Workout Plans: The Key to Successful Exercising

Sticking to an exercise regimen isn’t always easy, but it’s almost always worth it. There are many tips and tricks along the way, but perhaps the biggest key to exercise success lies in a simple but effective tool: The workout plan. Far beyond a mere list of exercises, the workout plan addresses the key components of your exercise routine: Where, when, and how.

The where need not necessarily be at the gym. For those who live too far away or who just can’t work it into their schedules, effective workouts can still take place at home, or even sometimes at work. For those sick of staying indoors during the cold winter months, plans can be modified according to season to ensure plenty of outside activities.

The when is an important part of any plan, and should definitely include a certain amount of flexibility. While dedicated exercise time is important to commit to, when schedules change it’s certainly handy to have some backup times planned.

When it comes to how, specific exercise routines are not only a great way to effectively use exercise time, they’re a way to obtain measurable results that will lead to more motivation. Exercise routines can also include a certain amount of flexibility to accommodate for soreness or unforeseen injury.

Looking for some great fitness content? Visit our online library at www.fitrena.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, from your favorite devices, and sure to get you moving!

Sometimes You’ll Fail

The hardest days at the gym may just be the ones that matter the most. We all have our hard days as well, and while for some it may be a matter of a lackluster workout, for others it can be as severe as an injury. For those occasions, here are three lessons to learn from the toughest days at the gym.

Injuries define limits. Injuries are preventable, and hopefully any that do occur will be minor and will heal quickly, but those that occur are learning opportunities. Our journeys to physical fitness involve learning our limits, which is an essential step to preventing any future injuries. Limits and boundaries can be pushed, but…

It takes time. Rome wasn’t built in a day, to quote an old cliche. Fitness is not a short term goal, it’s a lifestyle practice with goals along the way. Those goals, however, take time to achieve, as does anything in life that’s worthwhile. Working toward our goals requires dedication, even when we find ourselves short on motivation, because…

Anything is better than nothing. Injuries can be motivational setbacks, from the day they occur until long after they heal. Sometimes a physical injury heals only to make way for a mental or motivational barrier. Those barriers need to be broken, and even the act of making it to the gym is a step in the right direction.

Looking for some great fitness content? Visit our online library at www.fitrena.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime from you favorite devices, and sure to get you moving!

“Fitness Breaks” For When There’s no Time for a Workout

We get it, you’re a busy person with a lot on your plate, and you don’t always have time to make it to the gym for a full workout. That said, you know exercise is important, that it will help you look and feel your best, and you’d still like to find a way to work it into your busy schedule. The answer may be “fitness breaks,” short bursts of high intensity exercise multiple times throughout the day. A recent study has shown that fitness breaks may just be enough to improve overall fitness levels and offer health benefits. Here are three ways you can incorporate fitness breaks into your daily routine.

Climb the stairs. If you work in an office building or from a home with multiple levels, 60 seconds of stair climbing may be enough if done at high enough intensity at multiple times throughout the day.

Push-ups. With no exercise equipment necessary, you can drop and do some push-ups just about anywhere. It may be slow going at first, and you may need to start on your knees rather than in a full plank, but you’ll build up strength and endurance before you know it!

Run around the block. No kidding. What may have once been suggested dismissively could actually be an effective way so stay in shape. If at all possible, get outside and take a run around the block a few times a day to help get the exercise you need.

Looking for more fitness fun? Visit our online library at www.fitrena.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime from your favorite devices, and sure to get you moving!

Best sporting victories of 2018

The sporting world is full of magical moments that happen every day, but not all of these moments are victories. So just for those who have come through, beaten the odds and won in their fields, here are the best sporting victories of 2018.

Geraint Thomas and the Tour de France

The Tour de France is the most gruelling race in cycling, both physically and mentally. People come from all over the world to compete, but it was a Welsh man by the name of Geraint Thomas that cycled his way to victory in the Tour de France this year. But this victory wasn’t a shocking upset; it was the product of hard work. He geared his whole season around winning the Tour de France and came out of it, and the TUE scandal that has tarred his teammates, as a role model that any sport can be proud of.

The Red Sox and the World Series

The road to this Red Sox World Series title was a long one, but it is their 9th title and something that didn’t look likely at the start of the season. Throwing away an eighth-inning lead on Opening Day was not the best way to give fans hope. But the Sox came back and won 119 times, all with a rookie skipper. As wins go, this one is one for the history books.

The US Women’s hockey team and the Olympic Gold

The final was as dramatic as sporting events can get as the USA upset the Canadians to take the gold. Not only taking the Olympic gold, but breaking the streak of four Olympic gold medals on the trot for the Canadians. It’s been 20 years since the USA women’s hockey team last won the Olympic gold and though it has been a long wait, it has been well worth it.

To find more of the best from the sporting world, check out www.fitrena.com where you’ll find even more sporting moments, victories and the best that sports can offer.

Easy Ways to Shed That Winter Weight In the New Year

With much of the holiday feasting now mere memories and the promise of a new year full of potential upon us, many of us have already begun making promises to ourselves, and many of those promises involve losing weight. While it may be tempting to rely solely on a diet or an increase in exercise, often times the best way to lose weight and maintain a healthy body weight is with simple lifestyle changes. Here are three easy changes you can make in your daily habits to help shed those holiday pounds and keep them off for good.

Eat smaller meals more often. We’ve all become accustomed to a routine that revolves around three square meals a day; breakfast lunch and dinner. But those larger meals put considerable strain on our bodies, and with snacking in between can lead to an overconsumption of calories. Eating smaller meals more often not only boosts our metabolism, but is an easy way to keep excessive calories under control.

Drink more water. Not only is water essential to proper digestion, drinking enough water throughout the day ensures we feel fuller for longer, and cuts down on those cravings for between meal snacks.

Eat slowly. It takes your brain time to process the fact that you’ve eaten, and you may have already doubled your portion between the time you’ve had enough and the time your brain tells you to stop eating. The solution? Slow down the meal and give your brain some time to catch up!

Looking for more health related reads? Visit our online library at www.fitrena.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audio books, music, and more!

The Benefits of Proper Posture

Your grade school teacher wasn’t telling you to sit up straight just for the heck of it, in reality, proper posture can be extremely beneficial to your health. It may take some time and dedication to correct bad habits, but with some work and exercise most people can at the very least improve their posture and reap the rewards. Here are just a few of the many benefits of proper posture.

Less fatigue/more energy. Proper posture means your body is in alignment creating less stress and fatigue on your joints and muscles as they’re allowed to function more efficiently. The end result is a decreased sense of fatigue, which often translates into increased energy.

Fewer headaches. Cervicogenic headaches originate in the neck but quickly spread and radiate up. Although poor posture is definitely not the only cause of headaches, improving posture can help reduce the neck pain that leads to these specific headaches.

Reduce hip/knee/ankle pain. Posture has a huge effect on how we walk, and improper alignment while walking can often result in hip, knee, or ankle pain. Taking steps to improve our posture can also help eliminate these pains, as proper posture produces less stress on our joints while walking.

Better digestion. Yes, that’s right, poor posture could actually hinder digestion leading to conditions like acid reflux and heartburn. Straightening out can help alleviate pressure on our digestive organs, leading to fewer digestive difficulties.

Looking for more health tips and motivation? Browse the large selection of books available at www.fitrena.com.

The Journey Begins

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

post