So you want to get fit and healthy?

Just starting out and decided you would like to get more exercise, tone up, lose some weight, feel good, more energy, get fit etc. – join a load of people male and female of all ages who are thinking of doing this. Stressful life we all lead these days and the majority of us do not get anywhere near enough regular exercise. People want to get fit and healthy for different reasons, it could be you feel you have put on a bit too much weight and would like to lose some pounds and get in shape and maybe feel stronger – you could be male or female and want to actually put on a few pounds and tone your body and have some strength training. Very few people have anywhere near perfect physiques but we can all improve the way we look and feel. There has been much more talk in recent years about the dangers of not getting enough exercise and how this can impact on our health right through our lives as we get older.

A lack of exercise together with a poor diet is the main cause of weight gain. Exercising regularly decreases the chances of having a stroke or getting heart disease or diabetes. People who exercise tend to be more flexible as they age, and staying active also helps to maintain bone mass. Exercising can also help with mental problems, including self-esteem issues, depression and anxiety.

Losing weight helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol and can increase a person's lifespan. Having a good diet is important for living a healthy lifestyle. It's also important to drink plenty of water every day.

Read on and I will give a bit of guidance on what to do.

It is generally considered that 150 minutes is the minimum amount of exercise we should do per week to keep fit. Even this amount assumes ‘good exercise’ not just going through the motions! So to put it into context that’s 3 x 1 hour sessions per week at the gym or classes or you walk and run an awful lot outside or you do some of each. Latest research says we should do over the 150 minutes – but let’s stay real for the moment!

OK, so you want to use a gym, fine but which one – lots of choices. A good gym probably will have over 100 workstations with different exercise machines and a free weights area so a bit complicated if you are a novice and starting out. What sort of exercise will be best for you? The problem with all this is that you pay your membership – turn up at the gym – maybe get a few minutes advice – look at what other people are doing and copy them. Easy to jump on a treadmill for a few minutes – then on to a bike for another few minutes then this is enough for to-day! And off home. Whole thing can be a bit daunting and hardly motivational.

I can assure you that this will not get you very far and you are probably wasting your membership money!

Personal training can mean stepping out of your comfort zone and attending a gym on your own can, for some people be quite daunting. Many people may not have exercised regularly for quite some time and in some cases never!, they have realised that they need to take some form of action to get healthier and fitter.

So, getting some serious help from a personal trainer might be a better investment. For a lot of people, getting and keeping fit is not easy. For a starter you should be thinking of committing at least 8+ weeks of your life to learning how to exercise and exercising properly – there is a right and a wrong way of doing exercises and going through a workout programme. This will be an investment of both time and money and you will probably get fed up in the first few weeks so you may need some support. The best workout regimens cover all the basics, aerobic strength, stretching, core, and balance with emphasis on those areas of exercise that will help you reach your goals as quickly as possible.

For everyone, but particularly the ladies, weight training can have huge benefits and I am not talking about massive weights being lifted! Weights improve strength and condition muscles extremely effectively – worth considering. The use of weights has a different effect on the ladies than on men! If you are going to lift weights do it properly and follow guidance from a qualified personal trainer!

Fitness and exercise can hurt – is it worth the effort. You may be using muscles that have not been used much before so expect to be stiff after a workout. No gain without pain they say. If you can get through the initial stages and keep going – put some real commitment in – you won’t regret it. There is nothing quite like the buzz you can get from a really good workout and the feeling that you are achieving something.

Best to have a specific goal that you want to achieve by doing your workouts Do not be over ambitious but set a realistic and attainable goal that you will be proud of – could be lose x pounds – lift x kg weights – run x miles etc.

Remember that while exercising regularly will improve your fitness it’s only part of the equation. Most of us have poor diets and in an age of fast foods a lot of what we eat can easily be called ‘junk food’. Obesity is just about the biggest health problem for people of all ages and one of the biggest killers. Add this to a sedentary life style and social media etc. and we have some problems. Eating well is key to looking and feeling good and must be a part of your fitness regime.

One of the most difficult things for someone to do is change their behaviour. If you are not used to regular exercise and have had a sedentary life style getting into the habit of exercise and regularly visiting a gym, following a fitness regimen, and eating well is hard. Recent research has shown that on average it takes 66 days to change behaviour. Give or take, that is just over 9 weeks – so expect this sort of time frame to be needed for you to get into a regular exercise programme. You can train with a personal trainer or “buddy up” with a friend for some company. In this time frame you will see and feel the benefits. In 4 weeks you should feel the difference – in 8 weeks your friends will notice the difference – in 12 weeks the whole world will notice the difference!

Most people have success with lifestyle changes when they make minor changes over time, instead of trying to make an immediate drastic change. Even a 10 percent weight reduction can have significant health benefits. For some people, it’s more beneficial to be able to complete 2/3 moderately paced workouts, gain confidence in the gym environment and doing fitness workouts boosts self- esteem.

The end game of all this is that you really cannot afford not to pay attention to your fitness and diet. The sooner the better for most of us. My part in all this as a Personal Trainer is to help you to achieve your goals a quickly and as safely as possible. I do this by educating you about health and fitness as we work through a programme. You get to do the right exercises at the gym, see and feel results and change your lifestyle for the better.

I provide a personalised work out programme and diet/nutrition plan and explain why we need to do what we do. Everyone is different so what works for one person will not work for someone else. We take into account age, gender, diet and individual goals. You will need to be motivated so when you turn up at the gym I will be there for you ready to take you through the next step of your journey.

Cost of a personal trainer – well budget £30 per hour – you are paying for expertise and knowledge so do make the right choice of trainer. Question – would you pay £500.00 for a week’s holiday abroad (more like £1000.00)? – Everything is comparable and at the end of the day it’s about getting good value for money. Depends on how much you want to make changes in your life? A good trainer will always tell you what is realistic for you to expect and how he/she can help. At the end of the day it is all about results!

Being fit and healthy is a great feeling and life is so much more enjoyable when you are energetic and enthusiastic, feel strong and able to cope with modern day pressures. If having a personal trainer would be of help to you give me a call on 0758 4639508 or visit the Eastbourne Personal Training web site at www.eastbournepersonaltraining.com or click through to the Facebook page (via website ) which is constantly being updated with good info.

To help you understand the role of a qualified personal trainer I have placed a link http://www.eastbournepersonaltraining.com/faq-about-pt through to frequently asked questions about personal trainers FAQ ABOUT PT which provides advice and guidance about choosing a Personal Trainer – worth a read.

Best regards,

James Monk BA(Hons) - REPS Level 3 Advanced Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor - Eastbourne Personal Training – Mobile: 07584639508 – Email: jmhealth@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright © James Monk – All rights reserved

#text #photo