I like making things easier. Many times when it comes to fitness and staying/getting into shape we wish things could just be easier. We don't want to take time to go to the gym or we don't want to take the time to pack healthy foods to take to work. Many of us achieve goals and then forget about the hard work that it took to get us to our goal. I wanted to share 2 resources with you that can help to make things easier for you as you move forward toward your fitness goals.
1-The TRX suspension trainer
This device is one of the coolest yet simplest fitness tools that I have ever seen. It uses your body weight to provide resistance to hundreds of exercises. You can train every muscle group that you normally train with dumbbells. You control the amount of resistance by your position making any exercise as hard or easy as you wish. I have been using the TRX now for about a year personally. I am still implementing workout programs with my athletes and others I work with that incorporate TRX exercises. They also allow you to focus on the eccentric (extending/negative) portion of a lift which encourages strength increases. If you have never seen one these things used before I highly encourage you to check out their website. I feel like I should get some sort of commission from promoting them as much as I do but I really do think they are that good.
I have seen people make their own suspension trainers using materials from home depot but if you can afford the real deal I would say stick with the original. There are some knockoff versions online for about half the price that are also worth a look. If you buy the real TRX it will come with an instructional DVD, exercise booklet, and door anchor so that you can use it on any door. I have used the TRX outside, inside, on the road, at home, in the gym. The best thing about the TRX is that you can do a full body workout anywhere. The entire trainer fits into a bag that can fit in any suitcase easily. Excuses come alot harder when you have one of these handy. A quick workout isn't so hard to accomplish anymore regardless of where you are.
Here is how to make your own: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES5GN9k7BZw&feature=player_embedded#!
2-Body for Life
This is a website designed for nutritional information and motivation. When I first began to change my diet to increase lean tissue and burn body fat I followed a body for life plan. These plans make sure that you are eating more regularly throughout the day (increasing metabolism) and also make sure that you are eating foods that help your body and don't just make you full. These foods help to build lean muscle, burn fat and give you energy. They have some very easy to follow food plans complete with success stories from real people as well as a detailed food list that you can take to the grocery with you.
These are 2 very good resources that help to minimize excuses. The TRX can be done while you are watching TV, monitoring your children, or on vacation. You can be creative and come up with a variety of workouts. The body for life site is just a great resource. If you don't really know what foods to get started eating right with, their site is a great place to start. Whether or not you use either of these resources, I challenge everyone to stop making excuses and get down to business. Whether its weight loss, heart health, overall wellness, a marathon in the spring, the beach in a few months, stop making excuses for why you CAN'T do something and start with simple workouts and minor changes to your diet. Add these things to your routine and take excuses out...
