Interval training, sometimes called high-intensity interval training (HIIT), involves a combination of high and low-intensity training within a single workout session. In this session, a higher intensity effort is followed by a lower intensity or “active recovery” period and then repeated. This type of training is in contrast to the more familiar “steady state” exercise where the intensity is much lower but longer in duration. Interval training can be  excellent for fat burning, as well as cardiovascular conditioning, but let’s have a look at some more reasons to use interval training for your cardio workouts.

Benefits of Interval Training:

1. Intervals vastly reduce boredom. Traditional steady state cardio training can become quite boring. Interval training offers more variety and excitement to your workouts.  In addition, the variable intensity nature of the exercise is more consistent with most recreation and daily activities.  Essentially, training through a much broader range of cardiovascular demands.

2. Interval training increases post-exercise energy expenditure (calories burned following exercise) more than steady-state exercise, which means that more fat is burned. After intense exercise, the body needs extra calories as it works to repair muscles, replace energy stores (i.e. carbohydrate) and restore the body to its normal state (e.g. reduce heart rate). This can take many hours so you will burn more calories long after the workout is over. While the precise duration of elevated post-exercise metabolism is debatable, research shows that metabolic rate can be higher for several hours following interval training compared to steady state exercise.

3. Interval training stimulates the respiratory system, cardiovascular system and nervous system to a greater degree. Therefore, more fat and carbohydrates are burned to support the expanding energy demands of the body during, and after intense exercise.

4. Interval training increases the activity of enzymes involved in fat burning. Research has shown that after a bout of interval training there is more fat in the blood (i.e. free fatty acids), which is an indication of more fat, being used for energy production.

 5. HIIT burns more calories. As an example, 30 minutes on an Elliptical machine using a steady state program will burn roughly 292 calories, whereas 30 minutes of intervals will burn approximately 584 calories!

6. HIIT is heart healthy and causes a greater increase in VO2max (aerobic capacity). By stimulating your cardiovascular system to work closer to its maximum capacity for a longer duration than steady state exercise.

7. HIIT allows for better time efficiency. For instance, a typical 40-minute steady state ride on a bike could be reduced to 20 minutes of HIIT, due to its demands on the aforementioned systems.

8. HIIT results in increased amounts of circulating growth hormone (GH) following exercise. This promotes an increase in lean body mass and increased fat burning. This does not occur to the same extent with steady state exercise. This is particularly beneficial for those looking to maintain their muscle mass and at the same time reduce body fat.

9. Interval training makes use of both aerobic (type 1) and anaerobic (type 2) muscle fibers. This is in contrast to steady state exercise that only makes use of type 1 fibers. By increasing the conditioning of these type 2 muscle fibers you will greatly increase your capacity to tolerate high-intensity exercise/activity, which means an increased opportunity to exercise at levels that burn more calories.

10. Because of the high-intensity of this exercise and the increased use of anaerobic type 2 muscle fibers there is an increased use of the body’s glycogen (muscle-stored carbohydrates) stores. This is very beneficial for fat loss as the body will conserve carbohydrate following exercise and thus use fat as an energy source for the body’s energy requirements. The more glycogen you use during exercise the more fat you will burn following exercise!

In addition, some other potential benefits of interval training when compared to steady state endurance training are as follows: increased anti-oxidant protection, improved immune function, reduced risk of joint wear and tear, reduced muscle wasting, increased residual metabolic rate following exercise, and an increased capacity for the heart to handle life’s every day stressors.

While interval training is certainly no substitute for properly performed strength training, it is an ideal complement and provides everything needed to achieve optimal cardiovascular health.  The Appleton Fitness for Life, Inc. staff of personal trainers develop personalized interval programs so that each individual can safely reach his or her fitness goals as quickly as possible.   In addition, the AFFL Condensed Cardio Program provides this method of trainer-directed exercise without the distractions associate with a multi-service health club and at a fraction of the cost of other personalized programs.

Remember to always consult your physician and a qualified fitness professional when starting any fitness program or changing the demands of your existing program.

“Exercise Smarter and Harder!”

What is Effective Exercise?

Effective exercise safely maximizes the known benefits of exercise without compromising health in any way.  We know that exercise, if performed properly, can improve body composition, muscular strength and endurance, bone mineral density, cardiovascular fitness, and psychological well-being.  However, many exercise protocols fail to address all these components of fitness, let alone safely. 

Exercise is simply a form of stress placed upon the body.  In order to stimulate optimal results, exercise must be demanding in nature, essentially giving the body a reason to have to adapt and improve.  The body is an economical machine that will perform this process only if the demand is greater than any previously experienced.  Progressive resistance strength training is the most effective method of placing increasingly greater demands on the body.  Using carefully selected exercise machines, the amount of resistance (weight) can be safely monitored and gradually increased.

Steady-state activities such as walking, running, cycling, and aerobics are typically not demanding enough to adequately stimulate all the body’s adaptive mechanisms.  In addition, the potential long-term consequences of such activity may include muscle atrophy, joint degeneration, and fatigue.            

Why strength Training?

Properly performed strength training is the only way to improve all of the aforementioned components of fitness.  Stronger muscles help us to perform our daily and recreational activities more efficiently and effortlessly, while also providing resistance to injury.  In addition, since the purpose of the heart and lungs is to provide oxygen and nutrients to working tissues, the most efficient way to train the cardiovascular system is through the most efficient way to train the muscles… 

Slow-Motion Strength Training!

Why slow-motion strength training?

Slow-motion training is high-intensity circuit strength training, which emphasizes proper technique and the slow, controlled lifting and lowering of a selected resistance.  By eliminating momentum and significantly reducing dangerous impact forces, each training session will safely provide the intensity necessary to stimulate improvements in body composition, muscular strength and endurance, bone density, metabolic rate, and cardiovascular fitness.                                                                                                                                   

The safety and overall effectiveness of an exercise absolutely depend upon the speed of movement:

1. Since safety is affected by force, and force by acceleration, and acceleration by the suddenness of starting, stopping, or changing direction of movement, slower means safer.
2. Since momentum mounts with increased speed, and since momentum unloads the muscles we are trying to load for exercise, slower means better muscular loading and overall stimulation.             

How does strength training contribute to fat loss?

Beyond the age of full development (25-30 yr) adults will lose approximately a half-pound of muscle mass every year, if nothing is done to prevent it.  Strength training is the only way decelerate the loss of, maintain, or improve muscle mass.  Even if you’re running, cycling, or doing aerobics, you may still be losing muscle.  If you’re over age 30 and not strength training, you’re simply losing muscle mass (use them or lose them!).

Muscles are highly active even at rest and essentially act as the body’s fat burners.  When losing weight, most dieters who don’t strength train also lose muscle mass, which ultimately lowers the metabolic rate making it harder to lose weight and easier to gain weight when returning to a more normal diet.

If you truly want to lose body fat, strength training is the key to adding muscle, burning calories, and finally reaching your fitness goals… and what better way to strength train than slow-motion training at Appleton Fitness for Life, Inc.  

Summary

Properly performed slow-motion training is very challenging, demanding mentally, as well as physically.  However, the results can be extremely impressive, significantly greater than other programs in a fraction of the time.  Optimal results are achieved in 30-minutes no more than twice a week.    

AFFL provides the distraction-free environment necessary for optimal performance and concentration.  In addition, to other high-end exercise machines, the training studio is equipped with a full line of MedX^® variable resistance strength equipment, which is ideally suited for slow-motion exercise.  People of all ages and fitness levels will benefit tremendously through the use of such equipment in accordance with the slow-motion training protocol.  In addition, a college degreed and ACSM certified personal trainer will provide the education, supervision, motivation, and support needed to ensure a safe and effective exercise experience. 

AFFL has various programs, all of which are personalized and based on individual needs, goals, and limitations.  Even a short-term experience will teach you how to exercise more effectively and safely get the most out of your health club or home exercise program. 

“Get Fast Fitness Results With Slow-Motion Training!”

 Benefits of Interval Training: 

1. Intervals vastly reduce boredom.  Traditional steady state cardio training can become quite boring.  Interval training offers more variety and excitement to your workouts.
2. Interval training increases post-exercising energy expenditure (calories burned following exercise) more than stead-state exercise, which means that more fat is burned.  After intense exercise, the body needs extra calories as it works to repair state (e.g. reduce heart rate).  This can take many hours so you will burn more calories long after the workout is over.  In fact, research shows that metabolic rate is higher for several hours following interval compared to steady-state exercise.
3. Interval training stimulates the respiratory system, cardiovascular system and nervous system to a greater degree.  Therefore, more fat and carbohydrates are burned to support the expanding energy demands of the body during and after intense exercise.
4. Interval training increases the activity of enzymes involved in fat burning.  Research has shown that after a bout of interval training there is more fat in the blood (i.e. free fatty acids), which is an indicator of more fat being used for energy production.
5. HIIT burns more calories.  As an example, 30 minutes of an Elliptical machine using a steady-state program will burn roughly 292 calories, whereas, 30 minute of intervals will burn approximately 584 calories!!
6. HIIT is heart healthy and causes a greater increase in VO2maz (aerobic capacity).  By stimulating your cardiovascular system to work closer to its maximum capacity for a longer duration than steady-state exercise.
7. HIIT allows for better time efficiency.  For instance, a typical 40-minute steady-state ride on a bike could be reduced to 20-minutes of HIIT, due to its demands on the aforementioned systems.
8. HIIT results increased amounts of circulating growth hormone (GH) following exercise.  This promotes an increase in lean body mass and increased fat burning.  This does not occur to the same extend with steady state exercise.  This is particularly beneficial for those looking to maintain their muscle mass and at the same time reduce body fat.
9. Interval training makes use of both aerobic (type 1) and anaerobic (type 2) muscle fibers.  This is in contrast to steady-state exercise that only makes use of the type 1 fibers.  By increasing the conditioning of these type 2 muscle fibers you will greatly increase your capacity to tolerate high-intensity exercise/activity, which means an increased opportunity to exercise at levels that burn more calories
10. Because of the high intensity of this exercise and the increased use of anaerobic type 2 muscle fibers there is an increased use of the body’s glycogen (muscle-stored carbohydrates) stores.  This is very beneficial for fat loss as the body will conserve carbohydrate following exercise and thus use fat as an energy source for the body’s energy requirements.  The more glycogen you use during exercise the more fat you will burn following exercise!!
11. In addition, some of the other potential benefits of interval training when compared to steady-state endurance training are as follows:  increased anti-oxidant protection, improved immune function, reduced risk of joint wear and tear, reduced muscle wasting, increased residual metabolic rate following exercise and an increased in capacity for the heart to handle life’s every day stressors.

 **Interval training is not a substitute for properly performed resistance training, but it is an excellent complement and remains consistent with the AFFL exercise philosophy…………….

 “EXERCISE SMARTER AND HARDER!!”

At Appleton Fitness For Life, Inc. we are certain that we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals once and for all. We offer personalized training, massage therapy, spine reconditioning, and sports-specific programs - so we really do cover it all! If you are ready to begin making tremendous progress fill out the form to schedule your Free Private Consultation and get started today!

Diabetes—The Stats

Neenah area personal trainers agree – recent statistics concerning type 2 diabetes are alarming. If it seems like everyone you know knows one or more people with diabetes that is because it is very likely true. Statistics show that around seven percent of the U.S. population has diabetes…but not all of them know it. An even higher number of people have pre-diabetes, a precursor condition just steps away from full onset diabetes.

Some sobering statistics on diabetes and pre-diabetes:

• Close to 21 million people in America have diabetes
• 21 million is equivalent to 7% of the total population
• Of that 21 million, 14.6 million cases are confirmed and 6.2 remain undiagnosed—6.2 million people have diabetes and do not know it yet
• 54 million people have pre-diabetes
• People with pre-diabetes often develop diabetes within 10 years
• 1.5 million people were diagnosed with diabetes in the U.S. in the year 2005 alone
• About 3% of the population between the ages of 20 and 29 have diabetes
• About 10% of people aged 40-59 have diabetes
• About 20% of people over 60 have diabetes

These numbers continue to rise as well. However, simple lifestyle changes can do a lot to prevent diabetes, even in those people who have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes. The Neenah area personal trainers at AFFL can help you learn what kinds of changes will prevent diabetes, and for those with diabetes they can teach you how to make living with diabetes easier.

Diabetes—What A Difference A Lifestyle Makes

Poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle—two factors that have been more and more prevalent in society—are significant contributors to diabetes. By just improving diet and starting a regular exercise and fitness program, the likelihood of developing diabetes drops dramatically. Enlisting the help of the Neenah area personal trainers at AFFL may make this easier for you. For many people, again even people with pre-diabetes, a good fitness program can prevent diabetes onset entirely.

The Neenah area personal trainers at AFFL would like you to know some important things about diabetes prevention and exercise:

• One study showed that 2.5 hours of moderate exercise per week cuts diabetes risk by 58% (just a half hour per day, five days per week)
• Metabolic syndrome, a syndrome consisting of a compilation of diabetes risk factors, was more effectively prevented by lifestyle changes (diet, exercise) than by the leading prescription medication used to fight it
• Diabetes risk is lowered with just a five to seven percent reduction in body weight (when lost through diet and exercise)
• Ten to 14 pound weight loss for an average person weighing 200 pounds translated into 60% reduction in diagnosis of pre-diabetics

Diabetes is a disease that can very often be prevented entirely by changing the way you eat and live. Better nutrition and even a moderate fitness routine can keep you from falling victim to one of the leading chronic diseases, a disease that causes numerous complications and results in death due to exacerbated heart and organ disease. The Neenah personal trainers at AFFL would like you to make changes for the good now, and live long without the burden of this growing disease.

At Appleton Fitness For Life, Inc. we are certain that we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals once and for all. We offer personal training, massage therapy and sports conditioning – so we really do cover it all! If you are ready to begin making tremendous progress fill out the form to schedule your Free Private Consultation and get started today!

Why we need water

Our bodies are nearly two-thirds water; it’s in our blood, muscles, brains and even bones. This water plays a very important part of keeping our bodies healthy. It helps the body absorb nutrients and vitamins, helps digestion, detoxifies the liver and kidneys, carries away waste, helps the blood circulate, and many other important jobs. But the level of water in our bodies doesn’t stay the same; we lose water through urination, sweating, and even respiration. A Neenah personal training expert stresses that this is why it is so important to replace the water that we’ve lost.

Dangerous dehydration

Many of us wait until we’re thirsty to start drinking water, but our bodies are dehydrated long before we have the sensation of thirst. We all need to replenish the water level of our bodies over the course of the day, and this is especially important the more active we are. If we’re not drinking enough water, we can experience signs of mild dehydration like joint, muscle, or lower back pain, headaches or constipation. Another clue that you’re not getting enough water is urine that is yellow or amber in color accompanied by a strong odor. Because water helps keep the blood flowing smoothly, the blood can actually become thicker without enough water, leaving us feeling tired. These problems can only get worse over time and can cause complications with the liver and kidneys.

How to get enough water

A Neenah personal training expert suggests that the best way to estimate the amount of water you should drink over the course of a day is to divide your body weight in pounds in half. This number is how many ounces of water you should be drinking in a day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be consuming 75 ounces of water a day. You can count on about twenty percent of your water intake to come from your food, so that leaves sixty ounces of water, or around eight glasses of water a day.

A Neenah personal training expert understands that it can be difficult in the beginning to get used to drinking eight glasses of water a day if you haven’t been following this rule, but you can get your water from a variety of sources. Although the caffeine in your morning coffee is a diuretic, which can leave your body feeling like it has consumed more water than it has, your body has likely compensated for this daily dose of caffeine.

Just don’t make the mistake of replacing your entire water intake with coffee! You can also get your water from fruit or vegetable juices (as long as the juice indicates that it is 100 percent natural and not loaded up with sugar!) or flavored or sports drinks, as long as you keep an eye on the extra calorie intake. You can also get in the habit of carrying a small bottle of water with you on the go.

One other note on how much water you drink – there is such a thing as drinking too much water! Never attempt to drink all of your daily water intake in one sitting, and don’t try to overcompensate when you feel you need to catch up. Drinking too much water can result in a disorder called hyponatremia, which literally means “low sodium.” This can happen when too much water is consumed, which in turn overwhelms the kidneys that can’t process the water fast enough, forcing the sodium levels to drop. This can lead to seizures and even death. If you are interested in getting healthy with a Neenah personal training expert, contact us today!

A Neenah personal trainer says…Wrong! Breakfast is arguably the most important meal of the day. Think about it – you’ve just gone without food for twelve hours. Your body needs to refuel several times a day in order to be in top shape, especially after not having any fuel over the longest period of a twenty-four hour day. Don’t forget the roots of the word breakfast; you’re literally breaking the fast of the last twelve hours. In this article, we’ll discuss why breakfast is so important and how you can improve your health simply by having breakfast every day.

At Appleton Fitness For Life, Inc. we are certain that we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals once and for all. We offer personal training, massage therapy and sports conditioning – so we really do cover it all! If you are ready to begin making tremendous progress fill out the form to schedule your Free Private Consultation and get started today!

Why do we need breakfast?

There are plenty of reasons that our bodies function better when we’ve eaten breakfast. First of all, breakfast restores our sugar levels after not eating for up to twelve hours. We need our sugar levels to rise in order to have energy to do the things we need to accomplish during the first part of the day. Thanks to this energy boost, we are better able to concentrate on the task at hand. But the best news about breakfast is that it benefits people that are trying to improve their health and even lose weight!

It sounds too good to be true, but the fact is that breakfast also raises the metabolism, which controls how efficiently your body burns calories. Plus, it’s very hard to get in all of the nutrients your body needs by only relying on two meals a day. Finally, people that eat breakfast are much less likely to be tempted by snacks in the middle of the morning…nothing makes a Neenah personal trainer happier! Even the smallest snack that you can find in the vending machine at work is likely to be higher in fat and calories than what you could have consumed in a healthy breakfast, and not nearly as filling.

A balanced breakfast

Ideally, a balanced breakfast includes protein, grains, fruits or vegetables and dairy. This sounds like a tall order for someone that hasn’t been in the habit of eating breakfast, but it’s okay to start off slowly by adding one thing from each group in the beginning and build your way up to a balanced breakfast. A simple breakfast could include a hard boiled egg, a glass of orange juice, and a bowl of cereal with whole grains with milk.

No more excuses!

Those that haven’t been in the habit of eating breakfast may find it difficult in the beginning, but there simply aren’t any more acceptable excuses for skipping this important meal. You don’t have the time? Breakfast doesn’t have to be a formal occasion; there are plenty of breakfast foods that can be eaten on the run, like cereal bars, fruit, and there are even healthy alternatives offered at most fast food restaurants, such as bagels or English muffins. You don’t like traditional breakfast fare? That’s alright, too. You can get the same benefits by eating a veggie breakfast burrito, crackers and cottage cheese, a baked potato, and even a slice of cold vegetable pizza with a glass of milk is beneficial…not every Neenah personal trainer will tell you that!

Even if you just don’t like eating in the morning, try breaking up your breakfast into two smaller meals. For example, you could eat a hard boiled egg and a glass of juice before you leave for work, and take a break at the office an hour later to eat an apple and a handful of pecans.

It is widely accepted today that children that eat breakfast do better in school, because they are better able to concentrate and are less likely to be tired by the middle of the morning. It looks like these clever kids could teach us a thing or two! If you are ready to take your health and fitness seriously, contact a Neenah personal trainer to get started!

At Appleton Fitness For Life, Inc. we are certain that we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals once and for all. We offer personal training, massage therapy and sports conditioning – so we really do cover it all! If you are ready to begin making tremendous progress fill out the form to schedule your Free Private Consultation and get started today!

Beneficial for Weight Loss

Strength training is a very important factor in weight loss because the metabolism is increased as muscle is increased. The metabolism is the rate in which calories are consumed, and the rate and efficiency of the metabolism is greatly increased depending on how much muscle is present in the body. Simply put, the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn. It has been estimated that for every pound of muscle, the body will burn 35 to 50 more calories a day. This not only helps reduce fat, but helps keep it off.

Helps Prevent Osteoporosis

Not only can strength training help with losing weight, it can also help prevent osteoporosis, which is especially important for women. Strength training can help prevent loss of bone density, which can lead to brittle bones and a host of other health issues. Not only can strength training help prevent the disastrous effects of osteoporosis, but those that are already suffering from osteoporosis and benefit from it as well, as strength training not only helps prevent bone loss, but it can also help increase it.

More Good News

While helping with weight loss and preventing osteoporosis are two big advantages to incorporating strength training into your Neenah fitness routine, there are many other benefits as well. It can help with cardiovascular health, prevent Type II Diabetes, and even make great strides in protecting joints. Perhaps the greatest advantage is that it can help reduce the bane of many a woman’s existence – belly fat.

Believe it or not, abdominal fat is often the result of not just overeating but stress. Our bodies produce a hormone called cortisol when we are under stress, and this hormone can increase the appetite and convert calories into abdominal fat. This fat is possibly the most dangerous of all the fat the can develop on the body because it is so close to several vital organs, putting undue pressure on them and perhaps causing them to malfunction. Not only does strength training use up cortisol, but it helps reduce the appetite and also helps reduce the dreaded belly fat.

Incorporating strength training into your Neenah fitness routine has so many benefits that it would be foolish to dismiss it. If you don’t know where to start in your strength training, why not consult with a personal trainer to get you started? Anyone can take advantage of a personal trainer’s expertise to make sure they are making the most of Neenah fitness and strength training, and to ensure they are working out safely and effectively.

At Appleton Fitness For Life, Inc. we are certain that we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals once and for all. We offer personal training, massage therapy and sports conditioning – so we really do cover it all! If you are ready to begin making tremendous progress fill out the form to schedule your Free Private Consultation and get started today!

Motivation That’s Larger Than Life

Sometimes, it takes something bigger than ourselves to get us started on the fitness track. A charity event—like a walk, a run, or a sporting event—can be excellent motivation for getting fit.

Charity events have all the right elements for motivating a person to movement. Kimberly personal trainers recommend getting involved, these events have the benefit of:

• Reason—something more tangible than just body image; something more solid than an elusive weight ‘ideal’
• Team work—fitness is always more achievable with a partner to support you; a local charity event multiplies that support by the size of your team and sponsors!
• Spiritual rewards—knowing you are helping others and doing something great to improve the world and/or life around you increases your positive spirit and energy, which in turn increases you self image and confidence
• Personal fitness—sure, you may start off with the intention of helping others, but you’ll find that you feel great once you do, and that accomplishment will help bolster the fitness plans that you’ve been putting off

Go Prepared

Though every charity event participant and volunteer goes with the best of intentions, an event can turn quickly if that person does not also go prepared. It is shocking to a body system to suddenly endure a miles-long walk or run. Prevent illness and injury by training for the charity even ahead of time. If you are a newcomer to fitness events, enlist the help of Kimberly personal trainers to help the training go smoother.

Start off by getting a health check.

• Visit your doctor if it’s been a while, and determine your current and potential fitness level.
• Work with Kimberly personal trainers who can develop a safe and gradual training program that can take you from where you are to route completion by the day of the event.
• Also discuss good nutrition with both your doctor and your trainer. Your doctor will get you started, and a personal trainer will be more readily available to answer ongoing questions.

Start exercising! The key to training for any local charity event is to start exercising and building your strength and endurance. Start with even a walking routine for now, and develop your exercise routine with the help of any of the Kimberly personal trainers available to take you through event training and beyond for lasting health and fitness. Working with a personal trainer will also give you alternative training and exercises that you can do at home or at the gym when weather and life commitments are less than cooperative, keeping you on a steady track of preparation up to and through the event.

There are times when our own wellbeing is not motivation enough to get us started on health and fitness goals. Training for a local charity event can be just the motivation you’ve been looking for. Make the most of your selfless gift, go healthy and prepared, and maximize your contribution to help you into the future, too. Keep in mind that Kimberly personal trainers can help you plan your way into fitness success.

At Appleton Fitness For Life, Inc. we are certain that we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals once and for all. We offer personal training, massage therapy and sports conditioning – so we really do cover it all! If you are ready to begin making tremendous progress fill out the form to schedule your Free Private Consultation and get started today!

Be Realistic

“I want to lose twenty pounds before my high school reunion next month.” Unfortunately, setting a goal like this can be a recipe for failure. Sure, it can be done, but it will require a strict commitment to healthy eating and exercise every day for the next thirty days, and this could be asking too much of yourself. And then, what happens after the reunion? Will you set a new goal or go back to your bad habits?

Being realistic about the goals you want to reach and the time in which you want to achieve them is a big part of planning for success. Only having the one big goal at the end can make the path very difficult to follow, so try setting incremental goals along the way, and don’t be afraid to reward yourself when you’ve reached a smaller goal, like treating yourself to a session at the spa or that hunting trip you’ve been putting off. With the help of a Kimberly personal training expert, you can finally be consistent with your efforts, and be motivated to continue with your program!

Keep a Record

If you’re meeting with a Kimberly personal training expert two or three times a week, chances are that he or she is keeping a record of your progress, but if you’re meeting your personal trainer less frequently, you might see the benefits of keeping your own records. Don’t plan too far in advance, as you can’t predict how your body will improve over the long run, but try to plan in increments of eight weeks, by noting what you think you should be doing and then what you actually did. A Kimberly personal training expert can help you can also keep track of your measurements, weight (although weighing yourself is not always a reliable method of measuring the amount of fat in your body), or your BMI.

Don’t be Afraid to Make New Goals

How many people do you know that are still trying to get off that last five pounds? It’s true, the closer you get to your goal, the harder it is to achieve it. But this isn’t just true of weight loss goals; whether your goal is to run a marathon or to be able to lift a certain amount of weight, our bodies tend to plateau and it can be difficult to push through to the next goal. Don’t beat yourself up if you’ve gotten to a place that seems insurmountable. It’s ok to move the flag back a little, if it helps you to push on. This is also a great time to evaluate where you are and if your goal is attainable. Talk with a Kimberly personal training expert, and make a new goal to help you continue on your path!

At Appleton Fitness For Life, Inc. we are certain that we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals once and for all. We offer personal training, massage therapy and sports conditioning – so we really do cover it all! If you are ready to begin making tremendous progress fill out the form to schedule your Free Private Consultation and get started today!

In the beginning

You may start off your fitness program with plenty of enthusiasm, but many of us start finding excuses to miss an exercise session or two as early as two weeks in. You’re sore and tired and you’d rather just stay at home. Of course you’re sore! You’re using muscles that haven’t been used in quite a long time, it’s perfectly normal. Make sure your body gets plenty of rest, but don’t fall for this well worn excuse. If imagining how amazing you’ll look and feel when you reach your goal seems too far out of your grasp at this point, give yourself a short term goal.

For example, create a goal that says that after six weeks of constant exercise, you’ll finally treat yourself to that luxury item you’ve had your eye on. Once you reach the first six weeks, make a new goal and work towards that. The time it takes to reach your final goal will be different for everyone and doesn’t have a definitive date, so create a solid goal that you can reach in the short term. A Kimberly personal trainer can help you stay on track so that you not only reach your short term goals, but your lifetime goal of being fit and healthy!

Pitfalls in the middle

The most common pitfall most of us will face on the path to our goal is a fitness plateau. All of a sudden, the numbers on the scale, the measurement of your thighs, or the amount of weight you can lift all stays magically the same, well before you’ve reached your goal. Does this mean that you’ve done as much as your body can handle? No way! Our bodies are incredible machines and will work hard to achieve their maximum capacity at whatever task we give them, but eventually the body will become so efficient that it no longer needs to use as much energy or burn as many calories to perform the task at hand.

This usually happens when you do the same exercises over and over again, so the solution may be as simple as changing the intensity of the exercise or the exercise itself. A Kimberly personal trainer can help you make the necessary changes to push through the plateau and continue on your way.

Those last five pounds

It’s true; the less fat you have to lose, the harder it is to get rid of it. Those infamous last five pounds can be a killer to push through, but think of how excited you’ll be to know you pushed through and stuck to your commitment from the beginning until the very end. If you’re having trouble getting past those last five pounds, consider consulting a Kimberly personal trainer, who is helpful during all stages of reaching your fitness goals. A Kimberly personal trainer can help design a fitness plan for you from the beginning, give you ideas or pushing through your plateaus, and keep you motivated all the way to the end, when you’ve reached your goal.