Sep 1 2017

Avoiding “Gym-Juries”

Posted on September 1, 2017 by admin

Fed up of my bingo wings, I recently joined the gym. To further incentivise myself to stick with it I spent a small fortune on kit that neatly skimmed my lumps and bumps, and cobbled together a rough workout plan from YouTube tutorials. I swerved the induction by fibbing to the receptionist as I stupidly thought it would call attention to my newbie status. Yet within about 15 minutes of being left to my own devices it was pretty clear I had all the gear and no idea.

I spent my entire first session on an exercise bike as I couldn’t even name some of the other equipment there let alone work out how to use it. Even then, I couldn’t monitor the distance I’d clocked up or calories burnt as I didn’t know how to reset the damn thing from the previous bum sat upon it.

It might have been a complete fail, but at least I didn’t bruise anything other than my ego. Lucky really, as a recent study conducted by Hayward Baker, suggests a whopping 47% of us Brits have suffered ‘gym-juries’ in our quest to get the perfect body. With ankle sprains being the most common reported injury, closely followed by resultant back problems, I suspect I’m especially high risk given the extra poundage I’m hauling around.

Despite the fact that some 45% of those surveyed are pessimistic about achieving their summer fitness goals, I’m determined to stick with it. I’ve 3 sessions under my belt now and am pretty sure I can score a healthy BMI by 2020 (slight exaggeration) if I force myself to turn up a few hours every week. Still, I am going to be a bit more careful. My ankles are a mess following numerous fractures, and I’m pretty sure if I get an injury it’ll squash all my motivation to go again.

So here’s a few tips from an amateur to help you avoid a gym-jury on your first trip to the gym:

DO an Induction

Regular gym-goers might make it all look easy, but if you haven’t put in many hours at a gym before, your induction is invaluable. In fact, you will find it beneficial to undertake an induction every time your switch gyms as the machines are very likely to vary from gym to gym. Far from looking like a wally, your fellow gym-goers will have seen a million inductions going on around them, and won’t be sizing you up on your first day.

If you’re unsure ASK

All reputable gyms will have instructors on hand to assist you with machines. If not, ask your fellow gym-goers if you need a little help. Don’t feel nervous about doing so, as it’s better to ask than plough on and risk coming a cropper.

Warm up before hitting the machines

Failure to warm properly accounts for a significant number of gym-based injuries. An effective 5-10 minute warm-up prepares the body for exercise by increasing the blood flow to your muscles, and lubricating your joints. This will reduce the chance of soft tissue (ligament, tendon and muscle) injuries by allowing them to move through a greater range of motions easily . It’ll also get your heart rate up safely, helping you avoid a rapid increase in blood pressure when you hit the machines.

Buddy up

Not only will having a gym buddy keep you motivated, they can also check your form to make sure you’re not putting undue pressure your body. Make sure you tell each other of any health concerns or aching muscles each time you head to the gym, so you can help hone each other’s workouts and stop each other burning out.

Stay hydrated

You bought that fancy water bottle for a reason, so use it. A good workout should get you all sweaty, and you’ll need to replenish lost water -especially if you consider you could lose up to a litre an hour. Failure to do so will likely make it far more difficult to control your body temperature, cause muscle cramps, dizziness, and other more serious health problems. Being dehydrated can also seriously affect your energy levels making your time spent at the gym less effective. Your muscle cells are almost three-quarters water so if you’re short on fluids, you’ll feel the strain. Drinking little and often will give you the best chance of hitting your exercise targets.

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Following these simple tips should help you avoid common gym-juries, however should you have an accident, check out Hayward Baker’s free-to-use injury compensation calculator. to get an idea of how much compensation you might be entitled to. If you’re stuck at home and unable to work off those indulgences for awhile, knowing you might qualify for a pay-out should help take the edge off.

Happy exercising!

Nov 11 2015

The Awesome Road To Weight Loss Success

Posted on November 11, 2015 by admin

We all know how difficult it can be to lose weight and reach our ideal size. However, most ladies would feel a lot more confident if they shed a few pounds. Considering that, I wanted to give some tips and advice that should point you in the right direction. There are three main components to weight loss success, and you will need each of them to achieve your goal.

Motivation

You are never going to reach your weight loss goals without a whole load of motivation. That can come in many different forms, and so you just need to find something that works for you. Some people lose weight because doctors have warned of negative consequences if they don’t. Others find their motivation when thinking about their kids or looking at old photographs of themselves.

Commitment

Whatever you plan to do, you’ll need lots of commitment if you want to lose weight. Like it or not, you won’t see amazing results straight away. You’ll need to exercise consistently for at least a few months before you notice positive changes. People without enough commitment will never get the results they desire.

Determination

Determination is key when trying shed the pounds. You aren’t going to see a real difference in your size if you fail to push yourself. You need the eye of the tiger if you want to build a sweat and drop a waist size.

So long as you have those three key elements, reducing your weight should become a realistic goal. It’s so easy to put weight on eating fatty food and snacking on chocolate. However, it can take much longer to put things right. There are, however, some medical procedures that could help. Take a look at the infographic to discover the benefits.

Infographic Created By http://www.ramsayhealth.co.uk

Mar 23 2015

How to form new habits

Posted on March 23, 2015 by admin

Very often, when it comes to forming new habits, we can start out with bags of enthusiasm and motivation but soon become distracted or lose heart when the results aren’t seen quickly enough. All around us, it seems there are so many people who manage to stick to their regime, and they inspire and annoy us in equal measures! Why can they do it and we can’t? Studies suggest that it’s a combination of careful planning and sensible thinking; it’s a case of finding the right new routine for you and making sure that it’s easy to stick to.

So, how can you begin to change your habits?

Be reasonable

Even with the strongest will in the world, if we aren’t reasonable with the demands we put on ourselves, any plan is seriously flawed. For example, if you don’t like the gym or attending isn’t convenient, simply rule it out. Exercise can become a new habit in other ways - such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, penning in one day a week to go for a walk with a friend, or cycling to work rather than driving. Don’t promise yourself that you can make your habits work every single day because in a modern, busy life, this isn’t always going to be reasonable.

Don’t do it alone

You may be quick to let yourself down, but if you’ve committed to changing a habit alongside a friend, would it be so easy to let them down? Putting a little bit of pressure on yourself is key and in addition to this, you have support and a motivator on tap.

Keep track of your progress

It’s hard to see or feel the results in yourself, but all new habits can be tracked in different ways. For smoking, you could put the money you would usually spend on cigarettes into a jar daily or weekly, and by the end of the month, treat yourself with your new found wealth - and new found health!

Make a switch

Switching a bad habit for a good one is another great idea. For example, if you’re trying to quit smoking, you could switch to electronic cigarettes. One of the hardest habits to break is smoking, but with e-cigarettes, it is now more doable than ever before. E-cigarettes are a hugely popular alternative to traditional aids (like nicotine gum and patches) because the vapour they produce is similar to smoke, and the act of holding an e-cig is like holding an actual cigarette. They are also totally harmless to those around you, making them socially acceptable in almost every situation.