Define Your Goal and You Will Find Success

The definition of a goal is- what one intends to do or achieve. The hardest part of a fitness program is getting started, and the second is maintaining it. Unfortunately, most people do not have goals when it comes to their health and fitness. You may drive to the gym, but until you walk through the doors you have no clue as to what you are doing that day. This is why millions of people either go through the motions when it comes to their workouts or do not workout at all. Fitness goals should be no different than those you set for your business, your family, or your future.

According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, research confirms those who are certain about what they want to accomplish are six times more likely to successfully make life changes than those who are less certain. Conversely, those with conflicting goals, or those who are unsure about their goals, are significantly more likely to, experience depression and anxiety, be less happy, have more physical illnesses and doctor visits, and spend less time taking action towards their fitness goals. Does this sound like you? If so, let’s establish your fitness goals. Your goals must be specific, challenging, and measureable.

• Specific goals make us work harder. Studies show that specific goals result in better performance than easier goals or having no goals at all. Examples of fitness goals could be the number of workouts per week, the amount of time engaging in cardiovascular exercise, and so forth. So, get the calendar out and be specific!
• Make your fitness goals challenging. If your goals are challenging, you will accomplish more than modest goals. Step it up when it comes to the intensity of your workouts- train for a 5k or triathlon. Reach beyond your comfort zone and you will accomplish more. Just think how great you will feel after having trained for an event and accomplishing it or telling yourself you are going to strength train twelve days this month and you do it. You will be inspired and have built a new level of confidence for yourself. Make fitness fun!
• Your goals must be measurable. This will allow you to determine whether the strategy is working. People have a tendency to measure their goals based on the ‘all-or-none’ theory, a tendency that leaves people vulnerable to letting a minor setback fall into a major relapse and total collapse. This is why so many people fail at fitness. They put too much pressure on themselves by committing to six or seven days of working out. A goal like this is only setting you up for failure. Between work and family, it is very difficult to fit in six or seven great workouts in a week. A more realistic goal would be to start with three to five days per week and commit to taking this time for you and be able to enjoy a quality workout. Also, do not sign up for a marathon if you have never run before. Take baby-steps and try a local 5k first.

Believe that you can accomplish the goals you have set. If you truly believe you will be successful, you will work harder, achieve more, be happy, set more goals, and view setbacks as a source of motivation.

Accomplishing your fitness goals can be very powerful, if not life changing. The television reality show, Biggest Loser, is a great example. The people selected for that show were determined and committed to losing weight. Even the ones who have been voted off maintained great discipline and motivation to do the work on their own. Goals can be powerful. Set yourself up for success and establish specific, challenging, and measurable fitness goals.

Written by Nick Clark, BS, NASM-CPT, Owner of a Fitness Together in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
Edited By: Jason Copeland, CSCS

Who Knew?

Q: Why is stretching after a workout important?

A:This is a great question because it addresses the importance not only of practicing stretching but also the best and safest technique for performing this valuable type of exercise.

Why stretch? Stretching increases flexibility, a key component of physical fitness that is often neglected. A greater degree of flexibility is believed to help prevent injury (and low back pain) and improve sports performance. We lose flexibility as we age, so practicing a regular program of stretching the major muscle groups can help prevent loss of flexibility and its associated negative impact on quality of life in our golden years.

Stretching properly involves a slow, steady elongation of the muscles and tendons to the point of tightness—never pain—and holding the stretch for several seconds. (Never use bouncing or ballistic-type stretching, which can cause injury.) It is best to stretch muscles that have been warmed up internally from exercise as opposed to cold muscles. In fact, stretching cold muscles can actually increase risk of injury, as a cold muscle is more prone to strains! Think of a muscle as if it were a rubber band. If you stretch cold rubber, it snaps and breaks; however, if you warm the rubber first, it stretches more elastically and fluidly, like taffy.

Stretching is different from “warming up.” A warm-up is what you do before you begin a bout of exercise and generally consists of a low-intensity version of the exercise you are planning on engaging in (such as a fast walk before a jog). A good exercise routine would be to warm up (work up a light sweat and raise the internal temperature of your muscles), followed by a series of brief stretches, then perform your exercise bout, warm down and end with another series of stretches. Practice this plan and you will have a well-rounded fitness routine.

Dr. Janet Bond Brill
Edited by: Jason Copeland, CSCS

Charge Up Your Energy -- What to Eat Before and After Exercise

What you eat before and after exercise makes a significant difference in how you feel and how well you perform...

Before/During Workouts

During exercise, the body gets energy from glycogen, a type of carbohydrate that's stored in muscles and the liver. Being hungry going into a workout rapidly depletes glycogen and can cause fatigue. Recommended...

Combine protein with carbohydrates. For example, have a hard-boiled egg (for protein), and half a whole wheat bagel (for carbs) about an hour before a workout. Protein makes carbohydrates a slower-burning (longer-lasting) energy source.
If it will be more than an hour until you can exercise, eat something substantial, such as a peanut butter sandwich or a wrap with turkey breast, lettuce and tomato. This larger meal takes longer than so you will have enough energy for your workout.

Remember the "90-minute rule". It takes about 90 minutes of hard exercise to deplete stored glycogen. If you engage in extended cardiovascular workouts, you'll need to replenish glycogen while you exercise. You can munch on a protein/carbohydrate bar or sip a sports drink (such as Gatorade).


After Workouts

If you-re trying to lose weight, schedule your workouts so that you'll have lunch or dinner when you're done. The increased expenditure of calories that occurs during exercise persists for about an hour afterwards. Eating right after a workout allows you to take advantage of the increased calorie burning.

Get enough protein. Muscle cells are very receptive to amino acids (the individual building-blocks of protein) 30 minutes to one hour after exercise. Consuming protein right after exercise accelerates both muscle reapir and muscle growth. It varys from individual to individual, so you might want to ask your trainer, but typically you want to consume about 15 grams (g) to 20 g of lean protein. Examples: Two ounces of chicken provides about 12 g of protein. An egg has about 6 g.

Add a complex carbohydrate to replace glycogen. Muscle cells quickly absorb carbohydrates after exercise. The optimal ratio is four parts carbohydrates to one part protein (4:1). A turkey sandwich and a nonfat fruit yogurt has this ratio with 75 g of carbs and 18 g of protein.

Eat fruit. There's an increase in muscle-damaging free radicals during and after exercise. The antioxidants in fruit reduce muscle damage and accelerate muscle repair. Also, the sugars in fruit quickly replace glycogen stores.

Check your water level. Weigh yourself immediately before and after vigorous cardiovascular exercise-- and drink enough water to make up the difference. If you weigh a pound less after exercising, drink at least 16 ounces of water.

Written by Tammy Lakatos, RD, and Elysse Lakatos, RD. The Nutrition Twins.
Edited by Jason Copeland, CSCS.

Protein Myths!
Watch this video to learn some of the more common protein myths out there to make sure you don't fall victim to them!

Edited by Jason Copeland, CSCS