Sunday 30 December 2012

New Year’s resolution – Get the most from your free eFit30 workouts.

YouTube Workout videos are popular, but do you use them well? Is the time you are spending doing fitness video’s improving your fitness? Workout plans are easily derailed. They are designed to do at home, and usually alone, so how do you make the most of your precious time?
What can you do to increase your chances of following through on your good intentions in 2013? Here is a list of tips for helping you be successful with your eFit30 YouTube workouts.
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Make sure the video is right for you

The best type of exercise for you is one you are genuinely interested in. There is no point in playing a Yoga video if you want to burn calories fast and are looking for a high energy routine. Our high energy routines use the word “Cardio” in the title. You will already have some ideas about what you like so start with that. The degree of difficulty like beginners and intermediate is somewhat subjective and is a rough guide only. Everyone has a different level of fitness and our trainers have varying ideas about what a beginner may be capable of. The levels we specified on the videos are a very rough guide only and it is what suits you and is not a commentary on your skill level. Recently we have done a large number of mat workouts and fitness ball workouts that are designed to vary the exercise and pack as much as possible into 30 minutes. There is nothing to stop you doing two of our workouts back to back!
Keep you workouts interesting and fun.
Vary the routines as this is better for your body and will help you to look forward to your exercise time.
Your workout Space
It is important to have enough room to exercise. Think about how much space you will need in front of you, and to the sides. Most of our workouts, for example, are fairly stationary usually just a little more than the room for your mat and fitness ball. We did this on purpose!

Pick a regular workout time

Keep them short rather than trying to find time for an hour if you are time poor. Also get into a routine by setting aside a specific time of the day and week. If you are a morning person working out in the morning is great so you can feel better throughout the day. Set up the night before make sure your workout area and workout clothes are all set to go. This leaves you with no excuses when the alarm goes off. There is no best time to work out just the time that suits you and your body.

Get Your Equipment ready before you start

Read the footnote at the bottom of our YouTube before you start to make sure that you have the right equipment before you start. If we failed to list all the equipment be sure to leave a comment so we can fix the description. We do read all your comments even if we don’t always get time to respond.
Use Pause and Go Back
Don’t be a slave to the pace of any video. Everyone works at a different pace. Our videos will plough ahead whether you understand what’s going on or not and unfortunately we can’t be there to watch you just yet! Do not hesitate to scroll back, watch an exercise or a portion of a workout again, then follow along. Similarly, use the pause button to get caught up rather than skipping something just to keep up with the video.

Pay attention to your form

Exercising with good alignment is absolutely critical to getting the most benefit from any exercise, and to avoiding injury. It’s better to watch an exercise, go back, and then do it, than to distort an exercise in order to see it on the screen. After you’ve done the routine a few times you will be able to sail through without pauses.

Make sure you cool down

After your last exercise, your workout is not over. The first thing you need to do is cool down. You still should do light cardio for a few minutes. This brings your heart rate down at a slow and steady pace, which helps you avoid feeling sick after a workout. Walking on a treadmill or on the spot for five minutes is a good and easy way to cool down or use our video recommendations.

Don’t forget to stretch

Then, you should stretch again. This is one of the most important things you can do. After a workout, muscles naturally contract. Stretching again prevents them from shrinking. It allows your muscles to rebuild, growing bigger and stronger, and thus allowing you to get the full benefit from your efforts.

Drink plenty of water

You need to drink during you routine to keep your hydration up and you will hear our trainers talk about this but even when you are actually done exercising, you need to keep replenishing your fluid levels. It’s recommended that you drink another 2-3 cups within two hours after you have finished. Then, drink water regularly afterwards. You may not feel thirsty anymore, but you still need to replenish yourself to avoid getting dehydrated. Hydration is an important part or your daily life!

Refueling your body after the workout

Eating is one of the last, but one of the most important, items to do after a workout. You have not only burned hundreds of calories and lost carbohydrates, but you have also actually torn your muscles. You need to repair your muscles and boost your energy level, and you need to do it fast. It’s recommended that you eat within 90 minutes of your workout, but the sooner the better. Look for foods that are packed with complex carbohydrates and high in protein. A perfect example is a tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread. You could also try the protein shakes and smoothie recipes that we have on our website from Babes on the run. If you exercise just before lunchtime the protein could be part of your lunch so that you no not consume more food that you would otherwise in your daily routine.
The carbs will re-energize your body, while slowly turning into calories – so you have plenty of time to burn them before they turn to fat. The protein helps repair your muscles, so they grow stronger while your body rests until the next workout.
Good luck on your fitness journey and be sure to let us know your success story on our contact us form.
eFit30 Team.

Sunday 16 December 2012

7 Simple Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain


1. Drink less. Avoid calorie-laden beverages like alcohol, egg nog, peppermint lattes and hot chocolate. Permanently attach a bottle of water to your hand from Thanksgiving until January 1st. One cocktail is fine. But keep in mind, alcohol usually makes you less attractive, less articulate, less responsible, and more likely to overeat. Cheers!
2. Bake less. One of the sneakiest ways calories creep up on us is via the mixing bowl! Avoid volunteering to bake your famous snicker doodle cheesecake and you’ll instantly cut down on unneeded stress and calories.
3. Be fashionably late. This accomplishes two things. One, the less time you spend at the party, the less time you spend with a plate of cheese stuffed mini-quiche and uncomfortable small talk with the boss. Two, the more guests there before you, the less food available when you arrive.
4. Throw away leftovers. I know your Mother would “gasp” at such a wasteful suggestion. I’ll let you in on a little secret, that half-eaten pumpkin pie is not exactly what the local food bank had in mind. Toss it and get over it. Your neighbor brings over a delicious plate of cookies. Take a nibble and toss the rest! She’ll never know the difference and your thighs will thank you.
5. Amp up your workouts. Many Americans excuse themselves from healthy eating and regular workouts because, “it’s that time of year”. Poor choice. Rather than skipping workouts, intensify yours. Holidays are when you really need the mood enhancing, stress busting effects of exercise more than ever. You deserve it. You’ll be more proficient because of it, so make time to do it!
6. Enjoy a taste. Some do well by swearing off “forbidden” foods, but for many of us that notion only leads to bingeing or a feeling of deprivation. If that’s the case, allow yourself the treat, just make it a small portion and account for it during your next Cardio Party!.
7. Scrap the “dieters mentality”. I forbid you to say these 5 little words ever again, “I’m starting my diet tomorrow.” This mentality leads people to believe that healthy eating is all or nothing. Have a cookie or two, but catch yourself before you slip into the “Oh, I’ve blown it so now I might as well have 10 more!” way of thinking. That mentality is the root of all yo-yo dieting. Think of your eating as a way of life, not a diet. Enjoy the occasional treat, but do so in moderation.
by: Chalene Johnson
About The Author
Chalene Johnson is an internationally known fitness personality and owner of Powder Blue Productions, a leading company in the fitness industry. Chalene is the creator of Turbo Kick™, PiYo™ and the designer of Turbo Wear™, the latest trend in Fitwear. http://www.turbowear.com. Chalene and her fashions have been featured in numerous fitness publications, newspapers and videos. For more information about Chalene or her programs visit http://www.turbokick.com or contact 800-315-2505.

Wednesday 10 October 2012

So you think snacking is bad??



Snacking between meals has been given a bad reputation. Many people believe that if you are going to lose weight or diet that there is no place for snacking and that sticking to 3 meals a day will lead to weight loss.

Losing weight does not mean that you have to feel starving hungry all day. It is not the snacks that are the problem it is what we are choosing to snack on that is often laden with extra calories.

Most of us will choose crunchy, salty foods such as nuts, pretzels chips cakes and cookies. When the energy levels run low through the day that dose of sugar may make you feel better for a short time but will quickly lead to weight gain and other more serious health issues.

Snacks need not be a guilty pleasure they can be incorporated into your weight loss plan.

·       Plan your snacks so you are not left reaching for the biscuits.
·       Think of the calories. 1 banana is more calories than but 40 blueberries.
·       Don’t drink your calories stick to water and avoid soft drinks.
·       Swap sugar laden snacks for fruit.
·       Swap a chocolate bar for a small low fat chocolate drink.
·       Eat berries full of antioxidants instead of lollies full of sugar.
·       Have frozen yogurt instead of ice cream.

Foods with a higher fibre and water content will have fewer KJ. Choose from fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts (unsalted) and seeds and low fat dairy products.

Keep a food diary and write down everything. This way you can see if your snacking is healthy and encourages us to consume less calories and make better choices.

Remember to keep a balance and moderation in mind when choosing your snacks and you will find you will not only feel better but your waistline will thank you.

Monday 30 April 2012

“How can I lose weight from my lower body?”

 
It seems this is a very common question among women. There are many pear shaped beauties such as Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys to name a couple who still maintain a gorgeous shape.
I have good news and bad news! It is more difficult for pear shaped women to lose weight from their lower bodies but the good news is with the right diet and exercise it can be done! (Just look at Jennifer Lopez)
The key is to not just focus on making your lower half smaller but also to tone the upper body in order to become more balanced and in proportion.

By following a sensible eating plan, cutting calories and starting a new exercise program you can lose weight all over including the lower half for those who have the pear shaped body. This means avoiding high fat foods, especially those with saturated or trans fats. Eat lean proteins with every meal and include lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Keep a food diary, it is amazing how much we actually eat during the day that we don’t notice or include. This makes you accountable for what fuel goes in!

In order to lose weight from the pear shaped body it is going to take some hard work! You need to exercise for a period of 60 minutes a day in order to burn the calories you need to get visible results. 30 minutes a day will not burn enough calories for slimming the lower body area.

The best form of exercise for pears is cardio sessions and high intensity interval training. That fast, high intensity burst of exercise gets the heart pumping and the calories moving. Treadmills and exercise bikes are good for this. Also putting the treadmill on an incline while you are doing this makes a big difference. If you don’t have equipment at your fingertips you can get out in the fresh air and use walking and running intervals and the natural inclines to do the same thing! There are no excuses!

Strength training is the next step. It works well if you start your sessions with the strength training and then follow with the cardio. Pear shaped women often spend all their time working on the lower half of their body to whittle down that problem area but don’t be tricked into this. It is important to work on your upper body in order to balance out your shape and proportions. So don’t forget those arms and abs. It is just as important to focus on these areas to increase your lean muscle mass.

Lunges work out your hips, thighs and calves while leg lifts focus more on your hips and buttocks. Make sure you enjoy whatever it is you choose to do as it will mean you will stick to it! Mix it up a bit and try different routines. Have a look at the Pilates Butt Burner session and Total Body Workout ion eFit30.

Last but not least, love what nature gave you! Pears are beautiful, you will always have those womanly curves but with some effort you will have the body you want.