CtLife blog
CTLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
CTLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
Being an introvert has stopped me from heading to the gym many times- not to mention a dislike for my body image that happens once in a while. It seems every time I crawl out of the pit of laziness I get discouraged or too busy to continue working out. If it hadn't been for one of my best friends last year, I probably would have been paying for an unused gym pass. It's a new year, it's time to continue the progress. Before my best friend and my thirst to workout- I really needed to motivate myself to move. I follow this ritual every time I don't have the desire to move: 1. Find your favorite dance routine. I LOVE to dance. Whenever, I hear Hip-hop, Latin Hits, or Techno. I move. It doesn't matter how tired I am, I move. I have space where I can rock out to my jam and I feel so happy. I get so pumped up I want to move more and my desire to workout turns on. * **If you share a room with a roommate, have iffy landlords, or can't wake a baby put on some headphones and dance. (I take it one step further though, I open up Youtube and search for a random Zumba routine. I do about 1-3 of these routines before I move on to workout sets.) 2. Listen to your body. The thought, "Workout till something hurts." IS WRONG.! Not only are you possibly heading for a knee, shoulder, or spine replacement in the future, but your morality and desire to continue working out will go down the drain. Don't push yourself to the point of exhaustion. You will most likely NOT head back to the gym or workout at all at home. Take your time. Athletes are not made in a day. If you admire someone at the gym or have a picture of what you desire to look like in the future ingrained in your mind; YES, use it to motivate you. However, remember that he or she is at a WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL than you and PROGRESS TAKES TAKE TIME! And there is nothing wrong with that! If you worry you won't have that bikini body with slow progression you are wrong! Here is some proof to back it up: www.livestrong.com/article/386405-how-much-weight-can-i-lose-in-a-year/ 3. Don't forget to warm up and cool down! 4. Remember posture and form are waayy more important than how many workout sets you do. If you do an exercise move correctly, you will strengthen those involved muscles more with that one movement than if you hastily worked on an excerise move incorrectly. *** Also, you're less likely to put incorrect weight and strain on ligaments or joints. 5. Take time to stretch rigid areas before, after, or DURING a workout.
Again, listen to your body. If you feel rigid in a certain area of your body. Stop what you are doing and take care of your body. (I placed the Youtube Link above for those who feel they need to stretch their necks. It's my number one area that I need to watch for constantly.) 6. Remember to mix it up! It's important to incorporate cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises into your workout. Why?
If you don't know how to incorporate these three vital types of exercise, here is a link to help you. (It's a forum where many put their input as to how they incorporate these three): www.ideafit.com/answers/how-to-schedule-weight-training-cardio-and-yoga-in-a-weekly-workout There are a lot of ways to mix it up. I currently do: Cardio first to dance and wake myself up, strength training mixed with cardio, and then yoga to cool down. If the next day I feel really sore, I do yoga first before the cardio and strength training. Or just yoga for the day and rest. As I said before, listen to your body and don't feel guilty for resting. Stay optimistic and say to yourself that you are taking care of your body. If you are getting really bored with a routine, move on from it and try something new. I don't fully agree with this blogger but he has a point. Keep everything in perspective. Don't mix up your routine to the point where it's too frequent that you don't need to change it: www.aworkoutroutine.com/when-why-how-often-should-you-change-your-workout-routine/ (Note: Even though I have failed to fully follow through with my exercising schedule in the previous years I HAVE seen progress. Two years ago I tried Crossfit and trained with Tommy Hackenbruck, the owner of Ute Crossfit. I saw amazing great results. Unfortunately I have moved to an area that is far from his facility and with time I have gone back to old habits. HOWEVER, this last year I trained and worked out with my best friend Barbara Mesquita. Her routines are pretty advanced. There are times I have to catch my breath but it's a testimony to myself to how much I have progressed since I am able to keep up with her most of the time. ) Don't give up. You can do it! Much Love, CT |
Why take the time to read this blog? There is a high chance that if you are reading this you want to become inspired to
tackle a dream of yours. A dream you have been itching to achieve. Maybe even just trying to reach for it first since you haven't taken the initiative to start. You feel you need a push. I have been there. I'm still there. I'm consistently hunting for motivational gurus, video posts, links, and books to keep me fired up. So let me help you find them. In this blog I post about the latest inspirational thrills I've witnessed and learned from via the web & my own personal life. ArchivesCategories
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