All Entries Tagged With: "weight training"

Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction our bodies employ in order to deal with the daily demands of life.  While some levels of stress are necessary to keep us on track to accomplish our goals, too much can be detrimental to our overall mental and physiological health.

In identifying the causes of stress, our brain and bodies come hard-wired with a neurological stress highway that serves to power an internal, protective ‘alarm system’.  When we perceive a threat or identify a potentially harmful situation, this pathway signals our bodies to release a burst of hormones known as catecholamines, such as adrenaline, to fuel a unique response. This reaction is commonly referred to as the “fight-or-flight” response.

According to the Mayo Clinic, current studies suggest most Americans experience challenges with stress at some point during the year.  More so, the nonstop pressures of today’s fast pace environment means our stress highways are constantly overloaded, running at a ‘rush-hour’ pace.

That is why stress management is so important in maintaining normalcy within our lives. Stress management gives us set of tools or road-blocks for the traffic of stress on our neurological highway.  Without stress management our bodies are constantly bombarded by these stress traffic alerts, which over time can lead to serious health issues.

Here are a few techniques and things to consider to better deal with stress:

1st, Decided to make a change in how you deal with and manage stress.

2nd, Identify the causes or triggers of stress in your life. Some of theses causes may be  obvious (such as relationship issues, school, work or financial distress), while others may take more thought.

3rd, Relax- relaxation techniques can help you to focus your attention on enjoying life instead of dreading it.  Exercises like writing, yoga, walking, hiking or other sports can help you to focus on enjoying the moment, instead of stressing about the future.

4th- Eat Healthy - Healthy eating plays a crucial role in our bodies ability to deal with high levels of stress. The eating the right proportion and amount of carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals is important in maintaining our energy, mental concentration, and emotional stability. Even more important, stress can weaken our immune systems and increase the demand for certain nutrients. Eating a well-balanced diet will help you to stay focused, alert and healthy during times of increased stress.

5th- Sleep - Sleep loss may result in irritability, an inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can leave you too tired to do the things you truly enjoy.  The CDC recommends 7-9 hours of sleep in adults to prevent chronic disease such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression.

Results aren’t guaranteed when working with Celebrity Personal Trainer Lucas James, they’re earned. He can be your motivation no matter if you live in Scottsdale, AZ or Miami, FL. Life isn’t characterized what you say you’ll do, but by your actions and follow through.

Anyone who’s tried to workout after long breaks from the gym or being outdoors knows just how hard it is to stay motivated and get back into shape.

We know it can be really tough to maintain a consistent workout schedule when starting up or returning to exercise, especially when everyone at the gym looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jillian Michaels.  Just remind yourself, it beats the alternative – letting the pounds pack on and waiting for weight & diet related illnesses and obesity to take over.

So here are a few tips for staying motivated and making exercise accessible no matter what stage you’re at:

Find a work out partner:
Find a friend to work out with to keep each other motivated and accountable. Not only will you find that you’re reaching your goals faster, but working out becomes a social event in your mind.

Exercise at the time that feels right for you:
If you’re not a morning person, and don’t have very much energy when you first wake up, than early A.M. workouts might not be right for you! Find out when you feel best, have the most energy and can commit at least 45 minutes to an hour to exercise…NO excuses, don’t use scheduling as a reason to avoid exercise. Make time to meet your goals!

Try getting outdoors on a date:
Go kyacking, or for a hike, jog or walk.  Show your significant other, you’re a motivated and active individual who won’t shy away from anything physical!

Find something you enjoy, that will be easy for you:
If you hate running, than don’t start a running program. Try spin class, swimming, yoga, pilates or resistance training. Also, consider what is nearby and don’t limit yourself and your goals.

Cook healthy meals:
Diet is 80% of reaching your fitness goals. Cooking breakfast in bed for your lover is a huge turn-on. An intimate candle-lit dinner over a bottle of red wine never hurts either!

Make working out a fun activity:
Some times socializing or people watching at the gym can break the monotony of just speeding through your exercises. Branch out and take a group fitness class or yoga and make some new friends! Plus you’ll meet people with common interests and goals as yourself.

Set specific and realistic goals for both the short-term and long-term:
Everyone’s body type is different and if your personal goals aren’t truly attainable, you’ll never reach them. Keep weekly goals such as the amount of times you plan on working out and long-term goals for weight loss or physical events such as marathons or triathlons. Keep your goals attainable. If you’ve never run before, don’t attempt a marathon in your first couple months. A 5K would be a much better choice.

Monitor your progress:
Keep a diet & exercise journal to see just how you really eat and keep track of your fitness goals and improvement. Note specifics about your exercise program such as timed intervals, the number of sets and reps and weight used, as well as your accomplishments.

2,500 IU (50% DV), 20% as beta-carotene. The 100% DV of 5,000 IU is too much for women with relatively healthy diets, which is why One-A-Day Women’s cut that amount in half. Most multis pack in too much A — typical doses range from 3,500 to 5,000 IU — and some provide even more. Part of One-A-Day’s vitamin A comes from beta-carotene, a compound that converts to A in the body, which is shown to be safer than straight-up A.

B Vitamins

(B6, B12, riboflavin, thiamin, and niacin) (100% DV for all except for 50% DV for niacin). Bs are in plenty of foods, especially vitamin-spiked cereals, so there’s no need for more. (PMS relief claims aren’t supported by research.)

Vitamin E

30 IU (100% DV). There’s no evidence you need more than what’s found here: Research has failed to prove that extra E protects against cardiovascular disease or cancer.

Vitamin K

25 mcg (31% DV). Vitamin K works with vitamin D and calcium to build bones, yet some multis leave K out altogether because it can interfere with blood-thinning drugs like coumadin that are used to treat heart disease. Women with healthy hearts, on the other hand, should probably add a supplement that contains about 100 mcg. WH pick: Puritan’s Pride All Natural Vitamin K (100 mcg). Take it with your vitamin D pill at dinner. The fat in your food will boost absorption.

Magnesium

50 mg (13% DV). Most women don’t get enough of this mineral that protects against heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer — and multis, including One-A-Day Women’s, don’t provide much either. Aim to get to 320 mg a day with the help of another supplement. Take it with a meal — magnesium on an empty stomach can make you queasy.

If you’re looking for the best Scottsdale Personal Trainer then make sure to give Lucas James a call at 602.400.8506!