BE ACTIVE OVER WEEKENDS!

Hey all GFit Followers, my weekly tip is something that has been spoken about quite extensively in the past, but it's well worth repeating as we approach the weekend.
BE ACTIVE OVER WEEKENDS!

So often, we sabotage all the hard work done during the week through inactivity on the weekend. ( I say we, because at times, I'm just as guilty as the next guy). We may for example spend most of Sunday lazing in bed or on the couch watching TV, and use the excuse that we were so stressed and our bodies so tired that we just needed the time to rest and unwind. Sound familiar? Here's the problem:-

When we have nothing to do, we tend to eat out of boredom, not because we're hungry. And it's not veggies we look for when we're curled up in bed or on the couch watching our favourite series or sports team, it's chocolates, chips, beer, biscuits, sweets etc. We tend to justify this by saying, 'I'm allowed a cheat day, I have to allow myself the occasional indulgence.'

In reality though what is happening is that we are significantly increasing the quantity of calories we would normally consume, whilst at the same time, reducing calories burned, (by being inactive) and creating a massive calorie surplus from poor quality nutrients, which is a recipe for disaster for anyone trying to lose weight.

When we are active, we don't think that much about food, we eat to fuel activity, not out of boredom. We feel good physiologically because of the release of endorphins and other hormones, and we are more likely to crave quality nutrients (and the occasional indulgence is not a train smash when you're active). Psychologically, we become more aware of the good we our doing our bodies, we feel better about ourselves, and are therefore less likely to sabotage our progress by eating rubbish.
Finally, we're burning more calories and releasing stress!

So, be active on weekends. Do fun things, like playing with the kids, riding your bike, hiking, walking the dogs, playing sport or games, swimming, rowing a boat, dancing. You will not only feel better and enjoy life more, you will also discover the secret to successful long term weight management!
(Ashley Galliard 2015)

DON'T GIVE YOURSELF ANY REASON TO FAIL - NO ESCAPE PLAN

I recently asked a friend how her eating plan was going, and her response was, "I'm trying, but it's so hard". My heart sank, because what she was actually saying was that she was going to fail. She gave herself two escape plans:-

1. "I'm trying". By saying "I'm trying" you're actually telling yourself that you're weak in the face of a challenge, and somehow you doubt your ability to succeed. You're saying it's okay to fail, because "at least I tried." I think there are certain things for which it's okay to say, I tried, I failed, it wasn't for me. There are other things however in which failure is not an option. For example, if your boss asked you to be at work by 8am and you responded with "I'll try, but it's so hard," it's not going to end well. For me, your health is one of those things. Sure, you may drop the ball from time to time, but don't doubt your ability to succeed or allow yourself the option to fail, pick yourself up, learn from mistakes and do it better tomorrow.

You are not weak, you were not created that way; it's simply a false perception. There is no factual, logical reason why you should fail.

2. "It's so hard". Whether something is easy or hard is simply a matter of perception - it's not a fact that something is hard, it's just the way you perceive it. I think we tend to label things as easy or hard, good or bad, to give ourselves an escape route when we are taken out of our comfort zone - we're saying it's okay to fail, because it's so hard. We need to stop reinforcing this perception.

Know this, and remind yourselves daily:

1. You're much stronger than you think. Certain goals, like your health are not nice to haves, they are non negotiables, and being the best you can be is well within your capabilities. You don't have to try, just do your thing, because there's no reason why you shouldn't succeed. People on this group are a daily testimony to this.

2. The little voice in your head telling you it's too hard, you can't do it, you're weak, is like an irritating older brother or sister just pushing your buttons - it's not the voice of fact. When you hear it, smile and nod and just continue to do your thing.
(Ashley Galliard 2015)

FIVE GOOD REASONS TO HAVE AN ASSESSMENT

 By Ashley Galliard

1.    Everyone is different.  We vary in our physiology, medical histories, exercise backgrounds, mental approach and goals.  It stands to       reason that a unique approach towards achieving goals is required for each individual.  One size does not fit all!  The assessment       process helps the fitness professional map each individual’s path towards their goals, safely and effectively.

2.    Assessment is a tool to help you establish clear goals and objectives, without which, we lack direction and purpose in our training.

3.    Assessment is a means to measure progress, and to see whether or not the goals we set ourselves or our clients are being       achieved.. Measuring progress also makes for a dynamic training experience, as adjustments to the program are made on an ongoing       basis in response to the client’s rate of progression. This, results in a unique approach towards each client, guided by science and       fine- tuned by the trainer’s instinct and experience.

4.    Motivation:  There is no greater motivation than seeing the objective evidence of progress in your training and fitness that an        assessment provides.  This motivation is the driving force behind compliance with exercises.

5.    Assessment ensures that we create the foundation for further training.  Without a solid foundation, optimal improvements cannot be       achieved – it’s a bit like building your house on the sand.  The foundation of any well-conditioned individual is built around the following

•   Functional movement patterns:-How well do we perform fundamental movements, such as squatting, lunging,          pulling, pushing, bending, twisting (rotation).  Any problems picked up by an assessment in these movement          patterns need to be rectified before an individual can progress safely and effectively.

• Balance and Proprioception

• Speed and Agility

• Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditioning