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You’ve worked all summer to get in shape, working towards looking your best on holiday or at the beach. Maybe you’ve set a New Year’s resolution to be a happier, healthier you. But as the weather turns and you find the sun going down by the time you leave work and you’re tempted to hit the snooze button in the morning, remember why you started and how far you’ve come. Being consistent is the key to success, so stay on track with your goals and you’ll reap the benefits in the warmer months! Here are 5 tips to stay motivated over winter. Because next summer is closer than you think.

• SWITCH UP YOUR ROUTINE
  Out with the old and in with the new! Spice up your current routine with something you’ve never tried before. Don’t be stuck behind a treadmill screen this winter, attend a class or include resistance training. For men – try switching from a muscle building plan to strength, go from machines to free weights or add supersets. For women – switch from bodyweight to dumbbells, try new machines upstairs or even ditch the cardio machines for HIIT! (High Intensity Interval Training).
• SET NEW GOALS
  Goal setting is important when it comes to exercise, and just because the weather is turning doesn’t mean they should be put on hold! Try reaching your main goal by setting smaller goals which will help you in the long run. This can be anything from attending the gym 3 times a week to pre packing lunches and making healthy choices at gatherings. A good way to start is to note down where you currently are in terms fitness, weight and strength and making a plan which has set dates and goals that you want to smash! 
• STRESS LESS
  Did you know that stress can lead to fat storage? Keep stress levels low and stay lean in the long run! De-stress with a cup of tea at the end of the day or try a yoga class. Exercise shouldn’t be a chore and once it becomes a healthy habit it’ll be something that you want to do. Being stress free should apply in all areas of life, appreciate the small things and don’t worry about things you can’t control. Nothing should make you stressed, angry, or unmotivated unless you give it permission.
• TRY NEW FOODS / SWITCH UP YOUR NUTRITION
  Winter produce may not be as exciting and colourful as summer berries, but there are still many healthy choices available. Try new flavours and combinations and stay inspired with your food during the colder months, work seasonal produce such as pomegranates, citrus fruits, purple grapes, and orange root vegetables into your meals. You’ll not only add colour to your plate, you’ll pack in some serious nutrition punch.
• TRAIN WITH A PARTNER
  Training with a partner will help spur you onto the next level, keep you accountable, motivate and provide healthy competition during your workout. Having someone there to help you push through your workout and keep you inspired is the best way to stay on track, workout with mates or enlist the help of a Personal Trainer! Training with a PT will be the best investment you make if you are serious about reaching your goals.

Get in touch with me if you need some help to switch up your routine this winter!

Jay Hawkins

027 828 8281 | jayhawkinspt@gmail.com

 

•  It is a metabolism killer!

Our body quickly adapts to slow cardio and becomes more efficient at converting and using energy. Consistently doing slow cardio will result in a decrease in our metabolic rate. While this does result in an increase in endurance, it is not good news for fat loss. The more we do this style of training the slower and slower our metabolism becomes making it harder and harder to lose weight. Our body will try to hang on to as much energy as possible while doing low priority exercises like slow jogging. It does this to preserve energy for use in emergencies. This means that over time, your hour long runs are becoming less and less effective at burning fat and more effective at wasting your time.

• It literally is a waste of your time!

The more slow cardio we do, the longer we have to do it, to burn the same amount of calories we would have previously. If you want to lose fat in the most time efficient manner, you need to become as efficient with our energy supply as possible. A great alternative to slow cardio in this case is High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT cardio – see how this can benefit your training below!!

• Muscle loss

The worst side effect of all! As we stress our body with ‘slow cardio’ we start to experience increased cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone and one of its functions is to supply instant energy, but this can be a double edged sword. The release of cortisol can have positive effects (If you are being chased by a lion you don’t want to wait around for that chicken salad you just ate to digest before you have the energy to run!!)

What cortisol does is breakdown existing tissues (eg muscle and bone) to fuel us in emergencies. This may be great in the short term but detrimental to our health over long periods if our cortisol levels are always high. Constantly stressed individuals can expect reduced muscle mass, reduced bone density, reduced strength and energy and weight gain.

 *For the purpose of this article ‘slow cardio’ is defined as anything above walking speed e.g. jogging all the way up to about 75% of your maximal speed/effort.

 
Alternatives to slow cardio training:

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

HIIT has the following benefits

• Faster weight loss results
• Raises metabolism for a considerable time after you finish exercising ( more calories burnt)
• Promotes the growth of lean muscle and increased bone density
• Time effective (can take as little as ten minutes)

Weight training

 Doing free weight exercises will help you achieve the following:

•  Tone your body
• Help to burn fat
• Give your body shape
• Look better naked

Get Nutrition Guidance

All the exercise in the world cannot fight off a broken diet. If you are exercising hard but are not seeing the changes in your body you would like then something is wrong. Getting some outside help will often add clarity and a direction to achieving your goals.

If you want to get in great shape and achieve the body you always wanted, then you have to try my 90 Day Challenge! Register your interest below or contact me directly for more information.

Register Online 

In my 90 day challenge (everything), diet, exercise and cardio is covered in an easy to follow programme to ensure you get the results you want. TRY IT RISK FREE – If after 60 days you have not achieved the goals we set I will give you your money back!

Check out one of my client’s amazing transformation below.

Sean Neal

sean.neal@innovativeresultspt.com

027 461 5108

 

5 THINGS WOMEN NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STRENGTH TRAINING:

1 – Strength training will not make you bulky (unless that’s what you want of course)
Some women are concerned that lifting heavy weights means, big bulky muscles and an unfeminine look.  Images of body building athletes comes to mind and this can be off putting. The fact of the matter is these women that you see up on stage competing for body sculpting titles have worked very hard to get up there!  Women build muscle at a much slower rate than men and we have to work hard to keep our muscle tone.  In fact our muscle mass starts to decline in our adult years unless we follow a simple strength training programme to maintain our muscle mass. 

2 – Technique is important
Just like training in any other discipline, it is very important that with strength training you are completing the exercise with correct technique.  This will ensure you get the results you desire and help you avoid injury.  Having the right form will also advance you towards your goals faster.  If you are unsure of correct techniques for lifting it is important that you learn from a professional.  You can book as session with Rachael to cover the basics.

3 – You will burn fat faster
Strength training improves muscle tone, and your muscles metabolise and burn calories.  So the more muscle tone you have the faster you will burn fat.  Again this is not to say you need big huge muscles.  But improving the density of your muscles will also mean you are burning more calories while at rest not just during the exercise.

4 – Strength Training Is Vital for Older Women
As we get older we have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis where our bones become weakened and vulnerable to breakages.  This, coupled with our decrease in muscles mass as we age, can also lead to poor posture and balance.  A simple strength training programme will not only improve and maintain your physique but will also preserve bone density.  With stronger muscles we are able to hold ourselves taller, feel more confident and reduce these health risks.

5 – We Are All Different So One Workout Plan Will Not Work for All
Each and every one of our bodies is different and unique.  We all want different things in life.  We all have different health and exercise history.  So this means we all need a different strength programme to achieve our goals.  One programme does certainly not suit all when it comes to lifting weights.  The best way to find out how you are going to achieve your goals is to chat with a fitness professional and have them take you through a programme suitable to your needs.

    

Rachael is currently studying Metabolic Precision Level 1 (Metabolic Nutrition) and is soon about to head over to Melbourne to become certified in Level 2 (Transformation Specialist).  Her foundation of exercise knowledge, wealth of experience in the fitness profession and ongoing willingness to learn more as studies develop adds to her success as a Personal Trainer.

If you are interested in finding out the correct strength training programme for you contact Rachael at:

Rachael.Dvorsky@exodusclub.co.nz

027 4249516

Check out Rachael’s HIIT5 programme, get techniques to build strength and burn fat.