All posts by Danny

Exercising with a partner is fun. You have someone to compete against and someone to hold you accountable for continuing to train. Unfortunately there comes a time when you find yourself without a person to accompany you but you still want to stay in shape. When you find yourself in this situation, the key is self-motivation. Motivating yourself can be difficult, but the results you get are really worth it.

An important key to staying motivated is knowing – with or without a partner – that you want to keep staying healthy. Although sometimes this is not enough. There are times when you need that extra help to stay focused on your goal.

6 tips to stay motivated when you exercise alone

The question is: How do you stay motivated to keep training as hard as you can, when no one is there to force you to do it?

Here are some strategies you can implement to stay motivated when you don’t have a suitable training partner.

1. Set a schedule and stick to it

When you train alone, there is no one to call you and remind you of the gym session. Create a schedule in which you will put the days and hours you want to exercise. You must commit to your schedule! The schedule will not be entirely tentative. Treat it like it’s your job. You have a schedule and you have to stick to it. The same should apply to your exercise routine. In addition to sticking to your schedule, it’s also helpful to keep track of your workouts. A written record of your body measurements and body fat percentage can help you stay motivated. You will see the results on paper even if you don’t see them in the mirror.

2. Don’t train just for your appearance

Exercising has a positive effect on your appearance. People will start to notice the difference. The clothes will fit you better. But there will come a time when you will hit a plateau and need something else to keep going. Focus on building a stronger body. Concentrate on pushing your body to be in the best shape possible. Do workouts you’ve never been able to do. If you’ve only been able to run one kilometer, then press to run two. Have you always dreamed of reaching a certain body percentage? Work toward that goal. Once you start accomplishing new feats, you’ll want to keep improving.

3. Bet on yourself

Another way to make your workouts more interesting is to put money into it. Write a check for an amount that makes you cringe, then give it to someone you know and trust. You can also write the check to a charity. The key is to be responsible and complete the goal you chose to work towards. When you complete the objective, you receive your check back. If you don’t, your friend can keep it or give it to an NGO. This strategy can also be used to compete in an event. The thought of losing money should be enough to stimulate you.

4. Create goals

When you work day after day on your own without a coach or partner to push you, it’s easier to give up what you’re doing. This is why you should create goals for yourself.

Your training goals can be anything, big or small: you may be aiming to lift 80 kilos on the bench press or do 15 kilometers on the treadmill.

Signing up for some kind of race or event can also be a good goal and is motivating. I did a triathlon once and it was amazing, a lot of people also enjoy challenging themselves with a half marathon. Do whatever feels fun to you.

Goals will keep you motivated because you will always be working towards something tangible instead of just exercising because you know you should be.

5. Give yourself rewards

No, you shouldn’t eat a candy bar every time you hit the gym (an easy way to stop or reverse the progress you want to make), but giving yourself a tangible reward for exercising can be a great motivator.

This advice is very similar to point 3. Try to set a number of days for which you want to exercise and give yourself some kind of reward when you meet your goal. This could be a nice dinner, a new piece of home exercise equipment you’ve been looking at, new training shoes, or something else entirely.

Just make sure your reward is motivating enough that you really want it. A kale salad at the end of your desired training period probably won’t help.

6. Find a community on the internet

The Internet allows you to find like-minded people all over the world. You may not have a training partner, but you can still have others with you on your journey. There are blogs, websites, forums, and social media pages for any interest. Cycling, running, boxing, weightlifting or CrossFit, you can find people to connect with and share your stories.

The lack of a training partner should never be an excuse to abandon your workouts. With proper planning and internal guidance, you can achieve your goals on your own.

Traveling is a perfect way to enjoy time with minimal disturbances in a different environment. Although you should forget about the common factors that cause you stress while traveling, you don’t have to abandon your training routine.

Taking a vacation is a great way to relax, have new experiences, meet new people, and most importantly, review your life and accomplishments.

However, no one wants to take a vacation and gain a few extra pounds in a short period of time by not doing regular workouts. Unfortunately most people tend to forget to pay attention to their diet or have an exercise plan when traveling to a new environment.

They often want to lie down on warm benches or walk along the beaches enjoying good drinks during the day and sinful snacks at night.

You will gain excess weight if you do not exercise and continue to eat salty foods and incredible desserts in famous exotic restaurants.

How to stay in shape while you travel

Sticking with your training plan while visiting new places can enhance your travel experience.

If you exercise regularly, your body is most likely used to the great feeling that training produces. Instead of depriving your body of that favor and gaining weight, try doing your favorite exercise whether it’s lifting weights, running, jogging, swimming, walking, or spinning.

It is also important to stick to your training plan. Unfortunately maintaining an exercise routine while traveling is quite difficult especially as each day brings new experiences.

Additionally, training equipment may not be available in your new location, while the different atmosphere in most travel destinations seems to discourage exercise. If you can’t stick to a routine program, be sure to exercise regularly without following any plans.

Before visiting any travel destination, find out more about the place including the availability of exercise facilities. For example, if you like swimming, you will appreciate visiting areas with pools or large areas of water. Similarly, those who like to run, climb mountains or lift weights can choose a travel destination that favors these activities.

Here are 6 powerful ways to train and stay fit while traveling:

1. Take your exercise equipment

Trying to save space by leaving your workout clothes will not do you any good. Always pack your training gear and shoes when traveling to a new environment.

If you have enough transport space, you can also travel with exercise equipment. In case of space limitations, you can consider smaller equipment such as jumping rope. It’s better to have extra weight in your travel bag rather than gaining a few pounds.

2. Start practicing sooner

You should start exercising before traveling. If you get used to routine workouts before taking a trip, you’ll feel compelled to continue that trend when traveling.

When training facilities are not available at the destination while physical exercise equipment seems impossible, you can still burn calories through lunges, sit-ups, push-ups, and individual squats.

3. Learn more about the destination

You need to inquire about the availability of facilities that facilitate your favorite workouts. For example, if you like running, research the availability of running trails at your travel destination.

If you attend aerobics or spinning classes, locate public gyms before you travel. Similarly, those who like to lift weights should find gyms and evaluate training schedules.

You can also change slightly and look for parks and natural settings where you can exercise without any equipment. However, you should choose a workout that you are familiar with as trying new things can be daunting.

If you are adventurous, you can try new activities such as water skiing, along with the usual workouts.

4. Combine training with proper eating habits

Travel is often associated with new types of food which makes eating healthy a challenge for most travelers.

Fortunately, major travel agencies can make arrangements with reputable restaurants for healthier meals. You should also eat more fruits and vegetables, especially the varieties that are not available in your area of ​​origin.

5. Exercise and have fun with others

Exercising with others makes you more responsible. Therefore you should ask for a friend or spouse to accompany you on a training excursion. You will surely be motivated to keep up when you exercise with others.

You are also likely to meet new people and make friends while enjoying exercise.

Also exercising should give you relaxing moments. Take some time to enjoy a bath, walk, massage, and other favorite activities as they all come down to improving your fitness. The combination of physical training and mental exercises ensures a good general physical condition.

If you keep these tips, you are likely to have a wonderful travel experience.

6. Do calisthenic workouts

Don’t underestimate bodyweight workouts!

There are a ton of different calisthenics you can do; You can even come up with your own variations and they require little to no equipment. All you’ll need is a nearby tree or bar to do pull-ups.

Here is an impressive list of the most basic calisthenics exercises in their raw form:

• Dominated.
• Lizards.
• Backgrounds.
• Squats.

You don’t need much more than that. Only choose a different variation when the original is too easy to progress further.

Summary

A quick summary on how to stay fit on the go:

1. Bring your exercise equipment.
2. Start practicing earlier.
3. Learn more about the destination.
4. Combine training with proper eating habits.
5. Exercise and have fun with others.
6. Do calisthenic workouts.

Are you going to travel soon? Has this given you any good tips to keep fit? Leave a comment below.

Incorrect training and nutrition strategies can slow down your metabolism. Here you will find how to change it and put it at full throttle!

We all have that friend who seems to be able to eat whatever food he wants but still maintains a six-pack all year long. They don’t count calories; they do not put limits on their diet. Oh, how we secretly dislike that person!

The rest of us are forced to spend hours in the gym each week just to keep our waists in check. By the time we relax a bit – even for just a few days, fat accumulates in all the wrong places.

Let me start by giving you good news: You can increase your metabolism! Probably not at the same level as your enemy … I say friend, but enough to help you feel less anxious for wanting to eat a cheesecake.

What is metabolism?

Your metabolism (or to make it more precise your resting metabolic rate) refers to the number of calories you burn in a state of rest (while sitting, lying down or sleeping). These calories are expended to carry out essential survival functions such as respiration, blood circulation, and the supply of oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

Your metabolism accounts for up to 70 percent of the calories you burn per day. The higher your metabolism, the more calories you will burn. This means that you may be able to eat more calories than a person of similar height and maintain your weight better. And when you are dieting this means that you may be able to eat more calories than other people and be able to lose weight, which makes you happier and less hungry. No wonder a “fast” metabolism is so desirable!

Factors that you can and cannot control

Your resting metabolic rate is influenced by several factors that are not modifiable. These include your age, height, gender, and genetics. As you age, your metabolism greatly slows due to a decrease in lean mass. That means as you age your body requires fewer calories to maintain your weight than it did the previous year, everything else is the same. Therefore, if you do not alter your exercise and your eating habits, it is very likely that you will gain weight.

Your body regardless of its muscle mass is another factor that affects your metabolism beyond your control. The larger your body size, the faster your metabolism, since your body needs to expend more energy to carry out essential functions in a larger area. And of course, genetics play a role in everything, so even if you are the same age and size as someone else, your metabolic rates can still differ significantly.

Fortunately, your muscle mass also greatly influences your metabolism. And you can directly influence the amount of muscle mass you have through your eating and exercise habits. Skeletal muscle is an energetically expensive tissue, which essentially means that your body expends a significant amount of energy (calories) to maintain it. If you were to measure the metabolic rates of two people of the same size but with different body compositions, you would likely see different metabolic values. By eating and training to optimize muscle growth, you can speed up your metabolism.

Strategies to accelerate metabolism

1. Train with weights on a regular basis

Resistance training induces muscle damage which is necessary for muscle growth to occur. A study published in “Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise” found that subjects who trained regularly for six months experienced a 7 percent increase in their resting metabolic rate. But you don’t have to wait that long to see a boost in your metabolism – vigorous resistance training can raise your metabolic rate by almost as much as 11-12 percent for two hours after training, and even 9 percent for up to 15 hours afterward. training.

To take full advantage of the benefits of resistance training, make sure your workouts target the major skeletal muscle groups with movements that span multiple muscles and with multiple sets, often approximately 8-12 reps, and even in a range of 12-20 at times.

2. Choose high intensity exercises or HIIT

The style of exercise you choose also has a big impact on your metabolic rate. After completing a high intensity exercise session – think interval or circuit-style resistance training – your oxygen consumption (sometimes referred to as Post Exercise Oxygen Excess or EPOC) rises in an attempt to replace used substrates. during exercise. This increased EPOC raises energy expenditure potentially up to 24-48 hours later, further affecting your metabolic rate long after you’ve finished the training section.

3. Eat enough protein

The consumption of dietary protein directly triggers muscle growth and repair. To maximize the muscle-building response from protein, it’s important that you’re not only eating enough, but that you eat it frequently throughout the day. Remember that the amount of muscle mass you have has an impact on your metabolic rate; To boost your metabolism it makes sense to prioritize protein intake appropriately throughout the day.

In addition to eating enough protein at each meal, it is advantageous to divide protein evenly across multiple meals rather than in just 1-2 large meals and in some protein-poor meals. To maximize muscle growth and protein repair response, you must meet a minimum threshold every few hours, which for most of us is 25 to 35 grams of high-quality protein.

4. Stop dieting all year long

Long-term dieting can negatively affect your metabolism as it causes your body to start conserving energy, which slows down your metabolism. Long-term dieting has been shown to negatively affect your total daily energy expenditure by reducing the number of calories you burn per day. For each week you diet, make it a goal to go at least many weeks without dieting. This will help you provide adequate time for your metabolism to be restored to pre-diet levels and allow enough time to build muscle mass. Ideally, the longer you can spend away from a calorie deficit, the better the impact it will have on muscle mass and ultimately your metabolism.

You probably joined a gym a couple of weeks ago and are now wondering when you should start taking supplements.

Maybe you are too reluctant to ask other people what they are drinking and ask yourself if should you start buying those powders or pills too?

In fact, some supplements can be helpful in speeding up your training for a leaner, more muscular physique. However, there are many things you should consider first before making any purchase.

As far as you know, those glossy ads on the pages of fitness magazines or websites that you’ve been searching repeatedly for the past few days are hype and a terrible waste of your hard-earned money.

Before I can answer the question of when you should start taking supplements, there are other concerns you need to address first

Why do you need to take supplements?

If you have the right diet, a comprehensive training program and a healthy and complete lifestyle, you can get in good physical shape without taking a single gram of sports nutrition . You just need to persistently sculpt your body in the most natural way possible.

However, if you are looking for a radical transformation of the body from flabby or skinny to fully muscular in the shortest amount of time possible, then you might consider taking so-called fat burners, muscle builders or athletic performance enhancers.

Just make sure that any clinically formulated product you take has already been shown to be safe and effective, so you better do your research. Some unbiased advice forum on the internet can be helpful before making your decisions.

What are the supplements you should consider?

Keep in mind that you are only supplementing because you have already determined that your diet does not provide you with large amounts of natural substances that optimize muscle growth and preservation. In addition to the reduction of visceral and subcutaneous fat in the midsection.

What you need are supplements that increase your energy and endurance for intensive training, in addition to increasing the rate of protein synthesis and circulation of nitric oxide in skeletal muscles and help in the recovery, repair and development of myofibrils or strands of muscle proteins.

These are some of the basic supplements that can catalyze these functions:

1. Creatine

While this nitrogenous acid can be produced by your own body and can also be obtained from protein-rich foods such as beef, salmon, and eggs, your body may use higher amounts during weight or resistance training .

It is due to its essential role in the production of adenosine triphosphate or ATP, which is the main source of muscle energy for flexion and contraction.

It’s no wonder this supplement is the most popular for bodybuilders and athletes who require brute force or a sudden burst of energy during training and competitions like gymnasts, wrestling runners, and soccer players.

Creatine is widely accepted as safe and effective. In fact, it is one of the few supplements legitimately allowed by the International Olympic Committee for its contestants.

One of its perceived benefits is that it apparently stimulates satellite cell activity while increasing their monocular cells, causing muscle hypertrophy and repair of muscle fiber damage respectively.

2. Whey protein

This is one of the few organic foods that contains all 9 essential amino acids. They are said to be the building blocks of protein, the main macronutrient necessary for muscle building.

It is naturally derived from the production of cheese in which it is separated from one of the other main proteins in cow’s milk called casein. Whey is the liquid material left over after milk coagulates, while casein becomes the main component of cheese.

Other supplements that deserve your consideration include BCAAs or branched chain amino acids, glutamine, and fish oils. However, we will not delve into these substances.

How are supplements taken?

First of all, you should only take them when you already have a good training program. That is, any sports and bodybuilding supplements should be taken in conjunction and not in place of a sensible diet and stable training regimen.

These powders and pills are not like the multivitamins you take daily, whether you live an active or sedentary life. They are called bodybuilding or sports supplements for a reason. It is like having a diving team; You only use them when you go diving in the sea and not on the way to your office.

Of course, having the correct dosage is also relevant not only to get the best profit from these supplements, but also to give you the best value for your money.

When should you start taking supplements?

As mentioned above, when you already have an established exercise regimen.

In fact, if you are a newbie to bodybuilding or have been out of training for quite some time; It is best to start supplementing when you have been exercising regularly for at least 4-6 weeks .

By then your muscles will be ready for greater and faster growth.

In terms of time and frequency, it all depends on the type of supplements you are going to take. Some are best taken several minutes before going to the gym (pre-workout); some can be taken during training, while others are better after training (post-workout).

Others can still be taken in the morning or before bed.

In addition to reading the label, it is always best to consult a doctor or professional gym instructor before beginning any supplement. Especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition or are under the age of eighteen.

Conclusion

One last word: don’t be fooled by marketing hype and grandiose promises promoted by various vendors, print ads, or online. Don’t be too wowed by the long list of ingredients included in so-called proprietary blends from many suppliers.

It is likely that some of these “miracle” components have not undergone highly conclusive and unbiased clinical testing.

It’s best to stick to well-tested substances like those mentioned here, or better yet, ask people with first-hand experiences with sports supplements.

When do you think you should start taking supplements? Leave a comment below.