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	<title>SouthWest Fitness Club &#187; Articles</title>
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	<description>“Life Is The Event… Train For It!”</description>
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		<title>Best Spinach Salad Ever!</title>
		<link>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/best-spinach-salad-ever/</link>
		<comments>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/best-spinach-salad-ever/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:20:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Stephens</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Quick Healthy Recipes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/?p=2493</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The first thing that you&#8217;ll notice about this salad is that it tastes amazing. It also doesn&#8217;t hurt that spinach is an extremely nutrient-dense food. The recipe calls for raspberry vinegar, which is a flavorful and refreshing alternative to traditional, oily dressing. The fruit and nuts add flavor, fiber and healthy fat. Servings: 8 Here&#8217;s [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_2494" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 260px"><a href="http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/8-15-2010.jpg.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2494" title="8-15-2010.jpg" src="http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/8-15-2010.jpg.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="163" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Spinach Salad</p></div>
<p>The first thing that you&#8217;ll notice about this salad is that it tastes amazing. It also doesn&#8217;t hurt that spinach is an extremely nutrient-dense food. The recipe calls for raspberry vinegar, which is a flavorful and refreshing alternative to traditional, oily dressing. The fruit and nuts add flavor, fiber and healthy fat.<br />
Servings: 8</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s what you need:</p>
<ul>
<li> 8 cups cleaned spinach leaves</li>
<li>3 oranges, peeled, sliced and quartered</li>
<li>2 cucumbers, peeled sliced and quartered</li>
<li>1/8 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped</li>
<li>1/8 cup sunflower seeds</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons poppy seeds</li>
<li>1 cup strawberries, sliced or whole raspberries</li>
<li>1/2 cup white balsamic raspberry blush vinegar</li>
</ul>
<p>1. Combined the spinach, oranges, cucumbers, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds and strawberries in a bowl.<br />
2. Add the vinegar and toss well.</p>
<p>Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 99 calories, 3g fat, 14g carbohydrate, 2.6g fiber, and 3.5g protein.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Exercise. Are You Lazy?</title>
		<link>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/exercise-are-you-lazy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/exercise-are-you-lazy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:22:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Stephens</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Excercise Five Towns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gym in Woodmere]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Trainer Five Towns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Woodmere Gyms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Woodmere Personal Trainer]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/?p=2489</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I know a lot of lazy people. People who would rather spend the day planted on their couch than anywhere else. People who choose take-out over home cooked, every night of the week. People who would rather have a root canal than go do a workout. Sure, I know that we all have our occasional [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I know a lot of lazy people.</p>
<p>People who would rather spend the day planted on their couch than anywhere else.</p>
<p>People who choose take-out over home cooked, every night of the week.</p>
<p>People who would rather have a root canal than go do a workout.</p>
<p>Sure, I know that we all have our occasional lazy day on the couch, but lately it seems that more and more people are turning laziness into a career.</p>
<p>What about you? Check if the following describe you:</p>
<ul>
<li>You are habitually inactive.</li>
<li>You&#8217;d rather be a passive observer than an active participant.</li>
<li>You&#8217;re a master excuse-maker.</li>
<li>You find shortcuts in order to avoid the long haul.</li>
</ul>
<p>If that&#8217;s you, don&#8217;t get down on yourself. There are many legitimate causes of laziness. Here are just a few&#8230;</p>
<p>1. Sleep Deprivation: When you&#8217;re short on sleep it&#8217;s easy to become unmotivated, which quickly turns into laziness. Get a minimum of eight hours of sleep each night in order to maintain enough energy to get you through the day. Some experts even say that ten hours of sleep each night is what you need to function at your best.<br />
2. Caffeine Abuse: Starting your day with a jolt of java may help with your initial alertness, but the dip in energy that takes place a few hours later could be the reason that you become lazy later in the day. Avoid the rush and crash of caffeine and instead rely on your steady supply of natural energy.<br />
3. Bad Habit: At some point being lazy simply becomes a habit. If every night after work you head straight to the couch, it soon becomes automatic and not a conscious decision. Breaking the habit of laziness is actually quite easy. Simply take yourself off of autopilot and make the conscious decision to do something productive instead &#8211; like heading to the gym rather than the couch.<br />
4. Inactivity: If your job keeps you in a chair for hours at a time, and you don&#8217;t exercise when off the clock, then your body is just accustomed to inactivity. It&#8217;s time to wake up your under-used muscles and to reacquaint yourself with the joy of motion. A simple way to get back into the swing of things is to go on a 30 to 60 minute walk either before work or after you return home. Once you&#8217;ve broken yourself in with consistent walks, contact me to get started on a fitness program that will quickly get your body back into great shape.</p>
<p>Laziness begins when you ignore that little nagging voice in your head. You know, the one that reminds you when you should take action on something rather than sit by and let the opportunity slip away.</p>
<p>Is today the day that you will kick laziness to the curb?</p>
<p>Is today the day that you will take action toward achieving your goals?</p>
<p>Is today the day that you will listen to that little voice of reason.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>5 Stupid Things Healthy People Do</title>
		<link>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/5-stupid-mistakes/</link>
		<comments>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/5-stupid-mistakes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:09:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Stephens</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fitness in Woodmere]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gym in Woodmere]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gyms in Five Towns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Trainer Five Towns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Trainers in Woodmere]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Training Five Towns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Woodmere Gyms]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/?p=2425</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You are not a stupid person. Not by any means. In fact, it&#8217;s my guess that you&#8217;re healthier than most. You probably exercise regularly. You watch what you eat. You keep up-to-date on the latest health concerns. You don&#8217;t binge on sugar. And you never &#8211; ever &#8211; eat fast food. Well, almost never. But [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You are not a stupid person. Not by any means.</p>
<p>In fact, it&#8217;s my guess that you&#8217;re healthier than most.</p>
<p>You probably exercise regularly. You watch what you eat. You keep up-to-date on the latest health concerns. You don&#8217;t binge on sugar.</p>
<p>And you never &#8211; ever &#8211; eat fast food. Well, almost never.</p>
<p>But you do have a few unhealthy skeletons in your closet -ones that you probably aren&#8217;t even aware of.</p>
<p>The following 5 Stupid Things are frequently committed by health conscious people. Once you break these bad habits, you&#8217;ll find that achieving your weight loss goals just became a whole lot easier.</p>
<p>1. You&#8217;re Dehydrated</p>
<ul>
<li> It has been said that 75 percent of the population is chronically dehydrated. Would you disagree? When was the last time that you actually drank 8 glasses of water in a day?</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Dehydration occurs when more fluid leaves your body than is taken in. Symptoms include: fatigue, irritability, headaches, nausea, rapid heart rate, and, in extreme cases, even death.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Dehydration also slows your metabolism, which hinders weight loss.</li>
</ul>
<p>You shouldn&#8217;t wait until the feeling of thirst or dry mouth hits you, at that point damage has already been done. Instead, constantly rehydrate throughout your day to avoid dehydration.</p>
<p>The best way to do this is to incorporate water into your daily schedule. Have a water bottle at your desk and train yourself to sip on it often, and get into the habit of drinking a full glass of water with each meal and snack.</p>
<p>2. You Eat Out Too Often</p>
<ul>
<li> Research suggests that most people eat out one out of every 4 meals and snacks. That&#8217;s an average of once a day.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Restaurant food is designed to do one thing: to taste good. In order to increase eating pleasure, each item is loaded with fat, salt and sugar. This causes you to eat way more calories than you actually need.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Even when you order ‘healthy&#8217; items, you&#8217;re still taking in more calories and fat grams than you would if you had prepared the item at home. Imagine the last salad you ordered out. Didn&#8217;t it come with cream dressing, croutons, cheese sprinkles and a piece of butter laden bread on the side?</li>
</ul>
<p>The main reason people eat out is for convenience, so with a little organization you&#8217;ll find that preparing your own meals takes less time than you thought it would. On the weekend sit down and plan out your meals for the week. Then go to the grocery store and stock up on everything you&#8217;ll need for those meals.</p>
<p>Pack your lunch and snacks each night before bed, then grab it on your way out the door in the morning. When you prepare dinner at home, make enough for at least the next day as well. Your efforts will pay off both in terms of weight loss and in money saved.</p>
<p>3. You&#8217;re Sleep Deprived</p>
<ul>
<li> In Gallup Poll surveys, 56% of the adult population reported that drowsiness is a problem in the daytime. That&#8217;s more than half of us that clearly don&#8217;t get enough sleep.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Healthy adults require 7-8 hours of sleep each night. When you fail to meet this need your body goes into sleep debt, which continues to accumulate indefinitely until you catch up.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> A lack of sleep negatively affects your immune system, your nervous system, and interferes with healthy hormone release and cellular repairs.</li>
</ul>
<p>The best way to combat sleep deprivation is to set a scheduled bedtime. Your body will benefit from a consistent sleeping and waking routine, and you&#8217;re sure to get all the rest you need.</p>
<p>If you have trouble falling asleep once you&#8217;re in bed, then try these two tips. First, make sure that you don&#8217;t drink any caffeinated beverages after lunchtime. Second, don&#8217;t eat for three hours before you go to bed. This helps eliminate sleeplessness due to indigestion, and will also turbo-charge your weight loss.</p>
<p>4. You&#8217;re Stressed Out</p>
<ul>
<li>I don&#8217;t have to tell you that we are living in a fast-paced world and that most of us have stress levels that are through the roof. But what you might not realize is that your stress levels are making you fat.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Stress creates an increase in the hormone cortisol, and chronic stress creates a chronic increase in cortisol. This is a problem because is slows your metabolism, leads to cravings and is linked to greater levels of abdominal fat storage.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> The vicious cycle of stress and weight gain goes around and around. Stress causes you to eat emotionally, and your raised cortisol levels cause that food to be stored as fat.</li>
</ul>
<p>One of the most effective ways to instantly eliminate stress is to sit down and write out a list of all the things that are bothering you. This should include things that you need to get done, issues that weigh on your mind and anything you believe contributes to your stress level.</p>
<p>Once it&#8217;s all down on paper, organize it like a to-do list and start resolving each item. Doing so will get the stress off of your mind and will put your body into the motion of resolving each issue.</p>
<p>5. You&#8217;re on Exercise Autopilot</p>
<ul>
<li>You do the same thing each and every time you exercise. Same machines, same pace, same duration. While your routine sure feels comfortable, your results have long since halted.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> A plateau occurs when your body adapts to your routine and weight loss stops. It is incredibly frustrating, and totally avoidable.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> You don&#8217;t have to increase the amount of time that you spend exercising in order to see quicker, faster results. It&#8217;s all about challenging your body.</li>
</ul>
<p>There are two simple ways to instantly increase the effectiveness of your exercise routine. First, increase your pace. Secondly, increase your intensity. Constantly vary your speed and intensity in order to keep your muscles guessing and adapting.</p>
<p>Another way to break through the exercise plateau is to do something totally new. If you regularly use weight machines then start using free weights. If you normally jog on the treadmill then start using the bike.</p>
<p>Are you ready to break the plateau as you take your routine to the next level?</p>
<p>Would you like to know without a shadow of a doubt that you are going to lose weight in the coming months?</p>
<p>It&#8217;s my goal to see you achieve greatness. I believe that you&#8217;ve got what it takes.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s so simple. Call or email today to get started on a program that will improve your health and well being, and will get you amazing results.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Has Your Motivation Sizzled Out?</title>
		<link>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/has-your-motivation-sizzled-out/</link>
		<comments>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/has-your-motivation-sizzled-out/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:02:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Stephens</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fitness in Woodmere]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gyms in Five Towns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Trainer Five Towns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Training Five Towns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Woodmere Personal Trainer]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/?p=2422</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Have you made progress or did your motivation sizzle out? Most people wait around for motivation to strike them like a lightning bolt. Well, I&#8217;ve got news: motivation isn&#8217;t something that happens to you &#8211; it&#8217;s something that you create for yourself. If you don&#8217;t feel motivated to achieve your goals, it is likely due [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Have you made progress or did your motivation sizzle out?</p>
<p>Most people wait around for motivation to strike them like a lightning bolt. Well, I&#8217;ve got news: motivation isn&#8217;t something that happens to you &#8211; it&#8217;s something that you create for yourself.</p>
<p>If you don&#8217;t feel motivated to achieve your goals, it is likely due to mental roadblocks that hold you hostage. Read the following 21 Mindset Tips and prepare your mind for success.</p>
<p>1. Success comes first in the mind, so visualize yourself accomplishing your goals.<br />
2. Remember, you are the only person who can hold you back.<br />
3. Forgive yourself and love yourself despite past failures.<br />
4. Decide what is important in your life, and focus on that.<br />
5. Conquer each negative thought the moment it enters your mind, when it is weakest.<br />
6. Give up the idea that things won&#8217;t go right unless you worry about them.<br />
7. If you bring the body of your dreams to the point of resolve, then you&#8217;ll soon be living in it.<br />
8. Look towards your future, if you believe the best is yet to come then it will be.<br />
9. You become what you think about most.<br />
10. The margin between success and failure is very small and easily bridged by determination.<br />
11. Start your day by accomplishing your hardest task first.<br />
12. Set small attainable goals, rather than one monumental goal.<br />
13. Convince yourself that exercise is fun, and it will be.<br />
14. Know your big reason why.<br />
15. Create a motivating play list of songs to use as the sound track to your workout sessions.<br />
16. Every decision you make leads you either closer toward achieving your goal, or farther from it.<br />
17. If you think you&#8217;re a fat person, then you&#8217;ll stay fat. If you think you&#8217;re fit, then you soon will be.<br />
18. Once you&#8217;ve set your goal, your attitude either pushes you toward accomplishment or failure.<br />
19. If you don&#8217;t know exactly where you want to go, you will likely end up someplace else.<br />
20. You can have the body of your dreams, but first you must give up the belief that you can&#8217;t.<br />
21. You can only have two things in life: excuses or results.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re sick and tired of making excuses, then contact me today to get started on a results-driven fitness program.</p>
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		<title>Fitness and Fat Loss Tips for the New Year!</title>
		<link>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/fitness-and-fat-loss-tips-for-the-new-year/</link>
		<comments>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/fitness-and-fat-loss-tips-for-the-new-year/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:25:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Stephens</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fitness in Five Towns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gyms in Five Towns]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Personal Trainer in Woodmere]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/?p=2104</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I don&#8217;t know if you are one to make New Year&#8217;s Resolutions or not, but either way you&#8217;re probably thinking about how you can become fitter, healthier and happier than you are right now. These 27 Fitness and Fat Loss Tips will get you on the right track for this New Year: 1. Visualize the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I don&#8217;t know if you are one to make New Year&#8217;s Resolutions or not, but either way you&#8217;re probably thinking about how you can become fitter, healthier and happier than you are right now.</p>
<p>These 27 Fitness and Fat Loss Tips will get you on the right track for this New Year:</p>
<p>1. Visualize the accomplishment of your goals each and every day. Experience the taste of success and feel that sweet satisfaction.<br />
2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don&#8217;t kill time, burn calories by maintaining a challenging intensity.<br />
3. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight loss.<br />
4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off. The best way to ensure accountability is to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a group training setting.<br />
5. Believe in yourself. Know with conviction that you CAN accomplish your goals.<br />
6. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages. This simple action is extremely beneficial.<br />
7. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.<br />
8. Don&#8217;t be afraid to ask for help.<br />
9. Incorporate High Intensity Interval Training into your cardio workouts by performing bursts of high intensity rather than exercising at a single steady pace.<br />
10. It&#8217;s not about will-power, it&#8217;s about want-power. You have to want it.<br />
11. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.<br />
12. Stop talking about losing weight. Start doing it.<br />
13. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.<br />
14. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food&#8217;. Always read the nutrition labels.<br />
15. Find a workout partner who is in better shape than you, or better yet work with a personal trainer to guarantee dramatic results.<br />
16. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and carbohydrates.<br />
17. Destroy negative self talk.<br />
18. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.<br />
19. Be consistent with your workouts. Exercise three to four times each week.<br />
20. Expect more of yourself.<br />
21. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly derail your weight loss efforts.<br />
22. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.<br />
23. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.<br />
24. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.<br />
25. Set specific, measurable goals.<br />
26. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.<br />
27. You deserve better&#8230;go get it.</p>
<p>After writing these tips, I realized how powerful and inspiring they are. Print this list and place it somewhere that you&#8217;ll see often – this will keep you motivated and pumped up to accomplish your goals.</p>
<p>If your New Year&#8217;s Resolution has to do with losing weight and getting into great shape (and whose isn&#8217;t?) then guarantee your success by working with a fitness expert who can guide you to success.</p>
<p>I&#8217;d love to team up with you &#8211; together we will transform your body in 2010</p>
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		<title>Are You Making This Mistakes In Your Gym?</title>
		<link>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/are-you-making-this-mistakes-in-your-gym/</link>
		<comments>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/are-you-making-this-mistakes-in-your-gym/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:20:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Stephens</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Personal Trainer Five Towns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Trainer in Woodmere]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Training Five Towns]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://southwestfitnessclub.com/?p=1714</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The 5 Biggest Fitness Mistakes Take a walk through any gym, and you&#8217;ll notice many mistakes. Mistakes that waste time. Mistakes that put people in danger. And mistakes that are just plain stupid. Maybe you even make a few of these mistakes yourself. By avoiding these common blunders, you&#8217;ll put yourself on the fast track [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>The 5 Biggest Fitness Mistakes</strong></p>
<p>Take a walk through any gym, and you&#8217;ll notice many mistakes. Mistakes that waste time. Mistakes that put people in danger. And mistakes that are just plain stupid. Maybe you even make a few of these mistakes yourself.</p>
<p>By avoiding these common blunders, you&#8217;ll put yourself on the fast track to results. Check out the following 5 fitness mistakes and the solutions you need to avoid danger and to get fit fast.</p>
<p><strong>Mistake 1: You use the wrong weight</strong></p>
<p>The goal is to challenge your muscles, not to simply go through the motions. If you are able to complete 15 repetitions easily, then the weight is too light. On the flip side, if you aren&#8217;t able to perform an exercise through its full range of motion, and find yourself cheating on form, then the weight is too heavy.</p>
<p>The correct weights will feel challenging by your last few repetitions, but won&#8217;t force you to sacrifice form.<br />
<strong><br />
Mistake 2: You do the same routine</strong></p>
<p>You may have noticed that most people do the same exercises each time they visit the gym. Maybe you&#8217;ve been doing the same exercise routine as long as you can remember &#8211; if it isn&#8217;t broken then don&#8217;t fix it, right?</p>
<p>The truth is that exercise routines have expiration dates, and that is the date that they begin to lose their effectiveness. As a rule of thumb never use the same routine for more than 4 weeks.<br />
<strong><br />
Mistake 3: You don&#8217;t warm up</strong></p>
<p>Most people consider warm up time to be wasted time &#8211; they&#8217;d rather jump right into the heart of the routine. What they don&#8217;t realize is that a good warm up will allow you to perform at a higher intensity, which means greater results.</p>
<p>The point of a warm up is to increase your muscle temperature. This increases blood flow, muscle contraction and reduces muscle resistance. Your warm up should last 5-10 minutes.<br />
<strong><br />
Mistake 4: You use bad form</strong></p>
<p>Gyms are filled with people performing exercises with bad form. The two biggest reasons are that you aren&#8217;t concentrating on the exercise, or you&#8217;re trying to lift weight that is too heavy. Lifting with improper form almost always results in injury.</p>
<p>Take the time to achieve proper form, by doing so you&#8217;ll avoid injury and will reap the full benefit from each exercise.<br />
<strong><br />
Mistake 5: You workout alone</strong></p>
<p>People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and typically see fewer results. It makes sense, doesn&#8217;t it? Why rush to the gym if no one is there waiting for you? Why push yourself if no one is watching? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.</p>
<p>The best way to avoid injury and to see results is to work with me, your trusted source on fitness. I am passionate about seeing my clients achieve results &#8211; without wasting time, energy and effort on mistakes.</p>
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		<title>Holiday Calorie Busting Tips</title>
		<link>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/holiday-calorie-busting-tips/</link>
		<comments>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/holiday-calorie-busting-tips/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:35:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Stephens</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[You don&#8217;t have to succumb to weight gain this holiday season. Escape the time crunch excuse in three easy steps: Step One: Schedule Your Workouts: You&#8217;ve heard this before, and it makes so much sense. If you treat your exercise time with the importance of a work meeting then you&#8217;d never skip a workout and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>You don&#8217;t have to succumb to weight gain this holiday season. Escape the time crunch excuse in three easy steps:</strong><br />
<strong><br />
Step One: Schedule Your Workouts:</strong> You&#8217;ve heard this before, and it makes so much sense. If you treat your exercise time with the importance of a work meeting then you&#8217;d never skip a workout and you&#8217;d be in amazing shape.</p>
<p>While the scheduling concept is brilliant in its simplicity, you have to put it into practice to reap the benefits. Pull out your calendar and a pen. Don&#8217;t laugh, I&#8217;m serious! Just do it. If you want to get into shape it starts with committing to a revised<br />
schedule with a set exercise time.</p>
<p>Identify three 40-minute time slots and mark them on your calendar. That is when you&#8217;ll exercise.</p>
<p>Remember this: if the thought that you should exercise this week is floating around in your head, but you haven&#8217;t anchored it down to a specific time and date, then it will quickly disappear.<br />
<strong><br />
Step Two: Get the Most from Each Minute:</strong> The days of endless, mind numbing cardio are over. A great workout can take place in under an hour, when done correctly. The idea is to burn more calories each minute. This is done through short, intense bursts of exercise.</p>
<p>Use the following three tips to bring your routine up to the next level:</p>
<p><strong>1. Be Unstable:</strong> Use your entire body, and target your core, by performing exercises that engage stabilizing muscles. To do this use an exercise ball, a balance board, a balance disk, or you could simply stand on one leg.<br />
<strong>2. Add Resistance:</strong> The more resistance that you incorporate with your routine translates into higher intensity and more calories burned. Some ideas for adding resistance include: carrying dumbbells while doing lunges, wearing a weighted vest while walking or jogging, or putting a weight between your feet while doing leg raises.<br />
<strong>3. Use Intervals:</strong> Interval training is an amazing tool for creating short yet effective workouts. Don&#8217;t worry, it&#8217;s not complicated. Interval training is simply alternating between different short bursts of activity.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s an example: Let&#8217;s say you want to focus on your legs and abs and to also get an effective cardiovascular workout. This would be a great interval routine for your goals:</p>
<ul>
<li> Lunge while curling dumbbells, 15-20 repetitions</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> 30 seconds of intense cardio: sprint, jump rope, or jumping jacks</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Squat while pressing dumbbells overhead, 15-20 repetitions</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> 30 seconds of intense cardio: sprint, jump rope, or jumping jacks</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Crunches on an exercise ball, 15-20 repetitions</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> 30 seconds of intense cardio: sprint, jump rope, or jumping jacks</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Leg raises off the end of an exercise bench, 15-20 repetitions</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Step Three: Twice the Results in Half the Time:</strong> What if I told you that I have a proven way to deliver twice the fitness results in half the time? It&#8217;s simple really&#8230;</p>
<p>When you attempt to lose weight or meet a fitness goal on your own, the odds are stacked against you. Sure, you could do it over time – but it&#8217;s a long and lonely road. A road lined with detours that threaten to undermine your progress.</p>
<p>When you start a program with me, you suddenly have the upper hand on weight loss. You have me in your corner, coaching you each step of the way, keeping you accountable to workouts and giving you that dose of encouragement went the going gets tough.</p>
<p>And I&#8217;ll be the one congratulating you when your goal is met.</p>
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		<title>21 Universal Rewards of Exercise</title>
		<link>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/21-universal-rewards-of-exercise/</link>
		<comments>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/21-universal-rewards-of-exercise/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:12:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Stephens</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[21 Universal Rewards of Exercise The number one reason that most people are out-of-shape is that they don&#8217;t exercise enough. I&#8217;ve often wished that I could give each and every one of you a personalized pep talk to get you up off the couch and into the gym, day after day. So here&#8217;s my pep [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>21 Universal Rewards of Exercise<br />
The number one reason that most people are out-of-shape is that they don&#8217;t exercise enough.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve often wished that I could give each and every one of you a personalized pep talk to get you up off the couch and into the gym, day after day. So here&#8217;s my pep talk in bullet form &#8211; 21 rewards that you will gain from regular exercise.</p>
<p>Do yourself a favor and print this list and post it where you&#8217;ll see it every day. When you need motivation or encouragement simply read over this list and feel your motivation soar.</p>
<p>1. You&#8217;ll reset your body: Exercise has been described as a giant reset button. A good workout will block appetite swings, improve your mood and even help you sleep.<br />
2. Your clothes will fit better: Consistent exercise will tone and tighten your body, causing your clothes to not only fit better but to also look nicer. Also exercise ensures that soon you&#8217;ll be trading your clothes in for smaller sizes.<br />
3. You&#8217;ll be less stressed: You have enough stress in your life &#8211; it&#8217;s time for a break. A good workout invigorates your muscles, leaving you relaxed and less stressed.<br />
4. You&#8217;ll have more energy: WebMD tallied research studies and concluded that 90% of them prove exercise increases energy levels in sedentary patients. Next time you feel fatigued, fight it will the most powerful tool available: exercise.<br />
5. You&#8217;ll be stronger: Exercise improves muscle strength and endurance, two things that you use throughout each day. When you exercise consistently you&#8217;ll be pleasantly surprised when difficult tasks begin to seem easy.<br />
6. You&#8217;ll be less likely to binge: Exercise has a powerful anti-binge effect on the body. This is due in part by an increase in sensitivity to leptin, a protein hormone, which has an appetite-taming effect.<br />
7. You&#8217;ll burn calories: You know that excess body fat is made up of stored and unused calories. Fight back by burning loads of calories with fat-blasting workouts.<br />
8. You&#8217;ll be more confident: Who doesn&#8217;t wish they walked and talked with more confidence? A consistent exercise program will do just that. As your body becomes more fit, watch as your confidence sky-rockets.<br />
9. You&#8217;ll have fun: Believe it or not, exercise can be extremely enjoyable. Remember how fun it was to run around as a child? Tap into your inner child as you find a mode of exercise that gets you excited.<br />
10. You&#8217;ll reduce your blood pressure: Exercise has been proven more effective than medication in reducing blood pressure to normal levels. A single workout has been shown to reduce blood pressure for the day and regular exercise reduces overall blood pressure in the long run.<br />
11. You&#8217;ll lose the jiggles: Regular exercise tightens flabby arms, legs and waistlines. So wave goodbye to the jiggles with a solid exercise program.<br />
12. You&#8217;ll increase insulin sensitivity: Researchers at Laval University in Quebec discovered that exercise improved insulin sensitivity dramatically. Peak after-meal insulin levels dropped by more than 20 percent after as little as 3 weeks of consistent exercise.<br />
13. You&#8217;ll sleep better: Do you toss and turn for hours before falling asleep? Exercise is a powerful sleep aid. Your tired muscles encourage your body to quickly fall asleep so they can get their overnight repair work done.<br />
14. You&#8217;ll lower your risk of heart disease: Regular exercise strengthens your heart and makes it more resilient against disease. A sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for heart disease, so rest assured that consistent exercise is your ally against disease.<br />
15. You&#8217;ll feel great: Vigorous exercise releases natural endorphins (happy hormones) into your blood stream that dissolve pain and anxiety. You&#8217;ve probably heard of ‘runner&#8217;s high&#8217;, this can be achieved by any great workout.<br />
16. You&#8217;ll lower your risk of diabetes: Studies show that exercising as little as half an hour each day can dramatically reduce your risk of diabetes. If you are at risk of diabetes, or already have diabetes, regular exercise is the most effective treatment for reversing the disease.<br />
17. You&#8217;ll meet cool people: You could benefit from a group of new, energetic friends, right? Gyms, bootcamps, workout centers and even the jogging trail are all great places to connect with fun new friends.<br />
18. You&#8217;ll improve your BMI: You know that maintaining a healthy BMI is key in disease prevention. Exercise is the best way to keep your BMI under control.<br />
19. You&#8217;ll increase your endurance: Do you ever get out of breath when walking up stairs or through the mall? Regular exercise builds your endurance for everyday activities.<br />
20. Your doctor will be impressed: How many times has your doctor given you the lecture about losing weight and exercising more? Exercise regularly and get your MD off your back!<br />
21. You&#8217;ll look amazing: Are you happy with the shape and size of your body? Regular exercise works wonders on your physique. Within a few weeks you&#8217;ll see shape and tone in all the right places.</p>
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		<title>The Freedom Of (Self-Imposed) Chains</title>
		<link>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/the-freedom-of-self-imposed-chains/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:23:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Stephens</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[Most of us are under the misconception that fit people work hard and spend most of their lives deprived in order to achieve their amazing bodies. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I&#8217;ll let you in on a little secret&#8230;It&#8217;s not hard to get and stay fit. It&#8217;s not about hard work and deprivation. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Most of us are under the misconception that fit people work hard and spend most of their lives deprived in order to achieve their amazing bodies.</p>
<p>Nothing could be farther from the truth.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ll let you in on a little secret&#8230;It&#8217;s not hard to get and stay fit. It&#8217;s not about hard work and deprivation.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s all about boundaries.</p>
<p>Let me explain&#8230;</p>
<p>When you were a child your parents set boundaries around you. They were the authority on what was or wasn&#8217;t acceptable behavior. You had to complete your chores before dinner. You had to finish your homework before going out to play. You had to eat all your vegetables before dessert.</p>
<p>If you failed to comply with these boundaries then you knew that there would be consequences.</p>
<p>As an adult you, and only you, are the authority on what is or isn&#8217;t acceptable behavior. You are in the position to set boundaries around yourself. These boundaries serve as a framework of order around you &#8211; a rock of support in an otherwise chaotic world.</p>
<p>With self-imposed boundaries you can assure your success in anything&#8230;specifically with weight loss.</p>
<p>Your fitness boundaries have to be self-imposed—no one is going to do it for you. Don&#8217;t look at this as a bad thing! Self-imposed boundaries are self-empowering.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s face it, you&#8217;ve been living life without fitness boundaries.</p>
<p>    * You eat whatever you want, whenever you want it.<br />
    * You use any excuse to avoid exercise.<br />
    * You indulge whenever it feels good.</p>
<p>Your Fitness Boundaries</p>
<p>It&#8217;s time to introduce boundaries back into your life. These boundaries are the key to unleashing your ideal fit and healthy body.</p>
<p>1. Fitness Boundary One: What you eat</p>
<p>If you were to be perfectly honest with me, you could list off the foods that are unhealthy and fattening. So why are you still eating them? You know that refined, fried, processed and sugary foods are not good for you.</p>
<p>Place boundaries around what you will allow yourself to eat. Acceptable food items include whole foods, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats.</p>
<p>2. Fitness Boundary Two: How you exercise</p>
<p>I know that you&#8217;re not an Olympic athlete, but that doesn&#8217;t mean that you can simply pass on exercise. By now you are well aware of the host of benefits that exercise provides. With regular exercise you&#8217;ll look great, feel amazing and have more energy than ever.</p>
<p>Place boundaries around how often you must exercise. Choose exercise that is challenging and fun &#8211; don&#8217;t be afraid to try new activities that improve your strength and endurance.</p>
<p>3. Fitness Boundary Three: When you indulge</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s face it, we live in a world where indulging has become the norm, rather than the exception. When you live life without fitness boundaries, everyday is an opportunity to indulge. These indulgences all add up quickly, causing your clothes to become tight and your energy levels to drop.</p>
<p>Place boundaries around when you can indulge. You&#8217;ll find that by limiting your indulgences you&#8217;ll end up enjoying them even more.</p>
<p>Putting It In Action</p>
<p>Sit down and take a long, hard look at your lifestyle. Are you eating as healthy as you could be? Are you exercising 3-5 times each week? Are you indulging too often? Answer the following questions:</p>
<p>   1. What 3 food items can I eliminate from my daily diet? (These should be nutritionally void items like high-calories beverages, fast food, packaged snacks, high-fat food, candy or desserts.)<br />
   2. When can I schedule exercise into my week? (Pick 3-5 days, and select a specific timeframe. Example: I&#8217;m going to exercise on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 5am-6am.)<br />
   3. When will I allow myself to indulge? (Don&#8217;t go overboard here, especially if you need to lose weight. Enjoy a treat a couple times each month, and do so guilt-free knowing that you&#8217;ve maintained healthy food boundaries the rest of the time.</p>
<p>Remember that self-imposed boundaries are self-empowering.</p>
<p>Fitness boundaries put your fitness results on autopilot. If you know what constitutes an acceptable meal, then choosing what to eat just got a whole lot easier. If you&#8217;re committed to exercising 3 times a week, soon it becomes second nature.</p>
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		<title>How To Overcome Overeating</title>
		<link>http://www.southwestfitnessclub.com/how-to-overcome-overeating/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:11:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Stephens</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[Let&#8217;s face it, the extra pounds you&#8217;re carrying around are due to overeating &#8211; plain and simple. Why do you overeat? Here are a few likely reasons: 1. Habit: Whether you realize it or not, you eat in a learned pattern, rather than out of need. You clean your plate because that&#8217;s what your mother [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Let&#8217;s face it, the extra pounds you&#8217;re carrying around are due to overeating &#8211; plain and simple.</p>
<p>Why do you overeat? Here are a few likely reasons:</p>
<p>   1. Habit: Whether you realize it or not, you eat in a learned pattern, rather than out of need. You clean your plate because that&#8217;s what your mother taught. You eat what is served without stopping to check if you are full. You butter two pieces of toast for breakfast rather than questioning if one piece would do the job.</p>
<p>   2. Absentminded: You forget to pay attention when you eat. Mindless munching while watching a movie, snacking while driving, or picking at food while cooking &#8211; these absentminded calories really add up.</p>
<p>   3. Something Deeper: Sometimes you use food for recreation or to change your mood. These calories may lend you a temporary sense of comfort or pleasure, but ultimately your body suffers from the indulgence.</p>
<p>Here are 3 Steps To Overcome Overeating &#8211; read these, and apply them to your life.</p>
<p>Step #1: Pay Attention</p>
<p>Be aware of what and how much you eat. This simple concept will save you from hundreds upon hundreds of calories each week.</p>
<p>To apply this rule, don&#8217;t eat while your attention is distracted by another activity. Only put food in your mouth when you are hungry and conscious of it. This means turn off the T.V., get out of your car, and no matter what you do, don&#8217;t graze in the kitchen while cooking.</p>
<p>Step #2: Practice Balance</p>
<p>Be aware of the types of food that you eat during each meal, and make sure that it&#8217;s balanced. When you eat a balanced diet filled with lean protein, whole grains, lots of veggies, a few daily servings of fruit and limited fat and sweets, your body will be satisfied and you&#8217;ll lose the urge to overeat.</p>
<p>This means you shouldn&#8217;t always eat carb-based meals, and you also shouldn&#8217;t always eat high-fat meals. Make a mental checklist of the food groups that you&#8217;ve eaten each day. Did you eat lean protein? Did you have plenty of vegetables? Did you refrain from eating more than one or two primarily carb-based meals? This mental checklist will save you from making food decisions that you&#8217;d later regret.</p>
<p>Step #3: Be Tuned In</p>
<p>Your body will always tell you when its hunger has been satisfied &#8211; you&#8217;ve just gotten so good at ignoring the signs that you barrel through your meal only to feel like you&#8217;ve been hit by a ton of bricks once all that food hits your stomach. It&#8217;s time to take a deep breath and listen to your body.</p>
<p>An important part of being tuned in is to eat slowly. Once you start to pay attention you&#8217;ll notice a point when each bite becomes less and less satisfying. That is your body&#8217;s way of letting you know that you&#8217;ve had enough and that each continued bite is simply overkill (yes, even if you&#8217;re only halfway through that plate of pasta).</p>
<p>By learning how to control your eating habits, you&#8217;ll find weight loss to come simply and naturally.</p>
<p>Want to speed up your weight loss, make it permanent, and shape your body at the same time? I&#8217;ve got what it takes to get you there! No guess work, no fad diets, and no super long workouts</p>
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