insanefitness.com

GET OUTSIDE!!

While the gym makes an awesome place to get your strength training – enjoy the cooler weather and get outside.

Take the kids hiking, go running, go for a walk — AND I MEAN ANYONE!!

My inlaws just left and we hiked a bunch when they were here — they are almost 70 so I mean ANYONE!!

There are some great places in Douglas County to hike including:
- Sweetwater – you will see me there every Saturday morning doing my weekly LONG run as I prep for the full marathon on Thanksgiving Day
- Cochran Mills – this is technically Fulton County but extremely close and a hidden gem!
- Clinton Farms – lots of singletrack if you like that and wider trails if you prefer that — lots of variety and never gets old

There are also lots of other options in and around the County and surrounding area so while gas is tight — why not get out and enjoy what we have right here!

Hiking outside adds variety to anyone’s personal training routine so I really encourage everyone to get some variety and get out and enjoy!!

Now let’s get things straight here. There are lots of great group fitness classes in Douglasville. And there are more than enough at the Douglasville Gym where I work to keep anyone moving and active. But group fitness classes are NOT — no matter which class in the world it is — the only thing you should be doing to stay fit. Even classes with weights are aerobics classes. The weights are not heavy enough to stimulate your bones in order to prevent osteoporosis. Don’t get me wrong — group fitness classes are a great cardio option. They are fun and they can be very motivating. But the “one size fits all” approach should tell you that this is not all you should be doing. Consider group fitness classes a “part” of your routine instead of the whole routine and you will be on track!!!

New to Fitness? Still thinking about it and not sure where to start? Well, it can be a difficult decision on what to do. For some people, this decision is so overwhelming that they do nothing. There are many choices and here is a little secret — everyone is UNIQUE and different. We all have different life experiences,we have different strengths, we have different fitness levels. We all have different things that are difficult for us to do — whether it is coordination, cardiovascular or just plain keeping your brain in the game.

Well, then here is what I think you should do. Sit down and make a list of your goals — YES WRITE THEM DOWN. Then make a list of things you love to do — this can be abstract or very detailed. So things like “spend time with my kids” should be on there or “spend time alone” — But make a list of things that make you happy. Ok, now it is time to interpret that list. Did you write how much you love to dance? Well then perhaps group fitness classes. There are lots of great choices for group fitness classes in douglasville BUT………. group fitness classes are NOT for everyone. They frustrate many because of the coordinated movements and the class you choose. They also occur at SPECIFIC times which for many people this can be an issue because if they miss their fitness class then they just don’t work out at all. So, if you LOVE classes, then consider that a PART of your fitness routine.

Did you love fresh air, nature and spending time with your kids. Well then perhaps adding a weekly (or more often) hike in one of the great parks here. Sweetwater is my personal favorite because it is right here in Douglas County. It is spacious and also has great trails. So perhaps that should be part of your routine.

See where I am going here. Fitness does not mean you have to do just one thing. I personally love to run and my weekly run at Sweetwater is the highlight of my running. The other days I mostly run on the treadmill because of time constraints.

Ok, now for strength training — everyone NEEDS it!! And no, group fitness classes that use weights are NOT strength training. You need to lift heavy weights to build bone density and strength so just get your head around it and do it. If you don’t know what to do — remember the part about you being UNIQUE! – then a few personal training sessions would be a very good investment. Even people who think they know exactly what to do can benefit from a few personal training sessions. Why? Because just like a chef can show you a better, tastier and more efficient way to cook a meal — a personal trainer can show you a better, more effective and more time-efficient way to work out.

I hope this has helped you to figure out how to get started because fitness is an essential and FUN part of your life. So find what works for you!!

Love walking here in the beauty that is Douglasville, Villa Rica, Douglas County? Well guess what? That walking may be more than just a good fun workout. The vitamin D we get from everyday sunlight may curb your diabetes risk. More studies are needed but they found the vitamin D levels to be highest in those who exercised the most — regardless of other factors such as weight, smoking and blood pressure.

So, get outside and go for a walk or a run — it will help you in so many ways!!

For more tips from me, Dave Hansey on fitness, personal training, and staying healthy — check out my tips either at the gym or on my other site — 4 fit bodies

Well, I get a lot of people asking about classes and boot camp classes. While I LOVE personal training because it is UNIQUE to you, there is some wonderful things that can come from seeing how fit you are boot camp style!

Like how fast can you run 3 miles?

How many push ups can you do in 2 minutes? Or pull ups if you want to REALLY go Marine Corps Boot Camp Style.

Now, that said……….. have you been working out lately? If you have never worked out or it has been a while, then extreme classes like boot camp or kickboxing are NOT for you!! They may be EVENTUALLY but you need to get to a point where you can perform them safely first.

So first thing first when it comes to improving your fitness, visit your doctor and then determine what is the best thing for you. Is it personal training? Personal training gives you a benchmark and also finds the proper thing for you to do right away. So that is a good place to start. And even just a few sessions to learn a routine can make a dramatic impact in your routine because you are now streamlined and doing what YOU need…. so think about it. Then ask yourself if you are ready for the boot camp challenge yet….. or not….

Every week I hear “Dave, I really want to____________” – fill in almost any fitness thing from losing weight to having a six pack. And also every week, I hear ” I used to be so _____________” Again, fill in things like thin, fit, strong and sadly also fill in happy.

Neither of these are fitness realities. These are fitness wishes, goals, dreams, memories.

In order to truly GET FIT NOW, you need to live in your reality. Are you overweight? Seriously overweight? Do you have the eating habits of a 14 year old boy? Do you eat in restaurants often (and I am not just talking about fast food here, many nice restaurants have salads with over 1000 calories)

Look at these things and get familiar with your reality. Accept it. Keep a food and exercise diary — there is a free food diary under links on my 4 fit bodies site — free FOOD DIARY.

Nothing fancy but just print it out — it is one page. Carry it around for a week and write down everything you eat or drink. Check off your fruit and vegetables and water — see where you are lacking on these. And also see the empty calories.

It is truly the only way to see things for real. Anding getting real is the only way to change.

Now, let’s look at your fitness. If I were coming to the gym to do personal training, I would show up a half hour or more early. I would punch out that 30-45 minutes of cardio and then be ON TIME for my session. I would work HARD during my session and LISTEN. If my trainer said in order to meet my goal, I have to do 45 minutes of cardio 4 times a week and do strength training twice, I would actually do that. I would not show up late or fail to warm up or blow off my personal training sessions.

Now, I get that things come up. They do for everyone. It is just that you must weigh whether it is really “critical” vs. “important” Critical things like sick children, broken down cars, big clients in town unexpectedly, job interviews that came out of nowhere, spouse needing you to come get them or your children — those are all critical. But, there are important things that you could adjust for. Wanting, YES WANTING, as opposed to NEEDING to stay late at work is a major reason people blow off their workout. Is it critical that you stay tonight? Or can you come in early tomorrow? Or catch up at home after the kids go to bed…..yes, I know you love your personal time but think about it.

This is not meant to sound harsh, it is meant to help you understand the reality that you live in and that good health and fitness can be a major part of that. And the sooner you get to seeing where you are, the faster you can to where you want be.

I have been having a couple of people here in Douglasville and at the Douglasville Gym where I work ask me about fitness classes and boot camp. Well, I personally think that the best workout for ANYONE is one that is custom designed for you.

And since I served in the Marines (and in the Army) I have no issues with designing a boot camp style workout for you — IF you are able to do it. Talking about it does not make you able to do it. And I get how you can find it motivating but boot camp is not for everyone. It is an AMAZING way for a fit person to get intense and kick it up a notch — but it is not for everyone. I see people in some classes (thank god not at the gym where I work or I would have to say something to them ) but at other places (and yes, they are here in Douglasville) and I see people being pushed to do things that are not only not ideal for them but are also dangerous and can (and do) cause injuries. So seriously, when you sign up for something — STOP for a minute — take the dreams and goals and fantasies away for just a second – I know it is easy to get caught up in ideas of a whole new life. And watch a class — is it for you? Is it too intense? Do people look to be struggling? Does the instructor give personal attention and spend time with newcomers? Are there ways to adjust the intensity?

These are ways for you to get serious and intense but please make sure you are not putting yourself at risk.

Are you itching for some weight loss. Lots of people this time of year hit a wall of reality about their resolution to lose weight and start to badslide. TRAGIC. Because after 30 days, your new habits are starting to be just that — HABITUAL.

So if you are starting to feel a bit frustrated with your results so far, remember that you did not gain weight in a few weeks so it is going to be a longer ride. And you are making progress. I have one client, John, who is a shell of his formal self. So much so that he was on the cover of the local Douglas County newspaper. He looks amazing and is great at realizing that this is a lifelong commitment.

If you are not feeling committed yet, then try kicking it up a notch for the next 2 weeks. The best and easiest way to kick up your workout is to increase your cardio. It will make you feel powerful and stronger so add 15 minutes to your daily workout, or add a weekend run (feel free to join me and my running crew at Sweetwater at 8am on Saturday morning), add a walk with your spouse after dinner, try going for a bike ride on all the great trails we have around here, call up a friend for tennis or sign up for a league — see what I mean — try something new or something fun and watch your resolve come back.