I won’t lie. When I got asked to take on the fitness assignment for the site, I was under the impression that it was a comprehensive fitness assessment where they would tell me how out of shape I was and address the importance of exercise. Clearly, attentive listening isn’t a skill of mine. In actuality, I would be tackling 6 personal workout sessions with Josh Neumann of StayFitAnywhere, in addition to…
6 homework assignments and some coaching on eating right.
I have never “worked out” before, never ventured near the Grouse Grind and the only athletic gear you would have caught me in was circa 2003 when it was cool to wear your workout gear, everywhere – Josh had his work cut out for him. The man was brave and created a customized work out regime that was targeted the key areas I wanted to tackle. My initial assessment revealed that I could do a whole 3 pushups – impressive I know.
Throughout the 6+ weeks, I perspired and wheezed myself through a variety of exercises which were mostly weight training with very little cardio which was a big plus for me. A whole lot of morning-after pains in muscles I never knew I had. It wasn’t pleasant but it was good to know I was working out the dormant muscles of my back side, which Josh told me was the key to reaching my goals.
After my training, I felt stronger, faster and more powerful. This was verified in my last session where I was able to do 21 pushups and lift half my body weight in kettle bells. Every session, I not only had a whole lot of kinetic expertise but got impromptu lessons on the science and research behind the instruction which made me stop and think about a lot of things I’ve never given thought to. Here are some of the a-ha moments I will take away from my experience
- Weight lifting. If you want to drop pounds weight lifting is the way to go. It burns twice as much as calories post-work out than cardio will.
- Equipment, machines and gear. You don’t need them, especially not the fancy and complicated gadgets. Sure, docking your ipod in your Nike’s is a great way to monitor your heartbeat but it is largely unnecessary. Josh continually challenged me by asking what type of equipment or lack thereof our ancestors had. If they were able to stay fit with bare feet so can we.
- Eating colourfully. If you plan out what you eat, day-to-day, meal-to-meal it can save you time, money and will keep you on track. Take two minutes a day to quickly make mental notes of what your intake will be and eat every three hours or so to keep your metabolism working. If measuring portions and balanced meals aren’t your thing, an easy rule of thumb is to eat colourfully (veggies, proteins, and beans) – you’ll be surprised to realize how monotone a lot of unhealthy food is.
- Stand up straight. “Shoulders back, chest proud” – I can still hear Josh’s voice in my head. Not only will this keep your shoulder muscles active and prevent back problems, it really gives off a more confident and polished appearance. Super model stance – stomp it out ladies.
For more information as for Josh Neumann at StayFitAnywhere.
Image: Lululemon
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