Step out of your Comfort Zone

There are some mornings I feel like sleeping in, but I refuse to slow down. Today's second leg day session of the week was no exception. Grind through it, go hard after what you want and don't ever get comfortable...things always change. Dealing with change and moving forward, that's up to you how you want to move forward.

- Mike

A Healthy Mind

Good morning everyone! Not only is keeping your body healthy important, but keeping your mind healthy is just as important.

They gym has always been my escape. A place where I can go to relieve stress and clear my head. We all need something to do or somewhere to go to clear life's clutter. Yesterday I started my day in the gym, had a full busy day at the office and then back at the gym to personal train. So, with being in the gym twice I needed something a little different to clear my head and with the weather being as nice as it's been, I decided to go for a run...and please excuse my whiter than white legs! LOL

Now let me just be clear on this, I'm no runner by any means. At all! But, being able to just put the headphones on, crank the tunes and just go...well there's something satisfying about it. Maybe it's that runners high that you avid runners talk about, but I like to see it as it's my time to just think. I do that when I exercise...I think. Might not be the best thing to do, but I do it. I ponder, I solve problems, I make sense of why things are the way they are, I think about where I am, where I was, what positive direction I am heading, I work out quadratic equations (just kidding on that last one ;) )...the point is whatever form of exercise I'm doing that's "my" time to also make my mind healthier.

Make sure you give yourself your "you time" as with how busy our lives can get, it's very important to squeeze in time to focus on you. Have a great day and take some time out today for yourself. :)

Friday Fitness Challenge

Good morning everyone and happy Friday! :)  Time again for another Friday Fitness Challenge and sorry to say, but I worked legs this morning, so I'm going to let you all in on the fun with today's workout. You're welcome. ;)  As always, feel free to share with your friends and family and check out my Twitter or Instagram accounts to see my leg routine from this morning if you're looking for a tough leg routine. Have a great Friday and an even better workout! :)

- Mike

- 15 jump squats
- 15 push ups
- 20 mountain climbers
- 15 chair dips
- 1 min. plank
- 10 lateral lunges (each side)
- 15 leg bridge-ups (same as glute bridge, but raise one leg off the ground)
- side planks (30 sec. each side)
- 20 spiderman plank (on elbows)
Rest. Repeat 2-3 more times.

Supersets - Cut down on time in the gym

Good morning everyone! Summer weather is coming and some of you may be asking what's the easiest way to burn fat, get super lean and have that six-pack? Obviously a clean diet and cardio definitely help, but when it comes to lifting weights, supersets are your friend.

Supersets not only boost your metabolic rate and burn fat faster without spending a lot of time in the gym, but using supersets while weight training stimulates the growth of lean muscle tissue...which again is your friend when it comes to increasing your metabolism.

Supersets can be done with varying degrees of volume and intensity. They can also be done differently by grouping them as a push/pull superset or by supersetting two exercises to work one body part. An example of this is something I'm currently doing. In the picture I am doing bent-over barbell rows and then I superset it with bent-over dumbbell rows. So, when I finish one set with the barbell I immediately do a set with dumbbells.

So if you're looking to get a great workout in at the gym, not spend hours there and increase both lean muscle and your metabolism, supersets are certainly a way to go! Have a great day everyone!

- Mike

Monday Motivation

Happy Monday everyone and it's already March! :)  There are times we may limit ourselves because of the barriers we put up.  I've been guilty of this myself at times.  If we can just learn to take down those walls and see what's possible, what's out there, what's been holding us back...can you imagine what awaits us?!  It just gets me excited thinking about it and I hope you all are excited as well! :)  Have a great Monday everyone and those walls that have been getting in way, let's knock them down and head in a positive direction. :)

- Mike

Friday Fitness Challenge

Happy Friday everyone!  It's time for another Friday Fitness Challenge.  Feel free to share this with your friends and family so they can get in on the fun as well.  :)  I'll also be sharing the workouts I do on a daily basis on both Twitter and Instagram, which you can follow my by just clicking on the icons to the right on my site, if you're just looking for new exercises or ideas to add to your routines. Have a great rest of your Friday and an even better workout! :)

- Mike

- 25 jumping jacks
- 10 overhead dumbbell split squats (10 each leg) If you don't have dumbbells, a stack of books held over your head will work.
- 1 min. plank
- 10 bird dogs (each side)
- 10 pushups
- 20 Russian twists (left, then right = 1 rep)
- 10 chair dips
- 20 chair step ups w/knee raise (alternate legs each time you step up)
- 15 burpees
- 45 sec. side plank (each side)
Rest. Repeat 2-3 more times.

Weight Loss - Lifestyle Change vs Instant Gratification

For those who have weight to lose, it’s normal to want to find a less painful or easy way to lose weight.  Everywhere  you look there are TV commercials, weight loss pills, fad diets and with the combination of these and the increase of our society’s high priority on personal fitness, it’s only a matter of time before we purchase these goods or services. 

The word diet implies a short term binge of eating right can correct our weight problems.  People feel that if they do this diet for a month or so, they will lose the weight and then carry on with their life.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.  When looking to lose weight and keep it off, not only do you need to change the foods you consume, but you need to change your mentality.

There’s no diet or exercise machine that is going to instantly transform you without you putting in the effort.  This is the notion of instant gratification.  Just because you own the latest and fanciest piece of equipment you just ordered off some infomercial and decide to use it for 5 minutes a day, 3 days a week, doesn’t mean you’re going to see dramatic changes to your body.  This doesn’t mean that this piece of equipment is not effective either, it simply means that regardless of which machine, or which diet you undertake, you are going to need to put in some effort.  Something we need to come to grips with before we even begin is that discipline and hard work are essential to any weight loss program.

When the time comes to choose the diet you wish, choose the one that you can maintain for an extended period of time.  Don’t be unrealistic, like skipping certain foods or living on soup, because your decision to lose weight is not simply for the fact of getting through a few weeks of terrible foods, but it’s a choice of changing your habits pertaining to food consumption.  Diets that pay attention to providing the body with the nutrients it needs while reducing the ones that lead to weight gain, make the most sense.   When it comes to losing weight permanently, it’s best you choose a lifestyle of healthy eating and regular exercise than a trendy diet you can never hope to maintain.

Friday Fitness Challenge - Full Body Circuit

It's Friday Fitness Challenge day! This circuit is going to get you sweating and the heart pumping! What a great way to head into the weekend, right?!  Please share with any friends and family. Have a great Friday everyone! :)

- 50 jumping jacks
- 20 bicycle crunches
- 15 burpees
- 15 V-ups
- 30 sec. plank
- 15 chair dips
- 20 lunges (10 each leg)
- 15 push ups
- 30 sec. side plank (each side)
- 20 squat jumps (get some air on these!!)
Rest. Repeat 2-3 more times

- Mike

Monday's Thought

Hello everyone. I've been away for a while and hope everyone is still enjoying the journey they're on. Recently I've experienced an event that made me realize that life is too short and things can change in an instant. Everything is ok...but it really opened up my eyes. Storms will cross our paths and may leave some destruction, but by picking up the pieces this is where we gather our strength and become stronger.

There will be things or people that don't serve us for the better. We may think they do, but they don't. And as difficult of a decision it is to leave those things behind, it's for the better, because we all deserve to be happy. We sometimes put too much focus on what was, when we should be focusing on what can be. The future is a great place to live, which is where I'm planning to live, not in the past. I hope all of you will also. So when you feel like you've done everything you can and you can't go any further with whatever you're trying to accomplish, just take that step forward. That step forward into your future just might be the best step you ever take!

Learn to forgive. Call up a friend you have lost touch with and catch up. Let burdens go and focus your time on being happy. Tell that someone you've been holding back just how you feel. Put together that plan you've been putting off. Leave everything on the table and know you did your best and have no regrets. Life's too short to focus on negatives when there are so many positives that we just don't take the time to acknowledge. Have a great Monday everyone and here's to the future and all the great things waiting for all of us!

- Mike

Benefit of Keeping a Workout Log

How many of you walk into a gym, walk up to a piece of equipment, throw some weight on and start repping away?  Now, how many of you do this and wonder why you're not getting stronger or seeing any progress?  Well, a simple answer/question to this is "Are you keeping a workout log?"

Keeping a workout log is a simple and effective way for you to track your progress week in and week out.  Many people get stuck in their routines and it's because they aren't making adjustments to the weight they're lifting or the number of reps they're doing.  With a workout log, you can see what you did last week and build from there.

Progress is important to people and noting what's working for you and what's not working for you will not only save you time in the gym, but a ton of frustration as well.  Nothing's more frustrating than spending 6 months on a routine that's not just working for you.  Keeping a workout log, you are able to record the lifts you did, the weight, how many reps for that week and then the next week when you get to the gym you are able to look back and know where to start.

I keep a log myself that I bring to the gym every day.  I have my exercises already mapped out and ready to go.  I find this helps keep me on track while in the gym, knowing what exercise is next and what weight and reps I'm starting with.  What I do often is keep notes in my log, such as if the weight was too heavy/light that set for the desired reps I was trying to do, noting that if the squat racks were taking and I had to use the smith-machine for that exercise...basic notes at the time, but will help me next week when I'm back in the gym working that same muscle group.  At 36, I'm stronger now than I've ever been, even stronger than I was in my 20's when I had plenty of free time to just workout.  I'm positive it has everything to do with keeping a workout log, tracking my progress, and adjusting my routine week after week according to my previous week's log.  Back then I was just going through the motions, but now I'm smarter about it and it's showing in results and progress.

Keeping a workout log can have many benefits for you, and yes, it may take a half hour out of your day to set up your log for the next day, but I'm betting that many of you will trade that half hour of planning for many many wasted hours in the gym on something that isn't working for you.  Happy logging everyone, have a great workout, and have an awesome day!  :)

- Mike

Don't Give Up!

Good morning everyone! Some words of wisdom/motivation to start off your week:

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. - Thomas Edison

Don't give up! The beginning is always the hardest and there's going to be challenges along the way, but stay positive, stick to your plan and don't get discouraged. I believe in all of you! Have a great Monday everyone and let's start off this week in a positive direction. :)

- Mike

Friday Fitness Challenge

Good afternoon everyone! It's Friday and you know what that means? It's time for my "Friday Fitness Challenge". I've talked to some of you who did last weeks challenge and I was happy to hear that you participated in it! The great thing about these challenges are they can be done at home in your spare time. 

If you would like to participate, go to my Facebook page, like this challenge and even comment to let all of us know that you did it or are planning on doing it. Now, here's today's challenge:

- 10 push ups
- 20 sit ups
- 20 squats
- 20 lunges (10 each leg)
- 40 jumping jacks
- 60 second wall sit
Do 3 sets of this

I hope to see and hear from all of you that are going to participate. Have a great day everyone and remember, have fun with today's challenge!

- Mike

Friday Fitness Challenge

Good morning everyone! It's Friday and I'm going to try something new. Every Friday I'm going to present a fitness challenge for anyone that would like to participate and I hope all of you will participate. They're not going to be grueling, but they will at least get your body moving and will help with getting in that physical activity which is so important for our health.

So today's challenge: The Night Challenge
- 20 pushups
- 20 crunches
- 2 minute plank
Repeat 2x then sleep

I will be doing these fitness challenges with all of you as well. So, something a little different that I wanted to try and that we can all do together as a family! :)  Hope you all have a great Friday and let's get our body's moving with The Night Challenge!

 

- Mike

Great words to follow! Making changes in your lifestyle, whether it's eating healthier, working out more, dedicating your time towards a goal...whatever it is, it's a journey. Take a look back a few weeks ago, a month, a year and see how far you've come. Keep up the good work everyone and take some time to be proud of yourself for your dedication. I believe in all of you! Have a great day everyone! :)

-Mike

8 Ways To Have Fun With Exercise

Hello everyone!  The biggest excuse that people give to not working out is that they don’t have enough time.  Another common excuse is that they don’t enjoy it.  We all like to do things that we enjoy and for some people, working out isn’t at the top of their list.  Here are 8 tips that you can try to incorporate into your workouts that just might help make it more enjoyable.

1.  Try Something New

I’m a big believer in switching things up and trying new exercises.  Boredom in the gym is the root of all evils.  I usually switch my routine up every month or two to challenge my body in new ways and to make working out exciting.  Trying a new HIIT routine one month, then switching to a low rep/heavy weight the next for example.  Throwing in a kettlebell routine during the middle of the week and the next day follow it up with a plyometric workout.  Whatever it may, change things up and try new exercises to not only keep your mind stimulated but your body as well.

2.  Crank The Tunes

You may have read one of my earlier posts about Workout Playlists and how listening to music can get you through workouts.  Put a playlist together that will get your energy level up and let you have fun while working out.  Workouts are meant to be energetic so why not crank the tunes and enjoy it!

3.  Track Your Progress

Tracking your progress and seeing results is a great way to make exercising more exciting!  Keeping a workout journal is a great motivational tool you can use because it can make gains more tangible, and who doesn’t enjoy the thought of making gains?!

4.  Set Goals & Reward Yourself

Whether it’s to lose 1 pound this week or make it to the gym 12 times this month, make sure you set some realistic and attainable goals for yourself.  Determine your reward ahead of time and make sure you follow through.  This can make reaching your goal even more exciting!

5.  Enjoy An Outdoor Activity

Working out isn’t just limited to going to the gym.  Take your workout outdoors for a fun change!  The workout routine I’m currently doing calls for rest days and on those rest days it’s an active rest day.  Go for a walk on a trail through the woods near your house.  If you’re a golfer, walk 18 holes.  Could the exterior of you house use a little sprucing up?  Do some yard work.  Doing an activity outside of the gym can be fun and you can still get that exercise.

6.  Get A Workout Buddy

Working out with a friend isn’t just a way to squeeze in some face time with them, they can help push you and make your workouts more fun.  If your friend is tied up, try looking into local running clubs or fitness groups.

7.   Don’t Dread It

What I mean by this is switch the difficulty order of your exercises around.  While it’s beneficial to stack the most challenging exercises towards the beginning of your workout, don’t feel like that’s what you have to do every time.  Also, saving the toughest exercise for the very end of your routine doesn’t really leave you motivated to finish your routine when you know what’s coming.  Try sandwiching the really tough exercises with some of the more enjoyable ones and the whole workout can seem much more pleasant.

8.  Shorten It Up

Workouts taking too long?  Try shortening it up to 30 minutes of purposeful exercise.  Short and intense workouts can be really effective when it comes to building muscle and endurance and can be fun in the process!

Lift Your Mood With A Workout!

Good morning everyone! :) Depending on where you are in the country, if you're here in Minnesota in my neck of the woods, it's a windy and rainy day. But I'm not letting the weather get to me. I took advantage of the wonderful ability of our brain to release endorphins after we workout. It can work wonders on your outlook of how you feel today, especially during this weather. I did just that by getting my workout in this morning to start my day off in a good mood! :)  So if you're feeling a little down by the weather today after the great weekend we had, get that workout in to release those endorphins to take your mood to a more positive state. Check back tomorrow where I'll offer up some tips on how to make working out more enjoyable. Hope you all have a great day! :) 

-Mike

The Simple Things In Life

Good morning everyone! 

I'm wearing this bracelet today. My daughter made this for me and as we were heading out this morning she grabbed it and said for me to wear it today. So I put it on with a smile and said of course I'll wear it! She's always looking out for me. :)  

This is just another example of why I try to live a healthier lifestyle. So that I can continue to be around to make bracelets with her and gladly let her accessorize my wardrobe as I leave the house with a HUGE smile. :) 

I hope all of you have a great day! :)

-Mike

May - National Physical Fitness and Sports Month

 

Good morning everyone!  Some of you may not know this, but May is National Physical Fitness and Sports month. People of all ages can benefit from regular physical activity and what a better time to start then this month.

 

Here are just a few benefits of becoming physically active:

Children and Adolescents - physical activity can improve muscular fitness and bone and heart health

Adults - physical activity can lower risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancers

Older adults - physical activity can lower the risk of falls and improve cognitive function (learning and judgement skills)

So I encourage you all to make a small change that can benefit everyone in your family. This small change is to take the family out for a walk tonight around the neighborhood after dinner. I will be doing this tonight with my daughter. It's a great way to spend time with the family, talk about how each others day was and to be active in the process.   Have a great day everyone!  :)

-Mike

Have an awesome day everyone!  I believe in all of you!!  :)

-Mike

Healthy Grocery Shopping Tips

Hello everyone!  Trying to eat better and cooking healthier can at times be a frustrating task, especially when you don't have the right ingredients in your kitchen.  So what do we do?  We head to the grocery store and get what we need to make those meals we have planned.  But when we get there we sometimes don't have the time to sit and read the labels and figure out which items are the most nutritious for us or to figure out what are the best buys.  Let's face it, there's a lot of choices in the store and it can be a daunting task to make the right choices.  Here are a few ideas that might make things easier for you.

Plan Ahead

This means have a plan before you even get to the grocery store.  Plan your meals for the week and create a grocery list to shop from.  Sundays are usually my days to go grocery shopping, so I'll sit down and figure out my meals for the week and write down all the ingredients I need that I don't already have in my kitchen.  This saves me from making trips back to the store.  Another good idea in planning is looking for coupons to not only save money, but you can also incorporate those sale food items in your meal plan for the week.

Consult the Pyramid

If you're having a hard time figuring out what to put on your grocery list, a good resource to follow is the guidelines of MyPyramid.  This is a good example to follow to help fill your cart with plenty of fruits, vegetables, dairy, lean meat, fish, poultry, whole grains, beans, and nuts.

3 Simple Rules

Here's 3 simple rules to follow while in the grocery store that can help you from spending hours there.

1.)  Shop the perimeter of the store, where fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, and fish are generally located.  Avoid the center aisles where junk foods tend to be located.

2.)  Choose "real" foods, such as 100% fruit juice or 100% whole-grain items with as little processing and as few additives as possible.  If you want more salt, add it yourself.

3.)  Avoid foods that more than 5 ingredients, artificial ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce.

I hope these ideas helped  with making your grocery shopping a little less hectic.  With a little planning ahead of time and knowing what to look out for when you're in the store, you'll be ahead of the game when it comes to making those healthier choices for you and your family when it comes to eating.  Now it's time for me to get back to my meal prepping for the week and to get back outside and enjoy this beautiful sunshine!  Have a great day everyone!  :)