If you are in the market for a personal trainer, here i s some shocking news for you: you might be just as qualified as any potential trainer. With over 70 different types of certification, some of which only require an online test, the credentials of many physical trainers are suspect. In addition, there i s no guarantee that a trainer who charges more money than another offers any better services or advice. With prices ranging on average anywhere from $50 to $250 per hourly session, you might just be better off saving your money and becoming you own personal trainer. All the information necessary to live an active lifestyle, eat healthy foods, and exercise properly is available online.
> Here is a basic primer to get you started.
> Diet and Nutrition
In many cases, popular or trendy diets are just that – trends and gimmicks disguised as sound nutritional advice. They may work for a brief period of time, but then people experience diminishing returns more and more. Any effective diet should accommodate and allow for these basic principles:
- Prepare as much of your food on your own as you can. Studies consistently show that people who cook at home lose more weight and keep it off for longer than those who eat out. While there is nothing wrong with occasionally eating out, you should strive to eat as much food as possible that you have prepared yourself. It will not only help you reach your fitness goals, it should also save you money.
- To prepare your own food on a routine basis, you first need to regularly shop for healthy groceries. A good principle to follow at the grocery store is to avoid the aisles as much as possible. All the fresh meats, fish, produce, and dairy are usually found on the perimeters of grocery stores. The aisles contain a lot of packaged and processed foods that are not as nutritious.
- Practice portion control. One of the reasons regularly eating out contributes to weight gain is the ever-increasing portion size that restaurants serve. When you prepare your own meals, you are more in control of not only what you eat, but how much you eat.
- Load up on fruits, veggies and protein. Whenever possible, try to fill at least half your plate with these foods. Fruits and vegetables not only contain lots of vitamins and minerals, but they are also full of water and fiber, which helps you feel full. Eating protein helps you build lean muscle, which in turn burns more calories than the same amount of fat on your body.
Remember, no single diet has been proven to work for all people, all the time. Be suspicious of diets that make you eliminate certain foods altogether. The purpose of a diet is not to impose ironclad rules, but rather suggest general guidelines that help you achieve your fitness goals.
> Exercises at home
You do not need a gym membership or expensive exercise equipment to get an effective workout or achieve your fitness goals. In fact, your own body is one of the most effective, multi-purpose pieces of exercise equipment there is. You can use your body’s own resistance to tone and strengthen muscle groups. When creating an at-home exercise regimen, be sure to incorporate a 10 to 20 minute warm-up to ensure that your muscles are nice and loose. This reduces the chance of strains, pulls, and other injuries. When you are done exercising, cool-down with some light stretching for 10 to 20 minutes to flush the lactic acid out of your muscles and increase overall flexibility.
> Exercises at the gym
If you have access to a well-equipped gym, then your workouts are only limited by your time and imagination. Just like at home, always start a workout with a warm-up to get the heart pumping and blood circulating. Most fitness experts advise that you target just a few different muscle groups each workout and change the muscle groups targeted every workout. This will help you avoid over-exertion. Common muscle groups include the chest, arms, upper back, shoulders, legs, lower back, and abdominals. Experts also advise that you incorporate some cardiovascular exercise and stretching into every workout.
If you are trying to build muscle mass, you will want to use weights that are heavier, but still within your ability to control. Use fewer repetitions per set (no more than 12) and take a minute or two of rest in between sets. Do no more than 3 sets per exercise. If you are trying to lose weight and/or tone muscle, use smaller weights, use more repetitions per set (at least 12-15) and take less rest in between sets. Do 3-5 sets per exercise. Every once in a while, mix in a superset, which are two different exercises done back to back with minimal to no rest in between them. This increases overall workout intensity while at the same time reducing the overall duration of the workout. Be sure to do exercises that target two different muscle groups in the superset. Do not attempt two exercises in the same muscle group in a superset, or you may overexert yourself.
> Conclusion
Regardless of what your fitness goals are, before starting any exercise and nutrition program, consult a professional. Your doctor will give you sound advice that is consistent with your goals. There are also many excellent books on exercise and nutrition and the internet is an excellent resource to supplement them.
