FitSugar

Take it From Jennifer Garner: Use the Weight Machines

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 23:30:00 -0700

I am a big Jennifer Garner fan. Not only does she seem to be totally down to earth as a mom, she also has been slowly toning up (rather than the usual celeb disappearing act) after having that adorable baby of hers.

Looks like one way Jen gets those lovely arms, other than toting Violet around in her arms all day, is by using the weight machines at the gym. Weight machines, along with any other strength training methods, are a great way to tone up those arms. However, be sure you are getting the most out of it with these tips:

On machines that have multiple handles-such as the shoulder-press and row machines-alternate your grip between palms facing forward and palms facing each other.
Be sure you are using enough resistance. The machines tend to allow us to cheat due to their ease of down-shifting the resistance and the conspicuousness of it. Just like with free weights, you want to exhaust the muscles you are working in 10-12 reps.
Slow it down both ways. People tend to go too fast when bringing the machine to the return position and miss a good portion of their workout. So go slow during the entire movement to work opposing muscles as well as primary muscles.
Pay attention to proper form to avoid injury. Technique can usually be learned by simply reading the instructions on the machine or by having a trainer tell you how it works. Keep in mind that most of the time you want your knees, elbows, hips at 90 degree angles.
Been waiting a long time to use that Lat Pull-Down Machine? Ask the person hogging it if you can work in with her. This means that while she is resting in between sets, you do a set and then when you're resting in between sets, she does hers.

For more pics of Jen toning up with weight machines at the gym, read more

View 7 Photos ›

Flynet

Favorite Excuse For Not Working Out: I Hate the Gym

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:00:00 -0700

I hear this excuse all the time, "I just hate the gym." I can understand why some folks genuinely hate the gym and prefer to work out outdoors, but some folks just use hating the gym as an excuse to not exercise. If this sounds a bit like you then take a look at the positive with a few of my ways to learn to love the gym:

Pick a gym that is easily accessible. Nothing makes going to the gym harder than deadlock traffic. Plus, if it's easy to get to then you'll be less likely to use getting there as an excuse for not going.
Mother Nature doesn't matter. The gym offers an all-weather, year-round place to exercise. No more missing workouts because it's raining or snowing.
Listen during your tour of the gym and take them up on any freebies being offered. I hate not knowing where things are, too. Not only did I ask a lot of questions on my gym tour, I immediately signed up for my free personal training session and gained a wealth of information on the machines and how to use them, etc.

That's not all, so read more.

First day jitters go away. Your first day at the gym is like your first day at school, only way easier. The more you go, the more comfortable you feel.
There's plenty of variety. Any given gym has a large amount of weight and cardio machines, free weights, exercise balls, exercise classes, etc. All these things are at your dispense so appreciate the variety a gym has to offer and take advantage of it.
Day care. I love the great outdoors as much as the next girl, but the park where I like to run does not offer day care. My gym does.
It's a great place to meet people. I know this is not really why you are working out in the first place, but it's an added bonus. Whether you'd like an exercise buddy or a Friday night date, your gym could be the perfect place to find him or her.

Source

Favorite Excuse for Not Working Out: I Don't Belong to a Gym

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:15:00 -0700

I hear it time and time again, "I'd love to workout, but I don't belong to a gym." Guess what? A lot of really healthy and fit people do not have gym memberships and a lot of people with gym memberships aren't so healthy anyway.

So if you've been using the no gym membership as an excuse, here are a few tips on working out without a gym:

Make the great outdoors your gym. Hit a park and do step-ups on benches. Hop on a bike and ride around town for 45 minutes. Swim laps in a lake or your local pool. Run in a park or at a local track. Use outdoor stairs for stair climbing. Toss around the Frisbee or football with friends in the park.
Make your home your gym. Rent exercise DVDs. Buy equipment for home use. Use household items as your weights. Use your stairs for step-ups, sideways squats and more. Pump up the music and dance while you clean. Do sit-ups and push-ups during commercials of your favorite TV show.
Make your everyday activities count. Take the stairs whenever possible. Bike (or walk) to work. Talk a few short brisk walks during your day. Sign up for a yoga class during your lunch break. Walk to your coworkers office instead of sending her an email. Join your kids in a game of tag.

There are so many ways outside of the gym for getting active. Belonging to a gym can simplify things because you're in, you're out and it's done but you can make it just as simple by thinking outside the box. I am sure you guys all have your non-gym ideas for getting fit, so share them in the comments section below.

Source

Favorite excuse for not working out: Big Gym Bag Dilemma

FitSugar — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:00:00 -0800

We seem to be turning into a big bag culture. Purse sizes are enormous. And have you seen the over stuffed backpacks on 6 year olds? So when it comes to carrying your work out clothes you are way overburdened. So you just won't carry another bag, so then you just can't work out. Well help is on the way. Lockers - just like gym class in middle school. Most gyms have permanent lockers that you can rent, for a small monthly fee. You can stash all your gear in the little locker as well as your post work out beauty supplies. So you don't have to lug all that stuff around.

Fit's take: The additional fee of the locker is minimal compared to the waste of a monthly gym fee for a gym you aren't using. So splurge and get a locker.

Favorite Excuse for Not Working Out: I Can't Afford it

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 15:30:00 -0800

Let's face it, gym memberships are expensive. Yoga and Pilates classes are not cheap either, and buying at home equipment is not exactly inexpensive. OK, so what is a budget conscious girl to do if she still wants to work out?

Here are some tips for working out on a budget.

Stairs are free. Take them when you can.
Exercise bands are inexpensive and they are a great option for resistance training.
Rent (or buy) exercise dvds. This way you can get a well rounded workout and not be committed to one single place with a monthly fee.
Get an exercise ball. They provide a wide range of exercises at a low cost.

Interested in learning more ways to exercise at home? Then read more

Get an all in one exercise system. I like Gym in a Bag because it offers a wide range of training options.
Start a group. Think about starting a neighborhood walking group or a mommy stroller group, this way you can get your heart rate up (and socialize) and it costs nothing.
Most parks are free and trails (and if they're not free then they're pretty cheap). Try doing pull ups on the monkey bars, or dips using a picnic table. If you're hitting the trails, bring trekking poles.

Now Is a Good Time to Join a Gym

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0700

One of the positive sides about the economy being so uneasy right now is that good deals are everywhere. In an attempt to save money, many folks have ditched their gym members and started working out at home and outside. Combine that with the fact that gyms see a decline in membership at this time of the year anyway and many are offering great deals on memberships. Plus, most gyms are a lot less crowded right now (as opposed to the beginning of the year), which means you'll be able to take advantage of the free space and you'll really be ready to go for the new year.

Source

What's the Best Time to Workout?

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 15:45:00 -0700

Like most health and fitness related topics, there is not a one size fits all answer to what time is best to workout? Finding the best time to exercise is a personal thing because it depends on your own body clock and schedule.

MSNBC talked to some experts to see when they think it's best to hit the gym and here are the results:

Working out in the PM:

WHAT: Doing high impact activities (kick boxing, cycling, etc) and building muscle mass.
WHO: People who don't like to wake up when it's still dark out and those who like not having to spend as much time stretching (your heart and muscles are more prepared for the stress of exercise in the afternoon).
WHY: Your body's temperature tends to rise by a few degrees in the afternoon, warming the muscles and connective tissues and resulting in a slight improvement in your performance capabilities. Also, there may not be enough glycogen in your muscles to support an effective workout in the morning.

To find out if working out in the AM or being a weekend warrior is better for you, then read more

Working out in the AM:

WHAT: Losing the most weight.
WHO: Early risers and those seriously committed to working out.
WHY: Doing cardio on a nearly empty stomach will burn more fat calories because your carb reserves are almost used up, which causes the body to turn to fat stores for energy first. (Do eat a little something though, so you're not entirely running on empty). Plus, working out in the AM means it's over and done so you wont be burdened for the rest of your day.

One power-workout a week:

WHAT: Getting it all in, in one huge, power-workout.
WHO: People with no time to workout but on Saturday afternoons.
WHY (NOT): No one should really opt for this because if you run the same number of miles in one day as you would have over three or four short sessions, you may burn the same amount of calories but you'll lose out on other health benefits. It's a better idea to spread it out with 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there.

To read the full article, check out MSNBC.com

Gym Pet Peeves: Don't Be That Person

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 03:00:00 -0800

I tend to think of myself as relatively flexible when it comes to others but when it comes to gym behaviors, ugh, I have some serious pet peeves. The thing is, the gym is a communal place, which means we all are sharing and one a-hole talking loudly on his phone about his wild night can really ruin the experience for everyone.

To avoid being that guy/girl, keep in mind a few gym etiquette tips:

Wiping off your sweat from equipment -- Good if you already do it, gross if you don't.
Returning equipment to its original place -- Your mother is not picking up after you here and it's not fair for the next person looking for the 15 lbs weights to have to search for them.
Keep noise to a minimum -- We're all working out hard here, so major disturbances like grunting and slamming weights together are really not necessary.
Cutting in Line -- How old are we here? Cutting in line is rude and childish. Wait your turn and think about asking if you can work-in with someone else's sets.
Mind how much space you're taking up -- Don't talk on your cell phone loud (or at all really) and pace back and forth. Don't use equipment as a place to keep your things, someone may be waiting to use that bench your crap is sitting on.

Basically, as cheesy as it sounds, the Golden Rule applies even when you're at the gym: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

Gym Bag Essential: Oscar Blandi 'Pronto' Dry Shampoo

FitSugar — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 11:00:00 -0700

Most of the time when I head to the gym during the day, I am rushing around when I get ready so I can come back and blog for you, my fabulous readers. Unfortunately I feel like my shampoo routine is a time killer and sometimes I just don't feel like shampooing because washing it once (and sometimes twice) a day can leave my hair so dry. So, DearSugar recently introduced me to 'Dry Shampoo' and I am loving it.

Basically dry shampoo solves the dilemma of dirty hair without a traditional cleansing process. With this dry shampoo you are able to refresh your hair and scalp without water. Oscar Blandi's Pronto Dry Shampoo ($19.00) is perfect for use after a workout at the gym when you don't have enough time to fully wash your hair. It would also be great if you don't belong to a gym, but still like to do the lunch break power run and need to freshen up somehow. Now, I still take a shower but am able to skip the hair washing session, which means I also get to skip the blow drying session and get back to work, well, pronto. Want to try it out? You can buy it from Nordstrom.com.

Fit Minute: Don't Belong to a Gym? No Worries

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0700

If your favorite excuse for not working out is that you don't belong to a gym, I have figured out many ways to work around this problem. Check out this Fit Minute from ExerciseTV to see some of my solutions to your problem.

Do have any additional ideas? Share them in the comment section below.