GLEN TITHER HEALTH & FITNESS ARTICLES
Website: www.gtpersonaltrainer.co.uk
Email: glen@gtpersonaltrainer.co.uk
GETTING STARTED (HOW TO START ON YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY)
Whatever
your health/fitness goal(s), perhaps the most important thing you need
to do is to keep regular records; otherwise how will you know if you're
on track, or when you've achieved each particular goal?
My advice - get into a habit of recording absolutely everything.
Don't
start out on a weight loss journey, or hitting the gym, without doing
this; you'll only find yourself 6 weeks - 6 months down the line and either
looking at yourself wondering if all the hard work's been worth it and
if you've actually made any actual changes, or you'll have worked your
butt off and made such a dramatic difference that you'll be kicking
yourself that you didn't take your 'before' photos/measurements/weight
etc.
So, you need to go out and buy a small notepad, something of a size
that will enable you can carry it around with you at all times, in your
pocket or handbag. You must record absolutely everything you do each day
in this notepad: meals, snacks, drinks, exercise, workouts, weight
progressions, mood etc; even when you cheat with your diet, or miss a
training day, you must make a note of it.
Being able to compare
results is a fantastic way of charting your progress, and success. If
you're not seeing the results you were expecting it's also a excellent
tool for being able to see where you're going wrong.
Next, before you do anything else you need to take your 'before' photos, body
measurements and weigh yourself (full details of how to do this
correctly are below).
Just like when people get obsessed with
weighing themselves when they're trying to lose weight, don't get
obsessed with taking photos and body measurements; You need to leave
enough time to pass, to enable a change to have occurred, before you
take your next photos, measurements & weight. Therefore, every 4 - 6
weeks is fine.
'Before' photos are great visual aids. You may
not like your 'before' photos, but believe me, you will be more
appreciative at the end each 4 - 6 week period when you can actually see
the transformation you have made.
Take the photos against a
plain background so you can see your body perfectly. The photos you take
every 4 - 6 weeks thereafter are to be taken at exactly the same place, and on the same weekday, and at the same time, so you can compare the results properly. Take photos from the front,
side and rear so you have a record of your body from all angles.
Females:
wear a sports bra and some short shorts, something that will enable you
to see your hips and thighs clearly; this is predominantly a problem
area for women.
Males: wearing just a pair of shorts is fine.
Next
you need to take some body measurements. Using a flexible tape-measure
make note of the measurements at points listed below. The tape should be
pulled to where it is lying flat against the skin all the way around.
Just like the photos, only take the measurements every 4 - 6 weeks. Take
them at the same time of day and you will get an accurate view of your
progress with each body part.
Neck - Standing, measure your neck at its largest girth/right over the Adam's apple.
Shoulders - Standing, you can either be measured as a straight line from the
largest points on each shoulder across the chest or as a girth
measurement all the way around the body.
Upper Arm - Measure at
its largest girth, it can be taken with your arms relaxed by your side,
relaxed with arm bent, flexed with arm bent or all three.
Chest - Standing, breathe out and measure just above the nipples.
Waist
- Standing, measure at the narrowest point or at the midway point
between the top of the hip bone and the bottom of the rib cage.
Hips - Measure at the largest girth, where your bum is protruding the greatest.
Thigh - Standing, measure at the largest girth, just below your bum.
Calf - Seated if you are measuring yourself or standing if you have a partner, measure at its largest girth.
Lastly,
weigh yourself. Just like the before photos and body measurements, only
weigh yourself at the beginning of each 4 - 6 week period. It doesn’t
matter whether you chart your weight in kilograms & grams or stone
and pounds but to ensure accurate results, weigh yourself at the same
time of the day on both occasions.
