Not Motivated? Go Exercise Anyway!

Not Motivated? Go Exercise Anyway!

Your body doesn't care if your brain is not motivated. The results will be the same if you get out there and just do it!

Motivation and Persistence

"Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning." - Denis Waitley

"Ambition is the path to success, persistence is the vehicle you arrive in." - William Eardley IV

"Continuous, unflagging effort, persistence and determination will win. Let not the man be discouraged who has these." - James Whitcomb Riley

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” - Robert J. Collier

Anatomical Terms for Athletes

Ever had a personal trainer refer to a part of the body using a word you didn't know? Well here is a handy guide to the various body parts / muscles most commonly referred to and likely a few you didn't know.

Well here is a two handy diagrams showing all the muscles of the human body so you can take note of the names of muscles you didn't know before. Also important if you ever get a sports injury and want to tell the doc where you hurt yourself.

If you are ever in doubt ask your personal trainer to slow down and explain which muscles they mean exactly. It never hurts to ask.

If you live in Toronto (or any other major city) you can also find lots of bookstores that will have a variety of anatomy books which can explain what you are looking for. Try to find an anatomy book that is more attuned to exercising.

In the future I may even post reviews on books I think are particularly useful.

Body Weight Exercises

THE BENEFITS OF BODY WEIGHT EXERCISES

#1. No Investment Needed. You don't need a gym memberships or expensive equipment - Seriously, you can get started with a fitness program today just by Googling bodyweight exercises and clicking images to search for ideas (examples shown here).

If you do decide to invest in equipment, buying a rope or chin up bar (or rings) is pretty cheap and frugal.

#2. Highly Effective - Our bodies are heavy. That's all the weight you need. Other cardio based body weight exercises such as mountain climbers, step climbing and jumping jacks raise the heart rate fast because you are lifting your own body weight.

#3. Very Easy to Learn - Body weight exercises are a lot less technical than the form for weightlifting free weights. No messing around with machines.

#4. No Need for Spotters - A heavy bench press needs a spotter to keep the workout safe. 50? 100 push ups? It doesn't matter, you'll be okay on your own!

#5. Anytime, Anywhere! - Need I explain more? You can do body weight exercises anywhere, even in bed!

#6. No Need to Hire a Personal Trainer - I admit this website is for my personal training business in Toronto, but I also love to give free advice on how people can exercise on their own in a frugal manner without the need to hire anyone. You don't even need a gym membership to do body weight exercises!

Body weight exercises can be a workout all on their own or used in conjunction with free weights, machines or as intervals in between bursts of cardio.

Vitamin D: Essential for Your Winter Diet

Being outside in the sunshine gives you lots of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is unusual because it can be ingested as cholecalciferol (Vitamin D₃) or ergocalciferol (Vitamin D₂) and also because your body can synthesize it (from cholesterol) when sun exposure is adequate (hence its nickname, the "sunshine vitamin") thanks to your exposed skin in the warmer months.

However as the days grow longer and the sun shines less, people often develop a Vitamin D deficiency in the winter months. A lack of Vitamin D causes your body to start storing extra fat (thanks to evolution, our bodies naturally start storing more fat during the winter months for survival purposes).

Thus as it gets colder humans start wearing more clothing, covering up more (which means less Vitamin D being synthesized through your exposed skin), and the shortage of Vitamin D results in you packing on the extra pounds.

HOWEVER you can fix this through 4 methods:

#1. Go outside and exercise!

Even if you just go for a walk, it doesn't take much to get your daily Vitamin D needs outside. Running around in a swimsuit in the summer you can get all you need in a mere 5 minutes. Wearing a jacket, hat, scarf, etc in the winter and its going to take 60 to 90 minutes outside in the sun.

#2. Vitamin D supplements. Huzzah for Vitamins!

Pay attention to the dosage on the bottle and how much Vitamin D you eat / absorb anyway. Ideally you want 5,000 to 10,000 IUs per day (depending on your size/weight) or the equivalent in micrograms, which is 125 to 250 micrograms per day. A typical Vitamin D pill might have 25 mcg/1000 IUs or 50 mcg/2000 IUs in it.

1 or 2 pills, plus your regular food (depending on what you are eating) should provide all your daily needs. Don't bother to overdo it.

#3. Regular foods. Track your current Vitamin D consumption.

Some of the foods you are eating might have Vitamin D in it already. eg. 125 ml of 2% Milk has 25% of your daily Vitamin D needs. That is roughly the amount you put on your cereal in the morning. It helps to check the label. Thus if you LOVE milk and drink a litre per day you are getting 100% of your Vitamin D needs just from the milk.

#4. Eat foods that are high in Vitamin D.

If you are low in Vitamin D you can increase your intake of foods high in Vitamin D to compensate.

Now immediately you think fruits and vegetables, and you are partially correct. Some veggies are high in Vitamin D, but there are number of foods that are even higher in Vitamin D.

• Shiitake & Button Mushrooms (especially dried shiitake mushrooms). Mushrooms in general are rich in Vitamin B and D.
• Mackerel. A 2 ounce portion of Mackeral provides 51% of your daily Vitamin D needs. Also rich in Omega-3.
• Sockeye Salmon. Same as Mackerel. A 2 ounce portion provides 51% and is rich in Omega-3.
• Herring. These fish eat plankton, which is really high in Vitamin D.
• Sardines. A single small tin of sardines provides 70% of your daily needs.
• Catfish. You won't see catfish in your average supermarket, but like herring its chockful of Vitamin D.
• Tuna. 3 ounces of tuna daily provides 50% of your Vitamin D needs.
• Cod Liver Oil. If you can get past the aroma, 1 tablespoon of the oil provides more than enough Vitamin D for the day.
• Eggs. 1 small egg provides 10% of your daily needs.

Health Benefits of Vitamin D

• Helps prevent cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension.
• Protects and lubricates of your bones, teeth and hair.
• Regulates muscular cellular growth and healthy cell activity.
• Reduces storage of fat.
• Reduces the inflammatory response to cancer, diabetes, obesity, etc.
• Protects against adult osteoporosis.
• Reduces risk of breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.
• Reduces the "Winter Blues", the feeling of depression from lack of sun.

 Tracking your vitamin consumption can be quite helpful in understanding what your body needs.