Healthy Diet: Only Part of the Equation

j0402385Many of us struggle with our diet. In the quest for weight loss and the perfect figure, many people are in a constant battle with their brain and their tummy over when, what, and how much to eat. We worry about our food sources, our serving sizes, preparation methods, and even mealtimes. We often get so caught up in our eating that we forget a healthy diet is only part of the equation.

 

A healthy diet is crucial for a healthy body; there is no doubt about that. You have to give your body the right fuel in the right amounts to keeping it running optimally and looking right as well. However, a healthy diet is only one-half of a healthy lifestyle.

 

In addition to a healthy diet, you must get regular exercise. This is true regardless of if you are trying to lose weight or simply stay fit. Exercise, like the 10 Minute Trainer program, provides many benefits that a healthy diet simply can’t.

 

Your healthy diet won’t make you more flexible like Yoga X will, it can’t make you run fast, jump higher, or grow bigger muscles. It can fuel your body to make it more responsive to doing these things, but it can’t do them alone. They all require physical fitness from exercise.

 

Daily exercise is crucial in keeping your body fit on the outside as well as on the inside. A healthy diet can lower cholesterol and keep your blood pressure in check, but only cardiovascular exercise like the workouts in Turbo Jam can strengthen your heart and lungs.

 

If you have ever tried to lose weight by only adjusting your diet you have probably seen the importance of physical exercise. Sure, it’s possible to lose weight without exercising but it won’t likely last as long and you will hit plateaus much sooner in your weight loss journey.

 

When you think of a healthy diet you should automatically think of a regular fitness plan as well. Because one simply isn’t enough and neither works as well without the other.

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Home Workout Regimens: Something for Everyone

tony_hortonEveryone wants to find the right home workout regimen. However, what might be right for you could be a completely wrong fit for the next person. We all have different fitness goals and different priorities. Some people value muscle growth over weight loss while others are concerned about finding a home workout regimen that will fit nicely into their daily schedule. Whatever it is you need from a home workout regimen, we likely carry a program that is perfect for you.

For those with seriously busy schedules: For you, finding time to fit anything new into your life is a challenge. You want to get fit but can’t seem to find the time to dedicate to a home workout regimen that includes long workouts. Both Ten Minute Trainer and Slim Series Express could be good for you. Check out 10 Minute Trainer for fully customizable workouts that let you adjust your workout length depending on your challenge. Slim Series Express combines the effectiveness of the Slim In 6 program with shorter 30 minute workouts.

For those with lofty goals and extreme dedication: P90X or ChaLEAN Extreme should be right up your alley. P90X is our most popular program that requires serious dedication. An athletic, fitter you is only 90 days away with this home workout regimen. ChaLEAN Extreme is our newest home workout regimen that focuses on slow heavy weight training. You will develop serious muscle, increasing your metabolism and burning fat with this program.

For those who love to dance: Turbo Jam and Hip Hop Abs are excellent high energy home workout regimens that include great music with fun high energy choreography. From trainer Chalene Extreme, Turbo Jam will challenge you to get fit and have a high energy blast. Hip Hop Abs uses some of the freshest music to whittle away your midsection.

Regardless of which of our home workout regimens you choose, you can be certain that you will get out of the program exactly what you put into it. Take your fitness seriously and you will see serious results.

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Need Help Designing a Fitness Plan?

j0408913More than likely you aren’t a personal trainer. You may have some fitness know-how but are a little lost when it comes to designing a fitness plan. You’re not alone. Many of us want to look and feel our best but aren’t quite sure how. We may know that we need to get some cardio and some strength training but don’t know how to put it all together.

 

There are several things to keep in mind when designing a fitness plan. True, you do want something that contains both cardio and strength training. They both definitely have their place in a customized fitness plan. But you also need to remember that flexibility and stretching are crucial but often overlooked components.

 

Knowing your schedule and what timeframes work for you is also important. If you can only spare 30 minutes on weekdays and 1 hour on the weekends, 90 minute workouts won’t be right for you. Remember to keep it practical when designing a fitness plan.

 

When all else fails, look for help.

 

The majority of high quality home workout systems, like those we sell here, will help you in designing a fitness plan. For instance, P90X and Ten Minute Trainer are two very different systems but both include an excellent workout calendar and easy to follow plan.

 

Using a home workout system that comes with a fitness plan is a perfect way to take the guesswork out of designing a fitness plan. Professionals put these fitness plans together because they know exactly what components are necessary in a superior workout program. This allows you to simply select the one that most closely matches what you want and then focus on getting fit, not worrying about what to do on which day.

 

Designing a fitness plan can be tricky but no one said you had to do it alone. Programs like P90X and ChaLEAN Extreme were created with very specific fitness plans to meet your specific fitness needs.

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Far Beyond The Typical Benefits of Physical Fitness

j0341360Ask anyone what the benefits of physical fitness are and they will likely rattle off things like: weight loss, muscle tone, better cardiovascular health, or a flatter tummy. We all know that the benefits of physical fitness are far reaching and do everything from making us look good to making our bodies run more efficiently. However, we often forget one of the best benefits of physical fitness: It feels great to be fit!

 

Getting fit is often plagued by muscle aches and shin splints. You may be haunted by a lack of motivation or a lack of time. Despite all of the ways working out makes you feel bad, there are several ways in which it makes you feel good.

 

Once you have made fitness a regular part of your life, you can enjoy the release that it gives you. One of my favorite benefits of physical fitness is how I can have a long hard day, one where I am on the verge of madness and stressed beyond belief (they don’t happen often). But, in the midst of this stress and frustration, I can get a workout in and walk away feeling many times better.

 

Something is in the sweat that when it leaves our bodies it takes the days stresses and headaches with it. Scientists might not have found this liquid stress, but I am certain it is there.

 

Another great but often overlooked benefits of physical fitness is the confidence it brings with it. If you have ever struggled with your weight or a negative self image, you know how it can affect your attitude. Just like being unhappy with how you look can make you feel bad about everything, being satisfied with your body can cast a rosy glow on things.

 

Lastly, when you are committed to physical fitness it gives you a new hobby that may, if you are not careful, develop into an extremely healthy addiction. You know you are hooked on the benefits of physical fitness when you begin actually craving a workout. This is a great cycle to get stuck in and one that will only further improve your health and your attitude.

 

The benefits of physical fitness are far more than aesthetic. Of course we all want to look good. But when all is said and done, the mental benefits are nearly as important in our day to day lives.

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Making Your Home Workout Plans a Priority

j0409353It’s hard to make time for anything these days. Whether you have a house full of kids or are a single professional, we are all busy and we all struggle with making time for new things. It seems like many of us have the hardest time making ourselves a priority. This includes making your home workout plans a priority. Unlike watching your favorite show or updating your Facebook status, maintaining home workout plans is actually good for you.

 

If you have a hard time finding time for your home workout plans, make a list. Take some time and think of all the activities you do on a daily basis that are unnecessary or don’t offer anything of value to your life. Yes, I know some of us can’t go the week without watching the newest episode of our favorite reality show, but is it truly necessary?

 

Once you have this list, look it over and prioritize. Think of the benefits of home workout plans and weight those benefits against the other items on your list. More than likely, there are some substitutions that can be made. You may not want to forsake your lunch hour buffet ritual, but your body will thank you if you do. You may even be able to some changes on your schedule that won’t disrupt the things you truly enjoy doing.

 

It’s all about how important your home workout plans are to you. Of course there are days when you don’t want to workout. But, looking past those days we both know what is good for you and making your home workout plans a bigger priority will no doubt pay off in the long run.

 

Like we teach our children, in life, we sometimes have to do things we don’t want to. For some people, arranging their schedules to fit home workout plans does not sound like fun. But once a routine has been created and fitness becomes a daily priority, you may be surprised to find you actually enjoy it!

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Why Everyone Can Use A Few Fitness Tips

j0409390Fitness tips should be a staple for everyone who is concerned about their health. High quality fitness tips aren’t just for people looking to lose weight or transform their body; they can be helpful even for fitness professionals. Everyone needs an occasional boost in their motivation, another point of view, or to learn new fitness facts.

 

It’s pretty obvious that people new to the fitness world can use fitness tips to teach them things they may not have already known about improving their body and overall health. When you are trying to lose weight or regain a fitness level you have let slip away, fitness tips can educate and motivate.

 

For those of us who are in the midst of the fitness world everyday of their life, we have a tendency to think we know everything we need to know about staying fit and healthy. Occasional reminders about how the fitness world changes are necessary to keep us all on our toes. Reading fitness tips from another source can allow all of us to broaden our fitness smarts.

 

No matter what your fitness goals are, daily fitness tips can help you keep your eyes on the prize.

 

For me, it is important to read other blogs, news sources, and online magazines. This ensures my view on the fitness world doesn’t become stale or outdated. Like technology, what we know about the human body and how it works is constantly changing. Finding more than one resource for fitness tips is a good way for anyone to get a good array of fitness information.

 

Keeping a folder in your “favorites” of your preferred sources for fitness tips can be a great way to ensure easy access to those sites you like the best. Also, consider subscribing to your favorite blogs or RSS news feeds. To get updates to my blog here, hit the link in the upper right hand corner that says “subscribe”. This ensures a daily delivery of fitness tips to your inbox.

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How to Get a Quality Workout Without Weights

resistance-bands-complete-i6Strength training doesn’t always have to involve lifting weights. Although they are the old standby and a very effective way to tone your muscles and gain strength, they aren’t the only way. Whether you don’t want to purchase weights or just want to try something new to keep things interesting, there is one perfect solution to finding an effective workout without weights.

 

Resistance bands are an excellent choice when seeking a productive workout without weights.

 

Resistance bands like the ones we sell here at ExtremeBody Workout are made to withstand serious workouts and provide serious results. They work similarly to using weights in that they provide resistance to typical exercise moves. The difference is they are highly portable, take up less space, and are far more affordable.

 

A resistance band workout without weights will get you the same results as a strength training workout with weights can. One look at the P90X, ChaLEAN Extreme or 10 Minute Trainer programs and you can see the effectiveness of these workouts without weights.

 

These DVD fitness programs each show you how to get the same results with resistance bands rather than weights. This means you can get the same quality P90X workout, for instance, without weights as you can using the traditional hand weights.

 

Trainer Tony Horton endorses the use of resistance bands in a strength training workout without weights. These bands come in a variety of resistance levels created to provide you with just the correct amount for your strength training needs.

 

You don’t have to sacrifice quality when getting a strength training workout without weights. Resistance bands make this a possibility.

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How Creating a Healthy Food List Can Aid Your Fitness Plan

j0408948The vast majority of adults know which foods are healthy and which are not. Choosing the right foods is more about free will than it is about lack of information. For instance, when I choose a cheeseburger instead of a salad, it isn’t because I don’t know which is healthier, it’s because I have made a conscious choice to ignore this knowledge and go with what I am craving at the time. A healthy food list doesn’t necessarily tell you anything you don’t already know, it basically helps guide your choices and reduces impulse buying.

 

Imagine going to the grocery store with a rule, one single rule. This rule is that you can only purchase the things listed on your healthy food list. Some people prefer to bring a grocery list but if you forget to add something you need to your list you immediately give yourself permission to veer off the list.

 

I suggest making a healthy food list including all of those foods you consider to be a positive influence on your fitness endeavors. You know what makes up a healthy food list. Start with the produce section adding any fruits and vegetables you would consider eating. Add lean proteins, dairy products, whole grains, cereals, and any other potential food that you eat and is considered generally healthy.

 

Remember, the things you don’t put on the list cannot be purchased, so take your time when crafting this list. Use a small font if need be because this will become your shopping list. When you venture into the grocery store for your weekly shopping, stick to the list. No exceptions!

 

If you realize you forgot an important food on your list, you may want to wait until next time to purchase it. This isn’t about punishing yourself, it’s about creating boundaries you may have struggled with in the past.

 

A healthy food list can be your guide for creating new healthy shopping habits. You know the foods that belong on that list, the key is translating your knowledge into action.

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