Part Two: No Excuses! – How to Beat the Top 6 Exercise Excuses

In our last post we shared three of the most common reasons we avoid exercise and how to beat those nagging excuses. Now, we have tips for beating three more all-too-common excuses.

Excuse: I can’t leave the kids

It can be hard to get away from the kids, but this doesn’t mean you have to stay sedentary while you’re busy with the family. Take the whole family with you for a run or walk, play games at the park, or make a fun day of active competition. There are fun alternatives to inactive movie nights and video game afternoons, such as making up your own family olympics or participating in a 5k or fun run. And, remember to take a bit of time away every once in a while. As you strive to meet your fitness goals, you’re showing your family that health is a priority to you- and you are instilling that value in your children as well.

Excuse: Exercise is boring

Exercise should not be a monotonous routine that you dread. It takes time for some people to stop hating exercise and learn to love it. If you’re bored by your exercise routine, try something new. Consider dancing, tennis, fitness classes, pilates, or biking. You may find energy with a group of people or exercising outdoors as opposed to the gym.

Excuse: Getting help is too expensive

Sometimes the extra boost of a personal trainer or a gym membership is just what you need to stay motivated to reach your goals. If you are serious about your fitness goals, the cost of a personal trainer is worth it. Having a professional train and coach you can help you make progress in a more efficient way than working on your own. The personal trainers at TwinFitness are here to challenge you and to support you so you make consistent progress. Our nationally certified trainers believe that you can reach your goals.

How do you block out your negative thoughts and push yourself to reach your goals? We love to hear the ways you fight the urge to skip an exercise session. Check out the TwinFitness Facebook page for more inspiration!

Happy New Year From TwinFitness: Reach your Goals for 2013!

Happy New Year and welcome to 2013! With the new year comes a fresh start if you put your mind to it. Common resolutions deal with eliminating bad habits and improving their lifestyle. Many people make fitness goals. However, some people like to talk the talk and don’t know how to walk the walk.

At TwinFitness, we want to help you reach your goals in 2013. Here are some tips to help you make your resolutions a reality!

1. Put your resolutions in writing- Making a list of your resolutions makes them more real than simply reciting them to yourself. With resolutions on paper, you have no excuses to forget your goals. Post your list somewhere you will see everyday.
2. Let your friends in on your goals- You don’t need to go so far as to create a support group, but you can enlist help by making your goals public. Try posting your progress on a Twitter account or  sharing progress with a specific group of friends on Facebook. You’ll benefit from sharing your goals and helping to motivate others.
3. Plan and record- Write a plan for each of your resolutions. After you write down the steps you need to take, start recording your habits and results. This will keep you focused on making progress. Use tools such as pedometers, apps, and other gadgets to help you keep track of your progress. You’ll be able to see your struggles and successes, which can help you decide what works for you.
4. Treat yourself! – Reward yourself for reaching small goals or consistently displaying your desired habits. Stay away from rewarding yourself with sweets or junk food, and instead try rewards that will help you relax after intense workouts or show off your weight loss.

You have great goals this year, and TwinFitness is here to help you reach them. Give us a call at 913-766-2298 or schedule a free consultation with us to get started with your resolutions!

Slow Down Your Eating Speed to Lose Weight Faster

When we think of losing weight, we rarely think that slowing down will help us reach our goals. We tend to associate slowness with fewer results. Well, we have something you should definitely slow down- your eating speed. Take a minute to learn why your speed eating habit could be hurting your weight loss plan- and learn how to end that pesky habit.

What Speed Eating Does to You

It takes nearly 20 minutes for you body to tell your brain that you are full. So, if you scarf your meal down in 5 minutes, you will keep eating because you think you are still hungry. You’re much more likely to grab extra helpings if you’ve demolished your meal before your meal companions have made a dent. Speed eaters take in food too fast for their body to realize it is full.

Slow or Fast- What is the Ideal Eating Speed?

There is no “speed limit” for eating, but you can gauge your speed by when you finish your meal in comparison to others at the table. When you sit down to dinner, note how long you take to eat and if you are first or last to finish. It is best to slow down and pace yourself so you are not the first finisher.

Eating Slowly- Why it Will Help You Lose Weight

When you slow down to eat, you realize several benefits. You have more control when you chew slowly. Chewing properly helps you enjoy the taste and prepare the food for your body. Slowing down helps you focus on the food and enjoy the taste of each bite. You’ll be much more satisfied with your meal when you slow your pace.

Tips for How to Eat Slowly

• Place your utensils on the table between bites
• Take sips of water between bites
• Savor each bite as you chew
• Take small bites
• Swallow before having another bite

These tips should help you reach your fitness goals and improve your eating habits. Remember- slow down for better results! The nutritional experts at TwinFitness are happy to help you improve your diet and learn new techniques for healthy living. Contact TwinFitness for more information!

 

Men and Women on the Race to Lose Weight

Working on fitness goals with other people can be a great source of encouragement. But have you ever worked toward a weight loss goal with a boyfriend, brother, or any man? Women often get discouraged when their male workout partner starts losing weight faster than they do. We want to explain why this happens and what women can do to keep a positive attitude about their weight loss.

Why do Men Lose Weight Faster Than Women?

Men actually do lose weight faster than women, but the basic reasons for this difference are biological. Men and women have different hormones which impact how fast people lose weight. Men have more lean body mass, so that they can eat more calories and continue to lose weight. The other reason men can lose quicker is that men tend to think of weight loss as a task that needs to be completed, much like a work assignment. Women, however, involve emotions in the weight loss process. Emotional involvement can keep women from working toward their goals. Don’t let these facts discourage you- once you understand the causes of different weight loss rates, you can learn how to work better for your body.

How Can Women Still Lose Weight?

Men may lose weight faster than women, but this shouldn’t stop women from challenging themselves to reach their fitness goals. There is no need to compare how fast you lose weight to a man. When done effectively, weight loss will improve your lifestyle and be long-lasting. Let these tips encourage you to keep working hard for your weight-loss plan:

Realize that men and women need different things

A giant SUV needs more gas to run than a two-person hybrid car. Both are vehicles, but they have different needs because their components and size are vastly different. Similarly, male and female bodies are different. When you realize that males need more fuel for their bodies, you can learn to enjoy the unique characteristics and requirements of your body.

Understand that men still have to work hard

Losing weight is not a walk in the park for men. Sure, they may lose more pounds in less time, but this is not always the norm. Men still struggle with weight loss- it requires will power and hard work for them, too.

Accept your challenges and limits

Losing weight involves mental exercise as much as physical exercise. When you accept that you have certain physical challenges and limits, you are much more likely to keep working toward your goals. You have the strength to lose weight and your attitude is a huge part of how you do.

Believe in yourself

You need a good attitude and a positive one. Believe that you can work past challenges and obstacles in your way. Weight-loss plans do work- don’t give up hope, and you’ll start seeing results of your hard work!

No matter if you are a man or a woman, weight loss requires hard work and mental toughness. You have the power to work hard and keep a positive attitude, and now you know that it is okay for men and women to lose weight at different rates. At TwinFitness, we want to encourage you to reach your goals. Our experienced trainers will personalize your training and help encourage you to make wise decisions. Come see us at TwinFitness! Give us a call at 913-766-2298 or schedule a free consultation with us!

How to Feel Full Faster

Some foods make you feel full faster than others. Eating these foods will leave you more satisfied and prevent you from overindulging because you still feel hungry. The way you eat also affects how full you feel. This list is full of healthy foods and strategies to feel full and content.

Food

Fruits and Veggies

In addition to the nutrients and many health benefits of fruits and vegetables, fruits and vegetables are high in water and fiber. Some options that are particularly good at making you feel full are grapefruit, apples, pears, berries, broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus.

Healthy Fats

Some foods are high in healthy fat, and adding them in moderate portions can help you feel satisfied. Try adding nuts, seeds, and light olive oil based dressings.

Fiber

Fiber makes you feel full on fewer calories. Incorporate whole wheat pasta and breads, oatmeal, brown rice into your meals. Complex carbs are good for you in moderate portions.

Lean Protein

Animal and plant proteins that are low in fat provide greater satisfaction than other foods. Good lean proteins include fish, white-meat produce, fat-free dairy, beans, peas, and lentils.

Strategies to Feel Full Faster

Slow Down

The easiest way to feel full during your meal is to slow down. Life moves at a fast pace, and we often feel rushed to eat in record time. It actually takes about 20 minutes for us to recognize that our stomachs are full. To avoid overeating, slow down, chew slowly, and concentrate on enjoying your meal. Try setting your fork and knife on the table between bites and taking sips of water throughout the meal. You’ll feel more satisfied with your whole experience when you slow down.

Start off Right

A simple tip for feeling satisfied at every meal is to start with a broth-based and veggie filled soup or a salad with light dressing. This helps you slow down and avoid overindulging.

Don’t Skip Meals

To stay away from unhealthy snacks, eat meals regularly each day. Skipping a meal will only make you hungry for more later. Try to have the same size of meals and include small healthy snacks.

Slowing down to enjoy your meals will help you feel full at each meal, allowing you to control your serving sizes. These tips should help you reach your fitness goals and improve your eating habits. The nutritional experts at TwinFitness are happy to help you improve your diet and learn new techniques for healthy living. Contact TwinFitness for more information!

Organization for a Healthy Lifestyle

You lead a busy life- making healthy decisions is not always easy. Organizing helps you create a healthy lifestyle and reduce stress. Here are some great ideas for using organization to help you lead a healthier life.

Plan Your Week

Take a few minutes before the week begins to map out your week. When you write out your responsibilities and activities for the entire week, you will be able to envision how busy you truly are. You’ll have more realistic expectations about what you can get done. This is a great way to prepare for exercise and grocery shopping- as you make your schedule, you can set times for shopping and working out.

Make Grocery Shopping Smart

Make a list of the food you have on stock, and then brainstorm your favorite meals. Think of family favorites, grab some recipes from Pinterest or magazines, and recipes from friends. You now have a variety of meals to choose from. Organize your list the way your store is set up for easy shopping

Get a Solid Night’s Rest

Sleep is vital for your whole health, and a lack of quality sleep can aggravate muscle pain, weight gain, stress, and immune system function among other consequences. By organizing your schedule, your stress levels should decrease, and you’ll have more time to sleep well.

Organization helps you have time to focus on your priorities. When your life is in order, you’ll be able to make healthy decisions instead of rushing, eating junk food, and ignoring exercise. Take these simple steps to keep your whole life organized- you’ll be satisfied with your healthy lifestyle. At TwinFitness, we are familiar with busy schedules! We want to help you organize your life so you can keep making healthy decisions. If you’re ready to fit training into your schedule, give us a call today at 913-766-2298 or visit our website for more information — and schedule a free consultation while you’re at it!

7 Hard Truths About Weight Loss

You already know that losing weight is not easy. You are not alone in your struggle to lose and maintain weight. When you understand why weight loss is difficult, you will appreciate your progress more and have greater chance of success. These hard truths about weight loss will prepare you to make smart decisions.

1. There are no weight-loss miracles

No matter how many times you wish on a star to lose 10 pounds, your weight will not miraculously drop. The plans that promise to transform your body immediately are extreme plans that can wreak havoc on your metabolism and actually damage your progress. There are no magic pills or miracles that can make weight loss quick and easy. The reality is that weight loss is hard. Slow and steady weight loss plans are the best way to have healthy and lasting results. Realizing that weight loss requires hard work and patience will make you more realistic about your progress.

2. Your body works against your efforts

When you change your habits to lose weight, you are not only fighting your cravings and trying to avoid temptations, but your body also works against you while you try to lose weight. The hormone leptin sends signals to your brain that your stomach is full. As you start to lose weight, leptin decreases, making it more difficult to realize you are full. The hormone gherlin stimulates hunger. Gherlin levels increase, making you feel hungry more than normal.

3. Fad diets are not fabulous

Cabbage soup! Grapefruit! Acai berry! Baby food! New diets pop up every few months. These fad diets grow in popularity and get attention for a while. These extreme diets do not aid long term weight loss. They tend to be very restrictive, leaving people hungry and tired of eating the same food at every meal. Fad diets can’t be followed long and can damage metabolism and cause weight gain. Knowing that fad diets are counterproductive can motivate you to avoid fad diets and make lifestyle changes instead.

4. Exercise can’t cover up a poor diet

Exercise is a vital part of losing weight, but it can’t make up for bad eating habits. Burning enough calories through exercise to lose weight requires more than you expect. If you try to work out excessively but are eating junk food and large portions, you won’t see the results you want. Losing weight requires exercise and good nutrition.

5. Muscle building is hard

Many people focus on cardio when losing weight, but they may neglect strength training. Building muscle keeps your metabolism on track and makes you look sleek and toned, so it is one of the most important components of successful weight loss.

6. Diets are not “one size fits all”

Diets and nutrition plans produce different results depending on an individual’s body and lifestyle. All bodies are unique, responding to eating and exercise plans in different ways. The plan that helped your best friend lose 10 pounds may not work for you. The power of knowing this is that you can find a diet that works best for your family history, lifestyle, age, gender, and activity level.

7. The key to losing weight is making lifestyle changes, not a diet

If you want to lose weight and keep it off long into the future, you need to develop a healthy lifestyle. Changing your behavior will improve your total health, while short-term diets often only change your habits for a short period of time. People that start restrictive diets often gain their weight after the diet ends. Reaching your healthy weight can happen when you commit to a healthier lifestyle.

At TwinFitness, we are excited to help you improve your lifestyle and reach your health goals. Our trainers are here to help you through the struggles of losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If you need some encouragement and a little tough love, contact us today or stop by to learn how we can help!

Black Friday Special

Black Friday Sale starts Thursday November 22nd

You choose the Plan that is best for you!

21-Day Weight Loss Challenge or 21 Private 1 on 1 Personal Training Sessions

21-Day Weight Loss Challenge

(Only 25 packages available)

What’s Included:

In-Studio: $199 (save $99)

To order in studio Weight Loss Challenge click here!

• Challenge Starts December 1 at 10:30 with required weight in
• Detailed Nutrition Plans – updated weekly
• Unlimited Group training classes
• Unlimited Cardio Coach classes
• Before & After photos and measurements
• Weekly Nutrition Menus, with NEW recipes
• 24/7 Support via email/text
• Personal Coach Assigned
• Weekly Cardio Workouts
• In-Home Strength workouts
• Bonus Holiday Diet and Work-Out
• One week free group classes (12/21-12/31)

To order in studio Weight Loss Challenge click here!

Online: $99

To order On line Weight Loss Challenge click here!

• Detailed Nutrition Plans – updated weekly
• Weekly Nutrition Menus, with NEW recipes
• Before & After photos
• Circumference measurements
• 24/7 Support via email/text
• Personal Coach Assigned
• Weekly Cardio Workouts
• Weekly Strength workouts
• Bonus Holiday Diet

To order On line Weight Loss Challenge click here!

Or Choose…

21 1:1 Private Personal Training Sessions

(Only 5 packages available)

To order 21 Private Personal Training Sessions click here!

• 21 Sessions for only $1400 ($67/session)
• Plus 5 FREE Sessions in the month of December
• Total savings of $810!
• Limited to 5 Clients
• Bonus Holiday Diet and Workout

To order 21 Private Personal Training Sessions click here!

We look forward to getting you into the shape of your life for 2013!

Holiday Hours

Thanksgiving: Closed Wednesday at 2:00 pm. Closed Thursday and Friday. Open for Boot Camp Saturday 10am.

Christmas: Closed 24,25,26

New Years: Close 31st at 1:00pm. Closed Jan. 1, 2013

Diet Killers

Diet and fitness go hand in hand. As we’ve noted before, diet can have big consequences on fitness goals. Here are 5 sure-fire ways to kill your diet.

1. Skip meals
Cutting out meals is a quick route to weight gain. Lots of people think that eating fewer meals will help you lose weight faster, but this could not be more false. Bodies that enter starvation mode become great protectors of the calories it does gain from food. Bodies then use lean tissue or muscle to get what they need. This process lowers the metabolic rate. On the other hand, eating several smaller meals throughout the day helps your body use the calories you get and keep your metabolic rate up. Your body will suffer if you deprive it by skipping breakfast and other meals.

2. Alcohol
Drinking excess alcohol can put your efforts on hold because of the empty calories. Watching your alcohol intake will cut out excess calories from the drinks themselves and the junk food some are tempted to eat after drinking. Keeping your drinking in moderation will help you stay on track.

3. Sports drinks/soda/fruit drinks
Drinking these regularly will cause you to consume extra sugar and calories that you don’t realize you are having. Even fruit juices that look healthy tend to have lots of sugar and little fruit nutrition. Instead, drink more water and try flavoring it with fresh fruit.

4. Pile on the sauces
A squirt of dressing or a spoon of creamy sauce may seem small and insignificant. We have to be aware of the sneaky things that sabotage our diets. Sauces can ruin diets quickly because they are rich in fat and sugars, and it is so easy to simple pour a little more on. If you need to dress up your food to make it more appetizing, try new spices. They add a punch of flavor without the extra calories.

5. Stick to “sugar-free” or “fat-free items”
It sounds counter-intuitive to avoid items labeled as “sugar-free” or “fat-free”, but these labels actually indicate that other substitutes have been added. Food makers may have to add other ingredients to improve the taste, possibly boosting the calorie content. Also, remember that there are “good fats” that help lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol levels. When purchasing foods, don’t fall easily into the trap of “sugar-free” or “fat-free”. Pay more attention to the types of foods you are putting into your body.

We hope these tips help you stay on track with your diet. You’ll be proud of your progress if you keep making smart decisions. Try to cut the diet killers out of your list of habits. We’d love to help you reach your fitness goals. Our experienced trainers can give you nutrition advice and help encourage you to make wise decisions. Come see us at TwinFitness! Give us a call at 913-766-2298 or visit our website for more information. You can even schedule a free consultation with us!

Find the Right Workout Gear for You

What do you grab when you head to the gym or go out for a run? The clothes and equipment you use to work out will affect your workout. We’ll show you some of the basic workout tools and clothes that will help you feel great during your entire workout!

Running Shoes 
One of the most basic exercise essentials is a good shoe. You’ll need the right running shoe to go the distance. Picking the right shoe depends on what type of exercise you’ll be doing. There are shoes designed for walking, hiking, and running. The shape of your arch affects the way you run, and you can find the shoe with the right stability for your running style. You can find shoes that give you a barefoot feel while running, and others that are best for trail running.This sneaker guide shows some great options for different styles of running. Just remember to find the style that works best for the way you exercise.

Sports Bras
The right athletic bra will give you support and keep you comfortable. You’ll notice a difference when your sports bra is the right fit for you. You may think that all sports bras are the same, but you probably haven’t seen all the options! You can find some that have adjustable straps, vents to keep you dry, and different necklines. Finding the right one will give you support through your whole workout.

Workout Clothes
If you workout in old college t-shirts and running shorts, you may need a little upgrade to your workout wardrobe. There are so many options of workout clothes that are designed to keep you comfortable while exercising. Getting hot and sweaty is worth it, and you’ll feel even better at the end of a workout if your clothes have wicked away moisture and keep you comfortable in the weather. As we move into colder months, you may consider finding a jacket designed for cooler weather workouts.

Are you struggling with your workouts lately? Get a little motivation by upgrading your workout gear. When you’ve found some great shoes or clothes you’ll be excited to get to the gym. Remember to find the right pieces for your exercise style and you’ll love how the new tools improve your workout. If you want to show off your new workout gear or have questions about what is right for you, we’d love to help. Come see us at TwinFitness! Give us a call at 913-766-2298 or visit our website for more information. You can even schedule a free consultation with us!