Team ISC in Sacramento, CA, we want the workout to be designed around clients’ fitness levels and slowly push past their comfort zone. Challenging yourself is vital to making fitness progress. If the workout isn’t challenging both mentally and physically, you won’t see the progress you want. You’ll maintain your fitness level when you continue to do the same workout without pushing, but you won’t improve. Improvement only comes when you make your workout a little harder.

Take it one step at a time.

Any journey starts with the first step. If you’ve just started your fitness journey, you won’t be able to do as much as you will a month from starting. After a month, that challenging weight or the same number of sets will be easier. That’s because you’re at a new fitness level. It’s also when you should increase the difficulty of your workout and push beyond your comfort zone. It’s time to do more repetitions, extend the time you do the high-intensity section of HIIT—high intensity interval training, or whatever it takes to make your workout slightly harder.

A lot has to do with mental aspects.

In the 50s, Napoleon Hill, an inspirational speaker, shared messages like this, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” He wasn’t an athlete, but those words are true for athletes. Consider the elusive goal of breaking the four-minute mile. After almost 70 years of chasing the elusive four-minute mile, Roger Bannister broke through the barrier. Within months, several more athletes broke that barrier. They finally knew it was possible. To get past your comfort zone, you must believe you can!

Push hard, but do it wisely.

Improving at anything always feels uncomfortable when you first start. Consider how you felt the first time you worked out. You have to feel the same level of discomfort to make progress, but not so much that it causes injury. If you feel excessive pain while attempting to get beyond your comfort zone, stop. If you’re pushing so hard it affects your form, stop. Step back, assess your situation, and proceed at a slower, more controlled pace.

• Consistency is the key to pushing past your comfort zone and getting results. Consistency helps you recognize when the workout becomes easier so you can make adjustments.
• One way to get fitter and make it easier to push past your comfort zone is to live an active lifestyle. Not all your progress comes from the gym. You can walk more, take the stairs, and use free time to play with the kids, hike, swim, or do other physically challenging activities.
• Our trainers can help you achieve your best and avoid injury. They constantly check your progress and form to ensure you do everything correctly.
• Always check with your healthcare professional first before starting any fitness program. If you’re working with a personal trainer, let the trainer know of any physical limitations.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC

If you’re battling to put on muscle and weight in Sacramento, CA, you might think drinking more soda is a good idea. If you’re bulking up, soda and junk food aren’t the answer. You can gain weight and stay healthy at the same time. Everyone is different. Their metabolism and builds differ. It’s why some people seem to eat everything and never gain a pound. That is the envy of those who gain weight easily, but it’s not desirable if you want big muscles.

Being underweight is just as unhealthy as being overweight.

If you have a high BMI—body mass index—number and fall in the overweight or obese category, it affects your health. However, being too thin and having too low a BMI is also just as dangerous. It should be more than just vanity making you want to gain weight. You might think eating high-calorie junk food is the way to do that. It isn’t. Soft drinks, Oreos, fries, and donuts will add calories, but any weight gain will be fat, not muscle. You won’t have adequate nutrition to gain muscle tissue.

Get more calories from healthy food and avoid the harmful side effects of sugar.

Soft drinks are high in sugar. It attacks your teeth, spikes your insulin, and increases your risk of heart disease. The sodium benzoate soft drinks contain can lead to eczema, asthma, and kidney problems. It can cause calcium to leach from the bones. Instead of going for empty calories, opt for nutritious higher-calorie food. Dried fruit, nuts, full-fat dairy, whole grain, and meat are examples. The extra protein in some of these foods provides the building blocks for muscle.

Increase your muscle mass without increasing body fat.

Take a lesson from bodybuilders who target building muscle tissue then move to a cutting phase to define those muscles and eliminate excess fat. They get 30-35% of their calories from protein, 55 to 60% from carbs, and the balance from healthy fat. Once they build the muscle, they slowly cut back on calories as they sculpt their muscle mass. Bodybuilders also avoid excess cardio. Cardio burns a lot of calories, and those calories come from both fat and muscle tissue. Instead, focus on strength-building exercises.

• Soft drinks add visceral fat. Artificially sweetened drinks cause an increased waist measurement. Bulking up shouldn’t include developing a pot belly.
• Consider protein smoothies as a go-to drink. Include bananas in the smoothie and whey protein. Add extra calories by adding a scoop of peanut butter to the mix.
• Eat a snack before your workout and one afterward. The snacks should contain both carbohydrates and protein. The carbohydrates keep you working out without breaking down muscle, and the protein jumpstarts recovery.
• Don’t forget healthy fat. Nuts, avocados, full-fat cheese, olive oil, and butter are excellent. If you use animal products, use ones from pastured and grass-fed animals to maximize health benefits.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC

You don’t have to move like a sloth to want to become more productive. Everyone wants to have the energy to do more in less time. You have to move a little faster to do that and take fewer breaks. Moving faster and stopping less to rest requires stamina and fitness. You have to get healthy to do that. Clearing up mental fuzziness can also boost productivity. Mental fuzziness occurs for several reasons. One of them is stress. Another is lack of sleep. There are more and most involve making lifestyle changes.

Exercising regularly can boost your productivity.

Whether your work involves a lot of sitting or a lot of movement, exercise can help. If you’re sitting at a desk all day, you need to move more to be more to increase circulation. That sends more oxygen and nutrient-laden blood to the brain. It perks you up and boosts your brain power. Studies how that regular exercise improves cognitive skills.

What if your job is physical?

If your job keeps you constantly moving, you may think you get adequate exercise and are exhausted at the end of the day. The best way to deal with exhaustion on the job is to get stronger. You also may be doing repetitive motions, leading to stress injuries. It doesn’t work all muscles, either.

Flexibility exercises can help prevent injury and a total body workout hits all muscle groups. Working on core strength can prevent injury from falls. Endurance workouts help you keep on going long after you would otherwise quit.

Your diet makes a big difference.

If you’re constantly reaching for something sweet to boost your energy, you may be depleting your energy. Sugary treats give you a rapid energy boost, but what goes up must come down. Just as quickly, your energy level crashes just as fast. Eating a healthy diet can help boost your energy and prevent conditions like heart disease, cancer, or diabetes. It can boost your immune system so you don’t lose time to illness. When you feel good, you perform better. Besides eating healthy meals, you need to plan healthy snacks.

• Getting adequate sleep improves your health and your productivity. When you sleep, your body heals itself to help you stay strong. Your brain cleans itself and reorganizes during deep sleep.
• Hydration is vital to productivity. Even mild dehydration can slow you down and make you feel exhausted. If you’re tired, don’t grab a cup of coffee. Drink a glass of water. You’ll feel energized almost immediately.
• Developing functional fitness is vital for everyone. It helps you prevent injuries that can put you on the sidelines for months. It doesn’t take much to injure yourself if you’re not functionally fit. Just bending down and tying your shoes can cause it.
• If you notice you tire quickly and aren’t as productive as you should be, always check with your healthcare professional. Before you start any exercise program, always get a checkup.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC

You don’t have to plunge head-first into fitness and do hundreds of push-ups immediately. You can get fitter by making small changes first. Everyone is different. Some people have more success by immersing themselves in their program while others like to dip their toes and gently approach something new. If you’re a toe-dipper, here are some ideas to help you build up to a healthier lifestyle.

Take the first step.

Getting fit requires you to take extra steps and move more. If you aren’t ready to exercise, start walking. Walk an extra half hour to 45 minutes a day. You don’t have to do it all at once. You can walk for 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes at lunch, and 15 minutes at the end of the day. Increase your pace every week until you’re walking fast. Do extra things to increase movement, like taking the stairs or parking further from the store.

Eating healthy is vital to any fitness program.

Eating healthy isn’t the same as dieting. When you diet it restricts your diet to specific food. Eating healthier involves making better decisions when choosing food. If you aren’t ready to commit to a healthy menu full-time, do it part-time. Choose healthy menus two to three times a week. Once you realize how good healthy food tastes, start doing meal planning for the week. You can also take another approach. Start by giving up food with added sugar. Then, eliminate other unhealthy food, like fried or highly processed food.

Add a quiet, meditative time to your day.

Learn ways to reduce stress. Meditation, deep breathing exercises, or visualization can help. Practice relaxation techniques for 15 to 20 minutes a day. Turn off all electronic devices or do it in a dark room at first. Sometimes, all it takes to relax is removing yourself from the noise and chatter for a few minutes. Take time to count your blessings. An attitude of gratitude can improve your health.

• After you make any changes, continue it for three to four weeks. Don’t rush into the next change until you feel ready. It takes a while to establish a habit. Modify your change if it’s too hard. Instead of giving up food with added sugar completely, start by switching out soft drinks for water.
• Find a workout partner or use our expert coaching when you’re ready for a complete exercise program. Both help motivate you and hold you accountable. Our coaches create programs specifically for your needs.
• Stay hydrated. Drinking water does more than quench your thirst. It boosts your energy level. Even mild dehydration can make you tired. Drink a glass of water a half hour before a meal and you’ll eat less.
• Substitute healthy food for high-calorie desserts. A parfait of yogurt, frozen cherries, a half-banana, and nuts can satisfy your desire for sweetness but is also healthy. We can help you find other healthy additions to your diet.

For more information, contact us today at Team-ISC