Fitness & Wellness

How To Make Working Out A Habit

How To Make Working Out A Habit

Why would you want to turn working out into a habit? Habits, whether good or bad, are hard to break. If you’ve ever moved to a different part of town, you may have driven to your old address on the way home. It comes from years of doing it until it became a habit. You do it without thinking, like brushing your teeth in the morning or making coffee. Link exercising with something you do every day. Develop a habit of walking for half an hour after dinner or exercising right after you get up in the morning.

Put your workout on your schedule.

One reason people tend to stick with an exercise program when they work out with a trainer is that they have an appointment with someone. You can use that same strategy even if you don’t use a trainer. Put your workout on your schedule and treat it like any other appointment. Make it at the same time every day. It makes it more of a priority and develops a habit. You’ll feel like something’s missing when you don’t exercise.

You’ll be more apt to exercise when you’re meeting someone.

Having someone to meet increases the urgency to workout. It doesn’t matter whether you use a trainer or a workout partner. If you’re meeting another person or going to exercise with someone at home, you don’t want to let the other person down. You can set up friendly competitions to push you even further and make the journey to fitness more fun.

Have a plan for success.

If your day gets out of control the minute you step into your office and forces you to work late into the night, scheduling a workout and hoping to get it in after your normal workday is supposed to end but doesn’t or during the busy day is useless. You won’t be able to complete your plans. Instead, try exercising in the morning, before you work. On the other hand, if you can’t force yourself out of bed early, early morning won’t work for you. Find a time to schedule your exercise that will show the most success.

  • Treat your exercise program as though it’s a prescription. It can help prevent health issues. Consider it like a prescription that you need to take daily.
  • Find ways to insert small sessions of exercise throughout the day. You don’t have to do 45 minutes all at once. Break your workout into sections. Do 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes at lunch, and 15 minutes at the end of the day.
  • Don’t try to do too much at first. Focus on preparing your body and learning the proper form first. If you overdo the workout initially, you may hurt too much to continue or even injure yourself.
  • Set the alarm on your phone to remind you to exercise at a specific time, or have a friend call to check and see if you did it. Go old fashioned with sticky notes to remind you and post them on your desk, mirror, or car visor.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


Are Avocados Good For Diabetes?

Are Avocados Good For Diabetes?

If you live in Irvine, CA, you may know about National Avocado Day on July 31, but you probably never celebrated with a friend and family get-together. It’s a day to acknowledge all the healthy benefits of avocados. It’s important since many people who are trying to lose weight or those with diabetes often avoid avocados because they’re high in calories and fat. It’s life-changing for those with diabetes. The good news is that avocados are healthy and even beneficial for everyone.

The fat is a healthy fat with a wealth of benefits.

Let’s start with all the nutrients that avocados contain. They’re rich in phytonutrients that you can’t get from vitamin supplements. They’re a good source of vitamin K, which is necessary for improving insulin sensitivity and regulating sugar metabolism. One study showed the daily consumption of a medium avocado lowered the risk of metabolic disease by 50 %. Another research project studied the intake of vitamin K and the risk of developing diabetes. It showed that those who were in the top 25% of consumption had a 19% reduced risk of developing diabetes.

They’re good for weight loss.

If weight loss is part of your healthcare plan for diabetes, avocados are the best. They are high in fat, but you still can include them. It’s a healthy fat that fills you up and keeps you full longer. They’re also low in carbohydrates. The high fiber and low carb content fills you and keeps you full longer. It helps prevent blood sugar spikes. Increased fiber consumption can help lower fasting blood sugar and A1C levels.

Reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome when you eat avocados.

Metabolic syndrome increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Many scientists speculate that excess belly fat may be the primary cause. Belly fat, also called visceral fat, creates hormones that cause inflammation. They play a central role in insulin resistance and even more weight gain. A twelve-week study found that eating an avocado a day helped reduce visceral fat compared to the control group that ate the same calories without the avocado. The visceral fat converts to subcutaneous fat, which isn’t associated with metabolic syndrome.

  • A medium avocado contains 322 calories, 4 grams of protein, 30 grams of fat, and 17 grams of carbs. It contains vitamins E, C, B3, B5, B2, K, B6 and folate. It also contains potassium, copper, manganese, and magnesium.
  • Eating avocados improves HDL, beneficial cholesterol. It lowers the bad LDL cholesterol. It is vital for absorbing fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamin A. It can help keep cholesterol in check.
  • The high antioxidant content of avocados protects mitochondria. They regulate metabolic activity. When mitochondria are damaged, it negatively affects your metabolism.
  • Always check with your healthcare professional first before changing your diet, especially if you have a health condition like diabetes.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


Weightlifting For Beginners

Weightlifting For Beginners

Weightlifting isn’t just to build bulging muscles. It can help you lose weight as you achieve a lean, toned appearance. When beginners start, trainers will ask for their goals. Some people want to build muscles, while others want to build strength. Adjusting your style to your goal isn’t necessary when you first start since you’ll do both, but as you get fitter, it’s important to differentiate. You don’t have to lift heavy weights to get results, you do have to be consistent.

Focus on form.

Using the correct form is vital. There are dumbbells, kettlebells, weight machines, and barbells. All of them provide the same thing. A heavy object you lift to stress your muscles and make them bigger and stronger. Dumbbells are probably the easiest to learn to use. They don’t require a spotter like barbells do. If you have a trainer, the trainer will show you how to lift and watch to ensure you do it correctly. When lifting at home, use a full-length mirror to ensure each move is correct. Executing a lift improperly can cause injury or diminish results.

Don’t do strength training two days in a row.

When you’re building muscles, whether it’s for strength or size, the strain you put on your muscles causes micro tears. When those tears heal, the scar tissue makes the muscles stronger and bigger. You need 48 to 72 hours for muscle healing to take place. If you don’t give them time, it tears down the muscle tissue and causes your muscles to weaken. You can still do weight training every day if you work different muscle groups, such as working one set of muscles one day and resting them on the next as you work a different group.

Work toward your goal.

If you want to build strength, lift as heavy as possible until you reach failure. If lifting for bulk, use lighter weights and lift toward failure. That doesn’t mean you start with the heaviest weights or work toward failure initially. Lift lighter and focus on form without pushing yourself so hard it affects your form. People just starting with a barbell may only lift the bar without added weight until they have the perfect form.

  • If you want to build muscles, supply your body with the building blocks. You need approximately 25-30% of your calories from protein. If you’re trying to lose weight at the same time, don’t cut calories too drastically.
  • Having a pre-workout snack that’s protein and carbs and one following your workout that’s similar can help boost recovery and improve muscle-building efforts. Pre-workout snacks can also boost your exercise session.
  • Get adequate sleep. Your body heals when you sleep, your body heals. That includes those micro-tears in the muscle tissue. Lack of sleep can also affect the effort you put into your weightlifting session.
  • Be consistent. It’s the key to success. Always do warm-up and cool-down exercises when working out. Including flexibility training in your program is also vital. Warming up and flexibility exercises help prevent injury.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


Best Exercises For A Stronger Core

Best Exercises For A Stronger Core

With all the time people spend at the beach in Irvine, CA, looking good in a swimsuit is a top priority for many. You need a stronger core to accomplish that. Using the right exercises can help. Strong core muscles do more than help you look great in a swimsuit. They affect your entire body. They improve posture, prevent back pain, aid digestion, and prevent headaches. Core muscles include the muscles of the pelvis, hips, back, and abs. They’re involved in every movement you make and keep you balanced and steady.

Planks build core strength.

If you’ve never done a plank, think of the up position for a push-up. Instead of lowering your body, you hold it. You can do a plank with your body weight on your toes and hands with your body straight. It’s called a high or straight-arm plank. You can also do it with the weight on your forearms and toes. That’s a low or forearm plank. You’ll work other muscles with a side, reverse, or bear plank. All of them strengthen your core.

Use a stability ball or kettlebells to diversify your core muscle workout.

Since core muscles help stabilize your body, doing exercises that make them work builds their strength. You can do stability ball side planks, push-ups, or a stability ball fallout. Start on your knees with your body upright and forearms on top of the ball to do the fallout. Slowly roll the ball outward, keeping your body straight as it goes further. Using kettlebells can improve core muscles. The center of gravity constantly changes due to the kettlebell’s shape. It forces your body to compensate continuously to remain stable.

A bridge is similar to the plank since it’s a move-and-hold exercise.

Lay on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent. Now, lift your bottom off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your knees to the top of your head. Squeeze your core muscles, especially the abs, and hold them tight for as long as possible. Then, slowly lower your body back to the floor.

  • Walking can build core muscles if you focus on your posture. Pull your stomach in and shoulders back. Walking on uneven ground, such as in the woods, works core muscles even more.
  • Some old favorites, like V sit-ups, build core strength. To do a V sit-up, lay flat with your arms above your head. Lift your upper body and legs simultaneously to form a V and hold.
  • Riding a bike or doing bicycle crunches can build core muscles. You use your core muscles when you pedal. Mimicking the riding action with bicycle crunches does an even better job. Mountain climbers also use similar muscles.
  • Our trainers can help you with a personalized program so you reach your goals faster. Always check with your healthcare professional first before starting any exercise program.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


Healthy Eating Hacks

Healthy Eating Hacks

Make your meals more nutritious by using these healthy eating hacks. You can create new dishes in the kitchen, choose healthier menu options when eating out, or have healthier options ready when you want a snack. Instead of junk food, buy a melon. You can choose watermelon or cantaloupe. Peel it, cut it into bite-size pieces, and store it for quick snacks or a healthy dessert. Wash grapes and have them ready or freeze them for a cooling snack on a hot summer day.

Using vegetable options for pasta is a healthier option.

Use spiralized noodles or bake spaghetti squash for a delicious alternative to spaghetti or noodles. Instead of spaghetti sauce that’s high in sugar, choose canned spiced tomatoes like basil and herbed or chili-ready tomatoes. Always check the label for ingredients and total sodium content. Boil down the tomatoes and label on the spaghetti topped with grated cheese or add refried beans to a mix of chopped tomatoes and chopped tomatoes with chilis for a spicy sauce.

Create meals ahead and store them in the freezer in individual serving sizes.

Meal planning is one way to save money, ensure there’s no waste, and save money on takeout food on those days you don’t have time to cook. You can pack each meal component in individual or family-sized freezer bags. When ready, assemble your meal from your freezer selections on a glass microwaveable bowl or plate. Cover it with a white paper towel, parchment paper, or a domed microwaveable cover that doesn’t allow the plastic to touch the food as it heats. Recent studies show that bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalate, two chemicals in plastic, can leach into food warmed in plastic.

Add more vegetables to each dish.

You can increase nutrition by adding more vegetables to every dish. If you’re making mac ‘n cheese, add peas, broccoli, or other colorful veggie. When making mashed potatoes, boil three parts of skins-on potatoes with one part cauliflower. Make veggie-based lasagna with eggplant or stretch your budget with meat, tomato, and rice cauliflower stuffed peppers. If you’re making a roast, roast vegetables with it. Make sauces that include extra herbs and spices.

  • When eating in a restaurant, choose baked or grilled instead of fried ones. Order double sides of vegetables and eat those first. You can eat half the main dish and take the other half home.
  • What you drink plays a vital role in your health. Choose water, plain coffee, or tea instead of soft drinks. If you have the option, plain water or green tea are the best.
  • If you’re using garlic in a dish and want all the benefits of allicin, the healthy sulfate compound, chop it and allow it to stand for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking. Heat decreases the activity of the enzymes that release it.
  • Make the food on your plate as colorful as possible to ensure you get all nutrients from vegetables and fruit. Each color brings new health benefits. Use canned or frozen veggies to save time and money. Frozen ones may be fresher and more nutritious.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


How To Exercise With Reduced Mobility

How To Exercise With Reduced Mobility

Reduced mobility can be severe, where you’re bedridden, or painful, but not as debilitating, such as a sprained ankle. If you work with a physical therapist, they’ll provide the exercises for the injured area, but you’re responsible for the rest of your body. You can do many exercises to maintain your present fitness level or even improve it. Always check with your healthcare professional before starting or continuing any fitness program.

If you’re bedridden, move what you can move.

Move your body as much as possible. If you can still move your upper body, move it. Raise your hands above your head and do bed jumping jacks without standing or jumping. It will look like making snow angels in the bed but with a clap at the top of raising your hands. Stretch your muscles. Raise your legs, lifting each leg slightly off the bed, and hold. Bring your knees toward your chest and do a bicycle. Move your muscles until you feel a stretch. It should make you feel better. If it hurts, stop and try a different stretch.

If you’re injured, work the area that’s not.

Work your lower body if your upper body is injured and vice versa. Injuries may include sprains, strains, or broken bones. That usually happens on one side. That means 3/4th of your body is healthy enough to exercise. If you’re chairbound, doing curls and other upper body exercises with small weights or homemade weights like soup cans builds and maintains strength. You can even do reverse push-ups while seated. Place your hands on the seat of your chair and attempt to lift your bottom off the seat.

Move what you can and keep your exercise appropriate for your condition.

Don’t try to overdo it. Don’t push yourself and baby the injured area until it heals. Even then, take it slow. If you’re working with a physical therapist, ask for guidance and check to ensure an exercise won’t exacerbate the injury if you’re unsure. Stretching is excellent, especially if you’re physically limited. It keeps you flexible and helps you feel better by limiting the pain of stiff muscles. Arm circles, overhead lateral reach, cross-body shoulder stretch, and wrist flexors are a few upper-body stretches. Lower body stretches include couch, calf, and half-kneeling hip flexor stretches.

  • If you’ve injured an arm or leg, exercise the other side. Studies show it helps maintain muscle strength in the injured and uninjured areas. It boosts circulation to speed healing.
  • Get a mobile pull-up bar that’s just above your head when seated. You can pull your body out of your chair, improving upper body strength and providing more mobility.
  • Focus on isolation exercises to limit the potential of exacerbating the injury. If you can’t do squats, do leg extensions. You can still train heavy when you choose the right type of exercise.
  • Do what you can to keep moving. If you’re in bed, do flutter kicks. If you’re chairbound, lift weights and do single-leg lifts if possible. Isometric exercises are static contractions. They help lower blood pressure and build muscle strength.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


Use Your Playlist For Motivation If You’re Struggling To Workout

There’s no perfect playlist to help boost motivation. It’s all personalized and depends on your preference and the type of workout you’re doing. If you’re pushing hard to conquer an intense workout, your choice of music will be different than a playlist to calm your mind when you do yoga or meditation. If you love old-school rock or gangster rap, there are plenty of songs ready to push you through to the finish. Studies show that music can get you pumped, so get your best playlist put together, put on your gym clothes, and go to the gym or for a run.

It’s more than the music, it’s the words.

You can become the Rocky within you when you workout to The Eye of the Tiger or push through that intense HIIT workout when listening to Can’t Be Touched. Classics like What a Feeling from Flashdance or I Will Survive can get you through a run. The pace of the song and the emotional impact of the lyrics make a difference. It helps if you know the words and can sing along. It takes your mind off minor aches and pains. It even improves power when listening to a soundtrack when exercising, but you won’t notice the difference.

Several studies show the benefits of using a playlist when working out.

Music can be a tool that gets you more involved. One study followed people doing HIIT—high intensity interval training—workouts and doing the same workouts without music. When they listed, they felt less exhausted by 7%. The same study was used with people doing endurance exercises. They experienced the same thing, but the rate of exhaustion they felt was reduced by 11%.

There are thousands of songs from which to choose.

One study followed all the potential songs you could use at the gym. They found the 50 that most people added to their gym workout list. All are intense, with a fast, strong beat and a message that confirms success. You can pick from the many playlists already prepared or choose your own. It’s more effective when you make your own. Choose a song with a tempo to match your workout, one that moves you emotionally, and one you like.

  • You don’t want the same playlist for every type of workout. If you’re doing flexibility exercises, don’t choose one with a fast beat that’s intense. Instead, choose one with less staccato that’s flowing and smooth.
  • Check your feelings when you listen to the song. Is the song emotionally powerful? Do you feel uplifted? If you’re doing strength training, you can even use a song that exudes Hulk-like and angry emotions.
  • Before you add a song to your playlist, look up the words if you don’t know them and just like the best. Ensure those words have the emotional impact you want to succeed at the gym.
  • Create several playlists and use a different one for flexibility training than you would for lifting. If you’re creating one for running, use upbeat tunes that match your pace.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


Fun Ways To Improve Your Fitness

Fun Ways To Improve Your Fitness

Fitness is a serious endeavor. That doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. You can improve your fitness and love every minute. It won’t feel like exercise when you’re having fun and focusing on the moment. There are many fun activities in Irvine, CA, which are fun to do. They improve your endurance, strength, and flexibility to supplement your traditional workout program. Some people use these activities to start their exercise program, while others start an exercise program to have the energy and strength to do the activities they love.

Get in tune with Mother Nature and boost your endurance.

Going for a hike is a favorite pastime of many people. You can spend the whole day in the woods or just an hour enjoying the sun, cool green surroundings, and the uneven path that challenges you but isn’t overwhelming. You can walk alone, but if you do, tell a friend or relative where you’re going or let them track your phone. You can take the whole family and have a picnic along the trail. It’s the perfect place to clear your head or enjoy friends and family.

Dance your way to fitness.

You can take a dance class, spend the evening dancing, or turn on your favorite song and dance until you’re exhausted. There are all types of dancing. Ballet, jazzercise, Zumba, ballroom dancing, or your personal dance style, what you do when the music is loud and you’re alone. You can do it alone or have fun with the family by getting everyone involved. You can spend more time with the kids, have fun, and exercise by making dance a game, like doing the elephant dance with the kids or creating lip syncing dance motions to the song.

Take up something new or renew past passions that keep you moving.

If you’ve always wanted to rock climb, now’s a great time to start. It builds body strength and agility. Maybe you enjoyed basketball as a kid, find a group you can join. White water rafting, swimming, or tennis can keep you moving. Golf may seem slow and less active, but if you walk the course and carry your bags it can be grueling.

  • Get hula hoops for the whole family and have hula hoop contests. You can even challenge a neighboring family or the neighborhood for the right to be the reigning hula hoop champs.
  • Get a bike or rent one. You can often find inexpensive bikes at pawn shops. If you’re not comfortable riding, for fear you’ll fall, consider a three-wheeler.
  • Workout at a playground or in the park. Go when you don’t have to share the playground equipment with children, like early in the morning. Modify the exercises to fit the available equipment, like using monkey bars for chin-ups.
  • Join a water aerobics class or swim as an alternative to your gym workout. Working out in water burns more calories and provides less impact on the joints. Always check with your healthcare professional before starting any program.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


Best Workout When You're Short On Time

Best Workout When You’re Short On Time

Scheduling your workout at the same time each day as you would any appointment helps build a habit and is the best way to keep you motivated. It’s hard to break a habit. Sometimes, life gets in the way and you can’t do a full workout. Here are some ways to squeeze in your exercise program and stick with the program by modifying your workout and getting it done faster. Sometimes, just saving a few minutes during the day makes a big difference.

Divide your workout into sessions.

If you can’t manage a full workout, break it into sessions. Can you do 15 minutes at three different times during the day? It doesn’t matter whether you exercise all at once, do a 25-minute session and a 20-minute session, or do three 15-minute sessions throughout the day, you’ll still get the benefit of doing 45 minutes. You don’t have to change a thing. You only need to break your workout into several sections.

Save time with circuit training or HIIT—high intensity interval training.

HIIT workouts get more done in less time. HIIT workouts don’t include specific exercises but are a way of doing any exercise. You push to peak performance for a few minutes, modify your effort to a recovery pace, and then back to peak intensity. Modifying your intensity can show the same improvements in fitness in less than half the time as a steady-state workout. You can use it with cardio workouts or strength training. You can also modify circuit training by cutting the resting time between stations. It speeds up the workout and accomplishes more in less time.

A full-body workout and compound exercises speed up your routine.

Exercises using kettlebells provide a full-body workout. They also offer flexibility, strength, balance, and cardio simultaneously. That’s a real time-saver. It burns as many calories in a short period as other exercises do in a much longer time. It can shorten your session without cutting benefits. Doing compound exercises also boosts the efficiency of your workout. They work several muscle groups and joints at one time.

  • Use your daily activities as part of your workout. If you walk to lunch, make it a HIIT workout, or pick up your speed and swing your arms vigorously. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
  • Create a short circuit of exercises, and when you have time to spare, do as many circuits as possible. They can include squats, lunges, push-ups, jumping jacks, and other calisthenics you can do anywhere.
  • If you’re going to have a packed day, get up earlier and exercise as soon as you rise. When it’s early, it’s quiet and less demanding, so you’ll get more done and start your day right.
  • Include weights and make each exercise more difficult to maximize the benefits. If you’re doing jumping jacks, do it by holding dumbbells or wearing ankle and wrist weights.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


How To Workout In Your Garden

How To Workout In Your Garden

Whether you workout in the gym, walk regularly, or expend energy gardening, you’re staying active and getting exercise. When you garden, you get a full-body workout. You can also grow beautiful flowers, delicious fruits and vegetables, or fragrant herbs. All of these things add to your mental and physical well-being. You can make your workout as easy or hard as you wish, based on your fitness level. You don’t need much space, garden in containers, and add to your fitness program.

Build strength no matter how you garden.

Are you doing container gardening or going full dirt mode with a large plot of land? Either way, you have things to lift and digging to do. The larger and more “earthy” the garden, the more you’ll work your arms, back, and legs. Whether you turn the soil with a shovel or carry the soil in a bag to fill a pot, you use your muscles. That builds strength. Are you just growing a small garden of flowers around your front porch? Don’t forget the bags of mulch to load in the cart at the store, put in and remove it from your vehicle, and finally put it around your plants.

Get a cardio workout!

Your ambition and speed determine the amount of cardio you get. If you’re raking leaves or trimming plants, are you moving fast, taking breaks infrequently, or going slower and stopping more often? How long can you shovel before you quit? Are you breathing hard? It boosts your endurance. If you use a push mower, whether it’s motorized or not, you’ll get cardio. A manual push mower will provide the most.

Work on functional fitness.

Gardening helps keep you flexible. You’ll bend to weed, shovel, plant, and transplant your garden bounty. If you love doing squats or touching your toes, you’ll find gardening invigorating. Bending, twisting, and squatting are all part of the effort. Weeds don’t care if you didn’t create a comfortable bed for them, they crowd in everywhere, normally in spots that aren’t easy to reach. All of the various twists and turns build your flexibility.

  • You’ll improve your balance, whether turning the soil or gardening in containers. You’ll improve your core strength and balance when reaching for all the plants while sitting in a squat or bent position.
  • You’ll probably sweat as much when you garden as in the gym. It keeps you active. Modify your effort based on your fitness level. Don’t try to overdo it at first. Start slowly and increase your activity.
  • Take a minute or two to remove your shoes and walk in the grass barefoot. It’s called grounding. It’s a technique to calm your body and mind you can’t do in a gym.
  • Warm your muscles before you start gardening. It is a workout, so take a few minutes to warm your muscles to prevent pulling a muscle or becoming too sore to move the next day.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness