Monthly Archives: June 2012

How to Bench Press without a Bench

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How to Get a Good Chest Workout at Home The bench press is probably the most well-known weight training exercise amongst gym regulars and those with no interest in fitness and judging by how busy the benching equipment in gyms around the world is you could safely say it also the most popular.

When most people start working out with weight their initial goals are to gain muscle on their chest and arms as these are the two most prominent muscle groups of the body. As people become more experienced trainers they start to focus on other muscle groups in order to achieve a more well-rounded and aesthetically pleasing physique but this still means they train their chest muscles regularly and we all know that one of the best exercises to develop our chest muscles in the pressing exercises.

How to Train Your Chest Muscles at Home

If you are training at a well-equipped gym then training your chest shouldn’t be a problem (apart from perhaps the queues for the benches on a Monday) but what if you are weight training at home?

You could go all out and build a home gym with all the best gear such as a power rack, an Olympic bar and a full set of weights but for those of us with more modest home setups this isn’t a viable option.  You could get a single bench and some dumbbells which would allow you to perform the dumbbell bench press which is just as good, if not better than the barbell bench press due to the extra stabiliser muscles that are used to keep the individual dumbbells steady. But to do this exercise you would still need a bench of some kind which can be a problem if you are short of space or storage facilities.

Bench Press without a Bench

So if you don’t have the room or the desire to get a weight training bench for your home training space then you might be wondering how you can give your chest muscles an effective workout in order to achieve your goal of a great body.

How to perform the Dumbbell Floor Press Well the good news is it can be done and it is possible to perform the chest press exercise much more easily than you might have thought without the need for a bench.  In order to do this exercise you simply lie on the floor and start the exercise from the mid-way position to perform a dumbbell floor press.

The other bit of good news is that you can do these dumbbell floor presses one arm at a time if you only have one weight and you can do it with a dumbbell or a kettle bell which means you need even less equipment to be able to train at home.  If you use a set of adjustable dumbbells you can reduce the number of home weight training equipment you need even further making muscle gains with minimal gear even easier.

If you want some tips on how to train at home without any equipment at all check out our guide to training at home without any equipment now.

How to Find Out How Fat You Are

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The Best Ways to Find out How Fat You Are Measuring your body fat levels is one of the best ways to keep track of your progress and make sure you are moving in the right direction towards your goals. Although there are many ways to measure your body fat percentage none of them are fool proof and they all have their pros and cons which are mainly related to their accuracy and how much they cost. When choosing a method for measuring the amount of fat that your body is made up of there will usually have to be a trade-off between accuracy and the amount of money you are willing to spend.

We will now have a look at some of the best methods out there for finding out how fat you really are!

Using Measuring Tape to Keep Track of Your Fat Loss

This is the most basic method and probably the cheapest. If you can find a regular tape measure laying around the house it won’t even cost you a thing. But as with most things that are free it isn’t necessarily the best way. The method is to simply measure your body at certain points such as your chest, belly and arms and then compare the measurements over set periods of time.

While this method is practically free and very easy to do it can give misleading results if you are also training with weights because as you add muscle the measurements might start to go up as you get bigger even though you have less fat. Perhaps this method is best used for those who are very overweight and are only initially training for fat loss rather than adding muscle.

Calculating Your Body Fat Levels with Skin Fold Calipers

Calipres - not as painful as they look! This tool measures the fat under your skin at various points around the body by pinching the excess skin and fat to give you an overall reading of your body fat percentage. You need to take the measurements at specific points on your body and ensure you are taking the readings from the same points each time you use the calipers. The good news is that calipers are cheap to buy and are fairly easy to use if you know what you are doing. The bad news is that unless you have read the instructions fully then the chances of you getting an accurate reading are slim. But when it comes down to cost versus accuracy these are probably the best of the bunch.

Digital Body Fat Scales

These are like your regular bathroom scales except that they can also measure your body composition including how much of your body consists of fat: i.e. your body fat percentage. By sending an electrical current around your body they can measure how much resistance it faces which is caused by the fat in your body. They cost more than calipers but are much easier to use and read as you just stand on them and check the display but their results aren’t the most accurate and their calculations can vary depending on many factors such as hydration levels and how much of the body they measure.  This makes them difficult to get an accurate reading on or track your progress reliably.

Ultrasound Body Composition Measurement Tool

Ultrasound Body Composition Measuring Tool Now we are moving into the more advanced technology which can give much more accurate readings but with accuracy comes a higher price and ultrasound body composition measurements tools like the BodyMetrix Personal are no exception. They are very simple to use as you just hold the handheld device and move it over the body where it will use ultrasound to record the thickness of fat or muscle anywhere on the body. The recordings are then uploaded to your computer where the calculations will be made and then the data will be presented to you using graphs and other methods. You get lots of different data from these devices such as your weight, your body mass index, your basal metabolic rate (BMR).

If you are doing any kind of personal training this is a great tool to have as you can give your clients loads of great information about their bodies and the progress they are making under your expert tutelage. Even if you are just a keen trainer they are worth a look as they are the best way to take readings and remove the element of human error.

Which One is Best For You?

It is likely that your budget will determine which option you go for as although the Ultrasound measuring tool is the best it is considerably more expensive than the calipers which deliver great results if they are used correctly. If you want to impress your clients then you might be able to justify the high price of the BodyMetrix Personal Ultrasound tool but if a simple body fat percentage reading will suffice then we recommend you get a pair of calipers.

To view the current best-selling calipers click here now.

Shopping for Home Cardio Equipment on a Budget

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Cardio Equipment for your Home Gym If you want to start doing cardio training at home in order to help you meet your goals of improving your fitness levels, losing weight or just generally increasing your vitality then getting a piece of home cardio equipment should be at the top of your list.

If you’ve used any of the cardio machines in a gym such as the treadmill, the elliptical trainer or the stationary bike then you might have assumed that it would cost a large amount of money to get a piece of equipment of this type for your home. The reason you might have made this assumption is that the fitness equipment in the gym is for commercial use and is therefore more robust and kitted out with all kinds of features and settings to suit every type or trainer and their specific needs.

The good news is that buying a piece of home cardio equipment needn’t be an expensive ordeal and if you are prepared to shop around and reduce your expectations a little you can get a great piece of home gym equipment at a low price.

Why Do Cardio at Home?

Before you decide to hand over your hard earned cash for something like this you should be clear on exactly why you want to do cardio exercises at home. There are loads of great reasons to do so though so if you have the space and the budget then getting one of these machines can really increase the amount of time you have available to train as you care no longer constrained by the opening hours of the gym or the weather outside being suitable. Some reasons for choosing to workout at home include:

  • Being able to train at any time of the day or night whenever you choose
  • Not having to join a gym and pay expensive membership fees or travel back and forth each time you want to train
  • Make it easy for the whole family to improve their fitness or lose weight by providing them with an exercise machine
  • Do something else at the same time as exercising such as watching TV, reading or even some work at your desk!

The above are just some of the great reasons as to why you might want to start doing cardio training at home as opposed to the gym.  But now the question is what type of home exercise equipment should you go for and how much will it cost?

The Best Home Fitness Equipment

As I mentioned earlier in this article the cardio machines you might be familiar with from the gym are of a commercial standard and are designed to be used non-stop for many years by all types of people of different abilities and sizes.

You probably don’t have the budget or the space at home to install a full sized commercial treadmill and there is no need for you to do so as your goals can still be achieved on a more modest piece of equipment.

If you must do running training then the budget treadmills won’t be as good as the commercial versions but they are still worth looking into but if you really want the best value for money home fitness equipment then you should consider getting a small or folding exercise bike.  The reasons you should consider getting a folding stationary bicycle is that they offer the best combination of low cost, high quality and minimal space requirements.

The Advantages of Folding Exercise Bikes

Folding Exercise Bikes are a Great Option So if you really want a piece of home exercise equipment that is easy to store away when not in use and won’t take up half of your living room when you are using it then you should definitely consider a folding exercise bicycle.  If you are on a budget they are great because they can be purchased for as little as $130 for a well-regarded model with lots of positive customer reviews such as the Confidence Fitness Space Saving X Bike which is great for endurance training and fat burning steady state cardio sessions. As these compact exercise bikes are easy to setup and move around they are great for those who want to vary the places they do their cardio such as in front of the TV, looking out the window or even out in the garden when the weather is nice. They don’t require any power from the mains so you don’t have to worry about trailing leads and bearing near to a power outlet to do a workout. There are a number of options to choose from such as the aforementioned Confidence Fitness Space Saving X Bike to the quirky but ingenious FitDesk X Compact Pedal Desk which actually has a stand to hold your laptop allowing you to workout while working or playing games on your computer!

Other Convenient Home Cardio Solutions

If a folding exercise bike doesn’t appeal to you then you might want to consider a non-folding compact exercise bike but if cycling really isn’t your thing then there are still lots of great budget options to choose from.

Budget Rowing Machines for Home Cardio

Budget Home Rowers While these budget rowers can be just as affordable as the foldable exercise bikes they do take up rather a lot more space but if you feel you would prefer to row and would be more likely to use this type of equipment, then taking up a bit more space is a worthwhile sacrifice. Rowing is not only a great way to get fit and burn calories but it can also be an excellent way to tone your upper body and tighten up any lose bits such as you upper arms and back.

You can view the best-selling home rowing machines by clicking here now.

Mini Steppers for Home Cardio on a Budget

Mini Stepper for Home Cardio Training These devices take up even less space than the folding stationary bikes but are a little harder to use and require quite a bit of stamina to master. But these are good things as it means you are getting a great workout that can really help to tone your upper legs as well as burn those unwanted calories.  They are also probably the cheapest option so along with taking up the least space they also cost the least.

For the most popular mini steppers click here now.

Home Elliptical Trainers for a Real Workout

Budget Elliptical Trainers for Home Cardio A home elliptical trainer at a price that will suit most budgets is never going to be a good as the commercial grade elliptical trainers you will find at a gym but for a reasonable price you can still get a good value product that will suit those who don’t like running, cycling or rowing but still want to get fit without overusing their joints. Something like the Horizon Fitness EX-59 Elliptical Trainer doesn’t cost the Earth and gets good reviews from happy customers and is definitely worth a look if you feel that one of these machines will get more use from you than the other types of home cardio equipment.

There are some very cheap elliptical trainers on the best-seller list which you can view here.

 Home Vibration Platform Machines for Something Different

Perhaps the easiest way to do cardio at home? If you want to try something different at home and get in shape without expending too much effort then you might want to give these home vibration platform machines a try. They aren’t that cheap and do take up quite a bit of space and aren’t easy to move around although there are mini versions available such as the very affordable Mini Crazy Fit Whole Body Massager for those with space concerns.

There are lots of different types of vibration trainers to choose from which you can see here.

The Best Home Cardio Equipment for You

As you can see there are lots of options available when it comes to choosing a piece of home cardio equipment and they all have their pros and their cons but at the end of the day the best machine will be the one that you will use the most.

There is no point getting the most expensive treadmill if you aren’t going to use it and would’ve been better off with a $100 mini exercise bike you would’ve used a few times a week.

So when it comes to making your choice, be honest with yourself and pick one that is likely to get the most use rather than the one which looks the best and has the most positive customer reviews.

If you want to get in shape at home and don’t have the space for any cardio machines then take a look at some of our other home training articles such as:

We hope you found this article helpful and if you have any questions please leave a comment below.

How to Get in a Fat Burning Workout Whilst Watching TV

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Lose Fat While Watching TV If your idea of a relaxing evening doesn’t involve going to the gym and pounding away on the treadmills or exercise bikes then you can still achieve your fitness goals of losing fat and getting in shape without ever setting foot in a gym or leaving the house.

In fact, even if you’d rather spend your evenings at home in front of the TV watching your favorite shows or films you can still meet your targets and burn a considerable about of calories without ever having to leave the house and tear yourself away from in front of your home entertainment center. Even if you love the outdoors and hitting the gym having the option to train at home can be a blessing when you are short on time or the weather is just too unpleasant to venture outdoors. Depending on the home fitness equipment you chose you could even get in a round or two on your favorite console game while working up a sweat.

This article aims to show you that there is more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to getting in a fat zapping workout even if you don’t have the time or the inclination to visit the gym.

Combine Watching TV with Fat Loss

If two of your goals in life are to keep up with the latest season of The Apprentice and get a beach body to be proud of then the good news is that these two goals are not mutually exclusive. This means you can achieve both goals at the same time. There are a few options to help you do this and which one you choose depends on a few key things such as:

  • How much space you have at home
  • What your budget is
  • How strenuous or relaxing you want your workout to be

Now, in a previous article I talked about how weight training was the best way to lose fat in the long term and get a toned, athletic physique but there is still a place for cardio training if you want to increase your fitness levels or lose fat and it makes a great accompaniment to weight training.

Weight Training While Watching TV

Not only is weight training one of the best ways to change your body as it burns fat while also getting you toned and in great shape but it is extremely easy to do at home while watching TV. In fact you don’t even need any equipment to get started with this type of training.  You can get some ideas for a home workout without any equipment in this article.

Cardio Training in Front of the TV

Cardio while watching TV Cardio training is an excellent way to improve your fitness levels which has great health benefits but it is also an ideal way to burn off those calories. Doing a cardio session in the evening after a hard day at work can be quite difficult to get motivated for but if you combine it with watching your favorite film or TV show then it can make it much more tolerable. If you are watching something engrossing then you might even forget you are doing any exercise at all!   If you pick a show that it a set amount of time then you can workout alongside it and be sure you get your allotted amount of exercise in. Pick a 30 minute show for a quick workout and something lengthier for a more thorough workout. But what equipment do you need to get in a cardio workout in front of the TV?

The Best Home Cardio Options for a TV Workout

Most people don’t have the luxury of a spare room they can convert into a gym and even those that do often have other uses in mind for the spare room such as a study, play room or just a fun hangout for kids or adults. If the idea of having a small piece of equipment you can bring out for some front room exercise appeals to you take a look at some of these home cardio products that can help you meet your goals while also conveniently fitting into your lifestyle:

Mini Exercise Bikes

TV Cardio with a Mini Exercise Bike The mini exercise bike is perhaps the archetypal piece of home workout equipment for those who want to get in a home cardio session while doing something else such as working at their desk or sitting in front of the television. Due to their relatively low cost and small size they aren’t a large investment in terms of cost or space requirements and they can easily be stored away when not in use. They are very simple to operate and don’t require any setup once they have been initially assembled. This means you can quickly whip out your mini exercise bike when you decide it’s time for a workout and get straight to work without having to fiddle with any settings or additional equipment. You can either sit on your sofa or settee and place this piece of small exercise equipment in front of you or you can use it while sitting at a desk with the mini stationary bike at your feet under the desk. These mini exercise bikes can also be used to train your arms if you place them on a desk or table but for the best results we recommend you operate them with your legs but it is nice to have an extra option for your workouts. These products would make a great choice for someone who works at a desk all day and would like to burn off calories while they work as well as being perhaps the perfect accessories for a productive evening of television viewing.

The best-selling mini exercise bike is the MagneTrainer ER Mini Exercise Bike which has a great customer feedback score on amazon.com although there are cheaper options out there should you be on a budget.

Exercise Peddler

Exercise Peddlers are Ideal for Home Cardio These are similar to the mini exercise bikes mentioned above but they cost less and are more basic in terms of design and features. If you really want a lightweight solution to your home cardio needs then a small exercise bike like this could be the answer to your prayers. They too can be tucked under a desk for some discrete cardio while at work or can be placed in front of you while sitting comfortably in front of the TV. There really is no limit to the number of places you can use one of these exercise peddlers, only your imagination will hold you back!

The best-selling piece of home workout equipment of this type is the Drive Medical Deluxe Folding Exercise Peddler which is currently half price on amazon and comes equipped with a digital display to let you know how long you have been exercising for, your revolution count and how many calories you have burned. It also has a large number of positive customer reviews.

While not as robust as the mini exercise bikes these peddlers cost a fraction of the price and take up hardly any space making them easy to store away and vastly more portable. If these are important considerations for you then take a look at the best-selling peddlers on amazon by clicking here now.

Mini Trampoline

A fun yet taxing home workout When it comes to choosing a piece of home workout equipment that is fun and easy to use then a mini trampoline tops the list. You can do all sorts of exercises on these trampolines from jogging on the sport to jumping jacks and shadow boxing. Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands while bouncing to give your workouts an extra level of resistance and you can easily make a leisurely cardio workout a tough and challenging session. The legs usually fold down on these mini trampolines so they can be stored away slightly easier than it may first appear but if space is limited then they might not be the best solution for you. They are pretty cheap when compared with other small exercise equipment and if you want a bit of novelty with your training then they might be just the thing for you.

To view the best-selling mini trampolines on amazon click here now.

Folding Exercise Bikes

Save space with a folding exercise bike If you want the convenience and features of a regular exercise bike but don’t have the space to devote to one then a folding exercise bike is the next best thing. The good news is they are often a lot cheaper than the regular non-folding ones so not only do you save space but you save money! There are a number of different types and makes to choose from and there are lots of good deals to be had. There are two main varieties which are the folding recumbent bikes on which you sit down on a seat and pedal with your legs outstretched in front of you and the more conventional stationary bike design where you sit on a saddle and the pedals are positioned under the seat.  While the folding recumbent bikes are more comfortable they take up more space and tend to be more expensive.

To view the options available to you when shopping for a bolding exercise bike click here now.

Which Option is Best for You?

When it comes to working out at home some approaches are better than others. For the average person with an able body I would generally always advocate following a weight training program first and foremost if their goals are to burn fat while getting toned and in great shape.

But at the end of the day it is most effective to choose an approach they you will stick to over the weeks, months and even years.

There is no point choosing the most effective fat burning method if it is not something you will enjoy doing. If it quickly becomes something you start to loathe and have to force yourself to do it won’t be long before you give up entirely. Therefore it is better to do something that is quite effective on a regular basis than something that is very effective occasionally. So with that in mind think carefully before deciding what approach you are going to apply when working out in front of the TV:

  • Physical Exercises without Weights such as press-ups, squats, jumping jacks and burpees.
  • Home Weight Training using dumbbells or kettlebells or even a mini home gym.
  • Home Cardio Training using jump ropes, mini exercise bikes, folding elliptical trainers or full sized exercise machines.

Whatever you think you will do the most often is the best choice to make for you!

If you are looking for some more home workout ideas check out these recent articles:

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Help: I’m Working Out but not Losing Weight!

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Don't Worry if Your Weight Loss has Slowed Down When most people start working out their initial goal is to “lose weight” but this phrase can be misleading as what their actual goal is is to lose fat.  In fact they might not even really want to lose any weight at all!

When I first started going to the gym I did so because I noticed, or rather one of my friends noticed and kindly pointed out, that I was starting to develop a bit of a belly after years of being skinny due to a bad diet, too much drinking and no exercise (sound familiar?). I decided to nip this problem in the bud and join my local gym and start exercising there as I played no sports or did any training of any kind apart from walking around town.

Losing Weight vs. Losing Fat

My strategy was to do lots of cardio on the running machines and use the resistance machines in the gym. If I had a goal back then it would’ve been “to lose weight” but really what I wanted to do was “lose fat and gain muscle”.

As muscle weighs more than fat your weight might increase when you first start going to the gym as your body will be shedding its excess fat reserves while putting on some new muscle or lean mass. If you are unaware of what is going on there is a good chance you might get disheartened when you first step on the scales after a month or so of going to the gym. You will see that your total weight has gone up when the reason you started going to the gym was to lose weight – what is going on?

Scales aren’t the Best Way to Track Your Progress

For this reason using scales to weigh yourself isn’t the best way to see if your hard work in the gym is paying off. Seeing your body weight going up can be disappointing so we recommend that you track your progress in other ways. Some great ways to chart your change in body composition are:

  • Measure your Progress with a Tape Measure Use a tape measure to measure the key parts of your body. Choose the main areas of your body you think that would give you a good indication of whether you are losing fat or not such as your belly, hips, thighs and upper arms. Make sure you measure yourself in exactly the same positions each time. A good idea is to measure yourself at the widest point, so for your belly find where you are the biggest and measure there each time. Do this once a month to allow enough time to pass for there to be a noticeable change and don’t get despondent if there isn’t a change as when it comes to getting in shape patience is definitely a virtue. If you are doing weight training as well as cardio which you really should be as it is the best way to lose fat and get toned for both men and women, then you will notice that some measurements might start going up such as your upper arms, chest and possibly shoulders. This is due to an increase in muscle and is nothing to worry about!
  • Taking Photos is a Great Way to Measure Fat Loss Take a photo of yourself at regular intervals to record the change in your body’s composition. If you are quite overweight then at first you will notice your fat deposits starting to reduce in size and visibility and then once you get to a low body fat percentage which could be less than 20% for men and maybe under 30% for women you will then see some muscle tone and definition start to become visible. This is where your weight loss might start to slow but do not worry! This means you are still losing fat but are gaining lean mass or muscle which will keep your weight level or even increasing but will result in a great new look which is toned, healthy and athletic looking.  Try to ensure you take the photo in the same place such as the bathroom or the changing rooms at the gym to keep it consistent as different lighting and positions can make it harder to determine if there are any changes from photo to photo. I wish I started doing this when I first decided to get in shape as it can be a great motivator for you to see how far you’ve come and when you don’t feel like going to the gym a quick look at the photos of yourself looking fat and out of shape can give you that extra bit of motivation to workout!
  • Body Fat Calipers: a cheap way to measure body fat Measuring your body fat is probably the best way to keep track of your fat loss progress but it is also quite tricky to do, especially by yourself. The cheapest and easiest way to get a measurement is to use a pair of body fat measuring calipers and although they come with instructions they can often give inaccurate readings if you don’t know what you are doing. There are more reliable methods available but they require special equipment that you won’t even find in most gyms. There are of course scales that claim to be able to measure your body fat by sending an electrical current around your body which they time to calculate what percentage of your body consists of fat on the premise that the current travels slower through fat. These products are not known for their accuracy and even on the same day can give different readings so don’t rely on them for an accurate reading or even to track your progress.

The best way in my opinion is to use a combination of the mirror and measuring tape to track your fat loss and muscle building progress once you start working out at home or in the gym. One of the main reasons we workout after all is to look good and to have a healthy appearance so what better way to keep an eye on this than by using our reflection.

If you still want to try and measure your body fat levels at home check out these products now.

A Few Days Off

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My Exercise Bike at Home

My Home Exercise Bike

In my last blog/training log entry I said I was due a rest day and that following the rest day was when I found it hardest to get back into the gym as I’d lost the momentum I had built up in the previous few days.

Well the following day I didn’t go to the gym but I did do 50 minutes of cardio at home on the small exercise bike I bought recently while watching an episode of Dexter. My heart rate was at about 120 bpm on average for the 50 minutes so nothing too strenuous but accord to this calorie calculator it burnt 257 calories.

It took me another few days to get back into the gym and after my last session on Wednesday I was back in on Sunday so only a break of three days which isn’t too bad.

Chest, Triceps and Abdominals

I got into the gym on Sunday evening at about 6.30pm and it wasn’t very busy at all which meant I could do all the exercises I wanted.

Chest Exercise Dips

Dips: A Great Chest Exercise

Flat Dumbbell Bench Press: The heaviest dumbbells in the gym are 50 lbs which is about 22 kg. I can probably do this exercise with 30kg but today I could only manage 2 sets of 8 reps and 1 set of 10 reps. Normally I would just do 3 sets of 8 reps but as I am using the heaviest weights I want to try and get it up to 3 sets of 12 reps and then maybe 4 sets of 8 reps.

Dips: Dips are a hardcore exercise and I only managed 2 sets of 5 reps and 1 set of 8 reps. I’m getting better after not doing this exercise for years but I think I am a long way from doing weighted dips!

Dumbbells Flyes: I don’t really like this exercise but due to my limited options I include it in my chest exercises. I did 3 sets of 8 reps with the 30 lbs dumbbells.

Decline Cable Chest Press

Decline Cable Chest Press

Decline Cable Press: I just include this for another exercise to do for the chest muscles.  It gives me a nice burn but not sure how effective it is.

EZ Bar Skull Crushers: I tried to do this 20 kg on the bar but it was too heavy so did 3 sets of 8 reps with 10kg instead.

Tricep Cable Pushdowns: This one probably wasn’t necessary after doing the Skull Crushers but I like them so decided to include it.

Weighted Decline Crunches: I don’t see the point in doing crunches or ab work without using weights; you wouldn’t do any other exercises without weights to why crunches? I did 3 sets of 12 reps with the 10kg plate on my chest. Seems to hit the top two abs at least.

Elevated Leg Crunches

Legs on the Bench Crunches

Legs on the Bench Crunches: OK so I did these ones without any weights but after the weighted crunches I didn’t have much gas left in the tank.  These gave my bottom abs a good burn so hopefully I am doing something positive to them.

Weight: 87kg clothed on the gym scales.  85kg unclothed on the bathroom scales.

When I realised I’d gotten a bit fat last year my weight was 98 kg which is about 15.5 stone or 216 pounds. Since then I’ve lost about 10 kg and done so mainly though Intermittent Fasting and eating less junk.

That was about a year ago and at first the weight came off quite quickly but now it has stopped. I am still doing the Intermittent Fasting, eating between 12pm and 8pm only but I’ve been eating what I want in terms of carbs, protein and fats but now that the weight loss has stopped I think I need to be more strict in terms of eating less carbs and eating more protein.

My goals are to lose more fat so that my abs are visible. On a good day I can see my top two abs just about but I wouldn’t mind being able to see the top four at least. I think I need to lose about 3kg to get down to 82kg on the bathroom scales.  I was hoping to get there by the end of June and the start of the summer holidays but its not going to happen. Now my goal will be to not put on too much weight over the 7 weeks of holidays when I will be away for most of it and not training and probably eating at all hours instead of doing Intermittent Fasting. If I can come back at the end of August weighing 87kg on the gym scales I will be happy.

No Excuses

Top Gym Motivation Tips to Help You Reach Your Goals

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No Excuses Undoubtedly the hardest part of reaching your goals whether they are losing weight, getting fit, increasing your strength or putting on some muscle is staying motivated for long enough to keep on training or eating the right foods.

If your motivation is faltering then these fitness and gym motivation tips will help you get back on track and stay there!

There is nothing wrong with admitting your motivation isn’t currently as strong as it once was and realizing that you have a weakness is the first step in the process of eliminating that chink in your armor.  So let’s get started with the top motivation tips that will ensure you get to where you want to be.

Name and Shame

To Become What You Might Have Been If your goal is to lose weight or put on some quality muscle mass then take a photo of yourself now or find one of you looking less than flattering and pin that image up around the house. I am currently using a photo of me from a holiday a while ago on the beach with my top off looking larger than I thought I was! I’ve set this image as my computers desktop background and also printed a copy out and stuck it on the fridge. This means when I am on the computer and look at the desktop or press the alt and tabs keys to scroll through the open windows I get to see myself at my worst.

Also when I sneak off to the kitchen to grab a snack this terrible sight greets me as I am just about to open the fridge door for an illicit treat. As I am doing intermittent fasting to lose weight and put on some muscle, if I am tempted to eat outside of the allotted eating period this motivational tip usually stops me in my tracks.

Top Tip: If you’ve made good progress from when the photo was taken change it to a more recent one as you might get a false sense of confidence if you’ve come along way but still have not met your goals.

You can do the Name and Shame approach with other targets such as the weights you are lifting or the times of your runs but in my experience this one works best when you need motivation to lose weight.

If you want to take this gym motivation tip to the next level you can post the photo on Facebook or twitter for a public shaming but I don’t recommend this!

Google Image Search

Use Aspirational Photos to Stay Motivated Most people have some idea of how they want to look when they have reached their goals and if you need motivation to lose weight or gain some muscle then this fitness motivational tip works wonders. When you are scheduled to go to the gym but just don’t have the drive or motivation to set off simply fire up Google Image search and type in something like workout motivation for men or before and after weight loss women to bring up a whole host of great motivational photos. Don’t spend too much time trawling through them though. The idea is to act on the sudden burst of motivation and get going rather than trying to find the best ones.

Top Tip: You can download some of the best ones and compile a ‘mood board’ that is made up of your favourite motivational images.  Just copy and paste the images into Word and save it or print it out for future reference.

Share Your Goals

Write down your goals and share them Once you speak your goals out loud and tell other people about them they become real and take on a life of their own. At worst no one will be that interested but at least the goal has now been spoken and it will motivate you on to reach it now that other people know about it. By sharing your goals you might just get someone interested enough to keep checking on your progress to see how you are doing. Having someone on your back and keeping an eye on you can really help you stay motivated when you don’t feel like training or skipping that extra slice of cake.

Top Tip: Try and find someone to share your goal with who will ridicule you or at least tell you that you won’t make it; there is nothing like the ability to prove someone wrong to keep you going until the finish line.

Focus on the Positive Not the Negative

Pain is Just Weakness Leaving Your Body This might sound a bit airy fairy but it is still worth a try and keeps you in a positive state of mind which is very important. If your goal is to lose weight and no longer be fat don’t focus on how you hate being fat but focus on how great it will be when you are thinner. If you want to lift heavier weights don’t focus on how much you can lift now but focus on how much weight you want to lift. This goes for other things too. If you want more money then don’t say to yourself “I don’t want to be poor” but say “I want to be rich”. Just thinking about negative words like fat, weak or poor will put you into a negative state of mind which will zap you of your motivation. Make sure you goals are positive such as:

  • Have a six pack
  • Eat more healthier foods
  • Get a bikini body

Rather than negative ones such as:

  • Lose the belly fat
  • Eat less junk food
  • Stop being too fat for a bikini

They are still essentially the same goals but you have reworded them to become more positive and therefore more motivating.

Top Tip: Write these goals down and keep them to hand in your wallet or purse or as a screen saver on your computer.

Set Rewards

Its a Funeral for my Fat There is nothing like a bit of instant gratification to keep you on the straight and narrow and when it comes to workout motivational tips there is no exception. Set mini goals and targets such as hitting a certain weight on the scales, reaching a specific dress size or doing a set number of workouts in a week whether that means hitting the gym or working out at home. Make sure your goals are specific and that you know when they are reached and not vague targets like ‘eat healthy food this week’ ‘go to the gym as much as possible’ or ‘look good naked’. Those are all subjective and you can talk yourself into thinking you have met them when perhaps you haven’t. Keep the goals specific!

Make sure you also set realistic rewards and write them down first. Also make sure they aren’t opposed to your goals. Don’t reward ‘lose 10 pounds’ with ‘eat a family KFC bucket’. Try a reward that is more in tune with your goals like buying a new item of clothing or spending time with a friend.

Top Tip: Don’t overdo this one as you will get addicted to the treats and run out of things to reward yourself with!

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Fit Girls Look Good Nake Having some money on the line is a great motivator for all sorts of goals, targets and objectives. If I told you to go to the gym every day for a year you’d probably tell me that that was impossible for you as you are far too busy and couldn’t possibly spare the time. If I told you I’d give you a million dollars if you went to the gym every day for a year you’d magically find the time. Well I’m sorry to break it to you but I’m not going to offer you any money and I don’t think anyone else will. But having a friendly bet with a friend that you can reach a certain goal should keep you motivated to lose weight or get faster, bigger or stronger. You can challenge each other to both meet a goal or you can be the only one with a goal and make it a simple bet: I bet you I can do 100 press-ups by Christmas.  Again, make sure the goal is specific so there is no room for your partner to weasel their way out of it.

Top Tip: You don’t have to bet with money. Good old fashioned challenges work just as well such as eating a tin of dog food, not brushing your teeth for a week or watching Titanic.

Sign up for an Event

Its Your Choice Find a local event that matches you goals and sign up for it. If you goal is to run faster then sign up for a running race. If you want to get toned and in shape then sign up for a wet t-shirt contest.  Make sure the event or competition is related to your goal so you are working not only towards your goal but to avoiding public humiliation at the event you have registered for.

Top Tip: Get people to sponsor you so it is even harder for you to pull out as you will have to do the walk of shame around the office refunding all the money you collected because you chickened out!

Pay Someone to Motivate You

Clothes at the Beach If you just can’t get yourself down the gym and these motivational tips did nothing for you and you still need motivation to lose weight or get in shape then hand over some of your hard earned cash for a personal trainer. Knowing there is someone waiting for you to arrive and will call you up when you don’t make an appearance at the gym should keep even the most unmotivated people focused on the task in hand. Plus the amount of money you will lose by not showing up will be an extra motivating factor.

Top Tip: Make sure the personal trainer doesn’t let you cancel sessions without a long notice period and that you have to do all cancellations over the phone and not by texting or emailing to make it harder to back out at the last minute.

Forget the Bad Days

Motivation - Sometimes there isnt any Nobody is perfect and we all have off days when we just aren’t motivated enough to exercise or stick to our diets. When these days occur don’t beat yourself up about them. If you can’t get motivated just suck it up and move on. Tomorrow is another day and another chance to get closer to reaching your goals.

Don’t use this as an excuse not to workout though as you can only have so many bad days before you have a bad month, then a bad year and then…well you get the picture!

Oh and here is a final motivating word for you: while you were reading this article trying to get motivated you could’ve done your workout already so get on with it. Now!

For more motivating photos check out our Pinterest board.

Someone doing a chin up

Three for Three

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Someone doing a chin up

Not me obviously

I am definitely on a roll here and have now been to the gym three days in a row. Once upon a type I’d go to the gym at least five days a week every week but times have changed and I don’t have as much free time as I used to or the motivation.

Once I’ve done three days in a row though things usually start to unravel. I am training on a three day split so now that I have done my three days I need to take a break. Once I miss one day for a break I tend to find it really hard to get back in the gym again the following day. Perhaps I will just go and do some cardio to keep the momentum going.

Check back in a couple of days to find out whether I made it back to the gym!

Back & Biceps

I got to the gym at about 7pm, about an hour earlier than the last two days, but again it was packed. I had to re-jig my routine and improvise again but I felt I got in an OK workout in.

Lat Pull-down: Normally I start off with some wide grip chin ups but the bar was in use so I did some light pull downs on the lat machine to get warmed up. 3 sets of 8 with a lightish weight.

Chin-ups with Wide Grip: Just managed to squeeze out 3 set of 8 reps. This is one of my favourite exercises as I can really feel my back and arms getting a good workout.

Dumbbell Rows: Normally I’d do some seated cable rows but yes you guessed it the machine was in use. I used to like doing dumbbell rows but the weights here are too light so not really worth the time. But today I had to do something so did 3 sets of 8 reps with the 50 lb / 22kg dumbbells.

Bent Over Smith Machine Rows: I don’t normally do this exercise but it went better than I expected. The smith machine is such a joke of a piece of gym equipment but its all I have so (hopefully?) better than nothing. Once again 3 sets of 8 reps with 60 kg.

Dumbbell Hammer Curls: The EZ bar was in use so made do with some dumbbell hammer curls to give the biceps one last workout.

Weight Plate Curls: The EZ bar never became available so had to improvise and do some curls holding a 20kg plate with both arms. Sort of worked.

I was in and out of the gym in about 40 minutes but quite a bit of waiting around. Need to get some weights at home or join a new gym ASAFP!

Just so you don’t think I’m doing it all wrong, in the past I my back routine used to look like this:

  • Deadlifts
  • Bent Over Barbell Rows
  • Wide Grip Pull Ups
  • Close Grip Cable Rows

As my current gym doesn’t have the facility to do any of these exercises I do what I did today.

Two Out of Two

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So far I’ve been two days out of two which is a good start to my comeback. How long can it last?

Yesterday I did a Chest and Triceps workout and again the gym was packed so couldn’t do all the exercises I wanted.  Might have to start training earlier if I can. But I tend to feel most lethargic around the afternoon which is the earliest I can train. Come 8pm and I am full of energy but so seem to be most people as this is when the gym is at its busiest!

Flat Bench Dumbbell Press: I stopped doing bench press on the smith machine as it felt like cheating using the machine.  There is no free weight Olympic bar so its the smith machine or nothing. I now do dumbbell bench press on a flat bench which feels better than using the smith machine but the dumbbells only go up to 50 lbs which is about 22kg.  In my old gym I could do incline dumbbell press with 30 kg so its definitely a step down but better than the smith. I did 3 sets of 8 reps and as I am using the heaviest weights in the gym I will aim to increase the reps over time.

Dips: Dips are a great chest and triceps workout but are very hard to do. I did 3 sets of 5 reps which isn’t great but still gave me a burn.  There is no facility to do weighted dips so I will aim to do more reps.

Flat Bench Incline Flies: I’m not a massive fan of flies but they are a means to an end. I did 3 sets of 8 reps with the 30 lb dumbbells. I might swap this for some decline dumbbell presses in the future.

Sometimes I end the chest workout with some cable flies but the machine was busy so moved on to triceps after that.

Cable Push Down/Triceps Extension: I did 3 sets of 8 reps but had to use the lat pulldown machine as everything else was taken so couldn’t do a full range of motion.

Smith Machine French Press/Close Grip Press: I did a few sets of these but didn’t really feel right so moved on to…

EZ Bar Skull Crushers: These are much better than using the smith machine so I did 3 sets of 8 reps. I can’t remember how much weight was on these, maybe 10 kg on each side?

Not the best workout but I did OK considering the availability of the equipment. Will try and go again tonight and do back & biceps.

Back after a Break

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I’ve been pretty slack in terms of exercise and getting to the gym over the last few or even many months so the start of this website and a training blog to accompany it should be a good motivator to get training again in a more regular manner.

I’ve been training properly for about six years now, since 2005. When I say properly I mean following a proper routine and knowing about nutrition. But that doesn’t mean I’ve stuck to much of the nutritional information I have learned over the years which probably goes a long way to explaining why my progress in the gym, despite a pretty regular attendance has been less than spectacular!

Anyway, I hope that this public log of my workout and exercise activities will keep me motivated.

Today I was back in the gym after a break and did a legs and shoulders workout. My gym is very close to where I live and is also free but it is also very under equipped. When I arrived today most of the equipment was in use so I had to improvise a bit.  The small amount of gear in the gym has been the main reason why I started this website as I want to know more about training at home and without using a gym and how one can get an effective workout with a small amount of good equipment at home.  Hopefully I can make the transition to home training without too much pain!

Legs & Shoulders

Seated Leg Press: 3 main sets starting with about 15 small plates ending with the whole stack. Could only do about 5 reps with the full stack of plates but will try and get that up to a whole set over the coming weeks and months.

Seated Leg Extension: You are probably guessing that there is nowhere to do squats in my gym and you would be correct! There is just a smith machine for the big compound movements and I don’t like to do squats on it so I use the machines.  I did 3 main sets with about 10 small plates.

Seated Calf Raises: Using the leg press machine to do calf raises isn’t ideal but seems to work OK. One leg is definitely stronger than the other but I managed 3 good sets.

Standing Front Raises: I did this using an Olympic plate and lifted it up in front of me until it was at eye level and I could see through the hole. I did 8 reps with the 15 kg plate then 2 sets of 8 with the 20 kg plate. I hurt my shoulder last year in a ‘sporting’ accident so can’t lift anything above my head which means I can’t do many shoulder exercises or incline bench press which is a pain.

Standing Side Raises: I used a dumbbell for this, well one in each hand, and did 3 sets of 8 reps. I think I used the 25 lb weights which is OK but nothing to write home about.

Front Raises/Upright Rows: I don’t usually do these but I thought I’d give it a try as I am limited to only a few shoulder exercises due to the injury and lack of gear in the gym.  I did 3 sets of 8 again using the EZ bar with 10kg on each side.

Smith Machine Shrugs: I love shrugs and miss my old gym which had heavy dumbbells and even a shrug machine. Now I normally use the cable machine thing for shrugs but today I thought I’d try some Smith Machine shrugs and it worked quite well so I will leave the cables alone for this exercise in the future. I did 3 sets of 8 reps with 90 kg including the bar.

Ab Work: I normally weighted decline crunches for my abs but today someone was on the benches so I did some crunches and sit ups on the floor followed by some leg raises. My goal is to get a six pack eventually so I do like to focus on my abs now and then.

Not a bad workout but the constraints of the gym are annoying. Will try and get back in tomorrow for either a chest or back workout depending on the availability of the equipment.