In this Post:
Tips to prepare an effective Fitness Program
Making a fitness program is a perfect way to keep on track to reach your fitness goals! Being a certified personal trainer and holistic nutritionist I am proud to say it is my job and passion to help people stay on track to reach their goals and I fully understand not everyone is able to have a personal trainer who can push them through their workouts or tell them what to do and perfect their form! This is not a fitness plan to take home and use to workout. I created this post because I know some people get confused or lost on what to do while exercising. Use these guidelines like a bible and incorporate them into your own training! My advice is to change up your fitness program every month, to expose your body to different styles of training!
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN A FITNESS PROGRAM: - Resistance/Strength Training - Cardiovascular Training - Flexibility - Nutrition Guidelines and Sleep/Rest Training is different for every person and every body. But when it comes to science these are the 3 main factors that will ultimately bring you to your goals! When I make a fitness plan for the week I focus on strength training (weight lifting and resistance), add in cardio during certain workouts and I always take 10-15 minutes to stretch before bed every night.
RESISTANCE TRAINING
Resistance training consists of free weights (dumbbells and barbells), machines, or exercises that use your bodyweight. This type of training will build strength in the muscles and joints making it easier for you to do daily tasks and most importantly it will enhance your natural curves, shape and tone your body! Resistance training will make you feel strong and powerful which is why you should never skip resistance training. I REPEATE DONT EVER SKIP RESISTANCE TRAINING. Haha, many women are scared this will make them looking mainly. But truly resistance training is designed to build lean toned muscle WHILE burning fat. It's like hitting 2 birds with one stone, or getting 2 donuts at the donut shop on cheat day! HOW OFTEN 3 X per week. Like I said earlier every body is different but resistance training is recommended for most people 3 times per week. HOW MANY SETS AND REPS 3 sets, 8 - 12 reps. Depending on your fitness level your rep range may vary. Beginner lifters stick to a 8-10 rep range. Intermediate lifters stick to a 10-12 rep range.
TIP Alternate your upper and lower body during your workouts. This increases blood flow and fat loss!
CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING
Cardiovascular training consists of cardiovascular demand on the heart and is beneficial for the nervous system. Cardio training can be used in many different ways. It can help you loose weight, gain muscle, improve balance and induce a healthy heart rate level. There are many different style of cardio but not all cardio styles are good for everyone. It is important to be doing the right type of cardio training, otherwise it can put your body out of wack by messing up your hormones, metabolism and may even degrade your muscles. You see those cardio crazy people who look quite unhealthy? That is what I am talking about! If you are interested in what training styles are best for you, please email me at emma.troupe@hotmail.com for more information about my online programs and services. But lets get back to the benefits! Cardiovascular training will put demand on the heart making blood flow increase, this will help with the elimination of toxins and inflammatory products that are in your body. Find what type of cardio works for you and do it. Whether it is running or a fast walk on the treadmill, walking in the park, going for a bike ride, doing HIIT style workouts etc. There are so many different cardio styles its all a matter of finding what is best for you and your body type, also to find the enjoyment in it! HOW OFTEN 2 X per week. Cardiovascular training is recommended 2 times per week for most people. HOW LONG 45 minutes - 1 hour. There is no need to push, push and over due cardio. As long as you are making that hour effective, keep it to that!
FLEXIBILITY
Working on flexibility is actually one of my favorite things to do (as weird as that sounds). By taking the time to stretch after your workouts and before bed the flexibility of your muscles will be drastically improved, you will be creating more space in the muscles and joints to create more room for your muscles to grow, build and change! Stretching helps growth and repair of your muscles, all while relaxing the nervous system, body and mind. Start by stretching the larger muscles like your chest, back, hips, core and legs, Then move your way into the smaller muscles like your arms, wrist, ankles and neck. You feel revitalized after having a good stretch!
Some tips to keep in mind while you are stretching: Do your stretches every day Incorporate them into your weekly fitness plan Hold for 30-45 seconds Do each stretch twice Get deeper into your stretch Breathe while you are stretching to let the flow of oxygen go into the muscle and help relieve the tension
NUTRITION/SLEEP
NUTRITION I think more and more people are becoming aware of the extremely close relationship between fitness, nutrition and sleep. You must work on your nutrition along with your fitness. Nutrition = 80% Fitness = 20 %. To me nutrition should be the main thing people focus on! What we put in our bodies is what will fuel our organs, our systems, our brain, our cells, our muscles, our skin.. I could go on forever! If you are putting crap into your body on the regular how do you expect to get anywhere close to your fitness goals? I try to make it very clear to my clients how important eating right is and teach them the importance of getting adequate amounts of important macro-nutrients like protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats! If you are interested in nutrition programs, guidelines and services please email me at emma.troupe@hotmail.com for more information or head to my blog of TONS of nutrition tips and recipes.
There is no need to go on a strict diet and completely eliminate things you love. Moderation is key! Eat whole, healthy foods that are nutrient dense, fresh and colorful! This is the best way to eat, it is eating right. Avoid boxed foods, white flour, artificial sugars and processed oils and fats. These are the foods that will feed fat cells in the unwanted areas on the body! So, simple and clear - STAY CLEAR of these foods and stick to whole foods! SLEEP Now for SLEEP TALK. Yes sleep, don't we love it? Sleep and rest is actually 100% critical for the proper functioning of our bodies. Our brain and heart, every cell, organ, system and muscle needs good rest! For those who are exercising regularly - you must get an adequate amount of sleep every night. When you exercise you create tiny micro tears in your muscle fibers (that's one of the reasons why you are sore after a workout), it is critical to fuel these tears with proper nutrition and rest so they can repair and build! Getting approximately 8-9 hours every night is recommended for everyone. Leaving yourself 2 days of full rest with no exercise.
We all have different body types and what works for one may not work for the other. But learning from your body is a great way to see what you are capable of and I promise you will be so proud of yourself and what you can accomplish! Find what type of exercise works for you and if there is something you feel like you cant do... just practice and work your way there and watch what will happen! You will nail it with the help of yourself as a little motivation! Try new and different exercises to challenge yourself and strengthen your muscles in different ways. Train your body in the best ways you can that feel most comfortable and use these tips to reach your goals!
Looking for a more 1 on 1 service?
Email myself Emma Troupe CNP, PT at emma.troupe@hotmail.com for more information.