Welcome to afitnewyou! I know many people have been struggling with the anxiety caused by the current Coronavirus pandemic. There are so many aspects of it that have affected our daily lives that have caused elevated stress levels to most everyone. One aspect in particular, is the inability to be as physically active as we once were. With gyms and even parks shutting down, it has been harder to get regular workouts in, especially at the intensity levels that we were training prior to the pandemic. This decreased physical activity greatly affects out mental and emotional health. For one, the lack of physical activity cuts down on the positive physiological response that exercise produces. Also, many people are now lacking the social interaction they had by going out to the gym and / or park, and / or training with others. And, there are many people who start to feel bad about the way they look, i.e. body builders feeling they are getting smaller from muscle atrophy, or others feeling that they are gaining fat from not moving as much. So what I would like to suggest today, to help everyone who is dealing with the anxiety of this situation, is to try and not worry about your physical health as much, but rather, work on your mental health. The mind-body connection is understood these days, but it is often still underestimated. But I promise you, one of the best ways, especially right now, to take care of your physical health is by caring for your mental health.
The first thing that I would like to make you aware of, is that the physical changes that your body has gone through by any recent decrease in physical activity is much less dramatic than you believe. Missing a few weeks at the gym does not result in a complete body transformation, just like going to the gym for a few weeks doesn't make you a completely new person. A decrease in muscle mass / strength or an increase in body fat doesn't happen that quickly. Yes, you want to be as physically active as you can right now, but doing push-ups instead of doing heavy sets of bench press will carry you through during this tumultuous time. Similarly, as long as you remain as active as you can, you are not going gain a significant amount of body fat by missing out on your regular group fitness classes. Let me also give you two pieces of hope if a change in appearance is your main stressor. First, our bodies have muscle memory. Just because you aren't training as hard as you once were, when everyone is able to resume, you will get back to where you were much faster than it took to get there in the first place. Second, we are all in this together. The gyms and parks are closed for most everyone. So the same way that you can't hit the weights, I can't hit them the same either. We will get through it!
The second thing that I want to do today is to give you a tip on how you can stress less. I know it is easier said than done to tell someone to not worry about something. And, the point of my blog is to keep you motivated and offer advice. Therefore I want to give you some of the best advice I have ever received in terms of reducing anxiety. The biggest stress reducer I have ever encountered is the ability to be grateful. Gratitude is stress' s kryptonite. Rather than dwelling on what isn't going well right now, focus on what is. Here is a tip, complete the phrase "At least..." I have never been a fan of the saying "It could always be worse." Because many times, like now with the Coronavirus, we may find out a short time later that it does in fact get worse. And, if you are in a pretty bad spot, thinking about something negative, like the "worse," doesn't make you feel any better. On the other hand, I think anyone, even those in dire situations, can find at least one "at least." For example, "I might not be able to get to the gym, but at least I can still go for a jog around the block." What I have found personally is that as you find one "at least" it becomes pretty easy to find some more. And this works here too. "I might not be able to tear it up in the gym right now, but at least I am not one of the one's suffering with the virus affecting so many."
Staying motivated to reach your fitness goals was a mental challenge in the pre-Coronavirus world. Reaching them now, with all of the new roadblocks is even more exacting. But you can do it, and you will. We will. All of us. Just as it was with any other stumbling block that might have come up in your path, this too can be overcome. The key is to stay mentally healthy. Don't let yourself be shook from your goals. You can still get there, just the path isn't as straight as you once thought. Stay positive, and you will reach your goals. Being optimistic, even in these dire times, will keep you strong! Taking care of your mental health is the sanguine way to reach a fit new you!
Welcome to afitnewyou! It has been one full week since the New York State government has shut down all gyms to curb the spread of COVID-19, commonly referred to as the Coronavirus. Health-minded people have been trying to get creative with how they can remain active and fit. And with more and more people being asked to "stay at home" as part of the quarantine process, many have looked for ways in which they can be physically active at home. So today, I would like to offer one of my gym "tricks" as a workout that you can do at home. It is a basic workout that I have done many times in the gym before, but it is simple enough to do it at home as well. All you need to do is pick one exercise that you are able to do, and then do it for 100 repetitions.
This workout is efficient if you can pick a movement that is challenging enough that it has to be completed in more than one set, but can also be accomplished in one "mini-workout." For example, if you choose to do push-ups as your exercise, it isn't necessary to do all 100 reps in just one set, you can break them up into multiple sets, but you should get to the 100 within one dedicated time. In other words, it isn't as effective to do reps and sets in the morning, and then again in the afternoon, and then finished in the evening. I find it ideal to start each subsequent set within a 60 second "rest." The rest period can be increased or decreased depending on your ability, but it should stay consistent from rep numbers 1 through 100.
One of the great things about this workout is that it is b
are-bones enough that you can do it at home with very limited equipment. Push-ups, as in the example above, is a great choice for this workout because they require no equipment but can also be modified to increase or decrease their intensity. For example, for those people who find a "true" push-up too hard, they can be made easier by doing them from your knees. On the other hand, you can increase the difficulty by narrowing the distance between your hands, or by adding some weight to your back...my son, Maxwell sits on my back while I do these at home. Like push-ups, squats work especially well, and again, you can modify it from doing a simple body-weight squat, to adding weight through outside resistance such as holding a gallon of water (about 8 pounds) or having your child climb on your back like Max does with me. Exercise choices are plentiful as long as you have the equipment or can be creative; however, the simpler the movement, the better the choice.
The 100 Workout shouldn't just be used at home. I was originally introduced to it by my good friend, John Buatsi who is an AMAZING personal trainer. He has referred me to the workout on more than a few occasions over the 20 plus years that I have known him when I was either feeling like I hit a rut in my training and / or just wasn't "feeling it" at the gym. Choosing the right resistance (and again, body weight can be perfectly suitable) is key to making this simple work out a real muscle burner at just the right time. But even while stuck at home, it can get the job done!
Being quarantined at home doesn't mean your fitness goals disappear, and it certainly doesn't excuse you from being physically active. Don't let trying to find and / or come up with a routine to do at home overwhelm you. There is enough to worry about these days. Try this 100 Workout and see how you feel. If it is too easy, you can creatively come up with a way to add some resistance and / or shorten the rest time between sets. If it is too hard, you might need a small modification that you can email me for a suggestion. You don't have to do too much, just get to the 100 reps! One-by-one the 100 Workout will get you to a fit new you!
Welcome to afitnewyou! How crazy is the world that we live in today? The Coronavirus is at pandemic proportions that rivals plots of a science fiction story. Here in the United States, the virus has led to increasing closures of schools and businesses. Just yesterday, the governor of New York ordered all gyms and fitness facilities to be closed. I happened to be at the gym earlier in the day, training a couple of clients when the news was released. Many people's reactions were of both surprise and sadness. Shortly after the news came out, I saw many people trying to make arrangements to how they would continue their regular workouts. Some were going to meet at public places for outdoor classes. The gym was going to even offer "curbside" facility access, bringing some equipment out into the parking lot for people to use in this very strange time. Although I am very impressed with everyone's motivation to stay physically active, and using the thought that continuing to follow a healthy lifestyle will keep everyone healthy, I also am a bit concerned that people are going about things in slightly the wrong way. One shouldn't put themselves in harm's way to meet their fitness goals. Sometimes, its better to be prudent, and take a step back and reassess the situation I do believe your overall health is made better by making daily decisions that include eating well and being physically active. But there are some things like viruses, that not even the strongest can avoid.
Please keep in mind that I am by no means saying that people should not remain physically active during this pandemic. What I am saying is that everyone should assess their own health, and then make a thoughtful decision on how they can maintain their overall health with consideration to the information that has been presented by health agencies. For example, recent recommendations have centered around social distancing where it has been recommended to keep several feet of personal space between individuals, and not to have gatherings of 10 or more people. With that in mind, it is probably safer and smarter to go for a walk/jog/ run with one friend (with some space between you) rather than participating in a group class. Another piece of information is that the virus is spread from hand to mouth and it has been advised to not touch your face. Heeding this, while the gym was still open, my clients and I were wearing vinyl gloves during the workout. It was certainly strange, but these are strange times.
I personally would like to see everyone be as fit as possible. However in my opinion, fitness comes after you have good general health. Yes, again, I do believe being fit keeps you healthy, but you need to have a certain level of wellness first. Think about a professional athlete who suffers an injury...they need to be medically cleared from the injury before they can start a rehab assignment. That rehab assignment precedes competitive activities. Or, someone who suffers a major health set-back such as a heart attack needs to undergo significant treatment before continuing with normal day-to-day physical activity. It is in this way that I think we need to be vigilant with our overall health.
The Coronavirus is a global health crisis. Everyone needs to treat it as such so that is stops its spread and those who are affected with it are kept to a minimum. Please assess your own state of health, and think about the suggestions of health institutions before you embark on physical activity. If you are able to remain physically active, I suggest you do it with as few people as possible, and would further recommend trying to be physically active at home. Any one workout is not worth being infected with this virus. Please be smart and safe. Being physically active after fully assessing the situation is the prudent way to achieve a fit new you.
Welcome to afitnewyou! No one ever said creating a body change would be easy. It takes, effort, commitment, dedication, energy and the like. It also doesn't happen overnight; it takes time to see real change. With all that is required, your fitness journey is the last place you need outside discouragement. It is hard enough to stay committed to your goals without the "haters" or anyone for that matter, "throwing shade" your way. Ironically, the ones who are our biggest critics are usually the ones who are also the most jealous. But what is even more surprising is that most often our biggest critics are ourselves! I know for me personally, I can be pretty harsh on myself. I find it really sad when we knock ourselves as we work on bettering ourselves. However, I think part of our self-critique comes from being honest with ourselves. We can be brutally honest because no one knows us better. No one knows exactly how much energy we have put in except for ourselves. Because we know both the good and the bad...both the effort that we have given, and where we have had short-comings, we make an ideal competitor for ourselves. No one is more evenly matched! So instead of worrying about what anyone else is doing and / or thinks, focus on yourself and push yourself by competing against yourself!
I've never been a big fan of Crossfit training. However, I give kudos to any exercise program that motivates people to exercise fanatically. And I guess something can be said for how fanatical "Crossfitters" become. I think one of the reasons that people become so zealous about exercise while they do a Crossfit program is because of how achieving your own "personal best" is stressed. Even though a participant might be part of a group class, the goal is always to work towards hitting a new individual achievement. The goal is simply to beat what you have done before, not what someone else is doing. You are competing against yourself, not someone stronger, fitter, younger, or any combination of those. And that is magnificent because all that really matters is you! You are your own biggest influence on your health.
There is a fine line separating seeing what someone else is doing and viewing it as motivational, or discouraging as you compare it to what you have done. For example, in the gym, it is easy to see someone else lifting heavier weights and formulating an opinion about it. You can say to yourself "Wow!, I hope I can lift that heavy one day." Or, you can feel "Wow. I'm not nearly as strong as that person and never will be, so maybe I should just walk away from these dumbbells." It happens in the lunch room too. You can see a co-worker having the most nutritious meal, homemade with all-natural ingredients, and then look down and see your relatively unhealthy meal. Do you say to yourself "Hmm, their healthy meal looks delicious, I think I would like to try that?" Or, do you wonder why you even tried in the first place? In either situation, you have to remind yourself that you shouldn't be competing with anyone other than yourself! Maybe you aren't lifting as heavy as someone else in the gym, but you could certainly be getting stronger than you were. Maybe you don't have the same time to prep all of your meals, but you can definitely be making healthier nutrition choices each and every day. Again, the goal is not to be concerned with what other people are or are not doing; the goal is to do better than YOU did yesterday.
When you had the idea of getting healthier, you thought about what you wanted to look like and / or feel some time down the road. The thought may have been motivated by what someone else was doing, eating, was wearing or whatever. But, your thought then turned appropriately to YOU! Your goals are yours. Close your eyes, and block everyone else out. Instead, focus on you, and envision the fitter new you that you are striving to be. Gyms have mirrors, not windows, because they are meant you to see yourself, not someone else. To reach your goals, it starts with just doing a healthier thing than you did before. Help yourself by challenging yourself! Become your own best competitor. That doesn't mean bashing yourself if and when you have a set-back. Just the opposite, it calls your to remind yourself that you are your own best help on your fitness journey. Challenging yourself is a competitive way to achieve a fit new you!
Welcome to afitnewyou! As a very spiritual person, I know how important it is for one to believe without seeing first; it is a sign of true faith. However, when it comes to your health and fitness, envisioning yourself reaching your goals is a great way to both start and help you along your journey. "Seeing" yourself achieve a goal using a visualization technique will help you believe you can actually get there. In Chinese medicine there is a similar thought that the Li precedes the Qi, which conceptually means having the notion begets the motion. By visualizing yourself achieving your goal today, your are much more likely to achieve it in due time!
Visualization is not a new concept; it is one that has been scientifically proven to improve performance. It essentially works by calling up a mental image of what you are looking to do, so that you can concentrate on achieving it. Having the image allows you to "keep your eye on the prize" so to speak. One visualization technique called mental rehearsal has the person actually "perform" the activity or scene in their head to better prepare for the future. It is often used by athletes who are rehabilitating and are limited in their physical activities. With this in mind, pun intended, someone can use visualization to better achieve short-term goals as well as long-term ones. I often use this in my own workouts with great success when I visualize myself performing a lift before I actually do the set.
Picturing yourself reaching your goals is a great way to help you attain them. The more realistic you make that vision, the more likely it is to come true. Envision what you will look like wearing that dress you are trying to fit into. Think about the compliments that will be given to you. See yourself as that leaner, stronger individual and how you will see yourself in the mirror. A good friend of mine even did this with an actual picture when he taped a photo of a Porsche on the dashboard of his beater car...it reminded him of his goal to own a nicer car every single time he got in his car.
One can argue that needing to see to believe shows a lack of faith. Although I can agree in part, I would counter that envisioning something in the future is a show of trust in the process. Trust is a very large component of faith, and in order to reach your fitness goals the hard work falls solely on you. So trusting the process and believing you can get there is having faith in yourself. Think about your goals. Focus on them. So much so that you can actually picture yourself getting there. See yourself as a fit new you!
Welcome to afitnewyou! No matter what your fitness goals are, the path that leads you there is not always smooth and there are usually bumps along the way. Achieving them takes work and effort. The journey is not an easy one for anyone. However, the key to reaching your goals is to stay the course despite any road blocks that you might encounter along the way. I know many of you will respond with the thought "Easier said than done!" and I would agree with you. But the eventual reward is worth the time and energy...and its the reason we have these fitness goals in the first place.
Regardless of having well-intended goals, ones that result in a better / healthier version of yourself, we often lose sight of our goals if we falter along the way. Too often a small hiccup, like a missed day at the gym or an overindulgence of a favorite dessert, can completely derail you from achieving your goals. However, as Winston Churchill once said, "Perfection is the enemy of progress." In regards to your fitness goals, don't harp on the set backs, but instead, focus on your positive steps and achievements. Furthermore, don't let one small blow knock you off of your fitness journey. Keep in mind, that one small bump in the road does not mean the journey is lost.
No matter what body change you seek...to lose body fat, to gain lean muscle mass, to increase your endurance, to lower your cholesterol...the change does NOT happen overnight, or from any one single session at the gym or meal in front of you. And just the same, there is no one slip up that brings you all the way back to square one. So with that in mind, recharge yourself with encouragement knowing that even without being perfect, you can still very well be making progress!
Here is the best news yet, tomorrow is a new day! It is your next opportunity to start fresh. Tomorrow gives you the ability to put your mistakes behind you and start making healthier choices. Rather than dwelling on a shortcoming, you can take a deep breath, dust yourself off, and start new! Beating yourself up about a failure doesn't lead to progress. However, failures can actually be good things if they are something that you learn from. The day you have a set back, reflect on what went wrong, and then move forward from it the next day. Put the past behind you and move towards your healthier future! Regardless of what you have been through today, tomorrow is your next best day to reach a fit new you!
