Muscle it does a body good

Do you want to increase you endurance?

Do you want to increase you balance?

Increase running speed?

Increase bone mass?

Burn more calories?


The answer to all above is add muscle. You don't need a gym either. Functional training using you own body weight will help you build muscle.

What is functional training? Well it's every day movement but adding resistance and repetition. Imagine picking up a ball and throwing it and similar actions.

You don't' need a gym or equipment either as we proved in class lately. Simple squats, lunges, push ups and plank will give you a full body workout. Do you want an interval workout alternate plank with squats or lunges.

It's been proven that the excess muscle movement ( I don't want to say flop but ....) the more the fibers are torn down unnecessarily, this is why compression shorts keep you from getting sore. Now imagine tighten and built those same muscles. Now the muscles hold themselves in place. Less movement =fewer muscle fiber torn and less residual soreness. Make sense?

Hang in there

A couple of things have been rattling around in my head the last few days.

1.I was just thinking about how hard we are on ourselves at times. We want everything now but change takes time.
It's important sometimes to step back and look at the overall trend of your habits. I'd like to say that I will never eat chips again and have it magically happen. That's not realistic but I can look back over the past months and see improvement in my eating. In fact we were discussing how a bad day of eating now is much better than our good days were a few years ago. Yes, I have days that I decide not to eat well.

BUT look at the overall picture. Is the scale more friendly? Do you feel better? Do people say you are looking healthy? Do your cloths fit better? Do you see your scores going up on your weekly goal sheet? If so that is real progress.


2. heart rate- did you know your body can get so used to an activity that you start losing the benefit? How do you get around this?

Don't get to set in a routine or workout. Switch things up. If you run or walk regularly try adding weight bearing exercise.

Squats, lunges, push ups using body weight are a great way to get a good workout without equipment. You can use the IT method with these very easily by alternating a set of any of these with an equal time of rest or stretching. Each will give you an aerobic workout as well as stretch building. This works really well if you are stuck in a hotel.

You're doing great keep up the good work.