fitness program

How To Start Your Own Workout Program?

Are you wondering how to start a fitness program on your own?

Although many are not advocating this but if you are on a tight budget yet want to start getting active to stay fit, then this article might help on living a healthy lifestyle.

Check some tips here in initiating a fitness program, planning a workout program, and boosting your workouts.

Starting A Fitness Program

When it comes to free weight loss tips, it’s not the “magic cures” that you should pay attention to, it’s the real, solid advice that will set you on a healthy track for the rest of your life.

And when you’re starting a new weight loss goal, anything that’ll make things easier on yourself is worth trying.

With that in mind, here are 5 steps you should take at the start of your weight loss journey.

1) Buy A Scale

This is the first of the free weight loss tips and it’s a very important one.

You’ll need to keep a scale not only to keep track of your weight but also scales for the kitchen to weigh out proper portions of food.

Many people overeat when they don’t strictly measure their portions!

2) Find Support

If you can find an exercise and/ or dieting buddy then you’ll have support to continue even when things are at their most difficult.

Studies show that dieting alongside someone else makes it a lot easier to meet your targets and set up healthy new habits.

If there really isn’t anyone who wants to join you, one of the best free weight loss tips is to at least confide in others and share specific goals that will keep yourself accountable.

3) Get A Notepad

You need a notepad to note down the foods you’re eating, and even the exercises you’re doing if that helps.

Although it can be tedious, knowing exactly what goes into your body helps you to improve things little by little.

You can also use your notepad as a place to vent if you’re feeling frustrated, and to reinforce your goals to help motivate you to continue.

4) Go Through Your Pantry

If you’re going to be dieting then you don’t want to have temptation all around you in your home.

So, go through all your cabinets and get rid of food that will lead you astray and won’t serve you well.

Then, go shopping and buy plenty of healthy snacks, like fruit, that you can have on hand whenever you’re feeling peckish.

5) Choose An Exercise Program

Now that you’ve got everything else sorted, it’s time to work out the kind of exercise you want to do.

Although you’ll have to make sacrifices and sometimes do things you won’t enjoy, you can cater your exercise to what feels best for you.

This could mean starting by walking every day, or running x amount of miles on the treadmill. Whatever you do, make sure you put it into a solid plan!

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Planning A Workout Program

Appropriate and proper fitness goal setting programs should be done. The fitness program should be carefully planned and a timetable, with goals and targets, should be put up.

Before you begin any fitness goal setting program, remember to assess and think over what it is you really like to achieve after a certain period of time.

To do so, you must take into consideration a number of factors and variables that include your physical skills, your appearance, the amount of weight you want to lose or gain and whether you would settle to building up your strength, flexibility, and endurance.

There are various physical activities that fit various physical or fitness gains, and it would be appropriate if you would first do a little research about them or more advisably, seek the help of experts and professionals.

When it comes to getting fit or losing weight, having a long-term workout program planned out for months at a time, with goals to achieve along the way, will help you to stick with it.

Start with the basics to come up with something that suits your needs.

Are you trying to lose weight? Are you trying to improve your overall fitness? Are you trying to tone or to bulk up?

Having a clear grasp of what you are aiming to do in the long-run will help to guide your plan and keep you motivated too.

Now it’s time to think about how often you will work out.

If you are new to workout programs or are not particularly fit, you may need to go easy while starting.

Plan to do some light training on one or two days each week until you start getting used to physical exertion and recovery. Too much too soon could be overwhelming and put you off.

After easing yourself in, you can increase the intensity of the workout and add an extra one or two workout days to your program.

Try for three days each week, or maybe four if you are feeling really energetic. However, it is as important to include rest and recovery days in your schedule as it is to include workout days.

The amount of time you allow for a workout session will dictate the variety and kinds of exercise you can carry out. For lots of variety, you need a longer session, and for endurance exercise, you also need more time.

Time Table

When adopting or starting out a fitness goal setting program, it is recommended that you first consider or set out goals and targets that would not be attainable in the very long term, or almost too impossible to attain.

Most fitness goals are targeting a time frame of about a few months. Years would be too long, and the fitness goal program would probably not be too effective for such a long-period time frame.

When setting a fitness goal program, you should carefully set a time frame, or the period you intend or expect to see the significant changes or desired outcome of your effort.

Doing so would certainly be like doing the activities in an organized manner. By so doing, you are setting a gauge or a measurement scheme to monitor your progress and development in carrying out the task.

Setting a time table would also create a little or self-imposed deadline to yourself, which would in turn make you act out more efficiently and effectively into doing or carrying out your desired actions or outcomes.

Have an idea of the exercises you need to do in your program.

Think about which areas of your body you would like to focus on the most. Do you want to drop weight off your stomach?

Do you want to increase the endurance in your legs? Perhaps you want to bulk up your biceps? You can plan each session with these focal points in mind.

Build your program up bit by bit.

Start off by deciding on your general aims, then figure out how much time you will have available or want to spend exercising.

With a range of possible exercises in mind, plan what you would like to cover in each session. See if you can cover everything in a one- or two-week exercise cycle.

After you’ve begun the actual workouts, you’ll have a better idea of which exercises work for you, and how long it all takes. You can then adjust your program to match what you learn.

With this knowledge, you can then set yourself longer-term goals like increasing the number of reps or sets you do in a session or running further in the same amount of time.

Expert Help

Many other fitness goal setting programs would certainly demand an expert or professional advice.

Because losing weight and gaining more muscles are too complicated concepts that would involve various health issues and discipline, expert and professional advice would do a lot to carry the programs out, safely and effectively.

These fitness goals would require not just physical activities but also a great sense of discipline in food intake and overall lifestyle. For example, losing weight would entail a great, carefully planned and tested diet.

Gaining muscles would require more physical agility exercises that sometimes could be too hard, tiring, and could even lead to muscle or joint injuries.

Considering the endless negative and destructive possibilities of the fitness goal setting programs would lead you to really set an appointment with your doctor, nutritionist or other experts.

You would not want to put every hard and tedious effort to waste don’t you?

So the next time you set another fitness goal setting program, remember to do it properly, giving out more focus on details, safety and desired outcome.

Boosting Your Workouts

You’ve been exercising for a few weeks, and have seen great results, but lately, the workouts have lost their pizzazz. This can occur as the body becomes too acclimated the same old routines, and the body hits a plateau.

Boredom is common when you keep doing the same workouts day in and day out, and just as your body becomes acclimated to the same workouts, so does your brain.

Check out these 4 great ideas for improving the effectiveness of your workout.

1. Switch Up Your Exercise Routine

Who enjoys spending an hour running on a treadmill or sweating on an elliptical for their entire workout session, 5 times a week?

While a good cardio session can indeed burn off calories and gets your heart working to help burn fat and improve your overall health, there’s no reason why your workout should seem like such a chore.

Changing the way that you workout will not only help you to keep interested in your workout regime, it will also keep the body guessing so it does not get used to the same old same and will also allow you to target other areas of your body.

Do sets of bodyweight exercises such as burpees, lunges, and crunches to not only burn energy but also work on toning up those muscles. Skip the weight machines, and add some free weights. Instead of the treadmill, join different exercise classes.

2. Do Intervals

Interval workouts are the most effective methods of burning calories. The next time you are on the treadmill, running, cycling or even using a cross trainer, try using intervals.

These are done by maintaining a constant and steady pace, but every few minutes, up your speed to the fastest that you can manage before returning to the steady pace again after a few more minutes.

The way this works is that your heart is constantly being driven to work hard and then starts to relax again and this constant change of heart pace means that you get a more effective workout.

3. Choose Your Workout Buddy Wisely

When you’re working out, it really helps to have someone to help you keep to your goals. Make sure that you choose your workout buddy wisely.

If your workout partner can’t keep up with you, you may find it difficult to fit in the pace of workout that you need.

Try to choose a workout buddy who is either at the same or slightly higher level of fitness so that you can keep up, go further and stay motivated. This will ensure that the time you spend working out with a friend is as effective as possible.

4. Get Moving On Your Break At Work

OK, when you’re at work, working out may not be the thing that you have on your mind, but it is important that you keep moving throughout the day.

If you have an office job where you find yourself sitting at a desk all day, try incorporating some bursts of exercise into your breaks.

You could go for a brisk walk around the block, or simply take a jump rope to work and do some skipping for 10 minutes.

When there is a way, get a standing desk. These are awesome new products that allow you to quickly convert your workspace to a standing area where you can work on your feet.

The more you can keep moving throughout the day, the more calories you’ll be able to burn.

These are some tips and guidelines for you to initiate your workout program effectively.

What are you waiting for, get started already?

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7 Simple Workout Routines You Can Easily Include In Your Fitness Program

Are you having some workout at home or doing workouts without gym equipment?

These simple exercises at home are probably familiar to you but the classic exercises are just that for a reason – they work and they are easy.

These workouts are low impact enough that you can do it daily or every other day, but that is up to you. The more you do it the better the results.

If you want to make any of these exercises more challenging, simply raise the reps or sets. A rep is doing the exercise once while a set is a number of those reps.

You can also add weights to make some of the exercises tougher.

Calories burned are approximated and can swing wildly depending on things like current weight and other circumstances.

1. Power Walk

This is one of the easiest activities to add to your daily routine.

Barring a disability, most of us walk daily. We have grown up walking, jogging and running. Most times people start exercising by walking and or running. That is often the only exercise people do.

This is easy and effective. You can do this inside on a treadmill, but it is much better if done outside. The varied terrain and wind resistance will make for a better exercise. It is also mentally soothing to go for a walk outside.

This is not a casual stroll, though. Keep your pace up on this walk. If power walk is too tame for you, you can also jog or run.

Steps & Tips

In power walking, posture counts. Stand up straight as possible. This will allow all your muscles through the core to work together and it will help you walk faster.
Look up and relax your shoulders.
Walk with your arms close to the body and 90-degree angle at the elbow.
Stride forward at a brisk pace you can handle, your heel should be striking the ground first.
Wear firm soled comfortable shoes. Power walking shoes are preferred.

Duration: 20 Minutes

Calories Burned: ~300

2. Triangle Push-Up

The triangle push up is a variation of the push up most of us is familiar with. This simple variation will work more muscles in your upper body.

I would do this exercise after the power walk personally. The power walk will have your blood flowing and make you more receptive to this muscle building exercise.

This push up is just like the normal push up except that you bring your hands in so your thumbs and pointer fingers are forming a triangle.

Steps & Tips

Kneel down. Place your hands on the floor and position them below your chest with your thumbs and pointer fingers close enough to form a triangle.
Stretch out into normal push up position, parallel to the ground.
Lower yourself down near ground level and then push yourself up again to complete one push up.
If you cannot complete this motion, then you can keep your knees on the ground until you have built up enough arm strength to do the full version.
To complete a full set do 10 push-ups with no break in between.
Do three of these sets.

Duration: 3 Sets of 10

Calories Burned: ~75

3. The Curl-Up

This exercise is based on the sit-up which is one of the first exercises you will learn along with running and push ups. This exercise burns calories while working the abdominal and other core muscles.

This exercise is slightly different than a sit-up or crunch. Some studies have shown it causes less impact on the lower back. The exercise is essentially a crunch, but the arms stay at the side of the body. This is to protect the neck and back muscles.

One rep is a curl up and then back down onto the mat.

Steps & Tips

Lie down on your back, if you have an exercise or yoga mat, use that.
Place your hands at your sides, arms straight forward and on the mat or ground.
Contract your abs. Curl up as if you were doing a crunch moving your hands along the ground towards your heels. Keep your head up.
Return to the starting point and that is one rep.

Duration: 3 Sets of 10

Calories Burned: ~75

4. Shadow Boxing

It is estimated that people are 38% more likely to stick with a new exercise if they find it fun or enjoyable. It makes sense that you would find it easier to do a task that you actually find fun.

It is not just for combat sports enthusiasts either. Shadow boxing is a good aerobic workout, easy to do and somewhat therapeutic. This exercise not only works your body, it can help soothe your mind.

It provides a great outlet for your day’s frustrations.

If you want to up the resistance in the exercise and make it more challenging you can add weights to your hands, or use a heavy bag with boxing gloves.

Steps & Tips

The great thing about shadow boxing is it isn’t as form dependent as other exercises.
Stand comfortably. Hold your hands up, making a tight fist with your thumb tight against the outside of your fingers.
Do not tuck your thumb inside fingers, if you accidentally hit something your thumb could be injured.
Keep your elbows close to your body and your chin tucked down
Throw some punches as if you were boxing.
Start throwing a couple jabs and then work up in speed as the exercise progresses.
While punching you should be moving around, keep on the balls of your feet.
Remember to use head movement and lean back and forth as if you were avoiding punches from an opponent.
Have fun!

Duration: 15 Minutes (one-minute break 2X)

Calories Burned: ~105

5. Body Weight Squat

This is one of the most popular exercises for serious weight trainers. While they do theirs with huge weights on their back, this body weight only version is still effective.

A squat works primarily your legs, but the amazing thing is it also works man other muscles in your body. Weight trainers refer to this exercise as a true full body workout.

Learning the body weight squat is usually suggested before you move onto weighted squats.

The squat is basically done from the standing position, and you squat down towards the ground, in a sitting motion. Then you finish the squat by standing back up straight.

If you don’t find the body weight squats challenging enough, then add dumbbells in each of your hands. Make sure to have the same weight on each side.

Steps & Tips

Stand up with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed 30 degrees out.
Squat down into a sitting like position.
Squat as far as you are comfortable with.
Some people squat until their thighs are parallel to the ground while others like to slightly break that plane.
Don’t risk your form for speed. Keeping the proper form is more important than finishing quickly.
Squatting down and then back up is a rep.
A set is 10 reps.

Duration: 3 Sets of 10

Calories Burned: ~105

6. Dips

This exercise burns calories as well as builds muscle. This is one of the best body weight work outs for your arms. This is an exercise you will probably feel in your arms a day or more likely after you have done it.

This exercise can be done a couple different ways, but in general, using a dining room chair is perfect.

This exercise is so convenient that you could do it in a hotel room on a business trip. It just takes your own body weight and a chair.

The overall idea is that you raise your own body weight with just your arms.

Steps & Tips

Stand in front of a chair, facing away from it.
Sit down on the very edge of the chair.
Place your hands so they are on the edge of the chair about shoulder width apart.
Make sure your hands are secured and slide your butt of the edge of the chair, walking out with your feet. Keep your chest and head up.
Slowly lower your body downward. Don’t bend your elbows past 90 degrees.
Now, push your body back up by extending your arms.
Lowering down and then raising up constitutes one rep.
If 3 sets of 8 reps is too much start out with one set and work your way up.
If you find this exercise too easy, an advanced dip can be performed by resting your feet on edge of another chair.

Duration: 3 Sets of 8

Calories Burned: ~75

7. Power Jumps

This exercise is a great way to wind down your day’s activities. It is one last explosive body weight exercise to finish your routine out.

You will want to make sure you have room enough to do this exercise, and you are on a firm floor. You probably don’t want to jump around anything fragile or that could fall off a shelf.

The key to this exercise is using your core muscles to explode. You don’t want to hold back on the jumps because you are scared of knocking something over. If it is a nice day this is a great exercise to get out in the yard and do it.

It is pretty easy to do, since most of us have been jumping since kids. If you want to add difficulty to the exercise, hold some light dumbbells in each hand (same weight).

Steps & Tips

Find somewhere you are comfortable jumping as high as possible.
Stand up with your knees slightly bent and your feet close together.
Bend down, and then jump straight up as high as you can.
Land with your knees loose to absorb impact.
As you land, go into a squat position and then explode into your next jump as you rise up.
One jump is one rep.

Duration: 3 Sets of 10

Calories Burned: ~125

These seven workout routines can be done at home without fancy gym equipment.

Just include an exercise routine in your calendar, prepare a workout plan, and start burning calories.

Here are some exercise tips that you should keep in mind and you will get more out of your workouts:

1. If possible, work out with a friend. It is much easier to stick with a workout routine if you and your friend are doing it together. There is a certain amount of peer pressure, neither of you wants to be the undisciplined one and neither of you wants to let the other one down.

2. If you are new to working out try to find a trainer to work with at least until you get a good routine worked out. After you’ve gotten the basics mastered you can either continue to work out with the trainer (this can be another great motivator) or, if your budget is tight you can give up the personal trainer and do it yourself.

3. Do not go nuts on the cardio aspect of your workout. Many people make this mistake. They think that spending a lot of time on the treadmill or the elliptical is good. And it is, but the problem is that your body gets used to that level of exertion and eventually your results will actually go down.

4. Do several types of cardio exercises. This one goes along with tip number 3. Don’t allow your body to get too used to a certain routine. You should change your workout routine at least every 6 weeks or so. This will really maximize your results. Another benefit of changing things up regularly is that you will lessen repetitive motion injuries that occur. You guessed it, when you do the same movements over and over again.

5. When you do weight training don’t make the mistake of going too fast when you do a repetition. This tip goes for both men and women. Many people go so fast that they are actually allowing momentum to do most of the work for them. This greatly decreases the effectiveness of the exercise. You want a very slow and controlled movement. Not only you will get the most out of the exercise, you will also lessen the chances of injuring yourself.

6. You may not hear this one too often, but if you are in a time crunch and you can’t really do a full workout (some cardio and weight training) and you have to pick one or the other, choose the weight portion of your workout. Weight training will also have a cardiovascular benefit and the boost in metabolism you get by weight training will last you long after your workout is over.

Hopefully, you have found these workout routines and exercise tips to be helpful. To really be successful in your workout program, it’s imperative that you find something that you truly enjoy doing and then simply stick to it.

Tag: fitness program

How To Start Your Own Workout Program?