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 By: Rob Wilkins Looking to make some positive changes in your life for 2004? Make fitness a priority and commit yourself to participating in physical activity 45-60 minutes, most days of the week. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends exercising up to 60 percent of your maximum heart rate for 30 minutes three times per week. Despite common knowledge that exercise is healthful, more than 60 percent of American adults are not regularly active, and 25 percent of the adult population is not active at all. Moreover, although many people have enthusiastically embarked on vigorous exercise programs at one time or another, most do not sustain their participation. The following are useful tips from fitness experts to help you reach your 2004 fitness goals:
All three components must be present in order to reach maximum results! Just like you would schedule lunch with a friend, or a meeting with the boss, set time aside for your aerobic exercise, weights, and food preparation. The best way to track progress and identify problem areas is to see it in writing. I recommend keeping a daily food and exercise journal each day to ensure consistency and building of a solid, lasting routine. Remember, fitness is a way of life!" Contact Info: www.yazinc.com
Generally speaking, starting anything is the first step to actually accomplishing something. So I set the bar low in the beginning and work toward my goals. The following are a few words of wisdom to help you reach your goals:
The first steps are the most crucial to actually get you moving in the right direction! Happy New Year" Contact Info: http://www.shawnray.net
Keep your protein intake about the same for every meal, and the portion sizes for carbohydrates moderate (approx. the size of the palm of your hand). Earlier in the day when you're more active, you can have some complex carbs with your protein. Later in the day, when less active, you can switch to more fibrous carbs. Try to keep consistent and eat clean all week long, then have a good cheat day once a week. If you can get to the gym 3-5 times a week, train hard while you're there, and make sure you get in 3-6 good cardio sessions per week for 30-45. This is my recipe for cleaning yourself up for the New Year. You can reach me through my website at www.elainefit.com for a lot more info, galleries and great stuff. Let's get in great shape for 2004!" Contact Info: www.elainefit.com
Also set a schedule and stick with it. The following is my workout schedule:
Monday & Thursday - Chest (morning) & Biceps and Triceps (evenings). God bless and happy New Year!" Contact Info: www.melvinanthony.com
Second, take new, fun and motivating classes to reduce boredom, but more importantly to work your muscles at different angles and different intensities. Try kickboxing, boot camp or even yoga! Not only will you get in shape, but make new friends as well. Third, get mentally focused. A great book to read is "The Inner Athlete," by Dan Millman. And finally, go to a local, national or even international bodybuilding/fitness/figure competition to get reenergized. Seeing so many bodies in great shape at once can be an uplifting, exciting and amazing experience! Good luck and stay focused!" Contact Info: amyyanagisawa@aol.com
"For me it's not about a new year, but a new you. If you want more out of your training in 2004 than you received in 2003 or before, you need to become the person who would receive those training effects. Spend at least a day BEFORE the commencement of 2004 analyzing why you received what you received from your training this year and in the past. Ask yourself what changes you can make to the person you are so that you will do the things that will result in having what you want from your time on this earth and physical training during 2004. If you need guidance on this, spend as much time studying personal development material as you do training material. I recommend Jim Rohn or Denis Waitley as great mentors and teachers in this area. The next step would be to assess where you have come from in a measurable way. Identify your top goals, and determine a way to measure them. Set progressive, quarterly goals and reassess/reset your goals every three months. Make them achievable, realistic, and believable! Experience success in achieving your goals, as success breeds confidence and more success. Place these goals and measurements in a place where they become part of your every day existence. This keeps the focus. You will achieve whatever you consistently focus on. Success is a succession of small steps. Finally, avoid overtraining as the emotional and psychological changes that come with this condition increase drop out rate. So take your recovery weeks, and find out why training less is more! Make the most each day in 2004, by making the most of yourself!" Contact Info: www.kingsports.net or info@kingsports.net
Good luck and happy health for the New Year!" Contact Info: www.jmpmanagement.com or shaym@comcast.net
"The following are a few basic fitness tips to help reach your fitness goals. Consider the following:
Have a great holiday season and happy New Year!" Contact Info: www.strong-and-shapely.com
Contact Info: www.Kelly-Ryan.Net or KellyRyan98@aol.com
"My advice for maintaining a year round fitness program is consistency, moderation & pre-hab. Be consistent in a complete program of muscle strength and endurance, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning. Moderation in your diet--no one is perfect and deprivation is a sure way to set you up for overeating or bingeing. Pre-hab: Prevent rehab (from injury) by taking the time to work on flexibility for increase range of motion and decrease risk of injury. Ensure muscle balance (minimize injury) by strengthening the anterior (front of body) muscles as well as posterior muscles (your backside) and bi-laterally (left side to right side). For upper body, dumbbell (db) exercises such as db flat & incline bench, lateral raises, db shoulder press, upright rows, posterior deltoid, rotator cuff exercises, db rows, etc. succeed in working individual arms, anterior, posterior chest and upper back muscles. Single leg squat, step-ups, lateral lunges and lunges are good examples of lower body bi-lateral loading. Be good to yourself and your body. Proper recovery is essential to achieving your fitness goals. Do your best to get enough sleep, fluids, proper fueling, and de-stress. Add that to consistency, moderation and pre-hab and make 2004 a fitness success!" By taking charge of your fitness program and following the advice provided by the experts in this article, you will significantly improve your current state of physical fitness. Good luck. Contact Info: Bodybuilding.com Interview About The Author Rob Wilkins, originally from Linden, N.J., is a Master Sergeant in the US Air Force stationed at the Pentagon, Washington, DC. Wilkins is also a Special Assistant for the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) and a recipient of the IFBB Gold Medal. To contact Wilkins e-mail him at Robifbb@yahoo.com. Thanks, Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here! Visitor Reviews Of This Article!
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