Intuitive Fitness Newsletter January 2010

Welcome to our first newsletter for 2010. We will be providing a new edition every month discussing all issues related to your health, fitness and general wellbeing…
 

Fitness News in January

The New Year and summer is finally here! January is a great time to set up a healthy eating & exercise program which can be maintained all year long, not just during the summer months. The warmer weather tends to inspire us all to get into shape. The problem however arises when the cooler months come and motivation tends to slip away. In this newsletter we take a look at how to set realistic goals and maintain motivation all year long. We also discuss the hydration and the importance of adequate liquid consumption, especially during exercise. Lastly, our fitness tip of the month discusses how to calculate your maximum heart rate and how this figure can impact on your workout. We hope you have a fantastic January!

 
Motivation & Goal Setting

Goal Setting:

Goal setting is essential for anybody embarking on a fitness regime. Setting goals will allow you to track, monitor and reassess your progress at regular intervals. Whether you want to run a marathon, lose 30kgs or simply improve your overall fitness, setting realistic goals will keep your mind focused and on the way to great results!

To begin, start by pinpointing your most important goal. Make sure the goal is realistic and achievable within the time frame you set.

Put in place a plan to achieve your goal. You may wish to break your goal up into a series of small, specific mini goals. For example if you are aiming to run 5km you may set target intervals of 1, 2, 3 and 4km runs for you to achieve. Ensure that your mini goals are measurable and realistic.

Decide on how you will monitor your progress. You may wish to keep a journal and measure milestones once a week or once a fortnight. For weight loss goals, remember the scales are not always a good indicator of your progress, consider using a measuring tape or body fat monitor instead.

Don’t punish yourself if you are unable to reach your goals within your allocated timeframe. Sit down and reassess your goals and timeframe, and be honest about what is and isn’t realistic. All achievements, no matter how small are worthwhile.

Reward yourself at each milestone. You may wish to treat yourself to a new piece of clothing, go to the movies or simply give yourself a big pat on the back! Most of all don’t give up, you will reach your goal with persistence and planning.

Motivation:

Achieving your goals, no matter what they are, can be challenging experience. It can be difficult for even the most disciplined person. Below are some simple ways to keep you on track during your journey.

Refer back to your goals. Remind yourself why you are trying to achieve your goals. Keep them in a strategic place so if you feel your motivation waning you can easily refer back to them.

Record your results. Remember, measurements are a better indicator of your results than scales. Often scales don’t account for increased muscle mass and tone. By tracking your results you can also remind yourself how far you’ve come.

Take a photo of yourself and place it somewhere strategic where you will be reminded of what you are trying to achieve and what you have to overcome.

Vary your routine. Don’t do the same type of exercise every day. Get out and try something new – dance classes, hiking or swimming. This keeps your training interesting whilst achieving great results.

Train with a friend. This makes you accountable to someone else and can be a lot more enjoyable than going it alone.

Reward yourself. If you achieve a goal, reward yourself for your hard work – a new c.d., a massage or a trip to a beauty therapist will make you feel proud of what you have achieved and help you stay on track

 
Hydration
 
Adequate hydration during exercise is essential to ensure you perform at your peak.
Water is necessary for numerous bodily functions including:

• Regulation of body temperature
• Aids digestion
• Transportation of waste
• Cushions joints

When you begin to exercise, as much as 2% of the body’s water may be lost. Exercise causes body temperature to increase and blood flows to the skin. In an attempt to cool itself the body sweats. The easiest way to re-hydrate and replace the fluid lost after sweating is to consume water. However when we sweat we also lose important electrolytes including potassium, calcium and sodium. It is important to ensure these electrolytes are also replaced.

Daily Hydration hints:

• Throughout an average day, try to consume at least 1 litre of water per 30kgs of body weight.
• Light to clear coloured urine is indication that you are adequately hydrated. The darker the urine the more likely you are to be dehydrated.
• A high percentage of fruit and vegetable composition is water. Eating plenty of fruit and vegetable can maximize your hydration and add to your total daily water consumption.
• Try to keep a bottle of water handy at all times and always keep an emergency bottle of water in your car.
• Caffeine and alcohol can have a diuretic effect, increasing urine production and the amount of water lost from your body. Drink these in moderation.

  
Maximum Heart Rate

Your maximum heart rate is a calculation that determines the maximum number of times your heart can contract per minute. Your maximum heart rate is useful for working out appropriate exercise intensity and training zones.Your maximum heart rate can be influenced by a number of factors including age, gender (females tend to have a higher MHR than males), and sensitivity to variables such as medication.

There a range of formulas used to calculate MHR but the most popular and simple is to subtract your age from 220. For example a 25 year old would use the following formulation: 220 – 25 = 195. Her maximum heart rate is therefore 195 beats per minute. To get the most benefits from exercise you should vary your training to work between 55%-80% of your maximum heart rate. The most efficient fat burning zone is between 55%-70% of your MHR where 85% of total calories burned are from fat.

If you have any questions or queries, or require further information please visit us at www.intuitivefitness.com.au or call directly on 1300 856 035.