Club Blog

One of the biggest obstacles to staying on track for fitness is losing motivation. People are just starting an exercise program can find themselves quickly tired of the same routine. Keeping exercise appealing and maintaining a good fitness perspective is key to long-term success.

If you have to watch the exact same episode of your favorite television show every day for the rest of your life, you would probably be banging your head against the wall by the end of the week. You would change the channel, pick up a book, or do anything you could to avoid something you once enjoyed.

Yet, many people starting on a fitness program feel compelled to follow the same routine, day after day after day, and consequently fall off the exercise wagon due to sheer boredom.

That is why, most people would want the services of a fitness trainer in order to provide them the different portions of the fitness program in a more livelier style.

If you’re trying to lose weight, get healthy, build muscle or excel at a sport, you’ll need specific goals. When you don’t have a specific goal, it’s difficult to keep exercising and to track your progress to see how far you’ve come. Before you get busy, take a moment and ask yourself these questions:

1. What do I want to accomplish with this exercise program?
2. Is my goal realistic and attainable?
3. Do I know how to reach my goal?
4. When do I want to reach my goal?
5. How will I reward myself when I reach my goal?

After winning 1^st place in my class at the NPC San Diego Figure Competition in March 2010, it has qualified me for Nationals.  I am now training and preparing for my National Championship Figure Competition in Cleveland, Ohio on September 3, 2010.  My current goal is to gain more muscle, specifically in my upper body.  Therefore, this means I have to lift with heavier weights and increase my food intake to build more lean muscle.  As the weeks progress, my goals will continue to change.  My training and competitor nutrition programs will both change – therefore, lifting lighter weights and decreasing calorie intake.

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.

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.

Follow along on my journey and check out my weekly blogs on our website at www.lajollasportsclub.com.  I look forward to sharing my goals and updates with you as I prepare for Nationals, as well as sharing helpful tips and information to help you meet your personal goals.

If you are short on time try doing multiple exercises back to back. Rest for 45 seconds and choose another exercise for a different muscle group. I’m sure you have already observed many trainers doing this with their clients. Not only will your workouts be more productive but you’ll burn more calories in less time.

            Some good example would be pairing arm exercises with leg exercises. Such a leg machine (leg press, leg curl, leg extension) with dumbbell curls or dumbbell shoulder presses. These are just a couple options. If you ever need help or advice about exercise prescription please feel free to ask any of the trainers on the gym floor. We would be more than willing to help.

Marathon Magic Foods

When training for a marathon or any long run, nutrition can play a vital part in maximizing your performance. For long distances, runners need all of the energy they can get, and a big source of that is what they eat. Certain foods produce better performances, and ultimately it can make or break your fitness goals. See what Gemma Carter has to say as she takes you through the basic foods of a runner’s diet as well as performance maximizing foods and drinks.

Eat well, train well:

At the foundation of any runner’s diet should be a balanced range of nutrients generally high in carbohydrates, low in fat and with moderate amounts of protein. Eating well should be part of your routine just as much as the training itself.

La Jolla Health Fitness Trainers say to maximize your performance as an athlete, it is important to make sure you are getting the right ingredients from your diet, and in the right quantities. This is a great way additionally to fight off infection, keep your energy levels high and sustain yourself throughout your training. Make sure that you fuel up before and after a run, preferably 2 hours before a long run to give your system enough time to digest the food fully and aim to refuel after a run as soon as is suitable.

Here are a few of my top foods:

Greens (kale, broccoli, spinach, asparagus) – a great source of iron fueling the body. Low iron restricts your body’s ability to produce haemoglobin, and thus reduces its oxygen-carrying capacity. So your mum was right after all, eat your greens and become Popeye!

Kiwis, tomatoes and red peppers – packed full of vitamin C. They boost your immune system and fight off illness. Most colorful fruits should have high levels of vitamins in them so why not vary your fruit intake and every time you visit the supermarket try a new one. Some fruits and vegetables such as apples and red onions are rich in the antioxidant of quercetin, which boosts muscle endurance.

Carbohydrates (pasta, potatoes, rice and cereal) – this is your body’s main fuel and important energy foods for hard training. Look for foods with slow release energy instead of sugary snacks.

Seeds and nuts (almonds) – many runners love eating these as they are easy to take with you when you travel and a great energy booster, packed full of the right kind of fats – Omega 3/6.

Eggs – a great source of protein, especially for those of us who are vegetarian. If you are not a fan of eggs try something like kidney beans (full of protein also)

Frozen vegetables and frozen fruits – being frozen they are packed with the nutrients straight from the ground that may have been lost otherwise such as vitamin B and C and Beta Carotene as well as many other minerals.

Mixed salad leaves – great for any meal, low in fat and tasty. This can be a great source of iron as well as a great variety of other minerals and vitamins depending on the leaf.

Fish (E.g.-salmon) – as well as being great brain foods, fish have high levels of Omega 3/6 in them which reduces heart disease and can lower blood pressure.

Magic marathon food and drinks:

Here are a few extras that you can add to your diet when training just to give you that extra boost:

Flat cola – great post run drink, with caffeine to boost muscle recovery and keep energy levels high. Having the cola flat is easier on the stomach.

Bananas – a great source of magnesium, reducing muscle cramps.

Chocolate Milk – a source of Calcium and great recover drink after a run.

Ginger and mustard – strange but true these ingredients are great for muscle aches.

Green tea extracts – packed with antioxidants which fight off infection. If you don’t like green tea try white tea or a herbal tea like peppermint instead.

Herbs and spices – herbs like rosemary have great anti-inflammatory properties, whereas parsley, mint and coriander can be great for digestion and stomach cramps. Be sure to stock up on these. Try adding them to your cooking. So go on be adventurous!

So there we go, be adventurous and experiment with a good range of basic food substances! If you are not sure of the properties of some foods, look at the labels and don’t be afraid to do a bit of research. With a healthier diet, you’ll feel more energized and happier. So get cooking!

On a final note – don’t forget to hydrate, hydrate!!! I can never remind you enough of the importance of getting enough water before, while and after training. It is so important for optimizing performance and preventing cramps and muscle aches by flushing out the toxins in your body built up from exercise. Water also cools the body down and can prevent exercise induced headaches.

Spin classes are a great way to get in a vigorous workout — burning calories and keeping your muscles in shape — especially during the off-season. If you love exercising on a bike and being pushed by other spin-enthusiasts including a La Jolla Health Fitness Trainer, this could be a satisfying alternative to your normal routine.

Pros

• An effective workout
• Allows you to train in the off-season if you are a serious cyclist
• Varied routines keep things fresh
• Great for all ability levels

Cons

• You’re not outside and lose that relaxing aspect of a bike ride
• Classes can become monotonous
• If you don’t like exercising with others, you will not enjoy being surrounded by people in one room

Description

Spin classes are done in a La Jolla Health Fitness Center Gym fitness studio, with various light and music settings to create an energized atmosphere. Instructors guide participants through workout phases. Warm-up, steady up-tempo cadences, sprints, climbs, cool-downs, etc. You control resistance on your bike to make the pedaling as easy or difficult as you choose. Constantly adjusting your resistance is normal. All you’ll need is normal workout clothes, a towel and a water bottle. Check it out!