8 Mini Workout Tips To Try If You Have No Time To Exercise
Too busy to exercise? Here are some mini workout routines to hack your weight loss plan even if your schedule shows zero downtime.
In between work, school, or taking care of the kids, you’re lucky if you find one second to yourself. You still want to exercise and stay fit, but your schedule is so busy that you just can’t seem to squeeze it in.
Only an alarming 23% of Americans get the exercise that they need. Don’t be a part of the population who struggle to work out. If you don’t have time–don’t worry.
Fortunately, you don’t need to spend hours on an elliptical just to get your daily exercise. Doing small exercises throughout the day only take a few minutes, and some can even be incorporated into your daily routine.
Who needs the gym to get in shape? Here are 8 mini workout tips you should try if you have no time to exercise:
1. Workout With Your Chores
Why not make chores your daily workout routine? Instead of dreading your chores, view them as part of an exercise routine. You may not think of chores as a workout, but the reality is that you’re doing work and getting physical activity.
Put extra effort into doing your daily tasks. Doing laundry involves heavy lifting, vacuuming your carpet works your arms and legs, and wiping down your bathroom can tone your biceps. Even something as simple as scrubbing the floor can give you an effective cardio workout.
2. Avoid Elevators
Yes, elevators are very convenient, but you don’t really need them to get where you need to go. Don’t take the elevator up to the eighth floor–go up the stairs instead.
Need more convincing to use the stairs? Simply climbing 2 flights of stairs per day can lead to a weight loss of 6lbs in one year. Now, just think how much weight you can lose if you climb 10 flights of stairs each day.
You can even try this exercise when you’re out shopping. Skip out on escalators when you’re at a store and work towards your weight loss goals on the stairs.
3. Break Parking Habits
Are you guilty of always trying to find the closest parking spot? Now is the time to stop that habit. Instead of searching for the spot closest to your destination, you should be looking for the farthest.
Parking far away forces you to walk a longer distance to the building’s entrance. If you have multiple places that you’re driving to that day, all that walking adds up. Just one simple adjustment can turn into an easy daily workout.
4. Take Advantage of Lunch Breaks
Maybe you’re stuck at work all day. By the time you get home, you have no time or energy left for your daily fitness routine. That’s why you should start taking advantage of your lunch breaks.
You might cherish your lunch break as a time when you can relax, have a bite to eat or chat with your coworkers, but you can also use this as a time to squeeze in a quick workout. You could go for a 20 or 30-minute walk outside your building depending on how long your lunch breaks are. Bring along a few coworkers and start a fun daily workout.
5. Don’t Drive to Work
Getting stuck in traffic during your morning commute is probably nothing new to you. But what if this irritating traffic can be avoided altogether? If you live close enough to your job, consider biking, jogging, or walking to work.
Spending all day behind your desk is just as bad as spending several minutes or hours behind the wheel. Your body just won’t get the daily workout it needs.
You could also try hopping off the bus or train early so you have a farther walking distance to your home or work. You might even find out that you’ll get to work on foot faster than if you were to take a vehicle.
6. Use Commercial Breaks to Your Advantage
Everyone knows that commercials are annoying–they interrupt your favorite shows and are incredibly boring. The next time you find time to relax in front of your TV, don’t sit through the commercial breaks. Make it a habit to get up and do an aerobic exercise while the commercials are on.
Commercial breaks are around a few minutes long and can occur several times during a show. Doing a variety of jumping jacks, push-ups, and crunches, as the commercials play can really make you sweat, and can even get you toned over time.
7. Learn to Multi-Task
Many people tend to avoid workouts because they have to get some other task done, but it’s really easy to do both at the same time.
Have to take your dog out? Go for a walk with him around the neighborhood. Maybe you’ve been meaning to get around to reading that book or finishing a TV show–read the book or watch your show while you’re on a treadmill or hitting the gym.
Having entertainment while working out can be your motivation to start incorporating a daily exercise plan into your busy schedule. Better yet, you’ll be accomplishing a task, while also reaching your fitness goals.
8. Have Fun with the Kids
Daily workout routines can be boring, but kids definitely aren’t. They’re bundles of energy, and never seem to tire no matter how many laps they run around your yard. Next time your kid wants to get outside and play, go with them.
Suggest playing a game of tag or catch. You’ll be surprised at how tired you are after the fun and games end. Not only will you get your heart pumping, but you’ll be having a great time with your kid.
You Can Still Get Fit with No Time to Exercise
Having no time to exercise isn’t an excuse for not working out. You don’t have to dread timely trips to the gym when you can do quick workouts throughout your day. Before you know it, you’ll notice yourself losing more weight and having more defined muscles.
Our 21 Day Body Transformation Challenge combines diet and exercise to transform your look. If you want to turn heads for the right reasons, find out more here.
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Gym Couples: 6 Reasons Why It Pays To Work Out With Your Partner
Gym Couples: 6 Reasons Why It Pays To Work Out With Your Partner
Have you ever considered becoming one of those gym couples? You know the kind — the partners who lose weight and look great together. Here’s why you should.
For optimum ‘fitness goals‘ and ‘couple goals’ in one, nothing beats exercising with your partner.
But, couples working out together doesn’t just mean plenty of opportunities for Instagram-friendly hashtags and gym selfies featuring coordinating workout gear.
Becoming one of those gym couples can actually be a great way to strengthen your relationship while you both get stronger too!
Here are six great reasons why you and your partner should work out together.
1. Built-In Accountability
It’s all too easy to skip a workout when you only have to answer to yourself. Training with someone else keeps you accountable, meaning you’re more likely to stick to your exercise plan. And, who better to hold you accountable than your partner?
No one knows you and your usual excuses like your partner. And, no one knows just how to get you motivated when you’re having a bad day or don’t feel like exercising.
Couples that work out together can encourage and inspire each other. Not only will this bring you closer together, you’re both more likely to get a great workout in too.
2. Achieve Fitness Goals Faster
As author Antoine de Saint-Exup?ry said, “love is not just looking at each other, it’s looking in the same direction.” This is a great metaphor to describe how sharing goals with your partner – such as a desire to be healthier – can bring you closer, and makes it easier for you both to achieve those goals.
Bringing exercise and shared fitness goals into the relationship makes you both more aware of health and nutrition as a couple too. That means both of you are less likely to unintentionally sabotage your fitness goals with offers of takeouts or wine.
And, couples working out together also get to enjoy quality time with each other while getting in shape. Which is much more conducive to achieving your health goals than spending every night on the sofa with pizza and beer.
3. Increase Workout Efficiency
For those of you who are already confident in the gym, exercising with your partner can actually result in a more efficient workout.
Without us necessarily being aware of it, the presence of someone else increases performance. Through a combination of motivation and competition, performing a couples gym workout is a great way to boost your energy levels and improve your speed and efficiency.
Ideally, you’ll both be working out in tandem and switching between machines during super sets to save time. But, it’s also helpful having your partner there to spot you or keep an eye on your form. This ensures that you’re completing moves the right way, meaning better workout efficiency.
4. Have Fun
Having a workout buddy helps you enjoy working out and often makes gym sessions feel like less of a chore.
And, while there are plenty of solo gym moves, a great way to have fun during a couples gym workout is to incorporate some partner exercises. From simple in-sync squats to those brutal double dare crunches, partner exercises offer unique and exciting ways to challenge each other as a team.
You’re also more likely to try new methods and exercises if you have the support of your partner. That could mean going heavier on the weights, trying a new tactic such as a HIIT run, or attempting your first Pilates class together. As a result, you get to shake up your old solo routine and find different and enjoyable ways to work out in the process.
5. Boost Love and Attraction
Exercise results in the same symptoms of physiological arousal, such as shortness of breath, sweaty hands and a racing pulse. This has the effect of mirroring the thrill of romantic attraction. As a result, people often mistake physical arousal for romantic attraction.
In fact, studies show that couples report greater relationship satisfaction and increased feelings of romantic love after participating in an exciting physical activity together. The reason for this is the physiological arousal of the activity rather than the difficulty or novelty of the challenge itself.
So, while getting sweaty together might not seem a great way to make you appear more attractive in your partner’s eyes, psychological research shows that it actually does!
Working out as a couple gives you the chance to take advantage of this physiological arousal. And, it means that exercising doesn’t just make you and your partner healthier. Your relationship also becomes healthier and stronger as a result.
6. Reconnect as A Couple
The gym might not be the most romantic setting, but exercising together can be a great way for busy couples to reconnect.
Couples that work out together provide encouragement and support for each other. They also get to witness each other’s success, build trust and have fun as a team. Even suffering through a grueling workout routine or new class can be a great way to strengthen your relationship. Especially when you can both laugh about it afterwards, or console each other with soothing massages.
And, the very act of exercising together can help you reconnect as a couple. That’s because coordinating your actions, such as running at the same pace, creates nonverbal matching, or mimicry.
This nonverbal mimicry helps couples feel emotionally in tune with each other. And, through this, couples working out together report greater a greater sensation of bonding. A couples gym workout gives you both an opportunity to create this connection, benefiting your relationship and your health in the process.
Gym Couples Who Work Out Together Stay Together
If you’re both into health and fitness then it makes sense to combine your passion for exercise with your passion for each other!
And, with all these great benefits to becoming one of those gym couples, what are you waiting for?!
Our 21 Day Body Transformation Challenge combines diet and exercise to transform your look. If you want to turn heads for the right reasons, find out more here.
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Get Fit, Baby!: How To Keep Working Out While Pregnant
Get Fit, Baby!: How To Keep Working Out While Pregnant
Did you get some exciting news about a baby bump recently? Working out while pregnant is both important and totally possible. Here’s what you need to know.
There are so many benefits that come along with working out while pregnant.
When you make an effort to exercise when you’re expecting, you’ll pack on fewer pounds throughout the course of your pregnancy. You’ll also reduce back pain, constipation, and some of the other side effects of being pregnant. And you might even make your labor and delivery go more smoothly in the end!
But despite the numerous benefits of working out while pregnant, there are many women who choose not to do it for any number of reasons. Some struggle to muster up the strength and energy for exercise, while others complain about not having enough time to do it.
Don’t let these things stop you from working out while pregnant! Take a look at some tips below that will help you create and maintain a workout regimen over the next 9 months with Healthy Food for Pregnant Women.
Start as Soon as You Find Out You’re Pregnant
Did you just find out that you’re pregnant?
Congratulations! There is almost nothing more exciting than finding out that you’re going to be welcoming a new baby into the world.
But before you start celebrating too much, you should commit–right here and right now–to working out while pregnant.
We know that you’re going to have a million and one other things going on in your life soon. From researching which crib would be right for your baby to picking out a pediatrician, there is so much to do!
But the truth is that working out while pregnant is one of the most important things that you’re going to do in the coming months. It’ll be good for both you and your baby and will help your pregnancy go much better than it would otherwise.
So rather than putting off exercise or ignoring it altogether, use the adrenaline boost that you got from your positive pregnancy test to start up a workout routine. It’ll be well worth the time and effort you put into it.
Create Specific Workout Goals
After you’ve made a commitment to working out while pregnant, the next step should be to come up with a list of specific workout goals for yourself. These goals will help keep you on track once you actually start exercising on a regular basis.
Everyone’s goals are obviously going to be a little bit different. But in general, your goals should serve as a guide for you as you move forward in your pregnancy.
Here are some sample workout goals that might work for you:
- Exercise for about 30 minutes at least 3 times every week
- Keep weight loss to a minimum throughout pregnancy
- Use working out as a reason to eat healthier while pregnant
- Stay in constant contact with the doctor about working out
- Monitor how workouts are benefitting both mom and baby
The key is coming up with goals that are attainable. It’ll allow you to stay committed to working out while pregnant, even when times get tough and you don’t necessarily feel like doing it.
Learn About the Exercises That Will Benefit You
Once you have your pregnancy workout goals in place, it’ll be time for you to officially start working out while pregnant. But before you do, you should take the time to learn about the different types of exercises that will benefit you the most.
The good news is that there are lots of workout options for you to choose from when you’re pregnant. Here are just some of the choices:
- Walking, which can elevate your heart rate and provide you with an upper-body workout if you get into the habit of moving your arms when you walk
- Running, which can elevate your heart rate even more than walking and work out many major muscle groups
- Swimming, which can work out your entire body without putting too much of a strain on your legs, your back, or the other areas that will bother you during pregnancy
- Weight training, which will make your muscles stronger and prepare them for the later stages of pregnancy
- Yoga, which will help you with balance and strength and bring your blood pressure down
Regardless of which first-trimester workout you choose, you should avoid twisting your midsection at any point and ease your way into working out. You usually don’t want to work out for any more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time, and you also don’t want to push yourself outside of your comfort zone at any point.
Avoid Certain Exercises During Pregnancy
While all of the exercises that we just mentioned are great for those in their first trimester and, in most cases, even beyond, there are some exercises you’ll want to avoid at all costs. They could put you and your baby into harm’s way if you aren’t careful.
Steer clear of any exercises that call for you to:
- Hold your breath for long periods of time
- Lift weights that are too heavy
- Lie on your stomach
- Stand still for extended periods of time
- Push yourself too hard
The last thing you want to do is turn working out while pregnant into a bad thing. By avoiding some exercises that could be dangerous, you’ll keep yourself and your baby safe at all times.
Come Up With and Stick to a Workout Schedule
No matter what type of exercise you choose to do during your pregnancy, it’s important for you to create a workout schedule…and stick to it!
If you don’t have a clear-cut schedule in place, you’re going to be tempted to cheat from time to time and skip out on your workouts. This will turn into a habit before long and result in you not getting enough exercise.
Sit down and map out your days, weeks, and even months so that you know when you need to work out. You’re more likely to start working out while pregnant when you have a schedule in place.
Consider Using a Workout Challenge to Stay Motivated
Are you the type of person who has a hard time staying motivated when you work out? If the benefits of working out while pregnant aren’t enough to motivate you, there is something else you can try to give yourself the encouragement you need.
Our 9-Week Workout Challenge is a great option for any woman who wants to start working out while pregnant. You’ll get direct access to a fitness coach who will customize a workout plan to your specific needs.
This is especially helpful for pregnant women who don’t know where to start when it comes to working out. You can work with a trainer both during your pregnancy and after it to keep yourself in great shape.
Make Sure You’re Getting the Right Nutrients
Eating right during pregnancy is just as important as working out. You and your baby need a long list of nutrients on an almost daily basis. During the second and third trimesters, you’ll also need to take in a lot more calories than you usually do.
Rather than just eating whatever you want while pregnant, you should look to eat certain types of foods that are loaded with the nutrients you need. Your diet should include:
- Dairy products, which are a great source of calcium and protein
- Legumes, which will provide you with everything from fiber and protein to iron and calcium
- Salmon, which is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids
- Eggs, which are jampacked with protein, fat, and more minerals and vitamins than we can possibly list here!
- Lean meat, which contains iron, choline, and protein
There are also lots of other foods to incorporate into your diet, including certain berries, avocados, whole grains, and more.
Drink a Lot of Water, Too
Under normal circumstances, it’s important for pregnant women to drink plenty of water on a daily basis. It’ll help you avoid dehydration, which can cause constipation, tiredness, anxiety, and more.
But hydration will become even more of a concern when you’re working out while pregnant. You’re going to be losing fluids as you exercise, and those fluids will need to be replenished.
It’s good to bring along lots of water with you during a workout. Sip on it early and often to keep the fluids flowing through your body.
Stop Working Out While Pregnant If You Don’t Feel Good
Although working out while pregnant is something you should definitely consider doing, there is absolutely no reason for you to overexert yourself in the process. Your No. 1 goal should be to maintain your body and keep your baby healthy, not to set a new personal best while running a mile or learn dozens of new yoga poses.
If, at any point, you don’t feel good while you’re working out while pregnant, you should 100 percent stop and put your exercise plans on hold. Even though it might mean missing a day or two of exercise, you’re much better off taking that approach than trying to do too much.
Speak With Your Doctor About Exercising
When you first find out that you’re pregnant, your doctor is going to give you all kinds of advice as far as what you should and shouldn’t do during pregnancy.
Your doctor will tell you what to eat, how much sleep to get, and more. Your doctor should also speak with you about exercising and recommend some workouts that you can do.
If they don’t, don’t be afraid to stop them and tell them that you would like to start working out while pregnant. They will likely encourage you to do it and give you some tips about exercising throughout your pregnancy.
You should also continue to speak with your doctor as you move closer and closer to your due date. There are some exercises that are perfectly fine for those women in their first trimester but dangerous for those in their third.
By keeping an open line of communication with your doctor, you’ll be able to find out which exercises will be best as you move along. Your doctor will know what you’ll be able to do best based on your body type, your goals, and any concerns they might have about your pregnancy.
Commit to Continuing to Work Out After Your Baby’s Birth
At the end of all this, working out while pregnant should allow you to give birth to a beautiful baby that is completely healthy. It should also make your pregnancy a whole a lot easier across the board.
But maybe above all else, it should give you all the motivation you need to continue working out long after your baby is born. By establishing a workout routine while you’re pregnant, you can set yourself up for long-term fitness success.
This will begin to pay off right away when it comes to trying to lose the weight you put on during pregnancy. Most women put on somewhere between 15 and 40 pounds when they’re pregnant and struggle to take it back off. But you’ll be in a good position to do it if you continue working out.
You’ll also be able to keep yourself healthier overall for the sake of your baby. Now that you have someone who depends on you, you need to take your health even more seriously than you ever did before. Working out will make that a reality.
Working Out While Pregnant Is Totally Possible
Working out while pregnant might sound like it’s going to be too difficult to do at the beginning. You might even laugh it off and think that you’re not cut out for the challenge.
But once you start doing it, you’ll begin to see the benefits of it almost right away. You’ll feel better and have more energy at your disposal. You’ll also get good reports back from your doctor during your various visits.
Consider how working out while pregnant could help you before you brush it off. It’s entirely possible and will become a part of your normal pregnancy routine once you give it a shot.
Our 21 Day Body Transformation Challenge combines diet and exercise to transform your look. If you want to turn heads for the right reasons, find out more here.
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A Crash Course In What To Eat For Your Body Type
A Crash Course In What To Eat For Your Body Type
Have you ever heard of diets based on the type of body you have? Here’s what to eat for your body type, and how to know if this works for you.
The term “different strokes for different folks” has never been truer than when it’s applied to diet and exercise plans.
We all have that one friend that never puts on a single pound no matter how many chocolate bars they wolf down. Then there are those unfortunates who cannot reach their goal weight no matter how much they exercise or how long they stick to their meal plans.
Turns out it hasn’t got much to do with the speed of your metabolism. Although in some ways, it has everything to do with it.
It’s not how fast your metabolism works, but how it works in relation to the type of body you’re born with.
Find a happy medium by learning how to exercise and what to eat for your body type. The results will amaze you.
What Body Type Are You?
Typically when we consider different body types we think of our general shape. This is especially true for women.
These shapes are usually referred to as ”apple” or android body type, and “pear” or gynoid body type. Less commonly, we may refer to ”hourglass”, and “ruler” body types. These are all pretty accurate descriptions of body shapes.
Yet, when it comes to eating for your body type, finding the right balance goes a little deeper than first impressions.
It has to do with metabolism, bone structure, and how your body reacts to exercise. Find out where you fit in when it comes to body types.
Endomorph
Endomorphs usually fall into the pear-shaped category. They battle to lose weight and keep it off thanks to a slow metabolic rate. When they do exercise, they gain muscle easily, but it’s never as bulky as they’d like.
If you have any of the following traits, you are probably an Endomorph:
- A rounded body shape
- Medium to large joints and bone structure
- Short limbs
- Small shoulders
Due to their sluggish metabolism, endomorphs fall asleep easily and can have bouts of unexplained fatigue.
Bottom line, endomorphs have the highest body fat percentage of all body types. They have to work much harder and follow a strict eating plan to get into shape.
The good news is that the rewards are so much greater when you do achieve your goals. A fit female endomorph is the pinnacle of feminine allure, with a toned, yet softly rounded physique.
Ectomorph
Most supermodels are ectomorphs. This highly fashionable body type is fragile and delicately built, with little fat or muscle.
While these may seem like attractive characteristics, ectomorphs have their own set of problems. Low muscle mass means that well-developed muscles are a pipe dream for most of these individuals.
Ladies tend to complain about being flat-chested and lacking in the curves of their endomorph counterparts. Men usually see themselves as too skinny and wiry.
These are the most common characteristics of endomorphs:
- Small joints and bone structure
- A skinny physique with low body fat
- Long arms and legs
- Small shoulders
- Little muscling
- A fast metabolism
- Hyperactive tendencies
Ectomorphs wage an ongoing battle that many of us would love to fight. They struggle to put on weight. Unfortunately, the same applies to muscle.
Mesomorph
Mesomorphs have the best of both worlds. They are naturally lean and build muscle easily. On the downside, their bodies can pile on the pounds of fat given the chance.
These are the main characteristics of mesomorphs:
- Lean and muscular body
- Natural strength
- Medium size bone structure and joints
- Efficient metabolism
- See results from exercise quickly
Female mesomorphs usually have a shapely, hourglass figure. Males tend to take a classic V-shape, with wide shoulders and narrow hips.
Working Out a Plan for You
People aren’t made according to factory specifications, so it’s totally possible to have characteristics from more than one body type. Figure out which description most applies to you when choosing an eating plan for your body type.
One of the easiest ways to avoid disappointment is to be realistic about how you want your body to look.
Achieving the super-ripped physique of professional bodybuilders may not be ideal for you. It’s important to realize that you can be fit and healthy without going to those extremes. You have a life to live outside of the gym.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, scroll on down to see what you should eat for your body type if you want to get into top shape fast.
What to Eat for Your Body Type
It’s important to remember that there is no right or wrong body type. Everybody can benefit from eating the kind of foods that suit their body type.
Here are some pointers to help you get on the right track.
Eating Plan for Endomorphs
Endomorphs are usually insulin dominant which means their bodies store energy easily in the form of fat.
This doesn’t mean you’re doomed to a lifetime of being overweight. It simply means you have to eat foods that get your metabolism pumping and work out enough to prevent the fat from settling.
Endomorphs fare best on a diet that is high in fat and protein. The ideal ratio is 25% carbs, 35% protein, and 40% fat. It’s best to keep your carb intake to those times when you’ve already used up a whole lot of energy exercising.
These kinds of eating plans will ensure that your retain and build on the muscle you have while restricting the amount of energy that’s stored as fat.
Stick to ”good” carbs like whole grain bread, brown rice, amaranth, millet, corn, barley, potatoes, and quinoa. Vegetables are a great source of healthy carbs as well as vitamins and minerals.
Stick to healthy fats like avocado oil and olive oil.
Diet Tips for Ectomorphs
While ectomorphs can eat what they want without gaining much weight, a healthy diet is imperative to achieve a toned, healthy body.
If you are an ectomorph, you’ll need loads of nutritious calories to build muscle and replace spent energy efficiently. This means carbs – and plenty of them.
An ideal ectomorph eating plan should involve eating high carb foods throughout the day and upping your intake just before and after your workout. The magic formula is 50 percent carbs, 25 percent protein, and 25 percent fat.
Breakfast is the main meal of the day for ectomorphs and should be heavy on the complex carbohydrates and protein. Try to fit in another 7 or 8 meals spread throughout the day.
Focus on consuming vegetable and fruits at every meal and add starchy carbs like potatoes every second meal. Whole grain, unprocessed foods are always best for optimum health and vitality.
Whey protein and high-calorie shakes can help to boost your weight gain and a cheat meal every so often won’t harm your progress when you’re an ectomorph. You are free to tuck into a cheeseburger, as long as you don’t make a habit of it.
Mesomorph Meal Ideals
Mesomorphs fall somewhere in the middle of the other two body types and usually thrive on a balanced ratio of carbs to proteins and fats. The best way to split these is often 40% carbohydrate, 30% fat and 30% protein.
Because of their propensity to put on weight, mesomorphs fare better when they stick to low -fat proteins and complex carbohydrates.
Greek yogurt, eggs, poultry, and seafood are good sources of protein, while green vegetables, whole grain foods, and low-sugar fruits are excellent for carbs. High-fiber foods will reduce sugar cravings and help you to feel full for longer.
Try to cram most of your carbs into your breakfast meal, as well as before and after exercise. Vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, and fruit are the best options for meals in between these times.
This means you’d try eating some higher carb or starchy carb foods in the morning, as well as during/post exercise. The rest of your meals should contain fewer carbs and more fats and protein.
If you feel that you need a little extra kick during an intense workout, you can indulge in an energy drink to give you a boost.
Work Out Tips for Your Body Type
On its own, eating the correct diet will do a lot for your appearance and self-esteem as well as help you to slim down.
However, diet alone won’t give you the body you want. Exercise is imperative to get into the best shape you can.
Best Exercises for Endomorphs
Endomorphs seldom have trouble bulking up, the problem is that often this bulk takes the form of fat and not muscle.
While regular weight training will work wonders to build up muscle, you need the fat burning benefits of cardio too. The magic formula for endomorphs is often 4 days of weight training per week, making sure to include a cardio session each time.
When you’re just starting out, it’s perfectly okay to stick to low impact exercise as long as it gets your heart pumping. Ideally, you should choose an activity that checks the following boxes:
- can continue for at least 20 minutes
- uses the large muscles like legs and back
- involves continuous, rhythmic movement
As your muscle mass increases, your metabolism will follow suit. It’s perfectly normal to go through cycles of change as you progress. As things become too easy or no longer interest you, adapt and move on.
Winning Workouts for Ectomorphs
Fortunately, with low body fat, it’s easier to achieve well-defined muscles even with small gains when you’re an ectomorph.
If you want to bulk up you are going to need to go hard, and you’re going to need to do it often. Heavy weights and low reps are the way to go.
Compound multi-joint lifts work well for this body type. These include:
- bench press
- back and front squats
- stiff-leg deadlifts
- pull-ups
- barbell overhead presses
There’s no such thing as ”leg-day” when you’re an ectomorph. Try to incorporate as many muscle groups as you can into every workout.
While cardio is good for your overall health, too much can turn your body into a fat-burning wasteland. A quick spin on the bicycle or a brisk walk should do the trick.
BasicTraining for Mesomorphs
When you’re a mesomorph almost anything goes, and you can really enjoy yourself at the gym.
Resistance exercises using your body weight will help to tone, firm and shape your body while burning fat at the same time. Think yoga, calisthenics, and gymnastics.
As a mesomorph, your frame can carry a lot of muscular bulk but that’s often difficult to achieve. There’s a good chance you won’t be able to lift the heavy weights needed to bulk up at first.
In the beginning, using your body weight is an effective way to improve your strength in preparation for these big lifts.
When you’re ready, you can progress to moderate repetitions with moderate weights. About 3 weight training sessions a week should do the trick, consisting of 8 to 12 reps focussing on individual muscle groups.
Staying Motivated
Getting yourself to the gym regularly can be trying. Here are a few tips to help you make every workout enjoyable and productive.
Sticking to a strict regime on your own is never easy. Enlisting the help of a personal trainer will help you to see results quicker and stay on top of your game.
When you sign up for the 21 Day Body Transformation Challenge, we will match you with a personal challenge coach. They’ll guide you on what to eat for your body type and how to get the best results from your workouts.
Our 21 Day Body Transformation Challenge combines diet and exercise to transform your look. If you want to turn heads for the right reasons, find out more here.
