If you are constantly starting a healthy exercise and eating program, only to let it fall by the wayside by the middle of the week you are destroying your metabolism, and killing any motivation you might have had.
Getting in shape is just as much as a mental approach as it is a physical one. If you want to get in shape once and for all you have to make some changes. Below are some tips on how to get in shape to prevent falling off the wagon again.
Tip #1 Make a committed goal to get in shape ? Goal setting, blah, blah, blah. You may think this is an unnecessary step and a waste of time, but NOT making a committed goal can be your biggest reason for failure.
Tip #2 Stick to your goal - Don't keep changing your mind ? Sure, just because you have some goals written down or outlined on your calendar doesn't mean you will get in shape. You have to actually follow your plan.
Tip #3 Eat balanced meals ? Eating balanced meals is one of the most important aspects of getting in shape. Most people tend to think that a can of tuna or an apple is a meal. Wrong. A meal is a combination of a complete protein and a carbohydrate.
Tip #4 Eat real food ? Any food won't do. You should be feeding your body quality nutrients in the form of natural foods. Far too many people rely on processed food-like items in boxes labeled "healthy," low-fat," low-carb," etc. for health and weight loss. For the best quality food, eat those that Mother Nature has provided. If you can hunt, pick, gather, or harvest it, you can eat it. More importantly, it would be wise to eat organic as much as possible.
Tip #5 Don't skip meals ? Many people think that in order to get in shape they have to be in a calorie deficient mode. While this might stand true to an extent, most people are going about it in the wrong manner by skipping meals.
Tip #6 Don't cut the carbs ? The no-carb craze is still in high gear. Granted, lowering carbs can have an effect on fat loss to a certain degree, but there's a certain procedure you have to use to do it correctly to prevent fatigue, burnout, and excess muscle loss.
Tip #7 Don't kill the Cardio - Cardio is fine, provided you are eating the right nutrients to support it. The problem many people have when trying to get in shape is that they drastically cut their calories AND carbs, and then suddenly jump on an hour of high intensity cardio a day. This is simply as recipe for disaster because it leads to metabolic downgrade.
Tip #8 Don't put your faith in the latest wonder drug - People become desperate when they want to shed pounds, build muscle, or just get in shape. This can lead you to taking "fat burning supplements" with high promises and disappointing results.
Conclusion Now that you have some crucial guidelines to follow to get you on the right path and to literally get you in shape, use them to your advantage. Nothing worth having comes easy. So, put forth the effort and the time it takes to get you in the best shape of your life.
The very simple answer to the opening question is as follows: one should participate in 45-60 minutes of aerobic exercise at least twice, but preferably 3 times per week until the bike tour starts.
That being said, the next logical question is: what kind of exercise should one do? Some suggestions are discussed below, and much more valuable information can be gleaned by looking at the many resources offered by our friends at "About Aerobics". One can find their web site by typing those two words into a search engine. This site can really answer all your training, diet, nutrition, equipment, and other questions. They even offer resources for people to set up a personal training program.
First of all, if you don’t normally follow an exercise regimen, you might want to start out in some sort of group program at your local gym, for example. Many companies now bring in fitness trainers for aerobics classes during lunch hour as well, so if your employer offers that, you have a good option to exercise more and eat less. Overcoming inertia and getting started can be the hardest part of the overall effort. Many people even become almost religious about their exercise habits once they get started and find a program that works for them.
Here’s an example of something one can do: we live in Colorado, and it’s not always easy to get a bike ride in during the winter or even spring months when the weather is often blustery. Our local gym offers spinning classes, and that is an excellent option to train for your bike tour. Spinning is done on a stationary bike with adjustable tension, and classes are led by an instructor, usually to music. It takes a few sessions to get used to, because most beginners are not accustomed to “standing up" on the pedals for 4-5 minutes without sitting down. One should start slowly, sit down and take it easy if necessary, and forget about being macho in front of the group. Normally after about 3-4 sessions, you'll learn to pace yourself properly while endurance improves. The next thing you know you'll be able to keep up with the group. Expect to burn from 500 to 700 calories in a 45 minute session, as the classes can be intense. It is also useful to wear a heart rate monitor if you have one and track your pulse during the session. In addition, part of the program is several minutes of stretching after the class, which is something most people neglect. For beginners, my advice is to come early and get a good warm-up. You can learn more about spinning by searching on the About Aerobics site mentioned above.
Another aerobic group exercise option is jazzercise. Jazzercise is popular in most locales, and it’s normally not hard to find sessions that fit your time availability. As always, the hard part is getting started. Once again, you can search the About Aerobics web site to find more information regarding jazzercise.
Of course individual aerobic exercises abound as well, including swimming, running, and various machines which are found in any good gym these days, even in hotels. Anything that will help you get your heart rate up for awhile will benefit your bike tour training.
Here’s an important point, however: no matter what type of aerobic exercise you choose to do, it’s absolutely necessary to get outside and put in some miles on a bike. Even if you spend a good amount of time on a stationary bike at home or in the gym, the feeling of riding outside is different, and you need to get used to that before your bike tour. Check your tour itinerary and determine the longest day of riding that you will encounter. If these distances are not specified, contact your tour operator and ask that question. If you can ride that amount of miles at home in training, then you will have no problem whatsoever on your bike tour. You’ll have all day to do those miles on the tour, and you will be stopping often along the route.
One of the side benefits of bike tours is that they motivate people to get active and get into shape. You’ll enjoy the beauty of the countryside much more if you’re in good physical condition. Being outside on a back road, perhaps in a foreign country, smelling the flowers or the crops or the fresh bread, and greeting the locals you encounter, are all much easier and more pleasant if you’re not gasping for breath. And after successfully riding 20-30 miles and enjoying a busy day of shopping, sight-seeing, and exploring new vistas, you’ll feel you’ve earned a fabulous dinner and a great bottle of wine. Bonne route!
Both Karen Sessions & Walter Ballenberger are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Karen Sessions has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Fat Loss and Build Muscle. Karen Sessions has been in the fitness industry since 1988. She is a nationally qualified bodybuilder and holds two personal training certifications. She has written 6 ebooks on fitness and has helped hundreds of clients transform their bodies.. Karen Sessions's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
Walter Ballenberger has sinced written about articles on various topics from Sinus Infections, Baby Shower and Arts. Walt Ballenberger is founder of Beaux Voyages Inc, which provides active tours in France including bike tours, wine tours, and Tour de France bike tours. He has lived and worked in France and speaks the language fluently.. Walter Ballenberger's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.