It’s no secret we have been busy lately with increased responsibilities/roles in our professional lives and have been traveling a bit for family events. While we have upcoming fitness goals and race recaps to share with you soon, we’d like to thank our friend Michael Volkin, creator of Strength Stack 52, for writing the following guest post for us!
There is so much to learn about working out properly, it can be as confusing as you want to make it. However, there are some simple tips and tricks that anyone can employ to make working out easier and more effective. Below are some simple fitness hacks that you can incorporate today to take your fitness to a higher level.
Eat more meals. I am not saying eat more food; I am saying break your meals into smaller portions and eat more frequently. Ideally, you should eat a meal every 3 hours. Doing this will keep your blood sugar levels in check, keep your appetite under control so you’re less likely to binge on an unhealthy snack, and increase your metabolism.
Tell the world. Tell the world, or at least your world, that you have a goal to lose weight, gain muscle, or even finish a 5k. Most people are willing to let themselves down before they let down friends and family. Whatever your goal is, telling your friends and family will keep you accountable to them and not yourself. Social networking websites are a great medium for announcing your goals.
The “new exercise” rule. Too often I see people in the gym doing the exact same exercises day after day. Your body has an amazing ability to adapt, and exercising is no exception. Over time, doing the same exercises over and over will decrease the effectiveness of your workouts. Make it a goal that every Sunday night you will search the Internet for one new exercise you want to do at least 3 times during the upcoming week. Not only will this new exercise be a learning experience, it will take your fitness to a higher level.
Workout with a friend. Fact: Working out with someone will make you less likely to skip a workout and more likely to complete a workout. So grab a buddy who is a similar fitness level to you and be amazed at how far you push yourself.
Reward yourself. This tip is especially useful for someone who can never seem to work out consistently. One of the biggest problems newbies have is they quit because they don’t have an end goal, or their goal is too long term. Make a short-term goal, just a month or two away, and if you complete your goal reward yourself with new workout clothes. Having a short-term goal and a reward will make you more likely to finish what you started.
Exercise to fast music. A recent study concluded exercising to fast-paced songs made people exercise harder and longer. So load your phone up with heart-pumping music before you exercise to increase the effectiveness of your workout.
Active work meetings. Why does a day at work have to involve sitting at a desk 8 hours a day? A recent study concluded sitting is deadly, literally. Schedule an active work meeting. Instead of sitting at a conference table with others, burn some calories and take a walk around the building.
If you haven’t had a chance to check out Michael’s work yet, click here to learn more about the Strength Stack 52 bodyweight fitness cards that make exercising more fun, while providing long-term results.
activeharmony 