Do you make these 5 Fitness Mistakes?

Stroll through any gym and you'll notice many mistakes. Mistakes that waste time. Mistakes that put people in danger. And mistakes that are just plain crazy.

Maybe you even make a few of these mistakes yourself.

By avoiding these common blunders, you'll put yourself on the fast track to results.

Check out the following 5 fitness mistakes and the solutions you need to avoid danger and to get fit fast.

Mistake 1: You use the wrong weight
The goal is to challenge your muscles, not to simply go through the motions. If you are able to complete 15 repetitions easily, then the weight is too light. On the flip side, if you aren't able to perform an exercise through its full range of motion, and find yourself cheating on form, then the weight is too heavy.

The correct weights will feel challenging by your last few repetitions, but won't force you to sacrifice form.

Mistake 2: You do the same routine
You may have noticed that most people do the same exercises each time they visit the gym. Maybe you've been doing the same exercise routine as long as you can remember - if it isn't broken then don't fix it, right?

The truth is that exercise routines have expiration dates, and that is the date that they begin to lose their effectiveness. As a rule of thumb never use the same routine for more than 4 weeks.

Mistake 3: You don't warm up
Most people consider warm up time to be wasted time - they'd rather jump right into the heart of the routine. What they don't realize is that a good warm up will allow you to perform at a higher intensity, which means greater results.

The point of a warm up is to increase your muscle temperature. This increases blood flow, muscle contraction and reduces muscle resistance. Your warm up should last 5-10 minutes.

Mistake 4: You use bad form
Gyms are filled with people performing exercises with bad form. The two biggest reasons are that you aren't concentrating on the exercise, or you're trying to lift weight that is too heavy. Lifting with improper form almost always results in injury.

Take the time to achieve proper form, by doing so you'll avoid injury and will reap the full benefit from each exercise.

Mistake 5: You workout alone
People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and typically see fewer results. It makes sense, doesn't it? Why rush to the gym if no one is there waiting for you? Why push yourself if no one is watching? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.

The best way to avoid injury and to see results is to work with me, your trusted source on fitness.

I am passionate about seeing my clients achieve results - without wasting time, energy and effort on mistakes.

Don't know where to start when it comes to exercise? That's where I come in.

Call or email me today and we will get you started on the exercise program that is right for you.

Its not all about you....

Your mornings may be hectic, the alarm may not go off, or the kids may not seem hungry first thing after waking up.

Whatever your reasons may be, skipping breakfast puts your kids at a distinct disadvantage. And while you know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, approximately 40 percent of children don't eat breakfast on a regular basis.

Why do kids need breakfast? What are some fast, easy, and healthy foods to serve your family in order to get them ready for a good day? Keep reading to find out.

The Morning Necessity
Breakfast provides the fuel that is needed by all bodies to start the day. When your child wakes in the morning, his or her tank is empty and it is time to “break the fast” so to speak.

Food gives the energy needed to function mentally and physically. Don't believe it? Consider this: Studies have shown that children who eat breakfast before school perform better on their reading and math scores, have longer attention spans, visit the school nurse less frequently, and are better behaved in class.

As if improved school performance weren't reason enough to get your kids into eating breakfast, kids who eat a healthy breakfast are better able to get the daily nutrients they need. They are more likely to eat recommended levels of essential vitamins and minerals such as calcium; magnesium; phosphorus; riboflavin; folate; iron; and vitamins A, C, and B12. Breakfast-consuming children also have lower cholesterol levels.

Some kids, especially teenagers, skip breakfast because they'd rather sleep in or because they think skipping breakfast will help them lose weight. Unfortunately, skipping breakfast to lose weight is a myth.

In fact, those who don't eat breakfast are more likely to have a greater body mass index (BMI) than those who do, since skipping breakfast makes kids so hungry they eat extra calories later in the day to make up for their skipped morning cuisine.

Easy, Healthy Options
Why aren't your children eating a healthy breakfast each day? If it's because your family is too rushed in the morning or you think you don't have extra time to make them a homemade nutritious meal, it's time to change your thinking. There are plenty of easy, fast, healthy foods to have readily available for your kids to grab and eat on the way.

Any food is better than no food for breakfast, but healthy foods give your kids the energy they require to make it until lunch. A great way to knock out breakfast is to handle it the night before by hard-boiling some eggs. Hard-boiled eggs are a great source of protein and are fast and easy in the morning.

You can also keep some small yogurt containers in the refrigerator for your kids to grab on the go. And of course, keep whole-grain bread, English muffins, or bagels on hand to toss in the toaster.

You can also warm up microwavable oatmeal or let the kids eat cereal bars in the car. Keep whole-grain, low-sugar cereals on hand that kids can eat with low-fat milk or yogurt. And lastly, keep fresh fruit such as apples, bananas, and pears readily available to eat on the go.

These are all nutritious options that are easy for moms or even kids to make themselves.

Good Start
So before rushing out the door tomorrow morning, make sure to give your kids a good start to the day. Fuel them up with a quick, healthy breakfast. They may not thank you, but their stomachs, minds, and teachers will.

Healthy eating goes hand in hand with maintaining a consistent and challenging exercise program. Call or email me today to get started on one of my programs that will get you feeling younger and more energetic than you thought possible.

Don't wait – call or email today to get started.

Should you eat that?

You want to lose weight, and have been trying hard for months without success.

You've heard fitness people refer to 'eating healthily' but what does that really mean?

The labels on hundreds of different food items proclaim to be 'healthy' but can you trust labels? There are so many misconceptions when it comes to what constitutes as healthy eating.

What are you doing wrong?

Let's dispel the myths and outline your simple, straightforward 3-step guide to eating healthily and watch as the pounds melt away.

Step One: Steer Clear of Packaged Foods

Your worst enemy in the fight against weight gain is packaged foods. Yes, even those packages that are described as ‘healthy'.

Think of packaged food in these 3 categories:

• Sweets: Bisucuits, muffins, cakes, donuts, sweets and desserts. These packaged items are laced with sugar and bad fats, and lack any viable nutrient that your body actually needs. All the empty calories from these items will end up deposited on your waist and hips as stubborn fat.
  
  There's never a good reason to eat these so-called foods.
• Processed Grains: Crackers, breads, cereal, crisps, instant oatmeal, energy bars, and popcorn. This category is tricky because many of the packages are labeled as ‘heart healthy' or ‘low fat'. The reality is that packaged, processed grains contain sugar and more carbohydrates than you need while striving to lose weight.
  
  If you have a weight loss goal then stay away from processed grains.
• Whole Grains: Brown rice, wild rice, whole oats, sprouted grain pasta, and sprouted grain bread. Here's a category of packaged foods that you are able to include in your healthy diet. You don't, however, have a free pass to eat as much of these items as you'd like. Whole grains, while healthy and acceptable, are very calorie-dense. This means that a little bit goes a long way.

Eat whole grains in moderation in order to meet your weight loss goals.

Step Two: Fill Up on Fresh Foods

Fresh vegetables and fruits are a huge part of your clean diet.

The nutrients and fiber found in these natural food items are vitally important for your weight loss journey and your overall health.

Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables in all shapes, sizes and colors.

The only ones that you need to limit are vegetables that are high in starch, such as potatoes and corn, and fruits that are very high in sugar, like melons.

Step Three: Get Plenty of Protein

The cornerstone of your clean diet should be lean protein.

Great examples are chicken breast, albacore tuna, lean ground turkey, white fish fillet, whole beans and egg whites.

Protein is what holds your healthy eating plan together, for two reasons.

1. Protein satiates your hunger, keeping you full and keeping your blood sugar stable. This eliminates false hunger and prevents unnecessary snacking.
2. Protein helps to grow and maintain your muscle mass, which increases your resting metabolism. This means that your body will be naturally leaner.

For faster results, pair your clean eating with a challenging exercise routine.

Call or email today and I'll get you started on an exercise program that will make your goals a reality.