I flipped through a fitness magazine yesterday at an office and was a little surprised when I found this magazine (one I respected quite a bit) making claims about a form of exercise that simply aren't true. It got me thinking about all the different reasons why people become so upset with their workout routines. Considering now we're at the end of the 5th week of the New Year, we're quickly approaching BLUE MONDAY - the day when everyone feels blue because they realize it's the middle of February and they haven't achieved any of their New Year's goals.
Well here's a big reason why you may feel so deflated. Even if it's not on Blue Monday, (btw, I still find giving days emotional colors strange and awkward) this might be the biggest downer of your uplifting workout routines:
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SPOT REDUCTION!!!!
In other words, if you want to lose that belly you can't just do crunches all day. If you want a skinnier, firmer butt you can't just do squats forever. Fact is, achieving change in any of these areas requires a full body approach. Then, and only then, will those other goals come to be.
Unfortunately, every magazine out there promises the opposite. Need a quick tummy tuck for the wedding? Try these 3 moves. They achieve their goal by getting you to buy their marketing message and purchase their packet of hope. You eventually lose out with frustration and aggravation because their "sure fire plan" was just another sure fire flop.
Creating a routine of exercise that truly serves the body in the best ways requires an integrated approach. Losing 20 pounds often means different things for men and women. Men can lose it in the face and arms rather quickly. Women watch it leave their shoulders and breasts. This is met with despair and heartache because the parts of you that you wish were full like that magazine model get smaller while the gut and butt stick around and even make you feel uh...round.
Actually, you should rejoice like crazy when this happens! Thinning in the face, shoulders, arms, and breasts means you are cutting the fat down big time. You are revving your metabolism and really burning up the junk that's been sitting around. Now it takes that same method and consistency to go after the areas you wish were already gone.
What does this mean ultimately? Every week should be filled with exercises for each body part from head to toes. Mixing cardio, yoga, weightlifting, cross-training, etc. keeps the body working different muscle groups in different ways stimulating further metabolic activation and muscle development. Don't get caught just doing ab exercises. You are doomed to disappointment. You have to attack it all for any shot at real success. Plus, the boredom level is almost nonexistent keeping the excitement there for bigger, better results.
In a great week of workouts for me I lift weights three days, have a day of yoga, and hopefully get to squeeze in a training session of Muay Thai. The variation keeps me amped up to keep going and the results I see and feel tell me it works. Forget boredom. I want fun AND results.
Besides, the only people still trying to convince you that all it takes for a sexy butt is 4 moves are the ones trying to get you to buy their magazine again. Is it going to work on you next time? I hope not.
Check the site soon under "more" for videos on great integrating moves for the entire body!
photo from crossfitpaleodietfitnessclasses
Well here's a big reason why you may feel so deflated. Even if it's not on Blue Monday, (btw, I still find giving days emotional colors strange and awkward) this might be the biggest downer of your uplifting workout routines:
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SPOT REDUCTION!!!!
In other words, if you want to lose that belly you can't just do crunches all day. If you want a skinnier, firmer butt you can't just do squats forever. Fact is, achieving change in any of these areas requires a full body approach. Then, and only then, will those other goals come to be.
Unfortunately, every magazine out there promises the opposite. Need a quick tummy tuck for the wedding? Try these 3 moves. They achieve their goal by getting you to buy their marketing message and purchase their packet of hope. You eventually lose out with frustration and aggravation because their "sure fire plan" was just another sure fire flop.
Creating a routine of exercise that truly serves the body in the best ways requires an integrated approach. Losing 20 pounds often means different things for men and women. Men can lose it in the face and arms rather quickly. Women watch it leave their shoulders and breasts. This is met with despair and heartache because the parts of you that you wish were full like that magazine model get smaller while the gut and butt stick around and even make you feel uh...round.
Actually, you should rejoice like crazy when this happens! Thinning in the face, shoulders, arms, and breasts means you are cutting the fat down big time. You are revving your metabolism and really burning up the junk that's been sitting around. Now it takes that same method and consistency to go after the areas you wish were already gone.
What does this mean ultimately? Every week should be filled with exercises for each body part from head to toes. Mixing cardio, yoga, weightlifting, cross-training, etc. keeps the body working different muscle groups in different ways stimulating further metabolic activation and muscle development. Don't get caught just doing ab exercises. You are doomed to disappointment. You have to attack it all for any shot at real success. Plus, the boredom level is almost nonexistent keeping the excitement there for bigger, better results.
In a great week of workouts for me I lift weights three days, have a day of yoga, and hopefully get to squeeze in a training session of Muay Thai. The variation keeps me amped up to keep going and the results I see and feel tell me it works. Forget boredom. I want fun AND results.
Besides, the only people still trying to convince you that all it takes for a sexy butt is 4 moves are the ones trying to get you to buy their magazine again. Is it going to work on you next time? I hope not.
Check the site soon under "more" for videos on great integrating moves for the entire body!
photo from crossfitpaleodietfitnessclasses
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