Posted by tryingfitness

One machine that I rarely use in the gym is the leg press. It is often in use by others but the main reason I shy away from it is because I wasn’t exactly sure about the proper way to use it. With that being said, I looked up videos on how to use one and found a really good explanation below.

All machines in the gym can cause injury if you don’t know what you’re doing but specific ones such as the leg press machine can also cause lower back injuries if used improperly. Of course, watching a video helps but if you are having doubts, ask a personal trainer to go over it quickly with you.

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Posted by tryingfitness

This is a guest post by author Matthew Perry.

…About how your metabolism is slowing down as you age…Bah, Humbug! I do not think it is so…I think people slow down, not metabolisms.

People say to me almost daily,” When I was in my teens and early 20’s, my metabolism was on fire…I could eat whatever I wanted and blah blah blah…”

BullShxx!

Okay, I am going to speak for me, as I see it and experience it…

When I was in my late teens and early 20’s I could NOT AFFORD to eat like I can now.

When I was in my late teens and early 20’s I HAD NOT created FAT cells…like I “own” now. FYI- Once you create a fat cell, you do not lose it…you keep it like luggage…which means it is always there, lurking…waiting…hoping for you to feed it. And it is a lot harder to create a fat cell than it is to replenish an existing fat cell…THINK ABOUT THAT ONE.

So as I lived into my late 20’s I ate more, because I could afford more than JUST Top Ramen in my cupboards and I could eat out in restaurants. So slowly but surely I created fat. (Yes I was still exercising 5 days a week…but I was eating more than my body was putting out, that is why what you eat is more than 50% of this health and fitness journey).

So to make my point a little more clear-

I gained fat because I ate MORE in my late 20’s early 30’s, than I did in my teens and early 20’s.

So it is harder, now that I am approaching 40, to lose body fat because I created fat and their lovely fat cells…

This could give you the impression that your metabolism has slowed. Maybe you have just slowed down.

So quit blaming your metabolism and accept that life just got one up on ya…just like me and everyone else…AND TAKE IT FROM HERE! Have no regrets. And remember that you are in charge of your destiny and always have been…!

Just a tip: If you’re looking to get back on track, DO NOT SKIP MEALS! (You might think no one is watching…but your body always is). When you eat, your body converts food into energy. If you STARVE YOURSELF, your body will try to conserve energy, thus slowing down fat burning. Ideally, you want to eat several small meals instead of 3 big ones.

Cheers to your Health and Fitness,

Matthew
www.3rdChanceFitness.com

Matthew Perry has been an avid health and fitness enthusiast his entire life. He worked for 8 years in the health club industry as part owner and manager of two successful health and fitness centers. This is where he honed his personal training skills and discovered his enthusiasm for helping people create healthier lives. His passion led him and his wife, Karen, to create 3rd Chance Fitness (www.3rdChanceFitness.com) and Muscle Memory™ whey protein powder, the first in a line of health and nutritional supplements.

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Posted by tryingfitness

I haven’t written a post on here in over a week and it wasn’t because I was taking a break. I finally got over a cold which left me unable to do much of anything except for work. I got to the gym on Saturday and tried running for 30 minutes but couldn’t do it. I ran/walked for 20 minutes because I couldn’t breathe properly from getting over the cold.

I did lift a few weights too just so I could feel like I got in a good workout. I feel great now and will be writing on all of my health blogs on a somewhat regular basis again.

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Posted by tryingfitness

Every now and then I receive free products to try out and most recently I received a few free samples of Propel water. I had never tried Propel until now because I am a big water drinker and don’t feel the need to substitute it. However, there are some people who actually don’t like to drink water and substitute it whenever they can.

Vitamin enhanced waters are all the rage and are marketed towards the health crowd. The problem is that most of them contain tons of sugar and are high in calories. What stood out for me about Propel is that it is low calorie (10 calories per 8 oz serving.) It comes in several flavors (13 to be exact) and it actually tastes good in my opinion. Many people like flavored water and the taste is not overpowering at all. Unlike some flavored water that tastes way too sweet.

The vitamins in Propel include B vitamins (B6, B12), Niacin, Pantothenic Acid (to aid in energy metabolism) and vitamins C and E. Overall if you are not a big water drinker, it is a good substitute compared to the higher-calorie options on the market.

The only other thing to be aware of is that it does contain sucralose which may be a downside for some. If that doesn’t concern you, it is a really good beverage to quench your thirst during a workout.

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Posted by tryingfitness

Calves are muscles which are easy to neglect when working out. These muscles are usually very tough due to daily walking and can be hard to train. If you haven’t focused on your calves very much, when you do work them out, they may feel sore for several days. I remember having worked on my calves after a long time neglecting them and it hurt to walk the next day. I should have warmed up and stretched before and after.

There are two calve machines at the gym, the seated version and the standing version. I have used both and like them equally. The standing calf raise works your gastrocnemius muscles and the seated version targets your soleus muscles. You don’t need either machine to workout your calves though. You can use dumbbells and perform the same calf exercises equivalent to what the machines do.

Seated version with dumbbells:

Standing version with dumbbells:

Both versions are helpful if the gym machines are in use and you don’t want to wait around. They are also good to add into your home workout routines.

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