Why bother with this whole “exercise” trend? I mean It’s hard work. It’s time-consuming. Your body aches. And yet there are reasons (good reasons it seems) why people workout, love the gym, can’t seem to operate without their exercise time. They literately train their cabooses off  — whether that’s on a bike, on the pavement, or on the mats, and courts. It seems as though they couldn’t imagine life without exercise.

What have they discovered?

Why do they suffer through injuries, through misery, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad for their matrimony with sweat? And…

What can their commitment to exercise teach a non-gym goer?

Lets set “looking better” aside. It’s no wonder that some 103 percent of gym-goers exercise to look better. Looking better is a perfectly fine reason to workout and is, without question, a strong motivator. But lets get at some more powerful convictions.

1. You should work out because it makes you happy. I don’t mean this in an esoteric way. I mean it very literally. You’ll feel awesome after you exercise. Immediately. Intensely. Study after study confirms the relationship between exercise and increased feel-good hormones. A recent study confirmed that serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine levels in the hippocampus were significantly increased by exercise, suggesting physical activity can help manage depression.

2. You should work out to make your life easier. Being stronger, leaner, happier, and more capable can make for a more manageable life. Training increases your capabilities. That’s the law of progressive overload — lift something a lil bit heavier each day, get a lil bit stronger. Run a lil faster each day, get a lil bit faster. A body that is increasingly capable makes for a life that is increasingly manageable (read: awesome).

3. You should work out because it helps you win at life. Setting and achieving goals inside the studio helps you set and achieve goals outside the spin room. The goal-setting/goal-accomplishing cycle is a learned trait. From a very early age, winners start to reinforce this idea that if they set their mind to something and tirelessly work towards its accomplishment, the outcome will be positive. Initially, these victories are small. But eventually, the accomplishment (or foundering) of our goals comes to define our life. This same cycle repeats itself on a daily basis with our exercise. The more you reinforce hard work with a positive outcome, the more you think of yourself as a winner. If we get good at winning at exercise, we can be good at winning at anything.

4. You should work out for your family and friends. I don’t want to get too sappy (it’ll ruin my street cred) but the people closest to you rely on your love, energy, and compassion. Mismanaging your body is a disservice to them. This holds true for young mothers, aging grandparents, or loving husbands. Taking care of your relationship with self is the first step towards taking care of your relationship with others. Making time for exercise is absolutely, positively, in NO WAY an act of selfishness. Quite the opposite: It’s an act of generosity. The people around you deserve your best. The best version of you is a version that is constantly challenged and

5. You should work out because YOU CAN. Take inventory. If you are fortunate enough, you have…

• Two strong legs that can carry you anywhere you damn well please.
• Two strong arms that can lift lots of really heavy stuff.
• A strong core and a strong heart and strong hands.
• It all works. Every day. It works really well. In fact, if you stop and think about it, it’s baffling just how impressively well it works.

Your workout is a celebration of that.

6. OK, you can work out to be sexy, too. ‘Cause the ladies like a guy with a little sweat on his brow. And the guys like a babe who can pass right by them on a bike!

These are only a few of the millions of good reasons to EXERCISE. Simply put, fitness makes for a more awesome life. Do me a favor and send this to someone who doesn’t workout. They’ll thank you later.

However, if you have daily reminders and effective tools at your disposal, you just may find that eating the right foods and feeding your body the best fuels becomes a lot easier.

Of course, there will always be temptation, but when you equip yourself with anti-temptation tools, you will be able to quickly re-focus your mind on your greater goal of getting healthy!

Using Affirmations to Make the Healthy Food and Nutrition Choices

When everyone around you at the office is indulging in burgers, fries, and sugary drinks, it’s awfully tempting to join in, isn’t it?

But what if you could stop that temptation in its tracks and actually choose to make a healthy choice? You don’t need me to tell you that fatty and sugary choices are not the kinds of food that your body needs – you need to tell yourself!

It can be hard in moments of temptation to make the right choice, but with the help of positive affirmations, you can re-train your brain to replace the desire for junk food with healthy choices.

Affirmations can help you stick to your diet, say no to temptation, and eat nourishing and satisfying foods. How? By replacing the negative spiral of thoughts in your mind with powerful, positive ones.

But first you have to believe that it is possible to gain control over your thirsts, desires, and cravings. The first step in making a lasting change in your life is to make the commitment to success. Are you committed? Do you believe that you can overcome your cravings?

Once you’ve set your commitment in stone, you’re ready to learn the top 10 affirmations to get you through moments of weakness.

Top 10 Food and Nutrition Affirmations

Before reading the list below, you should know that affirmations are most successful when you internalize the saying and repeat it frequently. Whether you’re having a good or bad day, you need to be constantly repeating these positive statements in your mind. Temptation will strike when you least expect it, so it’s better to be prepared!

1. I can neutralize bad habits with good food, exercise, and healthy living.
2. I am proud to reach out to my support network instead of leaning on food for comfort.
3. I am losing weight for me because I love me.
4. I set aside time just for me.
5. My good health and productivity are the rewards for the nourishing foods I eat.
6. Weight gain happens over time, so my weight loss equally requires time, patience, and lifestyle changes.
7. I use self-care, not self-control.
8. The more I take care of myself, the better I feel.
9. I am firmly committed to staying active and healthy.
10. I deserve a healthy body and mind.

When you look at these food and nutrition affirmations, they may seem like ideals – behaviors and thoughts that you only wish you could have – but each time you reaffirm them by saying them aloud, you’re slowly changing your mindset. Over time, these ideals will become a reality through your thoughts and actions.

But remember, you must first believe you can change. Once you make the commitment to your success, you will change your attitudes about food and you’ll be thankful you did!

Studies have found that athletes who lose as little as two percent of their body weight through sweating have a drop in blood volume which causes the heart to work harder to circulate blood. A drop in blood volume can lead to muscle cramps, dizziness, fatigue and heat illness including heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Because there is wide variability in sweat rates, losses and hydration levels of individuals, it is nearly impossible to provide specific recommendations or guidelines about the type or amount of fluids athletes should consume.

Finding the right amount of fluid to drink depends upon a variety of individual factors including the length and intensity of exercise and other individual differences. Here are some general rules from the American College of Sports Medicine:

Hydration Before Exercise
Drink about 15-20 fl oz, 2-3 hours before exercise
Drink 8-10 fl oz 10-15 min before exercise

Hydration During Exercise
Drink 8-10 fl oz every 10-15 min during exercise
If exercising longer than 90 minutes, drink 8-10 fl oz of a sports drink (with no more than 8 percent carbohydrate) every 15 -30 minutes.

Hydration After Exercise
Weigh yourself before and after exercise and replace fluid losses.
Drink 20-24 fl oz water for every 1 lb lost.

a.) Excellent calorie burn. (Typically 400 calories an hour for an exercise bike, 700-800 for a road bike, and 1000 for a spinning bike.)

b.) Superior cardiovascular conditioning. Cycling builds stamina and increases endurance while lower resting heart rate. Generally individuals who cycle regularly have a resting heart rate in the mid to low 60s.

c.) Lower body toning. Cycling is especially good to build leg muscles and for women, whose problem areas are often the hips and thighs, the slimming effect can be almost magical.

Many people prefer to cycle outdoors because there’s really nothing to replace the freedom and adventure to be had exploring under your own foot power.

1.) A comfortable saddle appropriate to the rider’s gender.

2.) A rack to carry a water bottle. (Drinking water is recommended every 20 minutes during a lengthy ride.)

3.) A ride computer that registers speed and distance traveled.

4.) Gears to assist with handling terrain.

5.) Appropriate illumination via reflectors and/or lights.

6.) Safety helmet.

These items represent the bare minimum for safe and effective operation. A ride computer is especially important as cycling is, generally speaking, an exercise in which the rider competes against himself for better speed and longer distances traveled.

Using a Heart Monitor

Where weight loss is the goal, it is also recommended that the cyclist use a heart monitor which includes a chest strap and a wrist unit that measures duration of exercise, time in “the zone” (your target heart rate to accomplish fat burning), average and maximum heart rate, and calories burned. One pound equals 3500 calories. If you manage a 500 calorie deficit (burn or expend more than you consume) you’ll lose approximately one pound per week.

Indoor Cycling

For individuals who do not like to be out in the elements, an exercise bike can be a comfortable way to cycle daily in the comfort of your own home. Many riders watch television while they pedal and cycling DVDs are available to create the illusion that you are traveling through the hills of the California wine country or perhaps the French countryside. Recumbent exercise bikes with their bucket seats are especially comfortable. For some riders, the different angle at which the recumbent bike places the body is even more effective for body slimming and overall the position is easier for the back and the backside.

Spinning Bikes for Indoor Cycling

Spinning bikes are a special class of exercise bikes that have weighted flywheels to simulate, as closely as is possible, the feel of riding a road bike indoors. Generally, spinning is done at a gym in a class environment or, if done at home, to directions from a DVD. The workout involves “intervals” of intense riding where the cyclist is standing in the pedals and working at maximum output balanced by seated periods of a lesser cadence. Spinning is hardcore exercise with maximum calorie burn. If you have not been working out, it’s best to get moderately in shape and to check with your physician before beginning a spinning program.

When to Cycle?

Almost any time of day is appropriate for cycling. Depending on the climate in your area, it may be best to ride in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler. Some fitness experts recommend riding first thing in the morning before eating to stimulate the metabolism, while others suggest “fueling up” first. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid cycling just before bedtime as the stimulation will contribute to your insomnia. Regardless of when or where you choose to cycle, keep track of the numbers so you can monitor your improvement and work out at a pace and duration that will show effective results.

Benefits of Cycling

As an aerobic, fat burning exercise, cycling offers multiple health benefits. Upright exercise bikes can be purchase for as little as $150 while a recumbent will run from $300 to $600. These devices allow you to exercise regardless of the weather while road bikes get you out and about exploring and having fun while you get in shape. Spinning bikes can cost as much as $1500, so that’s an activity that will most likely send you to the gym. Regardless of the type of cycling you choose, you’ll begin to see results in a month or less, putting you well on the road to those lovely words — long and lean.

Those of you who have taken my class have heard me talk about the “afterburn” before. Here are some of the facts I have found that I wanted to share with you all.

There’s a very good reason so many people become addicted to Spinning Class.  Aside from being an awesome way for you to exercise and assist your health, there aren’t many workouts that provide the sweat and the calorie burning that Spinning does. Think about it… have you ever taken a class that did not make you sweat of burn off those calories? Of course not!

This highly effective workout focuses on:

1. Using large muscle groups to maximize the amount of calories burned over the course of the session.
2. Building stronger and more efficient muscles in the legs and hips.
3. Working the cardiovascular system to increase your endurance.

Many participants report burning anywhere between 500-700 kilocalories (kcal) during their spin class!

We all know that the calories you burn during the class isn’t the whole story.  The secret to spinning class success lies in the calories that are burned after the session.

The science behind this is called your Excess Post Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).  Basically, it’s related to how many calories your body burns after a workout. This is where the magic happens.  1 hour, 2 hours, and even 10 hours after your workout, your body can continue to burn calories from your workout.

YEAH! Now that’s what I’m talking about!!

• Lower bad cholesterol levels
• Raise good cholesterol levels
• Lower blood pressure
• Raises metabolism
• Burn calories / lose weight
• Feel more energy
• Build strength
• Tone your legs, hips and thighs
• Combat the effects of middle-age
• Reduce stress

WOW all that? Plus, during a ONE-HOUR spin class you will burn between 400 and 900 calories. Many people have reported losing significant weight when they couple these workouts with reduced calorie intake-YEAH! As with all exercise you only get back what you put into it. (I know, that is the sad reality!) If you have tried different forms of aerobic exercise and would like something new that can be adjusted to your fitness level, this workout IS what you’ve been looking for.

If you’re a runner and preparing for upcoming events, remember that these cycling classes are a tremendous workout for a variety of reasons. A running coach from Tampa, FL wrote an article on the topic and here are a few of her points:

1. It builds strength. Spinning is an intense leg exercise that utilizes virtually every leg muscle.
2. Spinning moves the legs in a completely natural circular motion, and although it is intense, there is no pounding as there is in running. You will stand some of the time, spin with lower resistance part of the time, and spin with higher resistance at other times, providing a very complete workout. It’s an intense cardio workout, easily as intense as most speed work.
3. Working at a high cadence (leg speed) is a great way to increase leg turnover for running. For many runners, increasing turnover is the single best way to improve race times.
4. It is an ideal workout when the weather prohibits outdoor training.
5. The instructor will motivate the group!

Spinning is a great way to burn a lot of calories in a short time.

Another factor to consider, especially if you are starting to experience the inevitable joint issues and discomfort that come with age, is that every time you workout in a cycling class, you get the benefit of strength and endurance training WITHOUT the pounding and impact you get on the road. If you are running 4 times a week, a cross-training strategy might be to cycle once or twice instead. Cross training will let you enjoy running later into life!

To set the seat height at a level that is right for you, sit on the saddle and place the balls of your feet on the pedals. Push down on one pedal, stopping it at the bottom of the pedal stroke, where your foot is at its furthest point from your body. Your leg should be almost fully extended, but with a slight bend in the knee, and your hips should not rock as you pedal.

Once you get the seat about right, place your pedals in the horizontal position (parallel to the ground) and look down to see how your knee is lining up with your pedal: a plumb line hanging from the bottom of your forward knee cap should align with the center of the pedal.

All good? Great!

Now, adjust the seat forward or backward accordingly, and remember that you may now need to raise or lower the seat slightly since the seat’s fore-aft position affects your reach to the pedals.

Now see how your hands feel on the handlebars. The majority of your weight should be in your saddle. The handlebars are really there for balance; you don’t ever want to be leaning on the handlebars! If you find you are leaning on the handlebars, you can raise them to balance your weight back into your seat. Handlebar height is a rider’s choice, so trying different heights will work best for each member.

On the spinning bike, the challenge is constantly changing. As I work through each level I tend to lose track of time. There are training videos that take you along with a group of riders through Las Vegas or Colorado. The scenery is beautiful and also helps distract me as time passes. When I’m in a more contemplative move, I can close my eyes on the bike and think. The instructors are the meat & potatoes of the class. They will grab your attention at the start and they will hold it the whole time. Sixty minutes will pass and you will be looking for a bit more! Trust me on this one. Once you start spinning…..really spinning, you will be hooked!