All you need to do is <a href="https://www.bodyactiongym.co.za/book-a-tour" target="_blank" style="font-size: 10pt;">join Body Action Gym</a> today, no tips needed!

BLOG0020

Tips for getting started at the gym

No matter where you are in your fitness journey - our tips remain the same. We like to keep things simple, so we have put together our top 3 tips for getting started with your mindful nutrition journey:  Never be hungry  Eating small meals every couple of hours keeps our metabolism going steady. When we go without food for long periods of time, we send our body into panic mode and this, in turn, makes our body store food as fat. So, we want to keep giving our body a steady supply of nutrients to help burn fat and build muscle throughout the day.  Never be thirsty  Water supplements every part of our body, including our muscles. Dehydration prevents us from exercising at our peak, making building muscle and burning fat a little less effective. We recommend drinking 2 litres a day.  Protein is power  Protein is key for muscle building which in turn is just as important for burning fat. Did you know that every kilogram of muscle burns 50 calories each day! Eating 1 gram of protein for every kilogram of body mass will give you a good guideline to work with when prepping your daily protein intake. Our favourite sources of protein include fish, beef, chicken, eggs, daily legumes and nuts.  Jog your memory by also reading <a href="https://www.bodyactiongym.co.za/blog/motivation/healthy-holiday-eating-tips-with-monique" target="_blank" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Monique&#39;s blog</a> on how you can apply this to your everyday lifestyle. Now go and fight for the body you want to live in!

BLOG0034

Mindful Nutrition: Tips for getting started

The essence of fitness is to push your body to its peripheries. But did you know that there are two ways in which this limit is achieved, known as the aerobic and anaerobic thresholds? While these two metabolisms may sound like they aren’t very different, in practice, however, they are like chalk and cheese. Let&#39;s get a little scientific and unpack the difference between them. Aerobic: your body creates energy through using carbs and fats present in oxygen that produces carbon dioxide and water through breathing and sweating - which takes place even without exercising. Low to moderate-intensity cardio workouts optimise aerobic exercise, with the main beneficiaries being your lungs and cardiovascular system. These cardio-based workouts include: ·       Running·       Jogging ·       Speed walking·       Swimming ·       Cycling ·       Skipping rope ·       Dancing·       Step aerobics You’ll find all the equipment you need to complete these workouts on our gym floor, and most of these workouts can also be done in our instructor-led <a href="https://www.bodyactiongym.co.za/classes" target="_blank" style="font-size: 14px; color: rgb(64, 64, 64);">group classes</a>.  Anaerobic: this kicks in when physical exertion is highly increased due to resistance workouts, and the aerobic system can no longer keep up with the body&#39;s energy demand. This conversion point is known as the anaerobic threshold and the body starts burning stored sugars to keep up the demand and can usually only be sustained for a short period of time before you must catch your breath.  Examples of these resistance training workouts include: ·       Weightlifting ·       High-intensity interval training (TIP: check out our <a href="https://www.bodyactiongym.co.za/classes/hiit" target="_blank" style="font-size: 14px; background-color: white;">HIIT class</a>) ·       Plyometrics ·       Multifunctional or cross-discipline training (TIP: check out our <a href="https://www.bodyactiongym.co.za/classes/elitefitnesstraining" target="_blank" style="font-size: 14px; background-color: white;">EFT class</a>) In simple terms: the fitter you are, the longer you can sustain the aerobic metabolism before crossing into the anaerobic threshold. Suppose you run on a treadmill; if you can only run at a set pace for 1 minute before you are winded to the point where you have to slow down – you’re at the limits of your aerobic metabolism where your body still carries oxygen to your muscles. The fitter you become, the longer you can sustain that pace. Subsequently, exercises that no longer carry oxygen to your muscles are considered anaerobic. On a side note: It’s important to find the balance between these two systems within your training programme, to ensure you get the best results for your body and your fitness levels. Equally important to note is that you should never confuse either of these thresholds with being the “optimal fat burning zone” that relates to your heart rate. This could easily get confusing so you can always refer to this blog as a reminder, or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVCyKhgK1_j/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 14px;">check out this post</a> we did for a quick at-a-glance highlight whenever you need to revaluate your approach to training or adjust your focus areas. It is always advised to <a href="https://www.bodyactiongym.co.za/trainers/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 14px;">speak to a professional</a> to get the right guidance and help you reach your goals.

BLOG0033

Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Training

When it comes to deciding on a workout routine, the diverse possibilities of what’s available and possible can easily become overwhelming! That’s where we come in – breaking it all down bit by bit. It’s easy to focus on the obvious exercises such as weightlifting, jogging or cycling, but this post is focused on shedding light on an alternative option, which is incorporating a weighted ball into your workout. Slam balls and medicine balls are two of the most common weighted balls available, and each serves a specific purpose.  What are they? Both medicine balls and slam balls are weighted, rubber-coated training balls which can be used in a wide range of exercises used to enhance your workout routine, strengthen your core, and increase muscle mass.  Slam balls Slam balls weigh anywhere from 2kg – 25kg and have a hard, tough shell and are recommended for tossing, throwing and slamming movements, as its name suggests. Slam balls normally have a sand core which makes them ideal for slamming as this sand core prevents the ball from bouncing back and causing injuries. Slam balls have a heavy-duty outer layer, which prevents breakage from continuous ground impact. Slam balls encourage the use of your full body, which results in explosive movements and targeted core strength, and they can be used in place of free weights.  Medicine balls  Medicine balls are generally larger than slam balls and can be made from leather, rubber, plastic, or vinyl. The key difference between the medicine ball and the slam ball is that medicine balls are not designed to be slammed to the ground. Medicine balls have a softer outer shell and core, which would result in the ball bouncing back if slammed. Medicine balls are ideal for strength and endurance exercises, but not for high-velocity exercises.   Both types of fitness tools can help improve strength and stability through different functions. It’s important to consider the key differences when deciding which one would be more beneficial to your workout and which exercises each is suited to.  If you are unsure, be sure to chat to our ever-ready floor custodians and instructors during your next session!

Motivation

Recent Articles