A New Year, A Fresh Start

It’s a new year. It’s a fresh start.

You’re probably like everyone else.

You want to lose weight.

You want to get stronger.

You want to start (or resume) your workouts.

Well, take a number. The gym in January? It’s like the Veterans Expressway at rush hour. Everybody is huffing, puffing and sweating. Everybody has the best intentions.

Then comes February.

 

All of a sudden, the excuses creep in. It’s more difficult to get up early and put in the mileage. After work, it’s easier to just go home and do some curls with the remote control.

Does any of this sound familiar?

So how do you find the workout that is best for you? Better yet, how do you stick to it?

Two Westchase residents, YMCA personal trainers and group fitness instructors Mary Anne Kirsch and Monika Cassidy, said 2012 is a perfect time to start a workout regimen – one that will last, one that will produce results.

It requires a plan.

It requires dedication.

It requires the desire to have fun.

Yes, fun!

“From my experience, many workout programs fail because people lose the motivation to work out and stay with their program,’’ said Cassidy, a Bridges resident who teaches athletic conditioning, boot-camp and cardio/sculpting classes at the YMCA. “Your workout has to be a habit, almost like second nature. You also need to have a schedule for the whole week or month ahead.’’

Cassidy suggests finding exercise activities that you like, instead of forcing yourself into conditioning exercises that make you miserable.

Kirsch, from The Shires, teaches indoor cycling, weight training, interval training, Silver Sneakers, Pilates and kickboxing at the YMCA. She cautions against taking on too much too soon and setting unrealistic expectations.

Otherwise, the best place to start is at the beginning.

Getting Started

For people who aren’t familiar with a gym and its equipment, Kirsch said it’s essential to receive an orientation from a staff member.

“The important part is to feel comfortable,’’ Kirsch said. “Most gyms offer a few orientations at no cost or you can hire a personal trainer to get you started.’’

“Get to know your fitness staff and don’t be shy to ask questions,’’ Cassidy said. “Everyone needs to learn proper form and get comfortable with the gym equipment. A workout partner or buddy can also help you get over the initial anxiety you may feel if you are totally new to the scene.’’

Outside of a gym membership or a personal-training fee, there shouldn’t be more of an investment required for a standard workout routine.

Kirsch said home equipment isn’t essential, but could be beneficial in some cases.

“A treadmill or elliptical trainer in your house can allow a busy person to work out before or after a gym may be available or while a child is napping,’’ Kirsch said. “As long as it doesn’t become a coat rack, it can be a wise investment.’’

Cassidy said proper footwear can enhance workouts and also avoid injuries. Running or jogging usually requires a durable pair of running shoes. For people involved with indoor cycling or spinning, some specialized spinning shoes could be helpful. More versatile routines work best with cross trainers.

Also important are exercise-specific clothing and specialty fabrics. Workout apparel should be lightweight, breathable and moisture-wicking for maximum comfort. “It makes your gym experience a much nicer one,’’ Cassidy said.

Also, Cassidy suggested a quality reusable water bottle.

“Hydration is of paramount importance when you are working out and your main choice of beverage should be water,’’ she said.
  
The Proper Diet

Water, water, water.

Cassidy and Kirsch can’t emphasize it enough.

Kirsch said everyone should drink between eight and 12 cups of water per day.

“Big Gulp is OUT!’’ said Cassidy, who wants her clients to avoid sodas and high-calorie, sugary drinks “like the plague.’’ Water or tea is best as the main hydration source.

On the overall diet, Kirsch doesn’t recommend “drastic, unrealistic changes,’’ but she emphasized it’s important to eliminate junk food and stay away from unnecessary sugars. Her focus: vegetables, fruits and lean protein. Also, be aware of potentially deceptive food labels, such as “fat free’’ or “sugar free.’’ These do not mean they are “calorie free.’’

“If necessary, document your eating habits with a food journal so you can see where your mistakes are coming from,’’ Kirsch said.

Cassidy, meanwhile, said she is a big proponent of “clean eating,’’ which she describes as not a fad crash diet, but a lifestyle.

“It’s based on the idea that the best way to eat is to abundantly enjoy whole foods – that is, foods closest to their natural state,’’ Cassidy said. “That means eating fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins instead of pre-packaged, processed foods or fast food, which is bad for you anyway. Clean eating is also committed to replacing saturated fats with healthy fats.’’

What are Cassidy’s five biggest diet rules?

1. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Choose fresh, unprocessed foods over canned or processed products.
2. Balance protein and complex carbohydrates.
3. Avoid sodas.
4. Say NO to bad fats but DO eat good fats from foods such as nuts and fatty fish.
5. Eat several small meals to keep blood sugar stable and to avoid overeating.
  
Following Through

Cassidy and Kirsch agree that the foundation of any fitness program is three-fold – cardiovascular conditioning; proper eating; stretching and weight training.

Someone’s own body weight can be a tool, too. Cassidy called it the “perfect strength training apparatus and cardio machine.’’ Basic squats, push-ups, lunges and planks are among the most effective body-weight exercises.

Cassidy said a jump rope is also an underrated piece of equipment.

“There is an incredible cardiovascular training effect that takes place when you skip rope,’’ she said. “The arms are moving, the legs are propelling up and down, and the effect is a spike in your heart rate. Skipping rope is the epitome of a full-body cardio exercise that incorporates a lot of muscle.’’

Flexibility training, such as stretching, Yoga or Pilates, can be as important as cardio and weight-training because it helps to alleviate joint and muscle pain, as well as improve strength, power and performance.

Kirsch offered several suggestions to help people stick to their exercise regimen and make it a fun experience.

* “Try to find something active that you enjoy doing. Zumba is a great example. You exercise while dancing. You can burn calories and tone your body while having fun.’’

* “Group fitness can be very motivating. Get your family, co-workers or friends involved in your exercise. If you’re doing it with a partner, you have someone to hold you accountable and to keep you company.’’

* “Keep your goals realistic. Look for a 5K (5-kilometer run) that sounds fun and use it as your motivation.’’

* “Finally, think about fitness as a way of life. Compare it to washing your hair. You may skip a day or two, but you would never skip a whole week. Once you start to make it part of your normal daily routine, you won’t know how you ever got by without it!’’

With the arrival of 2012, the gyms will get new business, as expected. But the only way to make it count, as Cassidy and Kirsch suggest, is to progress at a reasonable pace, maintain consistency and make it an important part of your life.

Dedication will be rewarded, they say.

May you have a healthy New Year!

By Joey Johnston; Cover Photo by James Broome Photography

Click here for the Health and Wellness summaries, those businesses that helped sponsor the WOW 2012 Health and Wellness Special.