How To Overcome Gymtimidation: The Fear of Working Out
Have you ever gotten yourself worked up to go to the gym, only to be held back because you’re suddenly self-conscious that you won’t know what you’re doing? If you’ve ever felt deterred from going to the gym due to this kind of fear or anxiety, you may have suffered from “gymtimidation”. “Gymtimidation” is the made-up word to describe the apprehension and fear of judgment felt when working out in front of other people. Gymtimidation typically stems from the general intimidation felt from the belief that everyone around you are experienced gym buffs, concerns about body image, and a lack of...
5 Tips to Power Through The February Fitness Slump
In January, everyone makes well-meaning commitments to hit the gym and get fit. Gym membership skyrockets at the beginning of the year. But come February and the slump already hits hard. By February, 80& of people drop off on their fitness resolutions, and there is a marked decline of people at the gym. Why do so many people fail at continuing their fitness resolutions past a month? And what can you do to power through the slump and stay motivated? Here are 5 tips to maintain your fitness resolutions and achieve your fitness goals long-term. 1. Lower The Effort The problem is...
How To Exercise For Stronger Bones
When thinking about fitness and exercise, weight and muscle are typically the first things that come to mind. However, a less associated but equally important byproduct of fitness is bone health. Like muscle, bone is living tissue that becomes stronger with exercise. Regular physical activity helps build and maintain healthy bones. In fact, inactivity causes loss of bone! It is important to build strong bones when we are younger, and to maintain bone strength as we get older. Those who exercise regularly when they are younger generally achieve greater peak bone mass (maximum bone density and strength) than those who do...
4 Ways To Prepare For Fitness Success In The New Year
The new year is right around the corner, and we all know that’s when everyone starts making well-intentioned fitness resolutions. New Year, New Me, right? However, the reality is that most of these fitness resolutions have fallen by the wayside by February. So, before you start setting up those New Year’s resolutions, we’ve put together x ways you can set yourself up for fitness success in the upcoming new year. 1. Form Realistic Goals Being determined is amazing, but it is important to be realistic. If you start by setting goals that are too demanding or difficult, you will likely be setting...
5 Ways to Actually Enjoy Working Out
Finding the motivation to work out can be difficult, especially when the weather gets colder and the days get darker faster. Sometimes it feels crazy to think that there are people out there who actually enjoy working out. We know it’s not easy to stay consistent in moving your body, so here are some tips to help you actually enjoy working out. 1. Do Something You Like Many people have a particular vision that comes to mind when they think of working out–going to the gym, running, or something very fast and high-intensity. And while some people enjoy these types of exercise,...
What’s The Difference Between Exercise and Training?
Most people consider exercise and training to mean the same thing in their vocabulary. They think both terms refer to moving your body to burn calories and achieve a certain physical goal. However, there’s actually a big distinction in plans of execution, goals, and timelines between exercise and training. What is Exercise? The World Health Organization (WHO) defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. And the National Institutes of Health defines exercise as a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive and has as a final or an intermediate objective the improvement...
5 Ways to Exercise Daily When You Can’t Find Time
Trying to make time for exercise can feel overwhelming, especially when you have so many other responsibilities. Whether you’re a working parent, stay-at-home parent, working night shifts, business owner, or someone with long commutes, it can be hard to fit in long workouts into your schedule. The number one reason most people don’t exercise regularly is a perceived lack of time. This is because they think exercise is something that requires a lot of effort, time, and specific workout clothes. However, mini-workouts of 5-10 minutes can still be just as beneficial as a longer workout. Research has shown that accumulating physical activity...
4 Tips To Warm Up Properly
We know you may be eager to start your workout (or maybe to get it over with), but you should never skip a warm-up before engaging in any physical activity. When you exercise, your body goes through a number of adjustments that require some time to reach the necessary levels. Since these adjustments don’t happen right away, a warm-up serves to encourage these adjustments to occur gradually, starting your exercise session at an easy level and increasing the intensity gradually. If you were to start your workout at a more intense level without a warm-up, your body wouldn’t be as prepared...
How to Stay Motivated to Work Out
We are now two months into 2022, and your fitness resolutions may already be facing a slump. In fact, research shows that 80% of people abandon their New Year’s resolutions by February. So how do you stay motivated to maintain your fitness not only through February, but through the entire year? Whatever the reason you decided to get into shape, what will motivate you in the time between initial inspiration and accomplishment? Sometimes it’s easy to spark the desire, but keeping that momentum going can be a real challenge. Here are some tips on how to gain and maintain workout momentum. Make...
How To Create a Fitness Program in 5 Steps
Physical activity is important to living a healthy life, as it can reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve your balance and coordination, improve your sleeping habits, and help with anxiety and depression. However, you may not know how to start working out effectively. As with anything in life, it always helps to start with a plan. Here’s how you can design your own fitness program in 5 easy steps. 1. Assess Your Fitness Level Before you start anything, be honest with yourself. Where is your fitness level? You probably have a general idea of how fit you are, but how do...