It's finally dawned on you that despite working out everyday, you are not getting anywhere. Where is it that you're going wrong? Are you aware of the right principals that go into meeting your specific goal? Stop to think for a moment. Here's a quick checklist you can run through to figure out what you need to rectify.
TOO COOL
No warm up, sudden start
The body has to prepare for the routine that is to follow thus a warm-up phase is absolutely essential prior to the workout. Jump-starting this period will only lead to sudden muscle pulls and tendons tears, and terrorise the body. Also if you've had some gaps in your workout, do not presume that you can restart at the same pace. Be sensible and gradually ease into your exercise schedule.
TOO MUCH
Weight without enough experience
There is a keen, competitive, eagerness to ape the guy framed on the poster staring right in front of you. He has probably taken ages to get there and is on the wall to inspire you not wrestle with you in direct competition. Be realistic in your goal setting and aim to achieve one milestone at a time. Chart your progress and reward your successes amply.
TOO LITTLE
Importance on cardio-vascular work
You may be keen on building brawn but must also consider aerobic workouts significant enough. Do not carry the false belief that you will lose much of what you have worked for in the first place. Each effort, involving muscle building, heart and lung efficiency and increase in flexibility, work on different principles. And each of them requires that they be trained separately. A well-balanced program will give you much better long-term results and will make you feel fitter rather than just look fit.
TOO LATE
Close to dinner
Life in the fast lane today leaves us with very little time for ourselves. But there are some who manage to spend a couple of hours over a heavy-duty routine in the gym even way past 10.00 pm. However, working out too close to your bedtime will leave you charged up and will interfere in the quality of sleep.
TOO FAST
Control rather than momentum
Rather than mindlessly pumping weights at the pace of a racehorse, if you were to think about engaging the muscle (when contracting it during the exercise) EVEN when you are not using an iota of weight, you can specifically work that muscle more effectively. The idea is to target the muscle and work with concentration not speed, control not momentum.
TOO SOON
No less than 48 hours gap
A common fallacy people have, is to work at the same muscle or muscle group day after day, in the fear that if you don't use it you'll lose it. This fear has no grounding because muscle need time to repair, recover and the benefits take place during the rest period. At least 48 hours between your last work on that muscle/group is what's required.
TOO MANY
Sets for the same muscle / group
Endlessly working on the same biceps or abdominal muscle is just a waste of time. A minimum of 8 or 12 or 18 repetitions done in two to three sets is all you really need. Use the rest of the time in a fruitful manner by training on the treadmill or cycle or work on improving your flexibility instead.
TOO CONFUSED
With breathing
Just remember the EX-EX principal, breathe out or exhale on the exertion, when you are contracting a muscle. Inhale when you have finished the move.
TOO HOT
Cool down and stretch
Do not walk away without working at getting the original length of the muscles back in order. The easiest way is by stretching them of course! And remember that weight training involves bursts of energy that heat the body. There is a very strong need for the body to be brought back to homeostasis for it to benefit entirely from the hard work you have put in.
TOO STALE
Vary your program
Do not get stuck in a rut and go over the same exercises week after week. The body gets accustomed to a certain routine and then does not produce the required results. Instead, keep the body guessing by frequently changing the equipment (dumbbells instead of barbell), the stances (standing rather than sitting, sitting rather than lying). This requires a small amount of ingenuity but is worth the while in the long run. Variety training will keep the body on its toes and you will achieve more stunning results in no time!
Overcome these barriers and there'll be no stopping you!
Meat Myths
You are an avid meat eater whose meals are incomplete without the addition of meat. You firmly believe that eating meat is necessary for a healthy life as it is the richest source of proteins and good quality amino acid. No other food can provide you with the same quality nutrition. Vegetarians are losing out on vital nutrients because they don't eat meat.
If you believe in any of the above, then it's time for you to do a reality check. It's true that meat is an excellent source of protein, but it's not the only food rich in proteins. In fact, vegetarian foods compare very well with meats. Many of us continue to eat meat out of ignorance because we don't know any better. This article aims at dispelling certain myths regarding meats.
* You need to eat meat to be healthy. This is totally baseless. You think you need meat because of its proteins but many other non-meat foods like cheese, beans and groundnuts have more proteins per ounce than a burger stuffed with ham. Do you believe that you need to consume a lot of proteins? That is a misconception. The truth is that the pulses, cereals, milk, vegetables and nuts that you eat provide you with sufficient proteins to meet your body's requirements. Moreover, these proteins are easier for your body to assimilate as well as free of any micro- organisms that can invade your health and that are found in meat. At the same time vegetarian foods are cholesterol free and hence healthy for heart as compared to meats.
* Your meal is incomplete without meats. How does meat get its typical taste? It is because of the seasonings and condiments that you add to the meat while cooking. Substitute the meat with some vegetarian products using the same flavourings and you will get the same meat-like taste. Try veggie burgers with the same seasoning as meat or cook soy nuggets the same way and you will find your meal as tasty, if not more than if you had included meat.
* It is okay to consume fish and eggs. Most of us believe that red meat can be harmful, but it is perfectly fine to consume fish and eggs. But all fish do not have the same properties. Do you know which fish is rich in fat and cholesterol and which is not? For all you know, you may be just loading yourself with cholesterol out of ignorance. Egg yolk is also a very rich source of cholesterol. Hence it can also be equally unhealthy.
* It is difficult to start a vegetarian diet. Turning vegetarian is not difficult, but the only thing is to avoid the temptation of giving in to eating meat. Think about the health benefits of eating a vegetarian diet and you'll never want to eat meat again. They not only have a longer shelf life but are also easier to prepare requiring relatively little oil and spices. The health benefits of a vegetarian diet far outnumber that of a non-vegetarian diet.
* Vegetarians are weaker than non-vegetarians. This is a complete myth. There is absolutely no evidence to support this. Vegetarian food gives you sufficient calories, proteins and other vitamins and minerals that are able to meet the requirements of your body. At the same time, a vegetarian diet provides you with various nutrients and non-nutrients that protect you from diseases. This is lacking in non-vegetarian foods, thus making you more prone to heart diseases. Hence it is a fallacy that vegetarians are weaker.
So the next time you eat meat, remember that all the nutrients that you need come from plants and cereals and not meat. Thus meat is not a necessary food for life. This does not imply that you stop consuming it, but do get rid of all the myths that you believed in. Vegetarian food is equally healthy. So if you have been chomping on that juicy red steak because of health compulsions, it's time to bite into something else.
If you believe in any of the above, then it's time for you to do a reality check. It's true that meat is an excellent source of protein, but it's not the only food rich in proteins. In fact, vegetarian foods compare very well with meats. Many of us continue to eat meat out of ignorance because we don't know any better. This article aims at dispelling certain myths regarding meats.
* You need to eat meat to be healthy. This is totally baseless. You think you need meat because of its proteins but many other non-meat foods like cheese, beans and groundnuts have more proteins per ounce than a burger stuffed with ham. Do you believe that you need to consume a lot of proteins? That is a misconception. The truth is that the pulses, cereals, milk, vegetables and nuts that you eat provide you with sufficient proteins to meet your body's requirements. Moreover, these proteins are easier for your body to assimilate as well as free of any micro- organisms that can invade your health and that are found in meat. At the same time vegetarian foods are cholesterol free and hence healthy for heart as compared to meats.
* Your meal is incomplete without meats. How does meat get its typical taste? It is because of the seasonings and condiments that you add to the meat while cooking. Substitute the meat with some vegetarian products using the same flavourings and you will get the same meat-like taste. Try veggie burgers with the same seasoning as meat or cook soy nuggets the same way and you will find your meal as tasty, if not more than if you had included meat.
* It is okay to consume fish and eggs. Most of us believe that red meat can be harmful, but it is perfectly fine to consume fish and eggs. But all fish do not have the same properties. Do you know which fish is rich in fat and cholesterol and which is not? For all you know, you may be just loading yourself with cholesterol out of ignorance. Egg yolk is also a very rich source of cholesterol. Hence it can also be equally unhealthy.
* It is difficult to start a vegetarian diet. Turning vegetarian is not difficult, but the only thing is to avoid the temptation of giving in to eating meat. Think about the health benefits of eating a vegetarian diet and you'll never want to eat meat again. They not only have a longer shelf life but are also easier to prepare requiring relatively little oil and spices. The health benefits of a vegetarian diet far outnumber that of a non-vegetarian diet.
* Vegetarians are weaker than non-vegetarians. This is a complete myth. There is absolutely no evidence to support this. Vegetarian food gives you sufficient calories, proteins and other vitamins and minerals that are able to meet the requirements of your body. At the same time, a vegetarian diet provides you with various nutrients and non-nutrients that protect you from diseases. This is lacking in non-vegetarian foods, thus making you more prone to heart diseases. Hence it is a fallacy that vegetarians are weaker.
So the next time you eat meat, remember that all the nutrients that you need come from plants and cereals and not meat. Thus meat is not a necessary food for life. This does not imply that you stop consuming it, but do get rid of all the myths that you believed in. Vegetarian food is equally healthy. So if you have been chomping on that juicy red steak because of health compulsions, it's time to bite into something else.
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