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19 Ways to Get Motivated to Exercise

April 6, 2016 by ptpt Leave a Comment

Maintaining a regular exercise routine can be challenging, even though we KNOW fitness and exercise is great for us!

So how can YOU stay motivated to keep up with your fitness training, or even get started with a new fitness training program when you just ‘don’t feel like it’?

Dumb Little Man’s Claire Jones has 19 Ways to Get Motivated to Exercise just for you!

1. Tell a Friend when you plan to work out and what activity you’ll be doing – an accountability partner is a great asset!
2. Create a Playlist that lifts your mood and gets you moving
3. Put on your sports gear and head out the door immediately
4. Arrange a workout with a friend – again accountability will be a huge asset for your success!
5. Make it FUN – do what you enjoy.
6. Incorporate little bursts of activity into your day – You don’t have to be at the gym for it to count as exercise!
7. Plan how far you want to run, swim or walk, and then halve it.
8. Buy gear that makes you look and feel good.
9. Work out in the morning, whenever you can.
10. Join a Sports Group – meet new people that enjoy the same activities as you!
11. Find an activity that’s on your way home from work.
12. Keep picturing the most sporty version of you.
13. Go for ten minutes only – once you get going, odds are you will continue beyond your 10 minutes!
14. Go to the gym when your favorite TV show is on – now you have no excuse. 🙂
15. Give yourself a reward after you’ve worked out.
16. Remember that action creates motivation.
17. Set up a 30-day Challenge.
18. Don’t focus on the whole workout.
19. Write down the excuses you have for not working out.

For a breakdown of each motivation tip you can read the Full Article on Dumb Little Man HERE

As I sit here typing this, I have a date with a trail that I am supposed to be running.

So remembering that action creates motivation, I will finalize this article, and run on the trail for ten minutes only…which I am sure will turn into more, but right now I am thinking of all the things I need to do today.

My reward will be that satisfying feeling you have when you have accomplished something awesome!

Which is how I feel after every fitness training session at Innovative Results – The Orange County Fitness Playground, so I am sure that this will be no different.

Not focusing on the full workout, just doing ten minutes, using action to create motivation, and feeling that huge sense of achievement when I am done is what will get me motivated to exercise for this particular exercise in my fitness training program.

Make Your Next One, Your Best One!

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Looking for a motivational, accountability partner? Fill out the contact us below and our IR Training Team will get you started!

Need More Ab Exercises? These 3 Articles Will Shred Your 6-pack

February 24, 2016 by IR Staff 1 Comment

Aaron six pack proof1 — Proof Example #1 – 6-pack Abs

I have been studying psychology and physiology since I was 16 (seems like forever ago…I am 34 now), because I wanted a “hot” body (six pack with ripped back, chest, arm, and leg muscles), that also performs at peak levels.

Fortune favors the bold, so after staying consistent with exercise, hydration, nutrition, and sleep I have managed to keep the six pack I created so many years ago in my high school fitness gym.

I used to walk around with my shirt off all of the time to show this off, and then I realized I was just feeding ego, not helping others realize their own improvements…now I rarely am seen without a shirt.

I don’t keep my shirt on because I lost my six pack (they are still strong and present, just a little more hairy).

It is mainly because grew up a little and chose a more modest, humble approach to help others reach their fitness goals.

I realized I don’t have to constantly show off my abs, strength, power, and muscles at Innovative Results fitness gym, to help other people improve their quality of life…it is more about connecting and having fun at The Orange County Fitness Playground, while building good habits with solid fitness training programs.

Aaron six pack proof2 — Proof Example #2 – six pack abs

When it comes to overall fitness, especially ab and core strength, I wouldn’t coach clients, teach trainers, facilitate followers, or build progressions that didn’t work.

However, sometimes we forget that six pack abs and abdominal strength has less to do with ab-centric exercise (like crunches and sit-ups) and more to do with properly engaging them throughout our daily activities and exercise routines.

If we fail to engage our inner and outer abdominal muscles at the trunk of our torso, except for when we do “ab” exercises, we will fail to feel the abdominal muscles work properly in all positions.

Sounds to easy, but I encourage you to test this right now.

Are your “abs” “on”?

Most likely, they are not.

You are in some sort of forward slouch, slump, or fold, that has turned your abs into mush.

Once you straighten up your position in your seat or as you stand, your ab muscles and core need to share the load placed on your spine from gravity.

This load is increased as we perform daily tasks and exercises.

When we rotate, lift heavy, exert maximal force in push, pull, rotation, squating, hip hinging, and rotating, our abs must contract.

This is telling your ab muscles to adapt by getting stronger and more dense, so we can perform the exercises better next time.

Which invests into the future look and feel of our abs.

If we are regularly pursuing abdominal engagement through regular exercises, as mentioned above, and we consciously engage our abs as we sit, stand, walk, run, reach, lift, and hold stuff throughout the day…we will be amazed by our “core” or “ab” strength.

All of these movements ARE ab exercises, as long as we are actively engaging with our abdominal muscles during these movements.

As we start to engage our abdominal muscles more and more, we will have muscles to show off, especially when we pursue good nutrition, hydration, and sleep to help us remove the unnecessary body fat from our belly.

ricardo-abreu — Ricardo Abreu is shredded with a six pack

Need more ab exercises?

Try these three articles to help you work your abs and core better during your time at the Innovative Results fitness gym – The Orange County Fitness Playground.

Now you can get that hot body that also performs at peak levels:

7 Best Core Exercises
Are Ab Crunches a Waste of Time?
I Do Crunches Every Day, Where Are My Abs?

Make your Next Ab Exercises Your Best Exercises!

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Would you like to train your abs at The Orange County Fitness Playground? Fill out the form below.

What Happens When You Stop Working Out? 6 Things You Don’t Want To Happen When You Drop Your Workout Routine.

September 22, 2015 by Jessica Leave a Comment

That missed training session has turned into a multiple week break, ready to find out what your body has to say?

“Detraining” – just as a great training program builds you up, falling out of your workout routine can have negative effects on your body. Not too mention deny you the fitness goals you set for yourself.

Lucky for us, ‘detraining” is a fully reversible condition as long as you get yourself back to your training routine.

So what actually happens to your body when you trade regular sweat sessions for the couch, and Netflix binge?

Let’s take a look!

What Happens When You Stop Working Out?

1. Your Blood Pressure Soars
An elevated blood pressure is an almost instant effect of de-training. On the days you spend out of the gym, your blood pressure will be higher. “Your blood vessels adapt to the slower flow of a sedentary lifestyle after just two weeks, which clicks your readings up another couple of notches, according to a recent study in the journal PLoS. Within a month, stiffening arteries and veins send your BP back to where it would be if you’d never even left the couch, says study author Linda Pescatello, PhD, of the University of Connecticut.”

How Do I Reverse It: Start sweating again! Once you get back to your regular sweat sessions, your blood pressure will drop a bit day by day, and your blood vessels will increase efficiency within your first week back. According to Dr. Pescatello, after a month or two, the heart-pumping workouts will allow for vaculature flexibility resulting in “lasting pressure-lowering effects.”

2. Your Blood Sugar Spikes
Normally, you see an increase in your blood glucose after you eat, then as your muscles and other tissues process the sugar they need for energy the levels begin to drop. After only 5 days of skip the gym excuses, your post-meal blood sugar levels will remain in the elevated state. As these levels increase with sedentary behavior, you increase your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

How Do I Reverse It: Studies have shown that just one week of regular exercises will have a HUGE effect on decreasing post-meal blood sugar.

3. You Get Winded Fast
Climbing those stairs getting a little tougher? Two weeks of less of missed training sessions will have you gasping for breath as your working muscles fight for oxygen. According to exercise physiologist Stacy Sims, PhD, your VO2 max (how much oxygen your working muscles can use) decreases by as much as 20% within those first two weeks of de-training. (Read more about why this occurs HERE)

How Do I Reverse It: The Bad News – rebuilding will take longer than the 2 weeks it took to lose those original gains, but the great news is that it is possible! It’s never too late to restart your training habits and get back in shape. Nothing GREAT comes easy, you just have to set up your plan.

4. Your Muscles Wither
Your endurance will be the first to go as your activity levels decrease, and second will be your strength with your quads and biceps being the first to go 😉 After two weeks of rest, studies have found dramatic reduction in muscle mass often leading to an inability to ‘sustain high intensity efforts.’

How Do I Reverse It: Again, the rebuilding process is going to be longer than the 2 weeks it took you to lose muscle mass, but you are better off than those who have never touched a weight before. Read more…

5. You Plump Up
You guessed it! Within 1 week your muscles will begin lose their ability to burn fat, and your metabolism will slow due to inactivity.

How do I Reverse It: Ready to reduce the plumpness? It may require at least double the duration of time you took off from training to regain that same lean level you started with. Don’t let the duration of time discourage you, just add one workout a week to start. The health benefits will start adding up as you get back into the swing of things and you will be back to your sexy self in no time!

6. Your Brain Suffers
Feeling tired, irritable, and grouchy? Studies have reported that within 2 weeks regular exercisers have shown changes in mood, mindset and productivity.

How Do I Reverse It: Combat stress, depression and anxiety by using regular exercise as an instant mood booster! Some studies have even shown that exercise helps with your memory!

Get up and get moving, your “Improved Quality of Life” is waiting for you at your next training session!

SOURCE: MSN|Health & Fitness – 6 Things That Will Happen When You Stop Working Out (Read FULL Article)

Self Conscious About Starting Another Exercise Program?…Don’t Be!
Doctor Amazed By An IR Client’s Health Results

7 Ways Exercise Improves Your Self-Confidence

October 25, 2008 by ptpt 3 Comments

Do you want to feel better, inside and out, have more energy and perhaps even live longer? Well look no further these 7 Ways Exercise Improves Your Self-Confidence!

The benefits of exercise, from preventing chronic health conditions to boosting confidence and self-esteem, are hard to ignore. And these benefits are yours for the taking, regardless of age, sex or physical ability. Need more convincing? Check out these seven specific ways exercise can improve your confidence, brain health and life.

7 Ways Exercise will Improve Your Self-Confidence

1. Exercise improves your mood.
Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help you calm down.
Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals, which may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You’ll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Exercise even reduces feelings of depression and anxiety. Medical studies have shown exercise improves thinking and memory. Physical activity combined with a fitness training regiment not only increases cardio vascular and muscular health, by boosting blood flow and elevating growth hormones, but also shows significant increases in vigor and clear thinking.

2. Exercise combats chronic diseases.
Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis? Regular exercise is the ticket.
Regular exercise can help you prevent – or manage – high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular exercise boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol while decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaque in your arteries.
And there’s even more. Regular exercise can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.

3. Exercise helps you manage your weight.
Want to drop those excess pounds? Trade some tv/couch time for walking or other physical activities.
This one’s a no-brainer. When you exercise, you burn calories. The more intensely you exercise, the more calories you burn – and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. You don’t even need to set aside major chunks of time for working out. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk during your lunch break. Do jumping jacks during commercials. Better yet, turn off your TV and take a brisk walk. Dedicated workouts are excellent, but activity you accumulate throughout the day helps you burn calories, too.

4. Exercise strengthens your heart and lungs.
Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Don’t throw in the towel. Regular exercise can leave you breathing easier.
Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular exercise helps your entire cardiovascular system – the circulation of blood through your heart and blood vessels – work more efficiently. When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you’ll have more energy to do the things you enjoy.

5. Exercise promotes better sleep.
Struggling to fall asleep? Or stay asleep? It might help to boost your physical activity during the day.
A good night’s sleep can improve your concentration, productivity and mood. And, you guessed it; exercise is sometimes the key to better sleep. Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. The timing is up to you – but if you’re having trouble sleeping, you might want to try late afternoon workouts. The natural dip in body temperature five to six hours after you exercise might help you fall asleep.

6. Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life.
Are you too tired to have sex? Or feeling too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Exercise to the rescue.
Regular exercise can leave you feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on your sex life. But there’s more to it than that. Exercise improves your circulation, which can lead to more satisfying sex. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don’t exercise, especially as they get older.

Wondering what to do on a Saturday afternoon? Looking for an activity that suits the entire family? Get physical!
Exercise doesn’t have to be boring or monotonous . Take a ballroom dancing class. Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Push your kids on the swings or climb with them on the jungle gym. Plan a neighborhood kickball or touch football game. Find an activity you enjoy, and go for it. If you get bored, try something new. If you’re moving, it counts!

You can also check out our list of the Top 10 Places to Stay Active in Orange County!

Are you convinced? Good. Then why not start rewarding yourself the benefits of physical activity today!

Did you like “7 Ways Exercise Improves Your Self-Confidence“? Leave us a comment….

Innovative Results was voted Best Gym in Orange County and continues to deliver quality fitness services that improve people’s quality of life.

Can Exercise Help Reduce Stress? Orange County Fitness Trainers say YES!

October 17, 2008 by ptpt 3 Comments

Today, stress seems to be a way of life. Stress can be hard to live with and can cause anxiety, depression, and other ailments such as high blood pressure and insomnia, and can even negatively affect our immune system.

Can exercise help reduce stress?

Research has shown that regular exercise is one of the best physical stress reduction methods there is, and that those who exercise regularly have a decreased occurrence of anxiety and depression.

Can exercise help reduce stress?

Exercise can help the body to cope better with the physical effects of stress.

Exercise strengthens the heart and lungs (two organs that are largely affected by the body’s response to stress), decreases stress hormones like cortisol, releases endorphins (giving you a feeling of happiness and overall well being) and helps with weight loss and maintenance (improving your confidence and body image!).

Regular exercisers also report that they have more energy, sleep better, have an improved ability to concentrate, and have reduced reactions to stress.

While exercise may not make those everyday stressors disappear, it does put you in a better place physically, emotionally and spiritually, to deal with them.

Did you like “Can Exercise Help Stress Reduction?”…Leave us a comment.

Innovative Results Teaches Exercise and Disease Prevention

October 17, 2008 by ptpt 1 Comment

Not long ago, physicians used to advise individuals with chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, asthma and heart disease to avoid exercise, thinking that excessive physical activity would cause more problems. However, today there is evidence that exercise does in fact prevent and even treat these commonly occurring illnesses.

Research indicates that exercise can help diminish the pain and joint damage caused by arthritis, decrease asthma attacks and the need for medication, and ease anxiety and depression. With a combination of diet and exercise diabetics can see a 45% improvement in their condition, when compared to just diet alone.

The American Heart Association has stated that the leading cause of heart disease is physical inactivity. Regular exercise helps to strengthen the heart, reduce blood pressure, improve a person’s cholesterol levels and give the coronary arteries greater flexibility, all contributing to preventing the development of heart disease.

Even your cancer risk may be reduced by regular exercise. Evidence links exercise to a reduced occurrence of breast tumors, colon cancers and other malignancies. One study from the University of Southern California found that “women who participate in four or more hours of physical activity per week during their reproductive years reduce their risk of breast cancer by 60 percent, compared to inactive women” Additionally exercise has also been found to ease the side effects of chemotherapy and improve adherence to cancer treatments.

Was “Innovative Results Teaches Exercise and Disease Prevention” helpful? Leave us a comment….

Innovative Results is a fitness center in costa mesa that has been helping people feel and look better by showing them how to exercise properly and help prevent disease.

19 Ways to Get Motivated to Exercise

Need More Ab Exercises? These 3 Articles Will Shred Your 6-pack

What Happens When You Stop Working Out? 6 Things You Don’t Want To Happen When You Drop Your Workout Routine.

7 Ways Exercise Improves Your Self-Confidence

Can Exercise Help Reduce Stress? Orange County Fitness Trainers say YES!

Innovative Results Teaches Exercise and Disease Prevention

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