Fit: 234 Resolutions, Change Your Training and What’s Your Motivation for the New Year

Resolutions, training changes and motivation for the New Year!

New Year Survey (of course!)  Click here to take it!

Year in review, how did you do?  Did you actually write resolutions or goals last year? If you did can you find them?

Did you write them in your calendar, fitness log, on a Facebook post or what?

Here’s another question….Have you had the same resolution each year?

Maybe its time to change your focus to … resolutions that have nothing to do with your body, weight or training. Here’s a few suggestions:

• learn something new
• help someone
• get organized
• clean out closet
• break a bad habit

Put your goals or resolutions out there for all of us to keep you accountable! Post one on Facebook or Twitter or send an email to your closest friend or me!!

 

MOTIVATION
For the New Year, ask yourself…“Why am I training?”

Are you training for a competition, for health, for looks, for what? It’s extremely important to answer your “why” question honestly!

You may find that your “why” changes every few months. For example, in the Fall/Winter, your “why am I training?” might be answered with, “I want to maintain my metabolism and progress through the holidays.” In the Spring, it might be “ I want to get tighter for bathing suit season. In the Summer, it might be, “I want to enjoy outdoor activities like water skiing and mountain biking as my workouts.”

I use Cycles when creating an exercise program. Cycles are a period of time that you use an exercise routine before you change it.  Your exercise routine is only good for as long as it takes your body to adapt to it. Your question could also be “Why am I training this Cycle?”

Exercise Cycle time for various fitness levels:

• Beginner Cycles:  4-6 weeks
• Intermediate Cycles: 3-4 weeks
• Advanced Cycles:  2-4 weeks

Some examples of why you may be training this cycle, or what to focus on in this current cycle would be:

• Get stronger in my compound lifts such as squats, bench press and deadlifts
• Eat scheduled meals
• Be consistent with workouts
• Commit to training calves two times a week

These Cycles are what I use with myself, my clients and on Clubfit as well as QFC (QuickFitClub).

The Clubfit cycles are four (4) weeks.  Most of the workouts can be done at the gym or home, and you have printable workout logs that have photos of the exercises and a place to record your weights.

QFC (QuickFitClub) has cycles of 2-4 weeks. These are video workouts that you follow at home. Usually these workouts are shorter than your average gym workout.

Speaking of  QFC (QuickFitClub), I thought it was ready to launch, but I am not thrilled with the latest production.  The workouts are solid, but I’m picky on the background, the music, me etc.  and am not over the top thrilled. Which makes me ponder the following question……

Which is more important to you:

• A solid, effective workout

OR

• A pretty set with nice music

Tell me and Leave your thoughts in the comments below or on the QFC (QuickFitClub) website!

 

TRAINING
How often do you change your training program?
Do you really think that the same exercises over and over will change your body?
Do you fall for the advertising that tells you legs lifts for 3 minutes a day will get you a flat tummy? (I swear I just saw this link on twitter!)

What are your personal thoughts on the right training program?

My philosophy is that getting in shape isn’t hard, doesn’t require hours of exercise or grueling diets, it just requires you do the right exercises,  the right way.

And yes, that means weight training should be your priority over cardio. Face it, cardio you can do anywhere, any time, but weights, and more specifically, progressively heavier weights, are not so easy to do anywhere.

Weight training and the strength it develops when done correctly are the keys to weight control, weight management and basically eating what you want without worrying about weight gain!!

I know this for a fact because I have lived this and the women that have taken my advice and my clients have too! They realize how wrong they were in the past to focus purely on cardio.

You’ll find that Clubfit as well as QFC (QuickFitClub) workouts focus on weight training.  They also use a workout tempo that provides cardio and fat burning while you strengthen and tone!

I’ll never understand those who say they want to “lose the weight, then tone.”  Why take twice as long when you can do both at the same time and get to your goal faster!! Really!? Someone tell me why people still think this way!!!!

NUTRITION
Little changes add up! Here are some swaps to replace sugar:

• apple sauce
• stevia sweetener
• vanilla extract (or other: check maple or almond extract)
• honey
• maple syrup

Remember: here’s what I want you to do!
Share your resolutions from last year and / or this year with me via comments, email or social media! Let me help you stay accountable and reach your goals this year!

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