How to Keep it Moving into March!

Posted in: Blog, Personal Trainer Toronto by Emily on February 25, 2011 | No Comments

As we close in on the last few days of February in what seems to be a never ending winter it becomes that much more important to focus on what it takes to keep you motivated to keep moving!  Here are a few more tips to help  you through the rest of the winter:

1)  Change into Your Workout Clothes -  Sounds pretty obvious right, well who knew something so obvious could help convince you to take the plunge and workout.  As soon as you start to think the ‘I don’t really feel like working out today’ thought throw on those workout clothes and you’ll instantly become more motivated to get moving.  Once you’re dressed and ready your mindset follows and it becomes much more difficult to avoid.  Give it a try – I promise it works!

2)  Train for the Summer -  Is there a favourite sport or activity you love to do in the spring/summer?  Maybe it’s soccer, baseball, mountain biking or golf (just to name a few).  Whatever your pleasure, why not look at the winter months than as an opportunity to train and improve your skills so you’re ready to kick some butt once the nicer weather rolls around.  There are many workouts you can do indoors that mimic motions used in these sports which will help keep those muscles strong, flexible and ready for the Spring. 

3) Drink Up – It’s much more difficult to gauge how much fluid you lose while working out in the winter because the temperature outside can be so cold.  This means you’re more likely to become dehydrated without even realizing it.  Make sure you drink your 8-10 glasses of water a day (at least!), more if you exercise heavily.  That way you can ensure you’ll stay hydrated and be able to complete those workouts with as much energy as you need.  Hydration can also help keep your nutrition in check because one of the first signs of dehydration is hunger.  So, instead of reaching for those crackers go for a tall glass of water instead – your body will thank you for it.

Give these 3 tips a try and no doubt you’ll have some added motivation to get through the rest of the winter being active.  With any luck the groundhog is right and we’re in for a early Spring!

Emily Sparrow
Owner and Certified Personal Trainer

Welcome to SHF’s NEW Website!!

Posted in: Blog, Personal Trainer Toronto by Emily on February 7, 2011 | No Comments

We’ve been busy doing some construction on our site which is why you haven’t heard from me in a while, however that’s all about to change because we’re back with a BIGGER and BETTER website than ever!  And the best part is you can easily access our blog from our new site which makes keeping up with our health and fitness tips that much easier!

Stay tuned in the weeks to come for some great fitness advice, ideas and insights to help get you moving and keep you motivated!

For the Love of Health and Fitness,

Emily

SHF Owner and Certified Personal Trainer

3 More to get you Out the Door…

Posted in: Blog, Personal Trainer Toronto by Emily on January 24, 2011 | No Comments

We’ve had some pretty cold days lately which can make getting out of bed difficult, let alone getting out of bed to workout!  However, it’s very important to stick to your goals and keep up with your workout regime in order to stay on track – even if it is -25 outside.  Here are a few more tips to help keep you motivated during our next winter chill:

2) Schedule, Schedule, Schedule!

We schedule everything else in our lives these days so why not take the time to schedule your workouts?  Take a look at the week ahead and mark in exactly when you’re going to work out.  Take into account the type of workout you’ll be doing and also account for any extra time you may need to get ready before or after.  Once you look at your week ahead and see your ‘exercise’ appointments marked in you’ll be far more likely to stick to it than if it wasn’t written down!

3) Give Credit Where Credit’s Due…

We all like to be acknowledged for a job well done so why not acknowledge yourself when you’ve completed a super challenging workout, or accomplished an exercise you couldn’t do before.  There’s a lot to be said for positive reinforcement, especially when health and fitness tends to be an area we can be really hard on ourselves about.  My only words of caution are be careful to pick and choose your rewards wisely…this doesn’t mean you can indulge in that hot fudge sundae you’ve been craving, pick something that will help motivate you to keep up the hard work.  For example, lets say you have a 12 week goal to lose 10lbs of body fat.  Plan a getaway for yourself at the end of the 12 weeks and then every 2 weeks once you’ve accomplished your short terms goals reward yourself with something that builds up to the ultimate goal, such as getting a manicure or pedicure, or getting your hair done etc.  That way you’ll always be reminding yourself of the ultimate reward your working towards at the end!

4) Grab a Partner and Squat, Curl, Crunch…

This is one of the best ways to make sure you stick to your program.  There’s something to be said for telling someone else what your health and fitness goals are however it takes it to a whole other level when you decide to work towards your goals together!  The added accountability is invaluable.  You now have someone you can look to for encouragment to get your butt in gear and to help stick to your plan – in turn you can be that motivation for them too.  So find a friend who has similar goals and get your fitness plan set.  Figure out when you can both work out, get it scheduled in your calendars and voila – you’re both well on your way!  For added motivation hire a personal trainer that can train you both at the same time, that way you can both learn new exercises and ways you can workout together on your own.  Take a look here for details of the ’partner-up’ program we offer at SkyHigh Fitness http://www.skyhighfitness.com/toronto-personal-training.htm

So there you have it, 3 more great strategies to keep you motivated during the next few cold winter months.  Stay tuned for more tips to follow at the end of the week!

For the Love of Health and Fitness,

Emily Sparrow
Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor

Sign up for FREE Personal Training
www.SkyHighFitness.com
E: Emily@SkyHighFitness.com
P: 416-823-1607

Stay on the S.M.A.R.T Track!

Posted in: Blog, Personal Trainer Toronto by Emily on January 12, 2011 | No Comments

Now that we’re well into the second week of January it may also be about the same time some of you are starting to feel the urge to fall off “New Years Resolution” bandwagon.  This is extremely common and more often than not leads to many failed attempts at achieving the fitness goals you always wanted. 

What it comes down to is motivation.  This is a key player when it comes to sticking to a routine or regimen you set out to achieve, whether it’s a new years resolution or not.  Once you’ve got the motivation you’re well on your way to making fitness a regular part of your lifestyle, more importantly making it a habit.

“Motivation is what gets you started.  Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Ryun  

I have 10 easy tips to help you stick with your new fitness goals.  Today I share the first one with you, it’s a long one but also one of the most important when it comes to getting started on the right foot.  Every week thereafter you’ll get a few more.  That way if you’re starting to feel your motivation slide you can check back here for a new tip to keep you going! 

1) Set yourself some S.M.A.R.T. Goals - This is an acronym from our school days however the principles are remain very relevant when it comes to creating your own personal fitness goals.  S.M.A.R.T. stands for goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.  Here’s more details of each:

Specific - A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the six “W” questions: 

Who:      Identify Who is involved.
What:     Indicate What you want to accomplish.
Where:   Identify the location.
When:    Establish a time frame.
Which:   Identify requirements and constraints.
Why:      Specify the reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.

EXAMPLE:    A general goal would be, “Get in shape.” But a specific goal would say, “I’m going to hire a personal trainer and workout 3 days a week.”

Measurable - In order for your goal to be measurable you’ll need something you can measure your progress against.  A really good way to do this is to take your measurements when you get started and that way you have a baseline which you can gauge your progress against.  Good examples of points of measurement you can take are your overall weight, waist, hips, butt, thighs and if possible your body fat percentage.  This is one of the best gauges of your progress however it’s not always the easiest measurements to take one your own.  Once you have some measurable criteria you’re ready to track your progress.  This will help motivate you to stay on track as you start to reach your target dates, and experience the excitement that occurs when you achieve a goal you set out for yourself!  To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as……How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?

Attainable - The root of this part of the process is the power of positive thinking.  Once you identify the goals that are most important to you, you automatically begin figuring out ways you can make them come true. You start to find ways to improve your attitude, abilities, skills, and financial capacity in order to reach them. Previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to achieving your goals start to become much more obvious. Even goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach before eventually move closer and become attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match them. When you list your goals you build your self-image and increase your confidence in yourself. You start to see yourself as worthy of these goals, and develop the traits and personality that allow you to possess them.

Realistic  – In order for a goal to be realistic it must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work towards. You are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be, however keep in mind that a high goal can be easier to reach than a low one because low goals exert low motivation.  A good way to know if your goal is realistic is if you truly believe that it can be accomplished.  

Timely - A goal should be grounded within a time frame, by that I mean there should be a beginning and an end to the time you’re giving yourself to achieve your goal.  If your goal is to lose 10lbs, but you don’t clarify when you want to lose it by there’s no sense of urgency and therefore a lower level of motivation to accomplish it.  Anchoring your goal within a timeframe, such as “by March 31″, kicks your unconscious mind into motion to begin working on the goal.

Now that you know how to create S.M.A.R.T. goals take the time to really focus on what it is you want to achieve and get them down on paper.  Keep them in a place you can always see them and read them at least once a day.  Anytime you start to feel your motivation slipping take the time to read through your goals again and think about why you want to achieve them.  Once you’re goals are Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely you’re well on your way to achieving them!

Stay tuned for tip # 2, 3 & 4 next week!

For the Love of Health and Fitness,

Emily Sparrow
Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor

Sign up for FREE Personal Training
www.SkyHighFitness.com
E: Emily@SkyHighFitness.com
P: 416-823-1607
*Source: www.topachievement.com