Fitness Blog

Serotonin-Plus Fitness Blog: Yo-Yo Exercising

March 9, 2012 - 0 Comments »

Having an “all or nothing” attitude towards exercise is a great way set yourself up for failure.   As spring is approaching, many people start exercising and dieting for bathing suit season.  I remember back in college, the gym would be packed in the few weeks leading up to spring break, however none of those people were there the rest of the year.  During the Spring months, many people set unrealistic goals for themselves and start rigorous and obsessive exercising patterns.  The problem with this is that the majority burn-out and can no longer stick to their excessive routines, so they quit.  This works the same way as yo-yo dieting.  If you restrict your diet too much, you will become ravenous and go back to eating junk food again.  Similarly, if you over-exercise and don’t give yourself time to recover and adapt to your routine, you will end up quitting and gaining the weight back.  Balance is the key to everything in life.  If you eat a balanced healthy diet and you exercise regularly all year round, you will be able to achieve gradual and constant progress with fewer setbacks.  When it comes to exercise, try pushing yourself a little more each week but also allow yourself to recover and rest after workouts.  Keep your fitness routine balanced and fun to prevent from becoming a yo-yo exerciser. 

Serotonin-Plus Fitness Blog: Overestimating Calorie Deficit

March 8, 2012 - 0 Comments »

Just like most people underestimate their calorie intake, they also overestimate their calorie deficit.  This happens because it’s so easy to overestimate exercise time, frequency, and intensity.  The best way to prevent this is to keep a detailed exercise journal so that you can accurately record your daily routines right after your workout.   Make sure you write down the exact type of exercise you did, the length of time you worked out for, and the intensity you maintained.  Intensity can be a bit subjective so try using a scale from 1-10, 1=very easy and 10=most difficult.  After a few months of working out, you will get a good feel for your perceived effort and intensity level.  The higher your intensity, the more calories you will burn during a session.  The next time you’re exercising, try pushing yourself out of your comfort zone by pushing the intensity and increasing the time spent working out. 

Serotonin Plus Fitness Blog: Lifting Speed

March 7, 2012 - 0 Comments »

Is it better to complete repetitions faster or slower when lifting weights?  It’s very common to rush through reps in order to get the workout over with faster, however this is not going to get you the results you’re looking for.  When you complete your reps too quickly, it usually means that the weights are too light for you or it means that you’re using momentum to lift the weight rather than using your own strength.  To improve your lifting mechanics, try increasing the weight to where it’s heavy enough to slow your reps down but still light enough to keep good mechanics.  If you are already lifting heavier weights but you’re using momentum to throw your weights around, try tempo lifting.  For instance, during a bicep curl, try slowing down by counting three seconds during the negative movement, then pause while your arm is straight, and finally bring the weight slowly back up to starting position.  By lifting like this, you will have full range of motion and work the muscle better since you’re doing all of the work rather than letting momentum do the work.  

Serotonin-Plus Fitness Blog: Quality vs. Quanity

March 6, 2012 - 0 Comments »

Yesterday while training a client, I was looking around the gym noticing how 95% of the people there were socializing more than working out.  Some of the gym “regulars” spend 2-3 hours at the gym hanging out, talking, and then maybe working out a little.  It’s really easy to get into a comfortable routine where you read, talk, and do mediocre workouts when going to a gym since there are lots of distractions.  Some people don’t socialize, but spends lots of time on auto pilot doing easy exercises where they do not need to focus.  If you find yourself daydreaming and going through the motions, or if you find yourself spending more time talking than exercising, you’re not going to make much progress.  Getting an effective workout in should only take 30 minutes if done properly.  You should head to the gym with a predetermined plan and then complete your plan with body awareness and mental focus.   You fitness focus should be on quality rather than quantity.  Your time spent at the gym means nothing if you’re not doing quality movements to improve your strength and endurance.   Once your workout is executed and you feel accomplished, then it’s time to socialize, read, and wonder around.   Try increasing the quality of your workouts by staying focused and pushing yourself past your comfort zone.  

Serotonin-Plus Fitness Blog: Repetitions vs. More WeightSerotonin-Plus Fitness Blog: Repetitions vs. More Weight

March 5, 2012 - 0 Comments »

People often ask whether it’s better to lift more weight or do more reps when strength training.  Doing more repetitions will increase your muscular endurance, while lifting heavier weight will improve your muscular strength.  Both muscular endurance and muscular strength are very important so you should incorporate both into your routine.  When lifting weights, your goal should be to always challenge yourself while still keeping proper form.   When doing higher reps, you should aim for 3-4 sets of 15-20 reps based on your ability, and you should stop once your form is compromised.  While lifting heavier weight, your sets should be from 3-10 reps based on the weight you’re using and your ability.  Slowly work the weight up to make sure you maintain good form and prevent injury.  Try alternating your workouts by focusing on strength one session and endurance the next.  You will notice a greater increase in muscle definition, fat loss, and ability by working on both types of strength training.