Three touching books to keep you moving toward you goal,to help you overcome your obstacles, and to inspire you.

Based on sports- stories, quotes and players, these books may, like coach Jim Valvano expresses, “make people leap, make them laugh, make them cry, make them dream.”  Only when you dream, and demand that dream come true, will you become. These doses of that inspiring reality express many wonderful dreams.  Yours is next.

The Quotable Athlete: Words of Wisdom from Michael Jordan, Mia Hamm, Bonnie Blair, Wayne Gretzky, Joe Thiesman, and More.  by Mike McGovern & Susan Shelly.	Going Deep: 20 Classic Sports Stories  by Gary Smith, Sports Illustrated	Good Sports: Athletes Your Kids Can Look Up to by Beckett Publications

Join our Workout Evolution Goodreads Book Group for more inspiring reads.

“If you don’t do what’s best for your body, you’re the one who comes up on the short end.” ~Julius Erving

One of the best things that you can do for your workouts is to add resistance. Build and preserve lean muscle mass by integrating resistance training in some form into every workout. Resistance training, synonymous with strength training, maintains and increases muscular strength. endurance, mass, bone density and metabolic rate. Skeletal muscles adapt or improve in size and strength when an overload is applied. The overload can be accomplished by increasing the intensity (weight/resistance), duration (number of sets), or frequency of workouts.

Apply these simple guidelines to your workout to achieve better health at any age.

Children (1-5)

The goal of physical activity within this age range is to build and develop cardiovascular health, spatial awareness, coordination, motor skills and lifelong habits of activity. Integrate active play, such as tumbling, tag or climbing, into your child’s day for a minimum total of two hours, accumulated over several sessions. Children should not be performing weight bearing exercises, but resistance training will help develop muscular control and build bone density, swimming and body weighted exercises are good options.

Adolescents to teens (6-17)

Resistance exercise before age 13 should be body-weighted only, but after age 13, adding three weekly 30-minute total-body strengthening and weight-bearing workouts consisting of eight to 12 exercises performed in two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps is safe and extremely beneficial. For balance, power and strength, make it a lifelong habit to select resistance exercises like TRX that integrate core training.

Adults (18-64)

As a general rule, three weekly 45- to 60-minute resistance workouts are a great start. Try eight to 12 different exercises targeting all major muscle groups, performed in one to three sets of 10 to 15 reps for a good full-body routine.

Older adults (64+)

Two weekly resistance training sessions are enough, but wait at least a day, possibly two, between sessions, as muscles need more time to recover. If weight-bearing exercises have become difficult, try water exercise. Continue to stretch at least every other day.

Is your problem that you just can’t find the time for a good workout at the gym? Well, not any more. Trade in a coffee break for this calorie-killer full body gym-based workout.

Faced with the challenge of limited time, I’ve designed this 20 minute full body strength & conditioning workout. You’ll burn about 300-400 calories, get your heart pumping, and build muscle. No need for the treadmill or the weights after this workout. Take this 20 minute opportunity today to make gains towards your goals.

With this workout, we’re doing one giant super set, multiple times that will hit all of the major muscle groups.   Start with a 5-10 minute warm-up on the elliptical. In between each freemotion exercise, perform 45 seconds of a high intensity cardio move such as: runners, jump rope, jumping jacks.

Equipment: Freemotion Dual Cable Cross, BOSU and a mat

Sets: 2 minimum. 3 is awesome if you have time. 4 if you are not exerted, and have time.

Reps: 10-15 reps per exercise

Pace: Perform movements quickly but controlled with minimum rest between. These movements are simple, and meant to be pushed through quickly.

Form: Always keep your core tight and back straight. For the leg exercises, make sure your knees remain behind your toes.  

PLANK TRICEP EXTENSIONSet one lever at ankle height and use a weight that is challenging for you.  Get into the plank position facing the lowered lever.  Using one hand reach out in front of you and grab the handle. Then bring the arm back and extend you arm straight behind you.  Repeat on both arms.

SQUAT ROWSet levers at chest height and shoulder width apart.  Choose a weight that is challenging to you.  Facing the machine  grab onto both handles with arms stretched out straight.  Then with arms straight squat down.  On you return to standing pull the cables back in a rowing motion.  Remember to squeeze the shoulder blades together.

HIGH TO LOW WOODCHOPSet one lever all the way straight up.  Choose a weight that is challenging to you.  With legs in a wide stance face away from the machine and grab the handle with both hands.  Then pull the cable down and across to your opposite knee.  Switch sides to complete set.

BUTTERFLY SQUATPosition both levers straight up about shoulder width apart.  Choose a weight that is challenging for you.  Stand facing the machine and grab both handles.  Then position yourself on a BOSU ball for an extra challenge.  Holding the handles in front of you, palms facing the floor, squat down and pull the handles down to your side.

CHEST FLYPosition levers at chest level and out wide. Grab one handle in each hand and stand facing away from the machine in a split stance.  Having your arms with a slight bend bring your hands together in front of your chest.

“If you run into a wall, don’t turn over and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” ~Michael Jordan

Has your body been hovering at the same spot, whether on the scale or in your clothes? Often times we compare it to hitting a brick wall, and call it plateauing. Your body expertly becomes efficient adapting to your workout and food intake and produces the current results. When in this mode, take these three steps to surge past your barrier.

Step 1. Fuel Properly

Often times what we think we are doing and what we actually are doing are different. Portions are too big, a few too many “special” treats are consumed and food choices may not be as healthful as  thought. Research shows that dieters that keep a food diary lose two times the amount than those that don’t. Tracking your food and beverage intake will make you aware and keep you accountable. The effort involved is worthwhile.

Start off by tracking everything you consume for 7-10 days to establish a baseline. At the end of the week, evaluate where you are at and analyze where you can make changes. A certified professional can help evaluate. Though any piece of paper will do for your tracking log, many of my client’s use these popular logs: myfitnessapp ($0),  fitday.com ($0) and the bodybugg ($249). Continually re-assess to keep your weight loss on track.

Step 2. Maximize Your Burning Potential

Make your body an efficient calorie burning machine. Build and preserve lean muscle mass and incorporate the F.I.T.T. principle: frequency, intensity, time (duration), and type (mode), when designing your workouts.

Lean muscle mass has a higher metabolic rate than fat. Bottom line, not only will you be stronger, you’ll burn more calories.

Change the frequency of workouts, the intensity, the duration or the type of activity to keep your body guessing so it doesn’t become accustomed to one specific workout and stop responding. When your body is confused, you’re burning more calories. This happens because your body has a harder time adapting, causing it to work harder.

To keep your workouts fresh, hire a trainer or checkout clinics, like Workout Evolution clinics.

Step 3. Set SMART Goals

Goal setting creates clarity of vision and motivates you to get there.  Write down your goals to boost your chances of achieving them. Utilize the SMART principle to formulate specific, measurable, adjustable, realistic and time-based goals that will focus your attention past your plateau.

Start small with short-term goals and healthfully celebrate your success when it is achieved. If you recognize and celebrate your milestones, you are more likely to stay on track. It is important to notice the results of your efforts, focusing your attention on what you have accomplished, and not that you haven’t hit your ultimate goal.

I often tell my clients to start with a 5% weight loss goal, then 10%, 15% and so on in 5% increments until their ideal weight is achieved. To calculate how many pounds you need to lose to reduce your body weight by 5 or 10 percent, multiply your current body weight by .05 or by .1, respectively. For example, a 250 lb. individual would need to lose 12.5 lbs. to reach a 5 percent goal or 25 lbs. to reach a 10 percent goal.

Every body wants to adapt, and plateaus are normal. Don’t let them get in the way of you achieving your ultimate success. Use these three steps to blast past them!

Read more:
Master Portion Size- Visual Cues for Portion Control
Goal Setting the SMART Way
Healthy Snack Favorites
Sports Drinks- What You Should Know
More Ways to Get Your Water In