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Complete list of health
& fitness articles
Spoiled rotten: The big 3 reasons for fitness
failure
"I want it now, now, now!"
Does this sound like the mind-numbing rant of a spoiled 7-year old in
a toy store? Sure it does, and if you've ever heard a similar dialogue
from a child, then you understand instinctively that the child in question
is all too accustomed to getting their way.
However, it may come as a surprise to you that adults of all ages and
from all walks of life exhibit very similar behavior on a regular basis
- especially when it comes to physical fitness!
It today's age of medicines, technologies, supplements, and highly advanced
exercise techniques, people have - quite mistakenly - been lead to believe
that they can have their most highly desired fitness results RIGHT NOW.
Read below to learn how this mistaken philosophy is applied on a frequent
basis when people practice the 3 basic tools of fitness: Cardiovascular
Training, Resistance Training, and Nutrition
CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING
You either don't watch TV or you don't read magazines if you've never
seen an advertisement that shows some buff young girl or guy pounding
out miles while running on a beach, or happily sweating profusely while
cruising on an elliptical or enduring an intense Spinning class.
These young models always look extremely satisfied to be working their
bodies so hard, and they also share one other common characteristic: they
are already in shape! Have you ever seen a commercial for a gym or exercise
device that showed a 5-foot, 300 lb person grinning from ear to ear?
This is a common example of how the media and fitness industry retailers
promote the mass-confusion over cardio. The ads scream messages like,
"Buy our pill, put on some sexy clothes while running on the beach,
and you'll look just as good as our models do!"
Gym owners do it, too. "Join our gym now and we'll give you one
month free! Just by joining and then attending our Award-Winning Spinning
Class, you will look just like Cindy, the Supermodel we hired to do our
commercial!"
It's ridiculous how the "powers that be" portray cardiovascular
exercise as some effortless activity that you can easily use to gain the
body of your dreams just by purchasing their product or joining their
facility.
The truth of the matter is that cardiovascular training works. The additional
truth of the matter is that it can range from moderately to intensely
difficult, and that it will take you weeks, months, or maybe even years
of combining cardio with resistance training and proper nutrition to attain
the body of your dreams.
Is that what you wanted to hear about cardio? Probably not, but it's
the truth. If you think there is some shortcut to being buff, young, tan,
and in complete control of your life, then you should go turn on the TV.
There is a commercial on right now that is just waiting for you to call
in your credit card number!
RESISTANCE TRAINING
The hype surrounding resistance training isn't quite as appalling as
the myths about cardiovascular training, but it still exists. Regardless
of what you have seen, heard, or been taught, the truth is this: everyone
needs resistance training.
It doesn't matter if your goal is to be a bodybuilder or a 90-year old
who can tie your own shoelaces, you need resistance training. Listing
the many reasons for engaging in a consistent resistance training routine
is beyond the scope of this article, but there are some myths about weight
training that need to be brought to light.
1. Weight Training makes you big and bulky. Actually, the size of your
muscles is determined primarily by your gender, the type and intensity
of your training program, and your nutrition. If you think you will just
"magically" turn into a muscle-bound athlete because you picked
up a couple of dumbbells, just ask any bodybuilder how much time, energy,
and raw will power goes into building his or her incredible physique.
It does NOT happen by accident.
2. Using any given device or exercise will "sculpt" your abs,
biceps, butt, or any other muscle. There is one thing and exactly one
thing that determines the shape of your muscles, and that is your DNA.
It is quite impossible to "sculpt" any part of your body - that
job belongs to your chosen deity. You can control the size of your muscles,
but you cannot control the shape. Anyone who says otherwise is straight
up lying.
3. Resistance training is just for men. Do you want to lose weight? Do
you want to be healthy, strong, and have a great metabolism and energy
level? Then weight training is for you. Period.
PROPER NUTRITION
You need to learn one word and one word only if you want to maximize
your nutrition program. That word is Cumulative. Cumulative means the
combined effect over the course of time.
You will not put on 5 lbs by eating a hamburger. You will likewise not
lose 5 lbs by eating celery for dinner. You will not reap the lifetime
benefits of vitamin, mineral, and fiber intake by eating fruits and vegetables
for 1 week. You will likewise not destroy your body's balance of vitamins
and minerals by straying from your nutrition program once in awhile.
Do you see where all of this is going? If you want to reap the health
and weight loss benefits of a proper nutrition program, you cannot practice
proper nutrition "once in awhile". You must consistently stick
to your nutrition program over the long term to realize the cumulative
effects. You are just kidding yourself if you think otherwise.
As you can see, Cardiovascular Training, Resistance Training, and Proper
Nutrition all play a vital role in your health and fitness program. In
addition, they work together as a team in order to keep you healthy and
on track with your fitness goals. Just practicing one or two will not
be good enough.
At this time you can make a choice. You can either choose to believe
a bunch of bald-faced lies and misleading truths about physical fitness,
or you can choose to embrace the real truth of the matter. The real truth
is that weight loss and physical fitness require time, effort, and dedication.
Remember: Anything worth having is worth working for!
About the author
Aaron Potts is a Personal Trainer and Fitness Success Coach whose
customers include consumers as well as other fitness professionals.
Sign up for a free edition of his Workout of the Month Club or his
value-packed Fitness Journal at http://www.fitnessdestinations.com,
or visit his coaching site at http://www.ptsuccesscoach.com |
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