Tips for exercising in winter

There are many benefits to exercising in the cold. You use more energy in winter, which means you burn more kilojoules and as you're burning more energy, you sleep better at night. In addition, regular exercise is also one of the best ways to boost your immune system and fend off wintertime colds and other illnesses.

But there are a few things to be aware of when you're exercising in the cold:

• Warm-up! It is important to warm up at any time before exercise, but it is particularly important during the colder months, as the body's temperature is generally a little lower and the joints take a little bit longer to warm up properly.
  
• Stretch! Stretching is really important in the winter months as it's easier to cramp up or pull a cold muscle.
  
• Moisturise. The colder air and dry your skin so remember to use a moisturiser on your lips, face, hands etc. 
• Hydrate! A lot of people forget the importance of water during the colder months. So make sure that you drink plenty of water as it is easy to become dehydrated during the cold months.
• Whenever exercise is stopped or paused for any longer than a couple of minutes, take off any wet clothes as soon as possible and put on a jacket and tracksuit pants to avoid getting a chill.

Week 10 of 14 Marathon Training for the Gold Coast Airport Marathon 2011. Weekly Vlog. Week 10 of 14.

Despite tearing my calf muscle last week, I was determined to stay positive and keep my cardio up with non-impact exercises. With plenty of sports massage, stretching, anti-inflammatory's and hours on a TENS machine, I was able to complete a 30k run on Saturday. I'm feeling positive and looking forward to next week's challenges'.

 

Week 8 of 14 Marathon Training for the Gold Coast Airport Marathon 2011. Weekly Vlog. Week 8 of 14.

I've just completed week 8 of my 14 week training program for the Gold Coast Airport Marathon. It has been a hard week and I struggled with my long distance run, making up with it by a 50k bike ride on sunday which is normally my rest day.
The big day is getting only 6 weeks away and although I'm looking forward to it, I'm also very nervous about it as well.

Week 7 of 14 Marathon Training for the Gold Coast Airport Marathon 2011. Weekly Vlog. Week 7 of 14.

I'm half way through my 14 week training program for the Gold Coast Airport marathon and so far so good. I am feeling great and I am stoked that I was able to complete a 30k run this week and recover from it well. The big day is less than a month and a half away and I'm getting both nervous and excited about it.

Training for the Gold Coast Marathon. Weekly Vlog. Week 5 of 14

The most inspirational commercial

If you liked that, you might like these;
 

Zumba

Ditch the workout, join the Zumba party!

What is it?

Zumba is a Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that blends contagious steps and red-hot Latin music to form a cardiovascular exercise (which is more like a fitness party) that is lots of fun and easy to learn.

Is Zumba good for weight loss?

Zumba mixes cardio with good intervals of resistance training making an optimal fitness choice.  Zumba the mixes fun and easy-to-follow dance steps with interval and resistance training which will maximizes fat burning, caloric output and tone the entire body. As Zumba is a fun form of exercise, people seem to forget about working out during a Zumba session, allowing them to exercise longer.

 Whats a zumba class like?

A typical Zumba session lasts about an hour. It incorporates the following dance styles; including cumbia, merengue, salsa, reggaeton, mambo, rumba, flamenco and calypso. To allow for a great cardio workout and body sculpting it has both fast and slow rhythms of Latin music.

Is Zumba for me?

If you enjoy motivating, high energy music, and like to try unique moves and combinations, Zumba may be your ticket to fitness. Zumba is the fastest growing fitness sensation so locating a Zumba class should be easy. A single Zumba session costs around $10 to $15. If you'd rather stay home and exercise, there is a wide range of Zumba DVD's available.

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Tristan Miller runs 52 marathons in 52 weeks!!!

This man is a true inspiration. He is living proof that you can live your dreams.

Training for the Gold Coast Marathon, Weekly Vlog. Week 1 of 14

10 simple rules of support to help any dieter go the distance

What To Do And What Not To Do

To Help A Dieter Succeed 

WHAT TO DO TO SUPPORT A LOVED ONE LOSE WEIGHT

1. Encouragement - encourage the dieter on the things they are doing right and applaud them for reaching their goal or even trying to reach their goals.

2. Adapt their healthy behaviors - Eating some of their meals with them or by joining them in their daily exercise program. This will not only show how much you support them in making positive changes to their lifestyle, but it will also be beneficial to you.

3. Develop healthy rewards - If the dieter has met their weekly or monthly goal, plan celebratory rewards for them that don’t focus on food. For example, plan a weekend getaway at a beach, a massage or a hair appointment.

4. Care about the person, not the diet - it is of utmost importance that your loved one who is trying to lose weight knows that you care about them and that they can count on your support in their life - no matter what their size.

5. Listen, don't judge - Enquire the dieter about their progress and make sure you are there to listen if they are having a bad day. This will help the dieter to deal with stress by talking to someone who cares and will listen, instead of turning to food for comfort.

6. Be supportive - Dieting is emotionally demanding and it really important that the dieter knows that you are there for them and wanting to help. If the dieter is a person who you don’t see every day make sure you call, message or email frequently to let them know you are thinking about them – not their weight.

7. Celebrate the small goals - To keep the dieter motivated, it is important to be creative in finding ways to celebrate the dieter's successes which doesn’t focus on eating. For example, bring them flowers, or treat them to a movie or a sporting event.  
  
8. Encourage a healthy lifestyle - Don't just tell someone they need to go to the gym more, go to the gym with them. This will not only encourage the person to go to the gym but it will also show them that you support them in achieving a healthy lifestyle. 

9. Learn about their weight loss program - Make an effort to learn about their diet plan (such as the kinds of foods they're eating, how it works, and what the plan involves). This will give you a better understanding of what the dieter is going through and it will help you to be more supportive.

10. Be positive - Being positive is the most important tip for anyone who is supporting a loved one to lose weight. If the dieter has a bad day and wants to throw in the towel, remind them of their accomplishments and encourage them to move forward and let them know you believe in their abilities to achieve their goals. 

WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS ON A DIET

1. Don't tempt them - Respect the dieter's food choices, and don't tempt them with a "bite" of this or a "nibble” of that. Bites and nibbles add up and can sabotage a weight loss plan.  

2. Don't become the "food police” - Such as locking away food you think the dieter shouldn’t have or reprimanding them for having the “wrong” thing.

3. Don't put the dieter down - An easy way to ensure you don’t do this is by ‘not saying anything to the dieter that you wouldn’t want said to yourself’ and remember that words can be hurtful. 

4. Don't be judgmental - Avoid phrases such as ‘why did you eat that?’ or ‘did you stick to your diet today?’ You are not the umpire of the dieter’s life, so it is not your role to judge or criticize.

5. Don't overdo your support - Don’t bombard the dieter with subscriptions to fitness magazines, weight loss books, or low calorie cook books (unless the dieter says that’s what they want). Although, this is a helpful gesture if you overdo it, it can come across as rude.  

 

Keep these 5 simple tips in mind when stepping on the scales

To weigh or not to weigh

 That is the question. 

If you’re trying to loose weight or simple not gain any unwanted kilos, how often should you weigh yourself?
Many popular weight loss plans recommend stepping on the scales once per week or even less frequently to accurately reflect your weight. Our weight fluctuates on a day-to-day basis and daily weighing can lead to discouragement and potential diet sabotage if you see a higher number on the scale than you saw the day before. 


When stepping on the scales keep these 5 simple tips in mind: 

1. The best time to weigh yourself is the first thing in the morning. Variations in food and fluid consumption can result in gaining different amounts of weight throughout the day.  

2. Don't become a slave to the numbers. If you're weighing frequently, remember that daily fluctuations in weight are common. Just because you're heavier today than yesterday doesn't mean your weight control program isn't working. 
 
3. In menstruating women, monthly variations in weight are common. 

4. Plateaus in weight loss aren't necessarily bad. If you're exercising a lot, your weight may remain constant for a time even though you're still decreasing your body fat content and getting healthier.  

5. Cues other than the numbers on the scale are equally important. Are your clothes getting looser or tighter? Do you feel stronger, healthier, and leaner? How do you feel? Your own perceptions are one of the most valuable tools to help you track your weight control progress. 

Increase your motivation to exercise.

7 ways to increase your 

motivation to exercise

 

Write Down Specific Goals

Goal setting is important, but that’s not enough. Goals must be specific and associated with a length of time. You may find it helpful to write down your goals on a sheet of paper and read them aloud twice a day (morning and evening). This will help condition your subconscious mind to believe in your goals and your outward actions (exercising and eating well) will reflect this desire and self belief.

Write a Contract

Writing a contract helps people to stay motivated by creating a sense of accountability. The contract can include the following:

• Specific fitness goals

• How you plan on achieving your fitness goals

• What are your barriers to achieving your fitness goals and how you will overcome them

• What date you aim to reach your fitness goal.

• Your signature and the date you signed the contract

Some people find it helpful to stick their fitness contract up on the fridge so they can visualize it on a daily basis.

Visualization

Have a clear picture on how you want to look and feel. Think of this visualization whenever you are faced with a barrier to exercise or healthy eating and think of it often.

Find an Emotional Trigger

It is often a ‘final’ trigger before we take action to exercise and eat better. The trigger can be a doctor telling us we are morbidly obese, have high blood pressure or the trigger maybe that you are no longer able to fit into your favorite pair of jeans. Whatever your emotional trigger is, use it to your advantage.

Track your Progress

Positive change is a HUGE motivator and if you don’t track your progress, you will have no idea if you are on the path towards reaching your goals. Assess your progress regularly and adjust your fitness program accordingly.

Get Family and Friend Support

Making changes to your lifestyle can be challenging. By telling your close family and friends about your health and fitness goals you will build a support group which will create a positive energy around your efforts.

Subscribe to a Fitness Magazine

Consistently reading fitness related articles can do wonders for your motivation and can assist you in adhering to your exercise program.  

The 5 stages of changing your lifestyle.

THE FIVE STAGES OF CHANGE 

Want to change your lifestyle habits? Just by realizing the stage of change your in may be helpful for you to succeed. 

1.     The pre-contemplation stage.

Also known as the “denial” stage, people in this stage don’t recognize they have a problem or want to make any change to their habits.  They may deny the negative effects of their existing lifestyle habits or be pessimistic about their ability to make change. They selectively filter information that helps confirm their decision not to exercise, or eat better. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to help people in this stage and it may take an emotional trigger, or event of some kind that can snap people out of their denial. 

2.     The contemplation stage.

People in this stage are contemplating the costs (i.e. effort, time, finances) and benefits of lifestyle modification to see whether it’s something that will be worth it. People can remain in this stage for years without preparing to take action. 

3.     The preparation stage.

Congratulations if you are in this category as you have decided to make a positive change to your lifestyle and improve your health and fitness. You may have just set up an appointment with a personal trainer, nutritionist, or other fitness professional, purchased a fitness program, or started a gym membership. For a great fitness program click here

4.     The action stage.

This stage is the process of changing your lifestyle, whether you are exercising more consistently, or eating healthier. Individuals in this stage are at the greatest risk of relapse, so it’s key to leverage any techniques you can to stay motivated.  

5.     The maintenance stage.

This is the stage of successful, sustained lifestyle modification. If you have been exercising for years consistently and have blended positive habits into your lifestyle, then you are in the maintenance stage.