New Year, New Body
Don’t let this year’s get-inshape resolution go stale. Size up these tips from Valley fitness pros for a fit-and-fab 2012.
Prioritize
Lia Pulver, fitness director with Camelback Village Racquet and Health Club, says that in order to create a good workout routine and make the most of your time, you have to start off strong and keep a strict schedule. Focusing on your physical priorities will keep you looking and feeling great. “Try using a polar heart rate monitor for cardio training. It will give you weekly goals and let you know if you have achieved them,” Pulver says. Be sure to set small goals for yourself along the way to your ultimate objective. This is especially important for those who may get discouraged when they don’t see immediate jaw-dropping results.
Results are in
Andrew Fodge, with Fitness By Andrew Personal Training Group, says that seeing results is the biggest boost to keep workout habits. He says much of the motivation comes from “the satisfaction of changing [yourself ] and the desire to maintain [your] results, and the confidence to do more within [your] life.” However, getting those results can take time. Developing the habit of working out usually takes about three weeks, so scheduling workouts with friends is also a good idea if you’re at risk of faltering. “You don’t want to let them down or look like a slacker,” Pulver says. Staying efficient is another key element to reaching your fitness goals. Scheduling workouts like appointments keeps you in the mindset that you can’t miss a workout, and getting a variety of exercises in at once will keep you from being at the gym all day.
Try something new
Once you’re in the swing of things, Pulver suggests switching up your routine to avoid getting bored. Alternate workouts, the time of day that you work out or participate in events that involve a lot of people. Working out with others can help motivate you to stay moving and creates competition that keeps you working harder. “Research has shown that alternating bursts of lowand high-intensity or interval training can supercharge fat burning, boost metabolism, improve cardiovascular fitness and give you results quickly,” Pulver says. She suggests group Zumba classes as a fun, high-energy routine to try. Fodge added that TRX Suspension Training Workouts are ultraquick workouts that use your body weight to effectively see results and, while the weather cooperates, hiking some of the many safe and fun places around the Valley is great exercise, too.
Trainer check-in
If you don’t have a personal trainer, make appointments with one every so often and check in with them regarding workouts, form and goals. Personal trainers help you stay on track, suggest new workouts to target stubborn areas and save you from injury when practicing improper form. “[They] can provide the knowledge, motivation and accountability needed for a fitness program to be successful,” Fodge says.
