace of yoga, thousands of years ago. It has taken a while for Western fitness experts to embrace the idea, however, the concept of holistic health and fitness is rapidly gaining popularity and acceptance. In a survey of health clubs belonging to IHRSA, twenty-three percent offer classes specifically geared to wellness and stress reduction.

In health clubs across the country, the trend is moving away from classes focusing simply on muscle and cardiovascular training to ones that include overall wellness and whole-body maintenance. Over the past few years, more and more people have discovered the benefits of workouts that stimulate the emotions as well as the muscles.

Classes such as yoga, Pilates and martial arts fill up as quickly as health clubs put them on the schedule. According to IHRSA, participation in yoga classes at U.S. health clubs increased by 200 percent between 1998 and 2000.

This mind-body approach appeals to individuals at all different fitness levels. Consumer research shows that an impressive number of American health club members cite holistic motivations for working out. Better-than-half (54%) said that when they exercised regularly, they feel like they have their overall act together, while 38 percent said that when they do not exercise regularly, they just don’t feel right.

Top 5 Non-Physique Related Reasons for Exercise

(Base: Americans who participate in physical activities at least occasionally; % say primary reason for exercise)

1. For fun/enjoyment (49%)
2. To prevent health problems (36%)
3. To reduce stress/tension (31%)
4. To relax (30%)
5. To help with current medical problems (27%)

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1. Better health –

• Strengthens and protects your heart and lungs
• Increases muscular strength and joint flexiblity
• Builds and maintains strong bones
• Promotes weight loss
• Improves mood and reduces stress

2. Weather-proof option – Getting a gym membership will give you a place to go for workouts no matter what the weather is like outdoors. This is excellent for rainy days and especially beneficial in the wintertime.

3. Fun – Depending on the chosen fitness center, joining a gym can actually be a lot of fun. Those with skilled personal fitness trainers and lots of programs and options can actually help make working out fun. So, get off your home treadmill and try out some fitness classes at a local gym to liven up your routine:

4. Camaraderie – Moving to Chicago and not knowing anyone can be a little lonely. Joining a fitness center is a great way to get out and meet people.

Joining a local gym is a great way to get out, get healthy and meet people. If you’re new to a city, it might be the best move you make for helping you get settled. Plus, your doctor will love you for it!

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Lack of water in the body tends to give rise to dehydration, thereby posing hurdles for the blood to circulate. The gravity of problem increases, as it causes the brain to become less active and your body feels tired and fatigued. Water keeps the digestive system in order and flushes out the waste products from your body. Well, the reservoir encompassing the advantages of drinking water is very large, so, read further to explore other health benefits of drinking water…

Water acts as a natural remedy to head your way towards achieving beautiful rich glowing skin. Drinking water skin benefits can be attributed to the fact that water acts as a body purifier, by removing toxins and waste from your body. People who are fed up with their overweight problem, for them hot lemon water works wonders in fastening their weight loss program. It also keeps your heart healthy. So, drink lots of water throughout the day, to promote your mind body fitness.

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1. Motivation
   One of the main reasons people benefit from a personal trainer is that they lose motivation to stick with a consistent exercise program. Certified personal trainers can provide structure and accountability, and help you develop a lifestyle that encourages health.
2. Individualized program
   If you have any chronic health conditions, injuries or training goals (running a marathon, for example) a trainer will work with you and your health care provider to plan a safe, efficient program that considers these needs and enable you to reach your health goals.
3. Efficiency
   Personal Trainers help you focus on results and stop wasting your time doing inefficient workouts. A personal trainer has a plan and will help you get maximum results in minimum time.
4. Improve technical skills
   If you play a particular sport, the right personal trainer will help you improve your skill by showing you new training techniques specific to your sport. The Trainer will incorporate skills training into your program so you improve not only your strength and endurance, but your agility and mental focus as well.
5. You are new to exercise
   If you are an absolute beginner, a personal trainer is the ultimate fitness coach. A good trainer will introduce you to a very simple, effective routine and build efficiently so before you know it, you have the confidence and knowledge to decide what is right for you.
6. Break through plateaus
   Ok, you are already in pretty decent shape, but you’ve been there for years. If you are stuck in the same routine and want to break out of a rut, a personal trainer is the perfect solution. A trainer will jump start, not only your motivation, but your routine as well.
7. Learn how to go it alone
   If you ultimately want to learn all the facets of designing your own routines so you don’t need to use a personal trainer, going for a few months may be all you need. All good personal trainers will teach you the basics of building and modifying a fitness program to achieve maximum results.
8. Workout Safely
   A personal trainer watches your form, monitors your vitals and can provide objective feedback about your limits and strengths. Most of us tend to ignore some of the subtle signals our body provides. We either push through pain or give up too soon. Because a personal trainer can watch what you are doing while you are doing it, they can help push you or slow you down as necessary.
9. Workout at home
   Many personal trainers make house calls. If you don’t have the type or interest in going to a gym, but have a hard time knowing what to do on your own at home, a personal trainer can bring fitness into your living room.
10. Lose Weight
    There is a good reason that the number one reason people hire personal trainers is to lose weight and get into shape — it works. If you made a resolution to lose the fat and build the muscle, a trainer can keep you on track and help you realize that goal.

Before you hire a personal trainer you should ask the following questions:

• What are your qualifications and certification?
  A qualified personal trainer has an education in physiology, health promotion, athletic training, kinesiology or a similar field. They should have first aide and CPR certification as well as certification from a reputable organization such as ACSM, ACE, IDEA, YMCA, NSCA or similar.
• Do you have liability insurance?
  They should answer yes.
• What are your policies and procedures?
  A personal trainer should have a documented policy explaining their services, costs, cancellations, length of contract, and emergency procedures. They should also require a medical clearance form to be completed before they work with you.
• Finally, you should feel comfortable with the trainer, his/her style of communication and the expectations of your time together.

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