Fit Before 50: Your Plan of Action Now!

The Process

-First and foremost, your mind will be the most important contributor to your success. Therefore, before you do anything, make goals-not one big goal i.e. "I want to lose 50 pounds in two months", but instead, smaller progressive goals which will lead to a big result such as, "I will lose two pounds this week and follow a healthy diet" or "I will increase my energy level from this week to the next with a 5 minute-a-day increase on the treadmill/elliptical machine". Also, realize that in order to achieve, you must be dedicated, determined and passionate towards your goals. Get excited about getting fit!

-A "diet": When you heard "diet" you thought, "Oh no..." right? Well don't think that. Yes the "diet" thing does go right along with the "mind" concepts mentioned above, but it shouldn't be a depressing part of your life. Try different foods (healthy) and find ones you like-they are out there! Here are some healthy tips and alternatives:

• Bye bye sodas...and other high sugar beverages. Sodas are bad. I don't care what kind, diet or not, sodas are body fat accelerators. Realize that beverages are probably the easiest thing to consume--make this an advantage rather than disadvantage. Sweet tea...(sweetened with sugar) is also one thing you should avoid. You ask, "Well then what?"---> Green tea is great for you (fights cancer and enhances metabolism) if you must have it sweet, use honey.


• Vegetables are good, vegetables are great, vegetables will help you lose some weight...and make you healthier overall. The more color, the better.


• Meat is great too, but the kind you select makes all the difference. No fried nothin'. High protein, moderation in carbohydrates, low saturated fat is what you want. Get creative-combine meats and vegetables.


• Plain yogurt is great, even more so when you add granola and fruit.

• Watch out for saturated fats.

The Workout

- The Fit Before 50 Workout has two main goals.

1. Increase energy levels using various intensities in cardio workouts.
2. Gain both flexibility and strength in your pillars of strength: the shoulders, hips, knees, and core.

There is one main routine that can be broken down into two separate workouts.
Warm-up: 15 minutes on a bike, treadmill, or elliptical machine at a moderate pace or a hill interval if the equipment you use has that option. Breaking a sweat is a sign that you are properly warmed-up. Next, you need to go through several stretches which you will want to make progressive improvements every workout. Hold each stretch for a count of 15.

• Hamstring stretch: Hands to toes keeping a straight back.
• Quadricep stretch: Pull each leg to the buttocks of the leg being stretched. Keep the leg parallel to your other leg-do not let it bow out.
• Arm/shoulder stretch: Bring each arm across the body so that it is perpendicular to your upper torso
• Seated Stretches: Butterflies- feet together, bring them in, and press your legs down gently. V Stretch- chin to each knee and or reach hands to toes, then reach hands between your legs(this will also stretch the groin muscle)
• Calf Stretch of your choice: I suggest putting your toes on an elevated surface and stretching your heel towards the ground (one foot at a time)
  

For those of you who are runners...being able to run distance is great BUT, running is not enough. When you run, your bones and joints absorb most of the impact, and yes, your muscles are trained in a certain way, though not in a way that provides enough support for your joints. Here is an essential strengthening program for YOU:

Leg Press(not incline!): 4 sets x 12 reps

If you do not have access to a leg press machine do Back Squats with enough weight that will provide medium difficulty: 4 sets x 15,12,10,8

-Be sure to use proper form on squats: legs parallel to the floor, shoulder width stance back straight, eyes looking up

Leg raises and hamstring curls: 3 sets x 15 reps
-on these, you need to focus on using a full range of motion and controlled movement throughout the lift.

The Complete workout:

Bench press: 3 sets x 10,8,6 reps

Dumbbell rows: 3 sets x 10 reps alternate arms
- do not curve your back and keep your arms close to your body as you perform this exercise

Frontal and Lateral shoulder raises with dumbbells: 2 sets x 15 reps

Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets x 8 reps medium difficulty on weight

Lat. Pull downs: 3 sets x 8 reps

Leg Press(not incline!): 4 sets x 10 reps

If you do not have access to a leg press machine do Back Squats with enough weight that will provide medium difficulty: 4 sets x 10,8, 6, 4

-Be sure to use proper form on squats: legs parallel to the floor, shoulder width stance back straight, eyes looking up

Leg raises and hamstring curls: 3 sets x 10 reps
-on these, you need to focus on using a full range of motion and controlled movement throughout the lift.

Abdominals: 2 sets x 50 crunches on swiss ball

Flutter kicks: 3 sets x 35

Reverse crunch (on ground): 2 sets x 20

10 minute cool down on Bike, treadmill or elliptical

If you are on a strict time schedule, break up the complete workout into an upper body workout and a lower body workout

Questions? Comments? I want to hear them.

Train for Power: Core and Lower Body

To anybody who loves those workouts where you wake up the next day feeling like you actually did something--here's a good one your legs.

Front Squats
Set x Reps 3x10,8,6

Note: Front Squats may not be the most popular of moves, but they are certainly effective. They demand a much stronger center of balance. The core is trained more opposed to the traditional back squat because a large portion of the muscles being used to support the weight are recruited from the core. Don't worry so much about weight. Focus on proper form: getting a good deep squat, while maintaining a straight back.

Back Squats
Sets x Reps 3x10,8,8

Overhead Squats
Sets x Reps 3x8

Romanian Deadlifts (dumbbell or barbell) OR Deadlifts (regular)
Sets x Reps 3x10 Sets x Reps 3x10

Finish this workout with a 10 minute jog. And be sure to STRETCH, STRETCH, STRETCH!-you'll be glad you did.

Sleep: The Free and Easy Way to Train Your Body and Mind

If you're missing out on a few z's, you might be missing out on getting better-at everything. I'm not just saying that sleep will make you more mentally alert, which it will--I'm saying that sleep will help aid muscle growth and recovery, increase athletic performance, and enable your mind to better retain information. If you are weight training, endurance running etc., you are cheating yourself--you are limiting your potential. But wait, there's more! Lack of sleep also weakens your willpower because your body and mind are both tired. This will lead to a less intense workout and an inability to workout with high intensity. Yes, of course, there will be some times when you're going to miss out on sleep, but it is very important to sleep more when you can-especially before athletic events (games, meets, etc.). The recommended amount of sleep is 8 hours. Add "sleeping more" to your new years resolutions-it will help you get that better body and happier mind.