March 1, 2012

Getting in shape will no longer be a long strenuous session that bears no results for you. By following some simple steps in a disciplined manner you can ensure that with every minute you sweat it out, you inch closer to your goal of a healthier self.

Read through the list of tips to work towards a leaner and fitter body.

1. As against the common perception of longer workout sessions, one should workout for 30-40 minutes ideally with high intensity. There is a myth that believes exercising for longer durations at the gym will help to lose inches more rapidly, what happens is that you only end up feeling more fatigued. Don’t forget to build your endurance level before hitting the intense exercises. Make sure to move slowly in a step by step manner to get into the routine.

2. While building muscle and body-training exercises, we often forget the importance of protein intake. Lack of protein is one of the main reasons behind slow progress in body weight change. Other than the protein shakes available in the market that needs prior recommendation from a dietician, you can also opt for soy or whey protein shakes.

Protein shakes work even better when taken just before and after the workout. If taken before the training, protein shake increases the flow of amino acid to your muscles and its intake after the workout ensures muscle growth.

3. Your body works the best when it is well hydrated. Make sure you drink sufficient water some time before the exercise to obtain optimum results. Carbs are required by the body at every level and are considered as our body’s main fuel. In order to continue intense workouts carbs will serve as the source of energy. You can pick carb shakes or can opt for a banana which is a great source of high glycemic carbohydrates.

4. It is often found that while exercising, many people slowly contract their muscles and release speedily. The right way to do it is to maximize each move lift gradually in both directions with a 5 second count in each direction.

5. Chose a workout plan that is fun and enjoyable for you. Any kind of exercise that you feel bored while doing won’t stick with you for long. If you’re an outdoor person pick something like- walking, swimming, biking, running, stairmaster etc. It is better to mix exercises as the body will get used to it and after a while won’t render results. As the routine will set in, you will look forward to every upcoming session with full energy.

6.Listening to the body is another factor that you should never forget. People skip rest while doing multiple sets of the same exercise. The muscles after being worked, need to recover. The best and most advised method is to move on multiple exercises that work out every muscle group. This will give you a cardio along with your strength training.

Taking all these points into consideration and planning your workout plan in a step by step manner will render you results in a much faster and desired manner. As you move towards high intensity workout, you can plan an alternate 2-3 days of strength training along with high intensity cardio.

The key to a speedier and eventually effective workout session is a disciplined and consistent mix of exercise and good diet.