Another Recovery Tip

Monday I explained the benefits of sleep on your recovery. Today I have another very simple recovery strategy for you. Ice. Ice your joints, especially problem joints.

After each workout or at the end of the night take 20 minutes to ice down any joints that you have a history of pain or injury in. Even if they are not currently bothering you it is still a good idea to ice them down.

By icing your joints you help to decrease inflammation, which is typically the cause of joint pain, and allow your body to recover faster so that you are ready for your next workout.

To do this you can put a bunch of ice cubes in a ZipLock bag, buy a flexible ice pack, use a bag of frozen vegetables, or make you own by mixing two shots of vodka or rum with a cup of water in a ZipLock bag. Whatever your choice put the ice pack on the problem joint for 20 minutes and then remove.

Live Fit,

Josh

How Important Is Sleep?

Sleep is one of the cheapest things you can do for your body. In todays society pretty much everyone is sleep deprived. In fact, Americans almost seem to think that sleeping less is a sign of how hard they work. But, the reality is if your are sleep deprived you are not operating at your highest potential.

So how much sleep does one need? This varies from person to person, but everyone needs to be getting a minimum of 7 hours each nigh (8 optimally). The environment that you sleep in is also very important. It should be quiet, free of any light (no computers, cell phones, or TVs), and regular, meaning you go to sleep and wake up at the same times each day.

Being sleep deprived will also affect your fitness. When you are sleep deprived your body is unable to repair itself, you will build less muscle tissue, and stress hormones are higher in sleep deprived individuals. All of which, will compromise your weight loss and fitness levels.

Many people want to know what supplement they should take to help them recover, feel better, and see better results. But, by just getting enough shut eye you will help your body more than any supplement will.

Live Fit,

Josh

New Website and Random Facts

Check out our new website at www.Defined-Fitness.com!

OK, here are some random fitness facts and quotes for you to think about.

1. For every pound of muscle you gain your body burns an extra 50 calories a day.

2. By age 65, people who haven't engaged in regular exercise may incur a decrease in their muscular strength level by as much as 80%.

3. If you are nearly 25 lbs. overweight, you have nearly 5,000 extra miles of blood vessels through which your heart must pump blood.

4. "A man's health can be judged by which he takes 2 at a time: Pills or Stairs" - Joan Welsh

5. "Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live." - Jim Rohn

6. There are 1,440 minutes in a day can you not find 30 minutes for exercise, but most people can find time to sit on the couch and watch at least 30 minutes of TV each day.

Live Fit,

Josh

P.S. Hope to see you all tonight at Renaissance Health Center for the Open House Event!

Updates!

Just wanted to keep you all updated on a few things going on over the next couple of weeks.

First we will be participating in an Open House Event held at Renaissance Health Center. See below for more information.

Thursday October 23, 2008 at Renaissance Health Center located at 903 Wilmington Rd. New Castle, PA 16101 from 5-8 P.M. Enter to win a Day Spa Package, Free Facial, Fitness Coaching Sessions, and MUCH more! Enjoy a mini massage, fitness demo, or makeup application. Participating businesses will be Mary Turner Skin Care, Shine Salon, Defined Fitness, Renaissance Health Center, Advo Care Nutritional Supplements, and OneSole Sandals.

Second, our Referral Program kicked off this month. So refer your friends for points to earn rewards.

Third, we have started our food drive for Thanksgiving for the Women's Crisis Center. Our goal is to be able to provide them with 250 items for those less fortunate. So bring in a canned or boxed good the next time you stop in to put in the box located at the front desk. Please no vegetables though they said they have enough of those already.

Fourth, we also are starting our Christmas Angel Gift program for children of the Women's Crisis Shelter. Angels can be picked up at our front desk and gifts need to be in by December 8th, 2008.

Thanks for all of your support and helping those in need.

Josh

Water and Weight Loss

It is well known that proper water intake will help you lose weight. But here is a study that takes it a step further.

Effect of hydration state on resistance exercise-induced endocrine markers of anabolism, catabolism, and metabolism. Judelson et al. J Appl Physiol 105: 816-824, 2008.

This study looked at the hormonal effect of being in an acute dehydrated state post-exercise following a resistance training workout. Before we get into the findings let me explain the post-exercise period. The post-exercise period is the most anabolic period with the most potential to increase fat free mass (muscle tissue). If this period is compromised your metabolism will not be increased to its full potential, which will decrease your fat burning potential. (This explanation is very simply and vague, but it will due for this article.)

Here are the findings of the study:

1. Increased levels of cortisol (a catabolic hormone) = decreased fat free mass (muscle tissue) =

decreased metabolism = decreased caloric expenditure and potential for increased body fat.

2. Decreased levels of testosterone = decreased fat free mass building potential = decreased total amount of fat free mass and less of an increase in metabolism stimulation = decreased caloric expenditure.

The take home message is: If your fitness goal is to lose weight (body fat) by being in a dehydrated state you decrease your fat burning potential.

Drink your water!

Live Fit,

Josh 

Small Steps

Why don't most diets work? They expect too much too soon from the individual. 

The majority of diets and nutritional advice out there fails to help clients and people lose weight because of this one reason. They expect a person who has not been eating well for years, usually, to make a complete overhaul of their nutritional habits overnight. Expecting this is just ridiculous. 

If you want to or need to make nutritional changes to your diet you must start with small changes. 

For example, if you haven't been eating breakfast. Start there eat something for breakfast. It doesn't matter what just eat something. Once you get that down then make changes to what you eat. Another example, if you usually have a burger and large fries for lunch. Start having a burger and small fry. Then make better and better changes from there.

No matter how bad your diet may be start by making small changes and overtime you will have completely changed your diet rather than overnight. And you will experience better success.

Live Fit,

Josh 

Don't Wait Until 2009

Do you want to lose 10, 20, maybe even 30 pounds? If so, what are you doing to make that happen?

If you are like most people probably not much. But, I bet you are planning on making weight loss one of your New Year's Resolutions, Right? So why not start now? There are exactly 12 weeks left in 2008. If you were to start today you could lose 24 pounds by New Year's Eve and have your friends envious of how great you look while they have gained another 10 pounds over that same time period.

That's right the average American gains 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years and with us still having Halloween to get through who knows how much more could be gained.

But you on the other hand will have lost 24 pounds, maybe even more!

So stop making excuses and start making progress now!

Live Fit,

Josh

Accountability

Do you hold yourself accountable for your goals and the direction of your life?

If not, why aren't you? No one else is going to, at least it is very rare to find someone else who will because most people are too busy worrying about themselves.

A way to start is by determining what you really want and then setting goals to achieve that outcome. Then write out all your goals and review them at least once per day.

It is also important to check in with yourself at the end of each day and ask yourself if you made progress. If you did you have moved closer to your goal. If not you have moved farther away from your goal.

So for example, if you want to lose 20 pounds by the first of the year write it down and review it each day. Then at the end of the day ask yourself what steps you took to get closer to your goal. Did you workout? Did you follow your nutrition plan? 

Live Fit,

Josh

The Key To A Better Future

"The major key to YOUR better future is YOU!" - Jim Rohn

Are you in control of your life and what you experience? Or are you like most people and do not take control of your life and then blame everything bad that happens to you on everything but yourself.

Read the above quote again. It is so true. If you wish to have a better future it all comes down to what you are doing now to experience your better future.

If you want to lose 20 pounds: It is up to you to take control and take steps each day to lose that 20 pounds.

If you want six-packs abs: It is up to you to do your workouts and eat healthy. 

It you want to win an Olympic Gold Medal: It is up to you to put in the time and effort required to win an Olympic Gold Medal and seek out the help of the best coaches in the world for your particular sport or event.

It doesn't matter what you want your future to hold. But it does matter what you do today to determine what you will experience. Your future could be fantastic or it could be sub par. It's all up to you.

Start today and begin to take control of your life!

Live Fit,

Josh