5 Reasons Why Having a Workout Partner Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

It's almost the end of the year, have you been thinking about your New Year's resolutions? Grab a friend & help reach both of your fitness goals for 2015!

Having a workout partner can mean the difference between success and failure when it comes to your fitness goals. Unless you're consistently a highly motivated self-starter, your chances of sticking to a long-term fitness plan without a partner are significantly lower than they are with a partner.

1. The Time Goes by Faster

Working out with a friend or family member can make your workouttime go by much more quickly. When you work out alone, it's easy to watch the clock and feel the time drag by. Having that feeling of dread can make it harder for you to summon the motivation to work out. When you're able to chat with a workout partner and catch up on each other's lives as you exercise, the time will fly by and become an occasion to which you can look forward.

2. You Won't Cancel a Workout

When you answer to no one but yourself, it can become a habit to cancel a workout after a long, busy day because you feel tired or because you feel that it's a waste of time. You may think that canceling one workout won't hurt you, but if you cancel even one session, it can be more difficult to get back into the habit because you may decrease your endurance. If your workout partner is counting on you to be there for an exercise session, you'll be less likely to cancel.

3. You Can Coordinate Busy Schedules

Another reason you may not meet your fitness goals on your own is that you can't find the time. If you have to arrange a babysitter while you work out, for example, or you can't imagine having to cook a dinner before or after your workout session, it can become easy to cancel the workout. However, if you have a workout partner, you can coordinate your schedules. You can both share a babysitter or you can take turns cooking for each other and/or both families.

4. You'll Be Bolstered by Outside Perspective

It's difficult to view yourself objectively. When it comes to your fitness progress, you may not notice how your strength and endurance is improving or that you've lost weight or gained muscle tone over time. Your partner can view you more objectively and remind you of your progress so far. Having that validation can help bolster your self-esteem and keep your motivation levels high.

5. You Can Celebrate Your Successes

Celebrating your progress alone isn't as much fun as it is with a partner. You and your partner can set goals for yourselves and celebrate every few weeks after you've met those goals. Take a night off from work and stress and celebrate at the movies or a bar or at a mall.

Of course, there is the possibility that your workout partner can be a negative influence on your fitness progress if you choose someone who doesn't respond to your encouragement, belittles your progress and won't commit. Search until you find a competent, positive partner for your fitness regimen.

Reprinted from Fitday.com

Should I Exercise While Sick?

It's that time of year...coughing, sneezing, upset stomach. When is it ok to workout? Get the workout rules for when you're feeling ill.

By Chris Freytag

If you're exercising consistently—and I hope you are—you'll run into this problem from time to time. According to the American Council on Exercise, the average adult has two to three respiratory infections every year. (Consider this another reason to get your flu shot.)

The rule I like to use is called the "neck check." You can exercise while sick if your symptoms are all above the neck, like a runny nose or a sore throat. Of course, you should always listen to your body and take the intensity of your workout down a bit if your regular pace feels too strenuous.

If you're suffering from congestion or low energy, exercise often helps you feel better. A brisk walk can unclog your sinuses better than an afternoon on the couch. And gentle exercise will rev up your circulation, to counteract that sluggish, rundown feeling. But this is definitely a personal decision. You're the best judge of how you feel and what your body can handle when you're sick.

However, if you have any symptoms below the neck, such as body aches, chills, stomach problems or diarrhea, then I advise you to take it easy until you're feeling better. And if you're running a fever, no matter where your symptoms are, put off exercising until your temperature returns to normal.

Maintaining healthy habits may keep you from getting sick in the first place. So wash your hands frequently, eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of water and get adequate sleep. If you can find some room on your calendar, be sure to schedule a little "me time" to relax.

One more thing: If you exercise in a public setting, like a gym, please consider your fellow exercisers and think about how contagious you might be. If you can't get through a single set on a weight machine without coughing or sneezing, you have my permission to stay home with a box of tissues and some hot tea! 

Reprinted from Prevention.com

4 Tips To Beat Post-Holiday Bloating

Feeling bloated after Thanksgiving? Try these tips to feel better!

Simple detox tips & metabolic boosters
BY LAUREN JACOBSEN

If you have spent the last few weeks indulging on calorie-rich food, sweet treatsand alcohol, you are probably feeling more than ready to get back to your consistent clean eating and healthy way of life—especially if your jeans are feeling a bit too tight! To help relieve bloating and water retention from all the holiday fun, you can incorporate these quick fixes. This is by no means the answer or replacement to your regular healthy diet and workout program, but it’ll help you feel better sooner!

1. Reduce Carbohydrates
When we overeat carbohydrates, the body holds on to water. Carbohydrates are stored as glycogen, and each gram of glycogen is bound to four grams of water! This means that when your liver and muscles are full of glycogen, you are also full of water. If you want to get rid of some of that extra water weight you gained during the holidays, reduce your carbohydrates for a week or so. When you lower your carbohydrate intake, the body will start using up the carbohydrates that are stored in the liver and the muscle. When you use that glycogen, you also lose the water. Lower your carbohydrate intake to 20-30% of your diet for about a week or so.

2. Cleanse With Green Veggies
Green vegetables such as broccoli, kale, asparagus and cabbage contain phytonutrients that act like natural diuretics, which can help increase your kidney’s ability to transport toxins into the urine. They also provide powerfulantioxidants that can help the liver cells recover faster. Not too mention they are also full of fiber, which can help clear the digestive track too. Add green vegetables to your meals, or try having a green shake. Just add kale, spinach or wheatgrass to your protein shake to make a detoxifying smoothie!

3. Stimulate Metabolic Rate
Up your intake of foods that can help stimulate the metabolism! Chili peppers contain the metabolism boosting capsaicin compound. Capsaicin, when placed on food, has been shown to increase metabolic rate and reduce appetite. Add hot sauce or hot peppers to your meals for a little extra boost.

In addition to chili peppers, green tea is also a great metabolism booster! Green tea provides EGCG – epigallocatechin gallate. EGCG is a great antioxidant that can help detox the body and is known to block a major enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine—the body’s fat burning hormone! Green Tea’s action can increase metabolic rate and thermogenesis for 24-hour energy expenditure. So, you will be burning fat both in and out of the gym!

4. Up The Intensity
Obviously, one of the first things you need to do is get back to your regular workout schedule. If you have missed workouts, specifically cardio sessions, you could be feeling a little sluggish. Cardio not only burns calories, it also helps rid the body of water via sweat! For your first week back after the holidays, up your cardio workout by performing longer and more intense sessions! Remember 3500 calories equals one pound of fat, so try to burn at least 500 calories per cardio workout session!

Reprinted from FitnessRXwomen.com
References

Cardoso GA, Salgado JM, Cesar MD, Donado-Pestana CM. The Effects of Green Tea Consumption and Resistance Training on Body Composition and Resting Metabolic Rate in Overweight or Obese Women. J Med Food. 2012.Yoshioka M, St-Pierre S, Drapeau V, Dionne I, et al. Effects of red pepper on appetite and energy intake. Br J Nutr. 1999. 82(2): 115-23.