4fitbodies.com

Deciding that you want to change your body is a decision that can be difficult for many people. I mean for some of us, life just flies by so this is a major step that you have found the willpower to commit to having a healthier life. So once you have made the decision and committed to doing the work required, what next?

Well, that is a hard question. But there is a simple approach as well as a few tricks to keep you going.

Here is the approach:
- Forget fitness classes — WHAT? you say! Yes, for now to get started forget fitness classes. I have worked at a gym here in Douglasville for several years and I watch the ranks in fitness classes swell at the beginning of the year and then fall away by Valentine’s Day. Why? Well some people just lose interest and motivation but for a large number of people it is that fitness classes have schedules and trying to fit a fixed schedule into your fluid life is hard.

- Go to the gym every day that you work. So if you work Monday through Friday, then you go to the gym Monday through Friday. Oh, don’t freak out. Just do this for the first 30 days. You need to make this a habit and going every day gets you out of the head game of this day or that day and it buffers you from having things come up the prevent you from having things come up that take you off track. If traffic is bad or one of your children is ill, guess what, you only missed the one day out of 5.

- Get on your favorite cardio machine and do 30 minutes every time you come to the gym. I don’t care how fast you go at first. Personally I prefer clients to choose a treadmill over anything else because it keeps cheating to a minimum and keeps you honest. Since you are a beginner, the point is for you to show up and get working. Not to make you so smoked and so tired that you can’t walk, work and want to quit.

- You need to strength train. For the first month, you should plan on strength training twice a week. This can be increased to three times but two is enough for most beginners for the first month. Not sure what you should be doing? Well this is not the time to flop around or watch other people. This is the time for professional advice. Seek out a Board Certified Personal Trainer (click here to read about what a Board Certified trainer is because not all trainers are certified and even a smaller amount are board certified.) I can’t say how important it is to ensure you get someone qualified to handle you and any unique conditions you may have. This is important for everyone and critical for anyone with a chronic condition (people with diabetes, heart conditions, hypertension as well as many other conditions require special adjustments to their routine)

Ready to get started?? Awesome — then there is just ONE MORE STEP that you do before any of the above.
- Visit your doctor. He is the professional on your health so go. Don’t find excuses not to go, just go. Your doctor will probably kiss you for starting a routine but he will also tell you any things that are important for you — You are unique and only your doctor knows what you need to watch out for.

Look for more details next time on how to stay motivated.

Check my personal training blog for some great ideas on how to clear out your cupboard of all those foods that are not helping your weight loss pursuits. Click here to go to the Personal Training Blog

Tags: Douglasville, Fitness, fitness classes, Personal Training, Sports Fitness, Weight Loss by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
Comments Off

A lot of people ask me about why they are not losing weight and why they are not having the look they want (whether it be a 6 pack, well defined abs or that tight, firm appearance on any body part from your arms to your legs and everything in between)

Changing how your body looks requires THREE THINGS:
- strength training with heavy weights
- regular cardio training
- healthy eating

If you skip on the eating part and the strength training part, you will get mediocre results. And that right there is what many people do. While I applaud you for showing up to your fitness class or hopping on the elliptical a few times a week, I ask you to answer ONE QUESTION about your body….. are you happy with your body?

By that I mean HAPPY, like it performs the way you want, you have enough energy, you are the size and shape you want, and you are proud when you look in the mirror.

So if you are not happy, then let’s look at where you are going wrong. As far as healthy eating, that is pretty easy. Print 2 copies of the food diary on this site under LINKS. Write down everything that goes in your mouth for the next weeks. That includes all food, all drink, gum, candy, beer, EVERYTHING!! This will give you an idea on your caloric intake and where you make adjustments. Like maybe you change your lunch from a Chik-fil-A sandwich with fries and a coke to a grilled chicken sandwich with a salad and a water. See, POOF — tons of fat, sugar and calories gone with still lots of taste.

Now as far as your gym time, write down how long you come to the gym and how much of that is workout time. BE HONEST. If you come to the gym 5 hours a week, there is NO REASON you are not SUPER FIT. Because with 4 sessions of 45 minutes of cardio, you still have 2 hours left for strength training which is more than enough. So make the MOST of your time in the gym.

Tags: Fitness, healthy eating, Weight Loss, Wellness by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
Comments Off

I know I tell you to work out to get healthy. And working out will get you healthy. But it is only a part of a healthy lifestyle. You can work out like a demon but if you eat junk food, fried food, processed food, etc. Then you will not be fueling your body correctly and in return, your body will respond with problems. Whether it is just being run down or not losing the weight you are expecting or feeling winded during your cardio.

Your body is like a vehicle and responds only to the correct fuel. So you need to put the correct fuel in. I am not trying to limit your enjoyment. There are many ways to prepare and enjoy healthy food that is delicious and wonderful. It usually takes a bit more time than pulling through a drive through window but you will love it.

The taste of the food will thrill you, the results and how your body feels will thrill you and keeping your weight under control will thrill you.

Not sure if you know where to start for your healthy eating plan. Then check out my site at www.douglasvilleweightloss.com

Not sure if your diet is the problem? Keep a diary for a week or two and record everything you keep in your mouth. Here is a great free diary. FREE DIARY FROM MY SITE

Remember, if you have questions about this or about your personal training or how to get fit, you can always e-mail me or give me a call.

Tags: Douglasville, Fitness, Nutrition, Sports Fitness, Weight Loss, Wellness by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
Comments Off

Exercise is a critical component of a healthy lifestyle. And I know I have talked here about personal training being a great addition to your life to help you commit and perfect the right workout for your needs. And I have also discussed that you need to do something besides your personal training in order to really change your body. One, two or three sessions a week with me are great but you need to ensure you are getting enough cardio as well.

So now that we have all those concepts, let’s look at the other thing that you need to get under control in order to really change your health and your weight. And that is your eating habits. What you eat, how much you eat. Not a diet but changing your eating habits to develop a better lifestyle.

Now that is ALWAYS easier said than done. I know how hard it is to make healthy eating choices. I make them and so do a lot of other healthy people every day. And sometimes it can be a struggle. I am not going to try to fool you. Eating right (like all things good and worthwhile that get results) takes work. Trying to pre-plan and prepare helps to keep you on track. It is much harder to eat healthy if you don’t shop healthy and keep your house stocked with healthy food and spices and staples to prepare healthy meals.

For healthy recipes and tips, be sure to check out my great new site, Douglasville Weight Loss

Tags: Douglasville, Fitness, Personal Training, Sports Fitness, Weight Loss by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
Comments Off

Weight management is important for preventing or reducing the impacts of many chronic conditions. This should be a concern for everyone. Weight management can be a struggle.
If you need to reduce your weight, you need to do so in a healthy way. Many people strive for quick programs and then ultimately end up gaining all the weight back (and then some!). It took you a long time to gain the weight you have, give yourself some time to take it off. Changing your habits is one way to make small changes that can have dramatic long-term effects. These are all small changes that you can make.
Some easy ideas to start:
- Drink more water. You hear it all the time, but water helps your body metabolize fat. Also, if you concentrate on drinking water, you can reduce your hidden calories –from soda, coffee drinks, sports drinks, juices, etc.
- Write down what you eat. It prevents mindless munching. It also gives you something to review if the weight is not coming off. I have an easy one page, weekly diary that I would be happy to give you (it’s free!) Just ask me.
- Weigh or measure your portions. It gives you an idea on what a portion is and how much you have been eating.
- Increase your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables. They are low in calories, filling and healthy.

Tags: Douglasville, Fitness, Personal Training, Sports Fitness, Weight Loss by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
Comments Off