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The best way to get fit

Talk to 10 people and you'll get 10 different opinions on the best way to get fit.



One will tell you to attend an aerobics class. Another will swear by jogging.  Yet another will tell you that dance and biking worked for them.



The truth is that there's really only one effective way to get fit. 

Before we get into the details, it’s important that we agree on the definition of 'fit'.

Too often thin is mistaken for fit, and that's not what you should strive for.

When someone is thin, but has very little muscle tissue, they aren't truly fit.

Here’s why thin doesn’t equal fit:

• Their body fat percentage will be higher than ideal—even though you won't see a lot of fat on them, if their muscle percentage is low then fat percentage will be higher.
• Their resting metabolism will be low, since little muscle is present to burn calories at rest.
• Their body won't be functionally strong, which will lead to injuries and frustrations.

So how does one get truly fit? It’s this simple: RESISTANCE TRAINING 

Resistance training is when resistance is used to challenge your muscles in order to gain strength and endurance. You could do this with traditional weights, exercise bands, medicine balls, cable machines, sandbags, kettlebells or even just using your own body weight.

Consistent resistance training has the following side effects…

• Strength and muscle tone
• Cardiovascular capacity
• Speed, Agility, Balance and Flexibility
• Resistance to injury and disease
• Increase in metabolism

If that’s not enough to convince you that resistance training is the only way to truly become fit, then read on…

Top 9 Benefits to Resistance Training

1. To Build Muscle and Gain Strength: Don’t worry, ladies. This does NOT mean that you’re going to ‘bulk up’ or look too masculine. Unless that is your goal, in which case you already know how consistent, regimented and disciplined your training, diet, and sleep must be in order to get these results. Anyway... what will happen is that your arms, tummy and legs will become tighter, leaner and more defined as a result of resistance training. 

2. To Lose Fat: When it comes to losing size, all that you want to see go is fat, not muscle. Strength training ensures that you maintain and grow those muscles and only lose fat. However, most people's idea of a "good" workout involves excessive amounts of steady state cardio on a treadmill or elliptical , which does very little to improve your strength or your metabolism and ultimately your ability to burn fat and keep it off. 

3. To Build Strong Bones: The older we get, the more important our bone density is. A good strength training program is one of your best defenses when it comes to osteoporosis. A major benefit to all of us, but even more important for postmenopausal women and the elderly.  

4. To Alleviate Anxiety, Stress and Depression: Sure there are plenty of pills out there that claim to give these benefits, but we all know that strength training is more wholesome and effective way. And besides, who really wants pharmaceutical side effects that affect the health of our livers and kidneys?

5. To Sleep Better: Here’s another pill you can stop taking once you start strength training. Study after study have proven that strength training improves sleep. 

6. To Improve Chronic Back Pain: If you are one of the millions across the globe who suffer from back pain then you’ll love the benefit of lowered pain. An increase in core strength will positively affect the health of your lower back.

7. To Improve Insulin Sensitivity: Today diabetes is a huge threat. Minimize your risk by improving insulin sensitivity through regular, challenging strength training.

8. To Improve Good to Bad Cholesterol Ratio: Here is yet another pill that you could potentially stop taking while on a strength training routine. Blood pressure and heart health are of utmost concern, so why not give yourself the advantage of a strength training routine?

9. To Raise your Metabolism: This helps to reduce body fat and to keep that body fat off, even on the days that you aren’t able to exercise. Pretty awesome, right?

Are these reason enough to pick up a weight? Need help on what to do?

If you’re ready to begin your body transformation then feel free to reach out to us at Stone's Fitness.

Call or email  today and we will get you started on the exercise program that will reshape your body once and for all and have you walking around pain free, medicine free and with an increased metabolism!

832-480-2255

www.stonesfitness.com

WELLNESS TIP

3 Ways to GET MORE From Your Workout

Use the following three tips to bring your routine up to the next level:

1. Be Unstable: Use your entire body, and target your core, by performing exercises that engage stabilizing muscles. To do this use an exercise ball, a balance board, a balance disk, or you could simply stand on one leg.

2. Add Resistance: The more resistance that you incorporate with your routine translates into higher intensity and more calories burned. Some ideas for adding resistance include: carrying dumbbells while doing lunges, wearing a weighted vest while walking or jogging, or putting a weight between your feet while doing leg raises.

3. Use Intervals: Interval training is an amazing tool for creating short yet effective workouts. Don’t worry, it’s not complicated. Interval training is simply alternating between different short bursts of activity.