There will never be a perfect time

Happy New Year!  As we have said goodbye to 2011 and hello to 2012 the outlook for the year is bright.This is the time to reflect on the past and prepare for the future.  Along with preparing most of us are busy settling into new resolutions and many of those include giving up something or adding something new in to our routines.  For alot this new resolution will be about getting back into a fitness routine.  This particular topic has come up quite a bit lately in conversations with friends and clients and I feel some people have the wrong idea about when to get started on a fitness program.

If you are someone who is waiting for the perfect time to start a fitness plan, I’ve got news for you…

There will never be a perfect time for you to start a workout routine.

I am not saying this to rob you of your motivation, so let me explain.

Even when you think your starting your exercise routine at the most perfect time and Nothing can get in your way, something always happens, its Murphy’s Law

It is inevitable.

Here is the common scenario:

You signed up for a 3 month personal training program thinking that this time you will have no scheduling conflicts.  You have bought new workout clothes, marked the calendar with the days of your appointments for 4 days a week and even have your meals planned out through the month.  You are ready to lose the 20 lbs you put on this past year and know that because you have no trips planned, etc for the next 3 months, nothing is going to stop you.

So you start your plan on a Monday and for the first 2 weeks, everything is going great, just as planned.  You are attending all of your appointments just as you scheduled, are starting to have more energy, are getting over the muscle soreness, you even dropped a couple of lbs and are starting to feel like yourself again.

And then it happens:  Your boss ask you to stay late at work due to a project deadline and you have to miss your Monday’s workout session.  You are bummed because you don’t want to lose the momentum but the work has to get done, so you cut your losses.

Tuesday rolls around and you are not feeling so hot (probably because you stayed late at work the night before).  You are feeling sick and low on energy so you decided that maybe you should come home early and sleep which means you are missing two workouts this week.

Now its Wednesday and you are feeling better but your boss throws an unexpected business trip on your calendar for the following week for client meetings and you have to be there.  You are disappointed in yourself for missing Monday and Tuesday, especially now that you know you will be gone the following week.  So now you are thinking “well, I already missed Monday and Tuesday and will have to miss next week. So this week and next week are shot.  I guess I will get back into it the week after my work trip.”  … And on and on..

I’m going to stop the story her so I can ask you a question:

Don’t you think it is better to work out once a week than no times at all?

Of course it is!  Any of you would tell your friends and family the same.  So why don’t we say this to ourselves?

In a perfect world, life would not get in the way of our plans to better ourselves but since it does, the best thing you can do is mentally prepare for the situations and weeks where you can’t get to the gym 4 to 5 days a week by letting yourself know that its okay.  If 1 time is better than nothing, then be okay with working out 1 time!

Here are a few tips on how to give yourself a break when starting a new fitness program:

1 – Plan on being okay with getting to the gym at least 1 time a week.  This way if something does come up you will not feel that all your efforts are lost.  If you know you are doing everything in your power to get your workout in but you cannot make it, don’t stress yourself out about it.  This will further inhibit your weight loss efforts

2 – Pre-Cook healthy food items so you can keep your diet on track if you get busy.  This is a huge par of the weight loss battle.

3 – Have a short at home workout prepared ready to do in case you have to miss your class.  Body weight exercises like squats, pushups, back extensions, planks and lunges can all be designed into a 10 minute circuit to help you get some type of workout in.

4 – Sleep.  You will never have the energy to get through your workouts safely if you are overtired, let alone get to the gym in the first place.  Sleep is one of the least expensive gifts you can give yourself.

If you are someone who wants to get started on your 1 Time this Week, please sign-up for your no-obligation, no-charge consultation to discuss your goals and how Dialed-in Fitness can work for you.

Fun Strength Training Ideas


Lifting weights is an excellent and proven way to increase muscle tone and strengthen the body. The problem is the routine can wear thin rather fast. If you want to enjoy your workout time even more, consider working with your trainer to come up with a plan to incorporate fun options into your routine.

If it’s your goal to increase muscle tone and strength, but not necessarily bulk up like a bodybuilder, there are tons of options at your disposal that do not call for barbells and dumbbells. When you work with a trainer or other professionals at your health club, chances are you will find it is easy to work some variety into your strength training routine.

When it’s time to set aside the weights for a while, you might want to consider such things as:

Pilates – Take a class or get a video that shows you the ins and outs of a pilates program. This type of exercise routine involves gentle resistance training that focuses on building flexibility and core strength. While it might not result in pumped biceps, it can help you tone muscles and boost overall strength. Plus, it’s a fun alternative to sitting on the bench!

Water aerobics – This is an unusual exercise routine that blends a bit of cardio along with some strength training. As you work through aerobic routines, the water adds resistance to your movements. This, in turn, helps with muscle development and toning.

Swimming – Just plain old swimming can help with strength training courtesy of that resistance just mentioned. Mix in a few laps a week to help with toning and strengthening. This activity does tend to impact most major muscle groups, so it provides a fun and refreshing change of pace away from those standard weights.

Yoga – Take a yoga class if you want to add an interesting twist to your strength training routine. This ancient art does involve muscle toning movements along with intense flexibility training. It’s a unique and fun way to address health through mind, body and spirit.

Boxing or kickboxing – This particular sport strikes a nice balance between endurance and strength training. Kickboxing classes can be particularly fun if you are tired of typical routines. If your health club or gym doesn’t offer these classes, check with your trainer on how you might work this activity into your program.

Kettlebells – Although similar to weights, this type of training can mix things up while also helping to improve endurance and flexibility. Kettlebells are fairly cheap to buy and they can offer adjustable weights so they grow with you as your body strengthens.

Strength training doesn’t have to call for chaining yourself to a weight bench. There are a variety of ways to mix things up and still realize some incredible results. If you’re ready to add fun to your routine, talk to your trainer about incorporating unusual and enjoyable activities into your routine.

About the Author

Michael McClain is the owner of “Dialed in Fitness”, San Francisco’s premier fitness and fat loss center.  If you’re ready to begin your fat loss journey please call 1-415-728-7801 right now to receive a complimentary nutrition and fitness Consultation (valued at $97).

If you’re not yet ready for our free consultation offer, please visit http://personaltrainerinsanfrancisco.com/free-san-francisco-fitness-consult/ to instantly download a free report on her “5 Fat loss tips you need to know”.

Fitness in San Francisco Will Give You More Energy

Fitness in San Francisco will increase your energy levels by building cardiovascular endurance.  Aerobic exercises are those which strengthen the heart and circulatory system, and in doing so, results in more efficient use of oxygen by the body.  But there are a number of other benefits which are accrued as a result of aerobic exercising combined with good nutrition and strength straining, and they all increase the body’s energy.

Energetic From the Inside Out

As people age they often begin to complain about not having enough energy anymore.  Often the lack of energy is not due to age, but rather to lack of proper nutrition and aerobic conditioning. The body uses oxygen to generate energy and when your aerobic capacity is low, your energy level will be low.

For the body to have enough energy to function at full capacity, the heart and lungs and circulatory system must be able to deliver oxygen efficiently.  Your aerobic capacity determines your endurance.  In other words, if you have low aerobic capacity, your endurance will also be low making it difficult to complete many daily activities such as climbing a set of stairs.

When you begin a program for fitness in San Francisco, it must be well balanced.  Fitness is a concept which embraces three components:  strength, aerobic capacity and nutrition.  You can’t include two components while ignoring the third and expect to see overall fitness in San Francisco.

Increasing your aerobic capacity increases energy levels in many ways.

  • Reduces fatigue by increasing oxygen supplies
  • Burns calories so you are able to lose weight
  • Increases heart strength so it is better able to pump oxygen rich blood
  • Increases stamina
  • Improves delivery of oxygen to muscles which increases endurance
  • Helps you sleep better at night
  • Increases metabolic rate

Joining Forces

Your aerobic conditioning exercises should be combined with strength training and nutrition in order to achieve the best results.  Your body operates as a unit, and like any unit all of the components must be maintained.  A personal trainer can create a program which improves your general health which leads to increased energy.

A personal trainer can design a fitness in San Francisco program that includes a variety of aerobic exercises in conjunction with your strength training.  Aerobic exercises include jogging, bicycling, swimming, aerobics, rapid walking and many sports activities.  By including a variety of aerobic exercises to increase your cardiovascular healthy, the fitness in San Francisco program will be fun and interesting in addition to being effective.

Aerobic exercise can increase your energy levels by increasing the body’s oxygen supply, improving cardiovascular functioning and helping you get a good night’s sleep.  A personal trainer can work with you in your home or office at your convenience.

You don’t have to be one of those people complaining about not having enough energy!

How Stress Influences Your Health and Fitness in San Francisco

An Expert in Health and Fitness in San Francisco Reports! Work, money, family, the future – there are plenty of things that we stress about. It isn’t just worries or bad things happening that cause stress, but any sort of change, from getting a promotion at work to planning a wedding, that put stress on your body. Stress can come from emotional or physical changes, illness, drastic changes in the environment, and pushing your body too hard. Eventually, stress can have a negative impact on your mental and physical health. In this article, we’ll take a look at how stress can affect your health and why fitness in San Francisco is a great method to help you relieve some of that stress.

What stress does to the body

Our bodies react to stress in a variety of ways, including fatigue, headaches or other aches and pains, insomnia and other emotional disorders like anxiety or depression. Others might experience gastrointestinal problems like ulcers, cramps or irritable bowel syndrome. Stress can also play a part in cardiovascular health, prompting high blood pressure, heart palpitations, hearts attacks or strokes.

Stress can also adversely affect women and the health of their reproductive systems. Women under stress may experience an absence of a menstrual cycle or abnormal menstrual bleeding. The hormone imbalance that stress creates escalated symptoms of fibroid tumors or endometriosis. Stress can even make getting pregnant difficult for those couples experiencing problems with infertility.

Another way that stress can affect people of both genders is that it quite frequently opens the door to illness. Too much stress can cause our immune systems to falter, making us more susceptible to catching colds or the flu. Stress can even have a negative impact on our skin, causing itchy skin, hives or rashes.

Why exercise can help

While exercise has the obvious benefits of improving overall health and helping you live longer, it can also greatly reduce the amount of stress your body is under. Fitness in San Francisco helps relax tense muscles and promotes better sleeping patterns, plus a wide range of benefits that aren’t so obvious. Exercise promotes better blood flow, including in the brain, which can help combat that feeling of having your head stuffed with cotton.

It also releases endorphins that can provide a happy, healthy feeling after a good work out. There is a lot of evidence that people that work out on a regular basis and are in good health are better able to handle the long term affects of stress. Stress will always be a part of our lives, but combating it with fitness in San Francisco can certainly help minimize the negative effects.

Get help in the fight against stress

Getting on the right path to better fitness in San Francisco can be difficult and confusing in the beginning, and you may not see the beneficial effects right away, so it’s easy to quit. Consulting an expert in health and fitness in San Francisco is a great way to get going and keep you motivated. Not only can a personal trainer assess your present health and design a work out routine to help you combat stress, but he’ll also be there every step of the way to encourage you.

Balance in Your Fitness in San Francisco Program

For those that are only at the beginning of their path to better fitness in San Francisco, the word “exercise” conjures up the image of endless hours running or pumping away on a stationary bike. While these exercises certainly have their merits, they are only a part of a balanced fitness program that incorporates several different disciplines. Varying your fitness in San Francisco routine with elements of flexibility, cardio training and strength training will not only help you optimize the results but will also help keep you from being bored. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at these three important elements and how to get help in making your routine a balanced one.

Cardio Training

Cardio training is often considered to be the cornerstone of any balanced workout. Any movement that gets our hearts pumping can be considered cardio training, from riding a bicycle to doing aerobics. The benefits of cardio is that they make the heart stronger, help burn fat and raise the metabolism so that you’re better able to burn up calories. Experts vary in their opinions of how often we should have cardio training, but most agree that about thirty minutes most days of the week is excellent, even if it’s cut up in ten minute increments. The most important part is getting the heart beating at your target heart rate for extended periods of time.

Strength Training

Strength training is an equally important part of a balanced fitness routine. Remember how cardio training helps raise the metabolism? Well, strength training can help in this area by keeping your muscle mass at a healthy rate. And if your goal is to lose weight, strength training in conjunction with cardio training is the best way to go, because the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn over the course of a day. Not only will you be improving your muscles, but also your bones and joints.

Flexibility Training

Flexibility is also an important part of a balanced fitness in San Francisco program, whether it is simply a stretching routine at the beginning or end of a workout or a fuller experience such as yoga. Tired muscles are usually tight and restricted, and stretching can help to increase their flexibility and relieve tension. The benefits of including flexibility training in your fitness program are many, including better posture, protecting the joints and possibly avoiding injury, and even helping to prevent lower back pain.

How To Achieve Fitness in San Francisco

Newcomers to exercise might be scratching their heads and saying to themselves, “Okay, I know these things are important, but how do I find the right balance for me?” It’s true, everyone is different and your needs might be drastically different from someone else’s. A great place to start is to consult a professional of fitness in San Francisco. If you are looking for fitness in San Francisco, a personal trainer is ideal for newcomers and experts alike, because they are able to do a full assessment of your needs, medical concerns and goals and help you reach them in a balanced, safe way.

Fitness in San Francisco – Exercise Equipment

Those that are getting ready to start a new fitness in San Francisco program may be tempted to avoid using exercise equipment for a variety of reasons. Buying an exercise machine or joining a gym can be expensive, and there is a common misconception that people can attain the same amount of exercise without them. The truth is there are clear advantages of incorporating exercise equipment into your fitness in San Francisco program. In this article, we’ll take a look at different kinds of exercise machines and why incorporating different machines in your fitness program can help you reach your fitness goal.

Free Weights

We often think of free weights as dumbbells, but free weights can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from small hand held weights to medicine balls. Free weights help in strength training and can also help improve balance, as all the muscles in the body are needed to maintain balance while lifting. However, concentrating on specific muscles can be a challenge with free weights. While it is true that there are those that prefer to use free weights in their workouts as opposed to strength training machines, these types of machines have their advantages as well.

Strength Training Machines

Weight machines typically have a stack of weights attached to a pulley, which then can be lifted by pushing or pulling. Strength training machines are generally considered to be safer and easier to use than free weights and are great for those just starting on their fitness program. Because machines typically only work on one specific part of the body at a time, they are also ideal for those that are recovering from injury and need to build up strength. Machines also make sure that the correct movements are used, as opposed to the cheating that can occur with free weights, such as using momentum instead of muscle to lift weights. Your fitness in San Francisco program can and should include free weights and strength training machines to maximize results.

Cardio Machines

Cardiovascular machines are used to increase the heart rate, which can help improve the health of the heart and burn fat. These machines can mimic the motions of walking, running, bicycling, climbing stairs as well as other disciplines. It can be argued that actually doing these actions instead of relying on machines is better, but the machines do have clear advantages, such as being able to easily monitor your progress. Most cardio machines feature a display screen that can monitor the heart rate, “distance” traveled, or calories burned. Another advantage is that your fitness in San Francisco program can always continue, even if it’s raining or snowing.

Vary Your Routine for Better Results

The best fitness in San Francisco programs will incorporate both cardio and strength training to maximize their advantages and result in better fitness for the whole body. While cardio machines are excellent for burning fat and getting the heart pumping, the strength training will help maintain all the benefits of the cardio workout. When designing your fitness routine, be sure to incorporate both cardio and strength training, which will help you realize your fitness goals in a faster and healthier way.