"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible
into the visible.” - Tony Robbins
Goal setting is an important aspect of all areas of life. In
order to accomplish anything you have to figure out where you want to go, then
make a plan for how to get there. This is no less true when it comes to fitness
and living a healthy lifestyle. The American Council on Exercise recommends
setting goals the SMART way:
SPECIFIC: The fitness goals
must specifically state what is to be accomplished. They must be easily
understood and should not be ambiguous or subject to interpretation. For
example, rather than stating you would like to improve your fitness level, set
a specific fitness goal to be able to run a mile in 12 minutes.
MEASURABLE: The fitness
goals must be measureable so that there is no doubt about whether you achieved
them. Measurable fitness goals also allow you to evaluate your progress. Goals
can be measured objectively or subjectively (i.e., how you feel and look), or
both. For example, you could measure your percent body fat and body weight, but
also monitor how your pants fit.
ATTAINABLE: The fitness
goals must be attainable—not too difficult or too easy. Easy fitness goals do
not motivate, and overly difficult ones may frustrate you and lead to a
perception of failure.
RELEVANT: The fitness goals
must be relevant or pertinent to your particular interests, needs and abilities.
For example, when preparing for a 5K walk, running quarter-mile sprints would
not be the best approach.
TIME-BOUND: The
fitness goals must be time-bound by specific deadlines for completion.
Timelines can be both short-term and long-term and should help you stay focused
and on track.
Make sure you choose goals that are realistic. It is much healthier,
and much more easily maintained, to set a goal to lose 1-2 pounds per week than
10. Choosing fitness a goal that is unhealthy or unreasonable leads to burnout
and injury. Ultimately, you want to establish habits that will stay with you
for the rest of your life.
Measureable and attainable goals keep discouragement at bay.
Tangibly assessing how many pounds you have lost, either by stepping on the
scale or by seeing how your clothes fit differently, keeps you encouraged and
wanting to continue. Find the sweet spot between goals that are too easy or too
hard so you don’t get lazy or frustrated. You may need to set some short-term
goals along the way to your ultimate goal.
A good mix of goals that are either process oriented or
product oriented will keep you motivated. An example of a process goal would
be, “I am going to go to kickboxing three times this week.” A product goal
would be increasing the amount of weight you can bench press or losing an inch
off your thighs.
Have some activity or fitness workout routine that you enjoy
and grab someone to enjoy it with you. If you enjoy it you will tend to stick
with it. Be prepared to work through the times when it is just plain hard,
though. Establishing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle takes diligence and
self-discipline, but goal-setting can keep you on track.
Have you found a program yet that is
right for you in the Buckhead Atlanta area?These are all questions that go through people’s heads when they are
looking to start a new workout regimen.I’m sure that all the Atlanta residents are like me and have fitness
goals that we would like to achieve.Some people are hoping to lose weight and shed those extra pounds, others
are hoping to prepare for some big event like a wedding, and some are just
looking for a workout that they don’t dread going to.Whether an experienced athlete or a newbie to
the fitness world, it can be confusing and even overwhelming when deciding how
to tackle the fitness challenge that we all face.It can be difficult and sometimes confusing,
but it is a challenge that we must all face, because the alternative that too
many people choose it to put it off, which leads to many health problems and
unhappiness caused by being out of shape.
I would like
to take just a minute of your time to tell you about what we at I Love
Kickboxing in Atlanta feel makes an excellent exercise program.There are a lot of factors to consider when
choosing the best fit for you.It takes
more than just a great work out a few times a week to live a healthy life, and
it is our mission educate and guide Buckhead residents in order to raise the
overall health of people in the Atlanta GA area.
The Workout
The workout
you will receive from our Atlanta Kickboxing Classes is like nothing you will
ever experience anywhere else.It is a
combination of strength and resistance training, cardio conditioning,
flexibility training, self defense instruction and general health
guidance.Most people go to a variety of
different facilities to achieve all the things that we incorporate into one
package, and it is all guided by professionally training Kickboxing Professionals
who can take you step by step toward reaching your goals.
I’m not
going to lie to you and tell you that it isn’t hard.The class will kick your ass and at times you
may think you can’t make it, but that is where the culture of our fitness
facilities comes in.All the members and
instructors are pulling for you.We all
want you to succeed!We are a team of
Atlanta residents all working on becoming the best we can be.The kickboxing classes in Atlanta is tough, but it is
doable.In every class you will work on
strength training and cardio, followed by some stretching designed to increase
flexibility and circulation.After that
we will pick it right up into our bag work.This is the portion of class where you will get to learn real kickboxing
techniques.The beauty of the class
though is that you will learn real kickboxing moves, but since it is on a bag
it is safe, and you don’t have to worry about getting punched in the face ;)
Every class
is fast paced and fun, filled with new and exciting workouts every day.They will keep you interested and excited to
come to class, all while helping you make continuous progress toward your
fitness and weight loss goals.
The Group
When you
become a member of the Atlanta Kickboxing Classes at iLoveKickboxing.com
Fitness Facility in Atlanta you become a part of a group of people united by
the common goal of wanting to live a healthier and happier life.The support and comradery among the members
is something unlike any group fitness classes in Atlanta.It is truly like a family.These people are the ones who hold you
accountable for sticking to your fitness and weight loss goals.You will find that you make friends with the
people you workout with, and many of our members actually end up hanging out
outside of kickboxing class.Imagine if
you there was a bunch of your friends that you loved to spend time with, and
they all worked out with you.That’s
what our Atlanta Kickboxing Classes are, a group of friends who workout
together!
The Instructors
The
instructors at iLoveKickboxing.com are all committed not only to leading
amazing and motivating fitness classes; they are dedicated to providing the top
notch service and support to help you reach your fitness and health goals. The
men and women that lead the kickboxing classes are some of the most exciting and
energetic people you will ever come across. They are compassionate as well as
knowledgeable. Many times it will seem like the staff andkickboxing instructors will care more
about you achieving your goals than you do yourself! Becoming a member of our
fitness kickboxing family will be like having a whole team whose purpose is to
help you reach your weight loss and fitness goals.
As I'm sure
you all know, when you have a friend to workout with it is easier to stay
committed and reach your goals. You have someone to push you when you are
tired, motivate you when you want to quit, and help keep you on track to
fitness success. Well at our Atlanta Kickboxing Classes the instructors are
those people. We are there not only to lead kickboxing classes (although we are
really good at that), but our main objective is to get you to the place you
want to be.
We aren’t
just a kickboxing school, we aren’t just another Atlanta gym in the common
sense of the word. We are a fitness facility in Atlanta that takes you from
where you are now to where you want to be. For some people that means to lose
weight, for others it is to get strong, and to some it is just to find a fun
workout. Whatever you are
Looking for
out of your workout program, our Atlanta kickboxing instructors are dedicated
to helping you achieve the results you are looking for.
Doing
kickboxing classes with us can be a life changing experience.The workout is the most effective and fun exercise
program in Atlanta.That on top of the
world class fitness instructors and the awesome group of supportive members
makes i Love Kickboxing in Atlanta the hottest workout spot Buckhead residents
can benefit from. If you are hoping to
lose weight, get toned, strengthen and gain muscle, increase endurance, gain
confidence in yourself and have fun, then Fitness Kickboxing Classes in Atlanta
may be exactly what you are looking for.And there is no place better for Fitness Results than iLoveKickboxing.com
in Atlanta.
Check us out online at iLoveKickboxing.com to
receive our awesome Web Special – 3 Fitness Kickboxing Classes for $19.99 and a
FREE pair of boxing gloves (Valued at $45)
Who doesn’t want to boost their metabolism? Well before I
get started, I want you to know the definition of metabolism. This will help make
more sense of all the things I talk about and how it will help you. Metabolism
is the process by which the body breaks down food to produce energy.
Well I
want to start off with the most important things to do, which are WORKING OUT
(of course!) and EATING A HEALTHY and NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST. Working out is
going to help get your heart rate going and get your energy up, which gets your
metabolism going. I like to start my day with a short simple 10 minute workout
to get the mind and body going. Specifically a high intensity workout is great (such
as KICKBOXING) because it makes your body work harder. Weight training is
important too especially once you get older as it helps build the muscle which
also gets metabolism going.
Now for
the importance of breakfast, you should NEVER skip breakfast. It is the MOST
important meal of the day. This is because it gets your body up and going for
your day. And it should be your biggest meal of the day because you have the
whole day to burn off all those calories. For example you could have lots of
fruit, make a fruit smoothie and some Greek yogurt. You could also have whole
grain cereal with soy milk if you’re in a hurry.
Drinking
a big glass of ice cold water is an important way to start your day. You want
to consistently drink water throughout the day, once again great for that metabolism.
It also keeps you from mistaking your thirst for hunger. This now brings me to
eating habits; you should graze all day long (2 healthy snacks a day such as fruits,
vegetables, or nuts). This helps your body have a consistency of burning
calories all day long helping the metabolism. You definitely do not want to starve
yourself because then your body will start to store the food and cause weight
gain. A good habit to form is you should have a cut off time at night that you
cannot eat anything else; 8pm is a good time. This is because if you’re eating
too late at night then your body doesn’t have the time it needs to break down
the food and burn the calories.
You
should always have protein in your diet. It’s great to have because your body
digests protein slower than it does carbs or fat, this makes you feel full for
longer (very important, helps to not over eat). By eating protein your body
burns twice as many calories by digesting protein than it does fat and carbs. Adding
spicy foods to your diet is great form boosting metabolism; it helps you drink
more water during your meal as well. Last but not least, eliminate Trans-fats
from your diet! They slow down your metabolism which cause weight gain (not
good).
I hope
after reading this you took from it that working out and what you put into your
body are crucial to having a healthy lifestyle and having a good metabolism. The
better food and liquids you put in your body, the better it will feel. And the more energy you put into working out,
the better your body will look and feel.
Why do
you think goals are important, to get results you want? Goals set standards and
keep you motivated.You can set goals
for anything that matters to you, such as losing some pounds, eating more
veggies, or even changing your lifestyle completely.Setting goals gives you the motivation to
keep you going!
Motivation
plays a huge part in setting your goals and achieving them. Motivation can be found anywhere, keep track
of how much you’re losing or try on your bikini every once in a while to show how
much you have improved yourself and/or how much more you want to improve. Go
ahead and write down all of your goals and put them somewhere you’ll have to
look at them every day. Think about how much better you feel. You could even
find motivational quotes or picture and hang it on your wall so you can look at
it every day to remind you how important this is to you.
An
awesome quote I like to go by is “My body does not define me, I define my body.”
-Author
unknown
One of
my personal goals is to DRINK MORE WATER!!! Sometimes I find my day to day
responsibilities consume me so much that I forget my daily intake. I need to be
more conscious of this, so I’m going to try something different.I’m going to get a cool new water bottle for
at home and work, then add fresh fruit for some delicious flavor. This is a tasty way to get the recommended 3-4
liters of H2O a day.Another goal of
mine is to eat more fruits and veggies! I
bring snacks with me wherever I go, such as carrots, apples, and bananas. I also try to have one to two servings of
fruits and veggies with lunch and dinner. Drinking more water and eating more vegetables
throughout the day will also help you to not over eat; an adequate water intake
helps to curb your appetite.
Start
setting your goals (enter New Year’s resolutions here), and think about WHY
these goals are important to you.What
is your motivation for keeping your goals?Why are your goals IMPORTANT to you? You’ll start to find more significance in the
goals you set. Mine are very important to me because I know they’re going to keep
me healthy and feeling better about the way I look in a bikini!!
A big salad with
iceberg lettuce, bacon bits, croutons, fried chicken, and ranch drenched all
over it. Sound familiar? I’d say to its
too common among many people. Living a
healthy lifestyle is definitely becoming the popular trend. The problem is a lot of people don’t know how
to eat healthy. Just because it has the
name salad doesn’t automatically make it nutritious.
I would say most
people have the right idea, just need to switch some products out for better
and healthier choices. Like for one,
having some protein is good to have in your salad as it helps keep you full
longer and creates a well-balanced meal. Iceberg lettuce has the nutritional value of
cardboard opt for darker greens that are loaded with vitamins and minerals such
as Vitamin A, Vitamin K, folic acid and manganese. Instead of toppings such as croutons and bacon
bits, find more fresh harvests. Finally,
the dressing, which can make or break your salad, you want a light dressing
that is low in fat and salt.
Now let’s try again...A
big salad with spinach leaves, romaine lettuce, rocket leaves (you get the
point, the greener they are the better!!) Now that you have your leafy greens,
let’s add some cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, and carrots. Next, add some
grilled chicken, nuts, a hard-boiled egg, or any other protein source you like.
Finally, add some light vinaigrette dressing (or at least some kind of light dressing,
just keep in mind the creamier the dressing the more fat it contains).Basically, the more fresh ingredients your
salad contains the better and the more filling they are to your tummy.
Now that you have
more knowledge and truths about salad, go out there and create your salad. You can always get more creative and make it
your own!!!
This being the month of Thanksgiving leads me to believe I
must address gratitude. One of the most driving forces in maintaining my
fitness level and weight loss is a positive attitude, which is kept alive by
being grateful. Kickboxing has given me much to be thankful for, other than the
end of a class. ;)
I make it a habit to do mental
gratitude lists on a regular basis, but I thought it would be fun to outline
some of my favorite things Kickboxing Classes Atlanta has done for me. In no particular order,
they are as follows:
1.I’m grateful for my newfound energy
I’ve acquired. I amaze myself day after day in how much I can get accomplished
without feeling like falling down.
2.I’m grateful for the strength I have
now, both mentally and physically. Mind over matter has become a mantra for me
and I love how my toned muscles can carry my forty pound son to bed with no
issue whatsoever.
3.I’m grateful that all of my weight loss means I’ll be getting smaller pants from Santa this year.
4.I’m overly grateful that my improved
health has resulted in a stronger immune system. Cold and flu season can kiss
my gloves.
5.I’m grateful that portion control is
already on my mind for the upcoming holiday meals. Small portions mean I get to
try a little bit of everything so I know what I’ll be aiming for when it’s time
for leftovers.
6.I’m grateful my random food cravings
have all but diminished and on the rare occasions I do give in, I can simply
work them out later on the bag.
7.I’m grateful for the double takes I
get and the knowledge that I could handle anyone who might try to do more than
look.
8.I’m grateful that I am more willing
to accept and conquer challenges in my life. Whether it’s a new combination on
the bag or a promotion and addition of responsibilities at work, I feel more
ready to meet it head on.
9.I’m grateful for my improved hand eye
coordination. Kickboxing has helped me to stop tripping over my own feet, which
is awesome considering I fall dramatically.
10.I’m grateful I can be a positive
influence on those around me just by showing my dedication in my workouts and
healthy eating habits. I love discussing with and encouraging my friends and
family to make better health choices, because they see the change and want to
know what I’m doing to obtain such great results.
I could go on for days about all of the wonderful benefits I
have seen through kickboxing, but then I might miss out on getting to show off
my new physique in front of my extended family, and that would be a shame.
Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy eating everything you plan on burning off in class
next week. I’ll see you there!
