TOP TEN BACK-T0-BASICS FITNESS TIPS

There has always been so much written about the fitness and bodybuilding tips and the diet to be taken. People are always confused while reading all this stuff what to eat and what not to eat, or what to do and what not to do, which is better margarine is better than butter? no, butter is better than margarine. Coffee is bad for you, no, coffee can help you, wine can help prevent heart disease, no, wine can promote breast cancer. And so on… So the next time you pick up a newspaper, magazine, book, or whatever and you get thrown into health information overload, refer to this back-to-basics list. These tips, if followed consistently, will add years to your life, keep you fit, strong, and energized, plus offer a boost in confidence.

1. Move it or lose it. 30 minutes of exercise daily. I'm not talking about a walk in the park, although you can do that on the side. I mean at least 30 minutes (up to 60) of pushing your body beyond what it's used to doing. I always say that push your body beyond your limits.Slash your odds for a number of killer diseases and rev up your metabolism with aerobic conditioning and strength training and slow down the aging process.


2. Stop putting up with stuff that's holding you back from being healthy, fit, and energized. Why waste your happiness, health, time, and energy when you don't need to in the first place? putting up with things is good for no one. Make a list of ten things you're tolerating at home. eliminate these items. Be sure to eliminate the SOURCE of the toleration. Do this same exercise for your workplace. Be willing and committed to being toleration-free. STOP COMPLAINING and get to work on this.


3. Fruits and veggies. Get five to seven servings of fruits and veggies a day. Not only do they reduce your risk of getting some forms of cancer, they are heart healthy, and give you more nutrition Plus with the added fiber, you feel fuller even when you're eating less. So fruits and veggies are waistline friendly.


4. Simplify your life, immediately. Our lives are too jam-packed with projects, goals, ideas, coulds, shoulds, have-to's, commitments, concerns, obligations and so on…Ask yourself Why is my life so busy? Why have I chosen to do so much? What am I building with my current lifestyle? Is there a future to it? Is that future costing me my present? What am I missing out on about myself because of my current lifestyle? Start by cutting out 3 projects, tasks, responsibilities, shoulds, coulds, wants, goals, etc. that are not necessary. Eliminate, delegate, or make a system for 12 tasks that are sucking your energy stores dry. When you think of something you "have to do," stop and ask yourself why you have to do it. You probably don't.


5. Take a multi-vitamin. Your insurance policy to get the nutrition your body craves. Anti-oxidants. Calcium. Folic acid. The whole gamut of vitamins and minerals to build stronger bones, maximize your metabolism, boost energy, feed muscles, etc.


6. Create and use 10 Daily Habits. There is a daily routine which will keep you focused, clear, motivated, and moving forward - your 10 Daily Habits. These are the things you do each day which make your life better. Choose habits that you WANT to do. There is no place for shoulds or coulds in your 10 daily habits. Instead select or design daily habits which you look forward to and give you pleasure. Choose habits that GIVE YOU ENERGY. Most of the 10 daily habits that actually work for people are the ones that add to the person's well-being or energy flow. It might mean that you do something like have 6 veggies a day, no TV after dinner, 20 minutes of vigorous exercise,Modify your 10 daily habits as needed. It takes some fine-tuning to have the 10 habits that work best for you. If you find yourself not doing one or two of your habits, change or replace them with ones which come naturally.


7. Depriving yourself of sleep not only makes you grumpy and less productive but may also age you prematurely and promote serious illnesses like diabetes and hypertension. Shoot for a steady 7-8 hours each night.


8. Come from a better place - improve your attitude. Stop trying to change your behavior. Instead, start shifting on the inside. Saying things like, "I will stop eating sugar," "No eating after 9 PM," "I will only eat foods that nourish me," or "I am going to work out daily, starting Monday," the focus is on what you want/need to change. Contrast that with, "I am someone who takes care of my body," "I am someone who associates with healthy people," "My day orients around my well-being and exercise," "I have better things to do than eat junk food," "I need my energy to accomplish my goals." See the difference? The second set of statements focuses on WHO YOU ARE and what you want in your life, not just the change you want to make. This shift is more than just paying lip service to the first set of statements. It calls for action to show your commitment. When you shift who you are, things naturally look different, and the results are obvious.


9. Feed your body well, and feed it often. If you want plenty of energy in addition to boosting your metabolism, 2 or 3 meals a day just won't do it. Spread your meals throughout the day (4-6), balance them with protein, fruits and veggies, and a little bit of good fats such as walnuts or almonds, or oils like olive or sunflower, and your body will be a well-oiled, leaner, energized, peak-performing machine.


10.Drink at least eight glasses of water a day - even a slight dehydration can make you feel lethargic. Maximize your liver's fat-metabolizing ability by drinking more water so that it's not working overtime to detoxify your body. Control your weight and appetite. And girls you may even lower your risk of colon cancer.


Raise your standards. How many of you would like to feel very, very good about yourself, and others, too? Be irresistibly attractive to high quality people? Have "high-as-a-kite" self-esteem and self-worth? Find a role model whose qualities and behavior you admire. Don't try to reinvent the wheel, what standards could you raise so you can be more like them, and still fit you? Stop gossiping, good or bad, about anyone. remember, no coulds or shoulds. These standards must be YOU, you must be ready for them. Remember, too, that these standards are a choice. Put people and relationships ahead of results. And always have a reserve of time, money, love, and well-being.

Body Types - Which One are You?

The Ectomorph, The Mesomorph, The Endomorph, or a Combination?

The body types are a scientific classification of a person's body shape determined by physical characteristics. Genetics determine our body types and hence the body shape we develop from birth through to adulthood. We cannot change our body type we can only make the most of what mother nature gave us. Getting the most out of our body types depends on our diet and exercise regimen. We have known for quite some time now in bodybuilding that different body types respond differently to both training and nutrition. As a result, it is incredibly important to be aware of what your body type is so that you can design a training and workout program accordingly. In this article, the history of body types and some interesting pieces of information to help you identify them will be mentioned.

 

THE ECTOMORPH

·   Definitive "Hard Gainer"

·   Delicate Built Body

·   Flat Chest

·   Fragile

·   Lean

·   Lightly Muscled

·   Small Shouldered

·   Takes Longer to Gain Muscle

·   Thin

The extreme ectomorph physique is a fragile and delicate one. The bones are light, joints are small and muscles are slight. The limbs are relatively long in proportion and the shoulders droop. The ectomorph is a linear physique. Straight up and straight down, and may appear longer than he or she really is, due to the length of limbs coupled with lack of muscle mass developed on those limbs. The ectomorph is not naturally powerful and will have to work hard for every ounce of muscle and every bit of strength he or she can gain.

Other Ectomorph TraitsThe extreme ectomorph may have long fingers, toes and neck are long. A pencil neck you could say. The features of the face are sharp, and the shape of the face is triangular. The lower jaw is somewhat receding. The skin tends to burn easily. Extreme ectomorphs may suffer from extremes of temperature. Due to the great body area in relation to muscle mass, the ectomorph may suffer from great heat, and due to low body fat, the ectomorph may suffer from great cold. The hair is fine and grows quickly and is sometimes difficult to keep in place.

 

THE MESOMORPH

·   Athletic

·   Hard Body

·   Hourglass Shaped (Female)

·   Rectangular Shaped (Male)

·   Mature Muscle Mass

·   Muscular Body

·   Excellent Posture

·   Gains Muscle Easily

·   Gains Fat More Easily Than Ectomorphs

· Thick Skin

The Mesomorph BodyThe mesomorph has well-defined muscles and large bones. The torso tapers to a relatively narrow and low waist. The bones and muscles of the head are prominent. Features of the face are clearly defined, such as cheek bones and a square, heavy jaw. The face is long and broad, and is cubicle in shape. Arms and legs are developed and even the digits of the hand are muscled.

Other Traits of the MesomorphThe skin of the mesomorph is thick and the mesomorph tans well. The hair is heavy in texture.

 

THE ENDOMORPH

·   Soft Body

·   Underdeveloped Muscles

·   Round Physique

·   Weight Loss is Difficult

    Gains Muscle Easily Like the Mesomorph.

The Endomorph bodyThe body of the extreme endomorph is round and soft. The physique presents the illusion that much of the mass has been concentrated in the abdominal area. This may or may not be true. The arms and legs of the extreme endomorph are short in length and taper. This may give the appearance of stalkiness. The hands and feet of the endomorph are comparatively small, and the upper arms and thighs are often more developed than the lower parts of the arms or legs. The body has a high waist.
Other Traits of the EndomoprhThe skin is soft and smooth, and the hair is fine. The head of the endomorph is spherical. The head is large and the face broad.

Combinations of Body Types

Very often, people cannot be easily classed as one of the three main body types. Although there are some people who are purely ectomorphs, endomorphs, or mesomorphs with little or no characteristics of the other body types, very frequently, people fall into mixed categories, such as ecto mesomorphs, or endo mesomorphs, where largely, they are like the mesomoph, but with traits of the ectomorph (such as small joints or a trim waist), or traits of the endomorph (such as a tendency to gain fat easily).

BASIC STUFF YOU KNEED TO KNOW TO START BODYBUILDING

BASIC STUFF YOU KNEED TO KNOW:

1. 1 kCal = 4.2kJ (1 kilocalorie = 4.2 kilojoules)

2. Every kg of muscle on your body metabolises (burns up) about 100kCal per day,

while at rest...and more if you exercise.

3. The Fat on our bodies only burns about 4kCal per kg per day.....its therefore quite obvious that if we want to control our weight, we should aim at increasing our muscle mass.

4. If you gain 5kg of muscle- your body gains the ability to burn and extra 500 kCal per day, just by you sitting around doing nothing.

5. Energy content of the basic food groups:

1g of protein = 4kCal

1g of carbohydrate = 4kCal

1g Fat = 9kCal

1g Alcohol  (part of our basic food groups) = 7kCal

There are 3 kinds of Carbohydrates

a) sugar

b) Starch

c) Cellulose (no calorie value)= roughage

Complex carbohydrates  are those that are a combination of sugar, starch and cellulose, and they release more slowly into the bloodstream (have a lower glycaemic index)…and therefore do not create the insulin “spikes” that result when simple sugars pour into the bloodstream..

“sugary foods” that create a surge in blood-sugar levels, because they are so easily taken up by the bloodstream, result in this “insulin spike”….this spike, in turn, causes a rapid drop in blood-sugar levels, and the accompanying feelings of TIREDNESS, HUNGER, and irritibility. High sugar intake makes us HUNGRY. Cool drinks and Fruit juices fall DIRECTLY into this category.

Rather drink water and eat a few pieces of fruit each day, than drink fruit juices…..they are EXTREMELY HIGH in calories.

One glass of orange juice contains the juice of about 5 oranges….and I bet you would not often sit down and eat 5 oranges.

6. 1kg of fat on your body = about 9000 kCal of energy

So if you want to lose a kg of fat, you need to create an energy deficit of 9000kCal.

So….how do we do this??

DIET and EXERCISE.

The Diet:

A few basic rules:

1. Read the food content labels on the stuff you buy.

2..Always look for Grams of fat per serving…don’t bother with percentages…that’s a scam.

2. You should keep your total fat intake to less than 30g per day, and you will lose fat quickly.

3. You should have between 1.5g – 1.8g of protein per kg of your total body weight per day…more than that is unnecessary.

4. Drink AT LEAST 2  litres of pure WATER per day (in addition to your teas and coffees)

5. Spread your food intake out over the day…preferably about 6 small meals per day….

6. Remember…a “small meal” could be an apple and a glass of SKIM MILK.

7. If you are not lactose intolerant, then Skim milk and skim milk powder, is one of the cheapest, quickest and easiest ways to get enough protein into your body,  at the right times.

8. Egg whites are another great source of protein…..throw away the yolks…that’s where all the fats are stored…..the white is all albumin……..protein.

9. Always eat your easily digestible protein based meal (skim-milk  with a banana, and some extra skim milk powder) within 45 minutes of exercise.

10.Tuna is a great easy protein meal.
If  you eat more often  (ie 6X per day as opposed to 3X, with larger meals),  your basal metabolic rate will increase….and this is very important, because our basal metabolic rate is responsible for about 75 % of our energy expenditure…in “normal folk” When you are an “elite athlete” this might decrease to about 50%, because of the amount of calories burnt  daily by exercise.

11.Don’t ever try a protein deficient diet…you will lose LOTS of WEIGHT, but most of that will be MUSCLE and WATER….

12.And then you will rapidly GAIN weight thereafter, because you have lost the ability to burn calories, in proportion  to the amount of muscle you lost….ie you have “lowered your own metabolism”, by losing muscle….this is what underlies the so called yo-yo dieting and gain/lose/gain more problem that so many overweight people encounter.

EXERCISE:

To keep the old “ticker” healthy, you should do huffy-puffy stuff (cardio-vascular training) At least 3 to 5 X per week.

This does NOT have to be at high intensities….and ESPECIALLY NOT when you first start training again.

To lose weight…the more you do(time) (not necessarily at high intensities)…the better.To prevent injury, follow these rules:

Start with about 20 minutes per day, (140 mins the first week) but DO NOT INCREASE YOUR VOLUME  BY MORE THAN 10% per week. Buy a heart rate monitor, and use it. BUILD A LONG SLOW BASE…before you start setting speed records.

 Do not, under any circumstances, let your testosterone get the better of you, and result in you entering a half marathon in 2 months time… where you compete with some mates who have been running consistently for the last 10 years.

Weights:

Basic Rules

1. Get someone who knows what they are talking about, to show you correct technique.

2. Go to your local gym, and ask the best looking athlete there to recommend some reading for you….or just buy a few muscle mags…you’ll learn a lot, quickly.

3. Steer clear of anyone who looks like they might be taking steroids…they will inundate you with reading matter on this and that supplement etc etc…all bound to cost you a fortune…remember what I said about skim milk powder….it contains the complete amino acid spectrum….and is the cheapest source of great protein.

4. That…plus a few good multivitamins, (go for the “executive” ones…they have high B vits which  are great “brain” food…help with stress etc.)..also some Cal-Mag (calcium and Magnesium)

5. Start off by doing  a number of ‘compound exercises”….using light weights and focusing on correct technique.

6. Do about  16 -20 repetitions per “set” , and 1 to 2 sets of each exercise.

7. This will be for about the first Month…just to get your muscles used to the exercises.

8. Do the weights no more than 3x per week with at least a day in-between for recovery 

Remember to warm up by cycling/jogging slowly for a few mins,before you start and then remember to finish off  your weights session by stretching 

9.If you stick to an easy routine, that involves compound exercises and takes, say only 20-30 mins each time, then you are far more likely to stick to it.

10.After the first month, start on your “building program”

11.To build muscle, the rules are;

No more than 12 repetitions in a set, Use as heavy a weight as you can manage 8-12 repetitions. You do not need to do more than 2 sets of each exercise. When you can manage 2 sets of 12 , next time increase your weights on one, or both sets…..you will be amazed at how quickly you can increase the weights.Yes, you will be very sore the 2nd and 3rd day thereafter.

Its ok to have 3-4 days rest in-between weight training sessions….muscle repairs and builds while you rest it.

Eat your protein meal within 45 mins of your workout.