Think along these lines, the more you use the better you feel. Translation: work as much of your body as frequently as possible. Instead of just sitting down and doing a chest press or bicep curl, let every part of the body join in. Instead of sitting, stand, instead of standing on your feet, use a balance board, or how about sitting on a stability ball. However one must remember to keep the exercises basic and easy to follow. Don’t think just do. Lose yourself in the moment.

To elaborate on the above, an acronym that we like to use is KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid. Not that I would ever dream of calling a client stupid, whether it’s true or not. We want the exercise to be enjoyable but also easy to follow. Chances are most of the day has involved over thinking, don’t think just do it. If an exercise is too difficult they will become even more frustrated and will lose the positive influence of that mood. Not to mention the inability to perform these exercises.

If you need any more motivation, look to the fridge, or more specifically what you should put in that fridge. Put up a picture of yourself when you thought you looked your best. Conversely, if you respond best to negative reinforcement put up a picture of when you look your worst, or your fattest moment or most out of shape; maybe that will get you motivated. A third option, that favorite celebrity body you hope to obtain should be smack dab in the middle so you see it before you go for that snack.

Here’s a thought; the quickest, easiest, simplest and cheapest way to get a good workout costs $3.99. It’s called a jump rope. All you need is space and the motivation to do it. You can achieve an efficient cardiovascular workout in only 20 minutes with that rope. You should hang it over your doorknob on your front door so every time you walk out the door you have to touch it to close the door. Simplistic, think less is more.

Other little hints and tips; the little things mean a lot. When driving to a destination, park as far away from the door as possible. If you are visiting or live in a destination not on the first floor take the steps. Any errand that is within a mile, walk. Any business trip or vacation, pack the sneakers. When you sit down and order dinner, don’t order the drink right away. Order the meal and then get it.

If you are a morning person set the clock 15 minutes earlier, literally roll on the floor and start your stretching routine. All you need is 15 minutes. Having a small window of time is not an excuse to do nothing.

From a biochemical standpoint, when the body is exercising, it is releasing neurochemical transmitters that, surprise, make the body feel good. Serotonin, dopamine, epinephrin, are just a handful of these that the body releases and the brain reads during exercise. When there is a positive shift in the proportion of these neurochemical transmitters, it easily combats the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which, incidentally, is more times than not misdiagnosed. When most people think they’re in a bad mood, they blame it on the weather. All that being said, the power of the mind is so strong in that, if you think you have it, your body will feel the effects of it.

But back to the chemical transmitters for a moment – the only other way to get a higher proportion of these in your body, and probably the more common way, is through drugs. I’m sure you’ve seen the commercials. To give you a basic idea of what each one does: Dopamine influence motor activities that involve movement. It increases the ability to focus, and if you have low levels of it, you won’t be able to concentrate. Sometimes you will even become somewhat clumsy as a result of lack of motor activities.

Serotonin is more closely associated with disposition and mood. It tends to have a quiet comforting affect. If your serotonin level is low, generally you will be irritable, depressed, and even sometimes obsessive. Epinephrin has similar properties and qualities to the first two. All can be triggered by doing something as simple as exercising. Also, put simply enough, get outside and exercise! Now you’re increasing your vitamin D from the sun, and nothing like a little fresh air to do you right.

Most of the information you have learned with regards to getting a flatter stomach is more times than not, wrong. Crunches are not as effective as you are led to believe. Don’t get me wrong, they do help, but not in the way you have been told. If you want to flatten your stomach, you need to do full body workouts. Full body workouts are great because almost all exercises involve your abs and they will benefit greatly. Remember proper nutrition and a little exercise will lower your body fat percentage, as well get you those abs. The main key, as always, is to increase your exercise output!

You can’t just show up for a workout. You have to be cognitively aware of your surroundings. Proprioception in essential; meaning your body’s awareness of your surroundings. Anyone who has competed in any sport or athletic endeavor would attest to this. If you do not have a conscious conceptual idea of your exercise strategy as well as fitness regime you are just sleep walking through the workout. This can be applicable to people who have never exercised in their life to professional athletes.

As a trainer it is imperative to communicate this point. To put this in simplest terms we will use a bicep curl as an example. It’s not enough to lift and lower the weight. You need to know what part of your body is working, how it’s working and why. This will enable you to be more in tune with your body resulting in a greater effect. Exercise is like any other institution.

The more you understand it the greater the effects and in turn the greater the enjoyment.

Brought to you by Amy W. Shapiro, RD CDN
awsnutrition.com
amy@awsnutrition.com

You have to be up front, honest and accountable with yourself BEFORE you begin this journey! After all, if you are not completely on board with your WHY, you won’t have as much motivation to succeed.

Yes, if you want to get into tremendous shape, you need to use the power of your mind, not just the power of your body.

After all, there will be plenty of time along the journey when you will find yourself exhausted, busy, overwhelmed with other things to do — and you will find yourself questioning: WHY do I need to take the time to work out? WHY is working out so important?

With your WHY in place, you’ll be more willing too make those needed sacrifices and put in that extra effort.

So before you begin your journey, TODAY take that time to find your WHY.

I promise that when the time comes that you feel ready to give up — as it will — you will simply refer back to your WHY, and will find it much easier to keep your drive alive!

You have to be up front and honest with yourself, you have to be accountable for your own actions, it ultimately starts and ends with you and if you are not completely on board you will be hard pressed to succeed.

That is what the “true meaning behind the reasoning means”. Look deep within yourself and ask, why I am doing this? You should find a reason why and in turn it will all be worth it. Undertaking such a commitment is not easy and neither is exercise. If you are not fully committed to what you’re doing it won’t work.

You have to be willing too make sacrifices, to revisit an old adage, if it were easy everyone would do it. Find that one thing, that one thing within you that is going to “keep that drive alive”, that will provide you with motivation.

There will be plenty of time along the journey when you question yourself, what am I doing? why am I doing this? is it all worth it? Don’t worry or be distracted, that question is to be expected. That is when you refer back to that one thing that enabled you to start this journey in the first place.

Remember why you even got started on this road, what is your source of motivation, of inspiration, and “the true meaning behind the reasoning”.