Achieving Fitness Goals: Building Your Fitness Dream Team
June 15, 2009 by Gail Grannum
Filed under Exercise & Fitness
When it comes to attaining fitness goals, where should you go for help? Who would make the best fitness training buddy? Here’s our take on how to build your fitness dream team to help you achieve your fitness goals.
There are three main companions you can have for your fitness dream team: a personal trainer, training buddies, and a training pet – yes you read that correctly. We’ll discuss each one in turn so you’ll know how to find the best of each. 
A personal trainer is a fitness training professional. The one who’ll teach you how to workout correctly when you first set out to conquer your fitness goals, but you don’t need one every time you workout.
A weekly or fortnightly schedule is enough to get you going on your fitness plan. However, if your fitness plan involves exercises that need individualized supervision such as yoga or Pilates, you might need one more often.
If funds are tight, you might want to get a virtual trainer instead. Many pro trainers have their own exercise videos, whether for cardio, aerobic, strength, or individualized workouts.
Once you’ve settled on a personal trainer, it’s time to find good fitness training buddies. The rule of thumb is to always have more than one. That way, you’ll always have someone in case the other fails to show or drops off. Ideally, find one who shares the same fitness goals as you. Get one who is at the same fitness level so you could encourage each other, and then get one who has a higher fitness level to challenge yourself. If you do multiple types of exercises, i.e. aerobic and weight training, it is ideal to have one buddy for each activity.
- You can find fitness buddies from your family, friends, the office, a sports club, the gym, or your local YMCA. You can even find fitness training buddies online. You can find a buddy to join you in your fitness workout from just about anywhere, really.
Your Canine Training Buddy Will Commit You Daily To Your Fitness Goals
- For dog lovers, you’ll be delighted to know that your pet can help in your fitness program. Dogs are great fitness workout companions. They don’t complain, they’ll follow you wherever you go, protect you, and keep you company.
- If you’d like to get a dog as a fitness training buddy, try a Labrador. It is versatile, dependable, intelligent, and has good disposition. It’s also energetic so you might have to keep up with it instead of the other way around. You may also want to try German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, Jack Russel Terriers, or Collies as all these breeds love to run.
However, make sure your pet is trained first, and be mindful of their needs, as they can’t tell you what they’re feeling. They might have blistered or scuffed paws, be dehydrated, or tired, so stay sharp. Bring extra water and a drinking cup, and maybe some doggie treats.
Having all these people (and pets) with you makes attaining your fitness goals easier, not to mention more enjoyable.
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Essential Equipment For Your Fitness Goals
June 12, 2009 by Gail Grannum
Filed under Exercise & Fitness
Continuing with our fitness goals series, we’ll now discuss fitness equipment. To create an effective fitness plan, you need the correct equipment.
First priority when preparing for your fitness training should be proper exercise apparel. Too many make the mistake of buying equipment first. Keep in mind that your fitness workouts will only be enjoyable if you are comfortable.
Before buying anything, dress yourself up with proper exercise apparel.
- To enjoy your fitness training, choose close fitting and comfortable clothes with sweat absorbing material, such as seamless tank tops. Exercise apparel made with cotton is a good example.
- After apparel, you should select the proper footwear. Use running shoes to jog or run, use cross trainers for indoor exercises.
- Make sure you wear proper close fitting socks to avoid blisters.
Omron HJ-112 Digital Pocket Pedometer Monitors Fitness Training
Durability is also important, as you might be doing heavy exercising. Make sure you wear something that will last and will not rip or tear while you’re working out.
Essential Outdoor Gadgets
It would be great if you could incorporate outdoor exercises into your fitness plan. The fresh air and change in scenery will do you good mentally and physically.
- When going out for a power walk, run, or bike ride, consider bringing an MP3 player. Good exercise music can help your pace and keep you company on the road.
- Bring a small water bottle or wear a camel pack (small fitting backpack with water and drinking spout) to keep you hydrated.
- Make sure to wear a personal warning device such as bright shirt or reflective vest over your exercise clothes.
- Bring a mobile phone for emergencies and make sure someone knows where you are going or running and what time you should be back. Fitness training and safety do come in hand-in-hand.
Indoor Fitness Training Gadgets
When purchasing equipment, focus on you fitness program. Make sure they are in-line with your fitness program or you’ll end up with white elephants. All you need for your fitness workout is a wide and properly ventilated area in your house, along with a few fitness training gadgets.
The biggest mistake you can make is buying too much too soon. Aim for at least two aerobic and strength training equipment.
- One basic aid you can use inside and outdoor during your fitness workouts is a Pedometer. One good pedometer that has a large display for the visually impaired, a 7 day history so you can see progress (or lack of), calculates calories and distance in addition to steps is the Omron HJ-112 Digital Pocket Pedometer (Amazon affiliate link)
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- For aerobic exercise, try a treadmill, stationary bike, rower, or simple things such as a jump rope, a stepper, or aerobics videos.
- For strength training, there are all-in-one or multi-exercise machines, and weight training bench and barbells. Or for something simpler, buy a range of free-weights and resistance bands. Before buying, make sure you try them out first.
- It is also advisable for you to get at least one soft-foam exercise pad for floor exercises.
- You might also want to stock a variety of aerobic and weight training videos to watch and exercise with to keep things fresh.
Those are of course all just suggestions. You might want to try completing your fitness training equipment slowly, and spread the cost over time. Having the proper fitness training equipment will surely help you achieve your fitness goals in no time. Click Here to take survey
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The Best Exercises For Your Fitness Goals
June 9, 2009 by Gail Grannum
Filed under Exercise & Fitness
To help reach your fitness goals, here are three major exercise groups – aerobic exercise, strength training, stretching – which we’ll discuss to help you decide which to use in your fitness program.
Aerobic Exercise
Fitness Goals Include Aerobic Exercising
Aerobic exercises are beneficial whether you’re young or old. It’s a type of fitness training involving the movement of your body’s large muscle groups. It increases your heart rate, breathing rate, blood circulation, thus maximizing the oxygen in your blood. It helps release endorphins, a chemical which give you a natural high.
- Examples of aerobic exercises include dancing, cycling, running, jogging, walking or any sport that includes moving major muscle groups that raise heart rate.
- Using aerobic exercises in your fitness plan coupled with a proper diet keeps flabs away. It increases stamina and strengthens the immune system, making you less prone to illnesses. It’s also proven to reduce risks associated with obesity, heart disease, and type-2 diabetes.
- Though aerobic activity is safe, you must first get an OK from your doctor especially if you have chronic injuries or medical condition before adding it to your fitness program. Starting aerobic exercises may be hard at first but you’ll surely gradually improve.
Weight/Resistance Training
If you aim to lose fat or improve your body, use weight training in your fitness program. Weight training is not about building massive muscles, but rather changing how your body looks and increasing core body strength. It raises your metabolism and builds muscle, which burns more calories. It strengthens bones, increases strength and endurance and helps you avoid injuries. Plus being fit and ripped makes you feel better about yourself.
- However, as a fitness program, weight training can be confusing, especially with the multitude of exercises, equipment, and methods available. To avoid this, try joining a gym or hire a personal trainer to guide you for the first few weeks.
- Alternatively, find a friend who does weights or purchase guidebooks and basic equipment. However, don’t exercise alone; make sure there’s someone with you in case of injuries.
Stretching
Stretching is essential to every fitness program. Some believe it is a form of exercise on its own, but most use stretching as a part of an Aerobic or weight training routine. Stretching is important as it increases flexibility and reduces chances of injury. Stretching is done when a muscle or muscle group is stretched and given tension slowly and cautiously and maintaining that posture for several seconds. Stretching helps to lengthen the muscles and tendons thus giving you greater range of movement and flexibility reducing your chance of injury.
Stretching should be done before and after exercising. You should warming up, stretch, exercise (aerobic or strength-training), cool down, and then stretch.
Now that you understand the basic principles of these exercises, you can choose which one suits your fitness plan best. It’s ideal to incorporate a little bit of everything from each. If you can’t, at the very least try aerobic exercise with stretching or strength training with stretching, and you’ll have yourself a complete fitness program. Click Here to take survey
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- Reaching Your Fitness Goals, One Victory at a Time
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Fitness Goals: The Fun Fitness Program Questionnaire
June 9, 2009 by Gail Grannum
Filed under Exercise & Fitness
Continuing with our series, which started with fitness goals followed by how to set fitness goals, this fitness program questionnaire is designed to help you develop a fitness plan.
- But first, you need to get a fitness assessment test. A fitness assessment is a series of tests that determine your health and physical fitness. It also checks for medical conditions, lingering injuries or recent surgeries detrimental to your fitness training and to help you choose your fitness training options.
Fitness goals
- Checking your fitness is something no questionnaire in the world can do reliably, so get it done or plan to get it at the nearest hospital or gym under the supervision of a certified fitness/health expert.
Assuming that you’ve already had your test, you need to develop your fitness program. Here are some fundamental questions to guide you in planning your fitness program. Make sure you answer them truthfully. Knowing what you want to happen in your fitness plan is important to your success.
What type of fitness workout do you do?
1. ___ I regularly exercise/play sports or participate in recreational activities.
2. ___ I occasionally exercise/play sports with friends, walk for pleasure, and use stairs.
3. ___ Does channel surfing qualify?
1. Continue this but make sure it is in line with your fitness test results.
2. Try and make it more regular in order to maximize your fitness.
3. Plan to start slow starting with cardio, then moving towards more demanding exercises.
What is your budget?
1. ___ I am willing to spend to get to my goal.
2. ___ I have money tucked away, but would rather not spend it all, thank you.
3. ___ I’m broke.
1. Use your budget to add targeted or fun activities. You may also want to join a gym.
2. Find a gym that is affordable, preferably pay-per-visit gyms. Do more outdoor activities.
3. Find outdoor activities that suit you, and try exercising from home.
What is my ideal fitness training environment?
1. ___ I love the outdoors. The fresh air and wind in my face inspire me.
2. ___ I love the smell of the gym, it makes me work harder.
3. ___ I’d rather stay home.
1. Focus outdoor activities such as jogging through parks, outdoor sports, hiking, cycling etc.
2. Join a gym! You can mix up your routine and do outdoor activities every once in a while.
3. Invest in home exercise equipment (stair climber, stationary bike, treadmill) or do aerobics.
Do I go through my fitness program alone?
1. ___ I am a people person, and I would like to do fitness training with others.
2. ___ I value my private time but enjoy exercising with others too.
3. ___ Get away from me!
1. Join a gym, a fitness class, or engage in team sports.
2. Schedule days exercising alone, sprinkle in some days with a fitness training buddy.
3. Find individual exercises such as jogging, martial arts, aerobics etc.
Do I need to follow a strict fitness program?
1. ___ I am fully knowledgeable/capable of developing my own fitness program.
2. ___ I need a pre-made fitness program but can improvise along the way.
3. ___ I don’t know how to exercise unless I am told what to do next. Help!
1. Fix a plan and have your fitness expert check it for good measure.
2. Ask for help developing your fitness plan making sure you add activities you like.
3. Same as number two, but you might want to hire a personal trainer.
Do I need professional assistance?
1. ___ I have a firm grasp of the fundamentals of fitness and exercise.
2. ___ I know the basics of exercise but may need help sometimes.
3. ___ I don’t know the difference between a lunge and a squat.
1. No need to get a personal trainer if you’re confident you can follow your fitness plan.
2. Schedule a once-a-week with a personal trainer to make sure you’re doing your fitness workouts right.
3. Hire a personal trainer to help you with your fitness workout. Go on your own when you’re confident enough.
Rank these reasons for getting on a fitness program from 1-4, one being the most important:
___ Improve cardiovascular fitness and energy level.
___ Improve appearance, lose body-fat and weight.
___ Improve performance for sports or physical activity.
___ To feel better, reduce stress, improve quality of life, overall health.
The ranking reflects what you value most so you’ll know the reasons why you’re doing this.
Hopefully, after answering those questions truthfully, you know what you are supposed to do. The next and most important step is to make up your mind that you really want to do this. As we said earlier, writing your fitness goal down helps make it more real and tangible, so…
Write down your fitness goal in the space provided below:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Write your time commitment to your fitness goal and countersign on the space provided:
I am ready, able and willing to commit:
1 day a week to exercise. __________________
2 days a week to exercise. __________________
__ days a week to exercise. __________________
I am ready, willing, and able to commit:
1 hour on each exercise day. __________
2 hours on each exercise day. __________
__ hours on each exercise day. __________
I covenant to follow through with my fitness training with:
(Write exercise buddy’s name here à) _______________ every (insert day hereà) ____________ of the week._____________.
and with
(Write exercise buddy’s name here à) _______________ every (insert day hereà) ____________ of the week._____________.
I ____________________ make this personal commitment and covenant with myself, to pursue my fitness goal through fitness training. I realize that this is what I want, what I need, and I will work to achieve my goal, signed this ____ day of ____, year 20 __.
______________________________
Signature over Printed Name
Print this last part out, fold it and keep it in your bag or purse. Frame it and hang it on your wall. You can also hand it over to your most trusted friend. Whatever you do, do not leave it lying on your desk or anywhere it can be accidentally tossed. Good luck on reaching your fitness goal and happy exercising! Click Here to take survey
Related Tasks and Posts:
Sign up now for our 7 Day Mini Course to support your Fitness Goals. (At top right of this page.)
Read related posts on Fitness Goals, and you may want to also take the Diet Personality/Eating Personality Questions.
Review: Weight Loss Through Dietwatch.com
June 6, 2009 by Gail Grannum
Filed under Healthy Eating Nutrition
Diet, fitness, feeling good, and lots of support are what you need when you want to lose weight. This is what you will receive if you join a dietwatch.com plan. Dietwatch.com was started by Jennifer May, a nutritionist/dietician and it is one of the first comprehensive online weight loss programs available that provides you easy access right in the comfort of your home. 
You can begin exploring dietwatch.com by getting a free profile for yourself and taking a tour of the website. The free assessment tool will help design a plan suitable for you, depending on your weight, age, lifestyle, and your current exercise level. You will be asked to choose one of their 4 diet plans. These include the no restrictions plan, the reduced carbohydrate plan, the heart healthy Mediterranean plan, and the vegetarian plan.
- It is necessary to track your meals and your level of physical activity for a successful weight loss program. Dietwatch.com makes it easy for you with the help of some wonderful tools that allow you to track your calorie intake, the amount of carbohydrates and fats you are consuming, and even your exercise level.
Losing weight becomes easier with a dietwatch.com plan due to its comprehensive weight loss program.
- This includes a personalized meal planner, customized shopping list, and a nutrition tracker to keep a check on what you are eating.
- Its nutritional calculator allows you to calculate the fat and calorie content of different foods. The Dietwatch.com planner allows you to maintain a daily food diary. Simply enter the food that you eat and the planner will keep a running total of your calories, fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
As a member of this wonderful weight loss program, you also gain access to an extensive database on different vitamins and minerals and their nutritional values and functions
- You can track your fitness goals by simply entering the name and the length of each exercise that you have done and their handy tool will provide you with the amount of calories you have burned. You can choose from among various exercise programs which include aerobics, strength training, and flexibility programs. These help you design a workout which is best suitable for you.
Feeling good is one aspect that is often not given much attention in a weight loss program. However, dietwatch.com provides you with tools and articles on how to have a good body image, manage your emotions, think positively, and goal setting. You can also get inspirational messages and tips in what is called as the “meditation room”.
If you need help or support in your weight loss program, you can use its wonderful and supportive community. You can search for members who have similar goals and interests. You can ask questions and get feedback from other members and experts in their forums. Or simply share your experiences. You can send individual messages or chat with other members. And of course, through this section you can also receive daily tips for diet and advice from experts.
What’s more, dietwatch.com plans are very inexpensive. You can get all the information you need to lose weight by just logging on and that too anywhere and anytime. So, if an online weight loss program designed by professionals sounds good to you, go join dietwatch.com.
Related Posts Include Other Program Reviews and Other Diet and Nutrition Articles
