Stephie's Guide to Fitness by VdayMommy

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By your Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mommy 2014 Lexi Gancayco No part of this book may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission from the author, except for a brief portion quoted for review purposes. Designed by Lexi Gancayco 3

First things first, I do not have any background in Nutrition or Physical Fitness. I put together this book based on personal experience and research. This isn’t a bible for fitness and healthy-living; this is just a step-by-step guide for practical fitness and clean eating! This is to share with you diﬀerent aspects of physical and mental healthy living practices that I’ve come to learn and love. I hope you enjoy the read and that you learn a thing or two!

TABLE OF CONENTS Introduction

Fitness vs. Wellness

Getting Started

Exercise

Types of exercise

Personal Picks

Clean Eating

Motivational Quotes

What is Physical Fitness? According to HealthGalaxy.com Physical fitness is an important part of life. It is an indicator, which shows whether you have the ability to perform and enjoy day-to-day physical activities with ease. Physical fitness is generally achieved through; Physical activity and exercise, correct nutrition, enough rest (good quality sleep), stress management and relaxation. According to the Medical Dictionary Physical fitness is a state of physiologic well being that is achieved through a combination of good diet, regular physical exercise, and other practices that promote good health.

Physical Wellness According to the University of California, Riverside Physical wellnessÂ involves aspects of life that are necessary to keep yourself in top condition. Optimal physical wellness is developed through the combination of beneficial physical activity/exercise and healthy eating habits. Elemental components of physical wellness include building muscular strength and endurance, cardiovascular strength and endurance and flexibility. Â Physical wellness is also concerned with developing personal responsibility for your own health care, such as caring for minor illnesses and knowing when professional medical attention is needed. Developing physical wellness empowers you to be able to monitor your own vital signs and understand your body's warning signs. You'll understand and appreciate the relationship between sound nutrition and how your body performs. The physical benefits of looking good and feeling terrific most often lead to the psychological benefits of enhanced self-esteem, self-control, determination and a sense of direction. 8

There's so much confusion with the definition of "fitness" and "wellness." So many individuals and companies use those words interchangeably to mean different things depending on the context, or the message they're trying to convey, or even the product or service they're trying to sell. And so it is that those words are often misused or get lost in translation or interpretation. So let's back track and clarify things... The word “fitness” means the ability to perform physical activities. This includes discussions on the strength of your muscles, joints and ligaments; the state of your endurance; and the power in which your body is capable of moving. This does NOT mean “health.” A person who is fit may not necessarily be healthy, and a person who is healthy may not necessarily be fit. "Health" covers a wide array of components which are usually under the umbrella word, "wellness." "Wellness," in essence, covers all areas of health: mental health, emotional health, physical health, spiritual health, social health, relationship health, and so on. Basically, these are all the different components in a person's life that can affect their overall "well-being."

So when it comes to "fitness"... a person may be fit — be active, participate in sports, be able to lift weights, change the shape of their body, run, jump, and increase their cardiovascular capacity — but this does NOT mean that the state of their body, or their overall "well-being," is in good health. The movement and oxygen produced from "fitnesstype" activities can hugely benefit the well being of the body, BUT it is NOT the only factor that determines the overall health — the "wellness" — of the person. So for example: If a person is always in a state of negatives thoughts or feeling negative emotions (due to an unhealthy relationship with the Self or with others); or if a person regularly eats highly acidic foods, or doesn't eat balanced meals with proper nutrients; or even if he/she doesn’t learn how to breathe deeply, stretch properly or meditate to quiet the mind, this will all aﬀect the overall "wellness" of that person. This is why "wellness," not just fitness, is so important. Wellness is the state of health, state of balance, if you will, in not just your physical body, but also your energy body (in other words, your spirit), your mind (the way you think and how it aﬀects your life), and your emotions (the way you understand them, feel them and use them as guides). 10

So essentially, "wellness" covers the overall "well-being" or "health of a being" from mind, body to spirit. And this makes "fitness" only a component of wellness: it is only a part of the whole. So don't be only concern with fitness. If you want an overall healthy, happy, balanced life, you have to put your attention and appreciation towards all the other components of health in your life. Gift yourself all aspects of what "wellness" has to oﬀer.

When it comes to getting fit, everyone needs to start somewhere. According to MyFitStation, these are a few tips to get you started and going: ü  Love yourself ü  Respect yourself and your limits ü  Get out of your comfort zone, not just once… ü  Enjoy the journey ü  Be in the present during each and every workout ü  Switch it up ü  Take a challenge ü  Do it for the inner strength you’ll gain ü  Do your best; nothing more, nothing less ü  Don’t take yourself so seriously ü  Take yourself so darn seriously ü  Be proud of your achievements ü  Work on getting stronger, more agile, and flexible vs. looking slim and weighing x pounds ü  Take it one day at the time ü  Get inspired by progress vs. the number on the scale ü  Forget about dieting, it doesn’t work! ü  Surround yourself with supportive and positive people ü  Get inspired to move your body daily ü  Listen to music ü  Find a role model, and reach out for their help ü  Learn to love cooking from scratch ü  Set realistic and attainable goals ü  And repeat… SOURCES: http://www.myfitstation.com/2013/08/18/how-to-get-fit-101-the-non-bullshit-way/

The Importance of Exercise According to Fitness Guru (http://www.fitnessguru.org) Around the world, scores of people participate in some sort of exercise, sports, or physical activity. They are overcoming excuses and realizing numerous benefits that one can achieve from undertaking physical activity on a regular basis. Exercise is important to keep both your body and mind "in shape". Here are some of the basic benefits that people can look forward to, when embarking upon a lifetime fitness outlook that includes some form of exercise: Increased Energy By working out on a regular basis, your body becomes more eﬀicient at burning calories. This gives you more energy throughout the day. Increased Metabolism Increased physical activity through working out leads to more muscle mass, which in itself leads to a higher metabolism. As per some studies, every extra pound of muscle allows you to burn anywhere from 50-100 calories when at rest.

Improved Muscle Tone Physical activity, especially weight training allows you to change the shape of your body. Since muscle is denser than fat, one can get bigger or smaller by gaining more muscle mass. Better Health Increased exercising leads to a strengthening of the immune system; which means that one is less likely to get sick when exercising the right amount. On the other hand, over exercising can weaken your immune system and make you sick. Stress Reduction Stress levels are reduced extensively by regular work outs. They allow the individual to take their mind oﬀ the daily grind and use pent up energies for productive purposes. Improved Self-Esteem When following an exercise regimen for a regular basis, you bring about greater self esteem through the results and accomplishment achieved.

Types of Exercise 1) Strength Training Strength training keeps your muscles toned. It can also build them up (bodybuilding). To become stronger, your muscles need to work against some kind of resistance. This causes them to contract, and the more they work by contracting, the stronger you get.

Resistance Training If practiced safely, weight training is a great way to build strength and endurance. Unlike aerobic training, resistance training helps build more muscle mass by creating small micro tears in the muscle. New muscle grows back over the tears, and the muscle becomes stronger. Consult a doctor before starting weight training. There are two main types of weight training: free weights and weight machines.

Free Weights You can use free weights such as hand weights and bar bells to work a group of muscles. Free weights sometimes require more strength than weight machines, so you should make sure you choose a weight you can handle, and use a spotter. Weight Machines Weight machines usually work a single muscle or a smaller group of muscles. Be sure to use extreme caution when using weight machines – make sure that your hands and legs do not get caught in the machine. Have a fitness trainer show you how to use the machine. Other Resistance Training You can also use your own weight to build muscle. Exercises such as push-ups or sit-ups use your body weight to build muscle. You can also use resistance bands.

2) Flexibility While strong muscles are important for movement, flexibility allows you to move your muscles and joints through the full range of motion. Being flexible also helps reduce the chance of muscle injury. Ideally, stretching should be done before and after other types of exercise. Stretching can feel great, but as with other physical activity, if you do it incorrectly you can hurt yourself. Other activities that can help increase your flexibility include yoga and tai chi.

3) Endurance: Aerobic Exercise

Endurance refers to how long you can keep performing an activity without tiring. Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and lungs, which in turn increases your endurance. It is also the best type of activity for burning calories and fat, and can help reduce your risk for diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. On the days you take a break from weight training, focus on aerobic exercise such as running, biking, swimming, or rowing. Teens should engage in 60 minutes of vigorous physical exercise each day. Good activities for building aerobic fitness include: walking, water aerobics running, bicycling, swimming You can also incorporate aerobic activity into your daily activities.

I put together my personal favorite exercises. Some can be done at the comforts of your home, some in the gym. These have all been “tried and tested” by me!

1. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) HIIT is all the hype lately. According to a survey conducted by The American College of Sports Medicine, it’s one of the two top fitness trends for 2014 (the other being bodyweight training). So what’s this type of training all about? What is it with HIIT? HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, is a training technique in which you give all-out, one hundred percent eﬀort through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short, sometimes active, recovery periods. This type of training gets and keeps your heart rate up and burns more fat in less time. “A high-intensity workout increases the body’s need for oxygen during the eﬀort and creates an oxygen shortage, causing your body to ask for more oxygen during recovery,” says Eric Salvador, NASM, NSCA, head instructor at The Fhitting Room in New York City.

“This afterburn eﬀect is referred to as Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) and is the reason why intense exercise will help burn more fat and calories than regular aerobic and steady-state workouts.” HIIT the Spot - Not totally convinced? Here are a few other benefits from HIIT. 1. Increases Your Metabolism Combing high intensity with interval training results in EPOC, which speeds your metabolic rate and “translates into a metabolism boost for up to 48 hours after a complete HIIT routine,” says Salvador. This means you’ll still be burning fat even after you’ve left the gym. 2. Quick and Convenient Long gone are the days of not having enough time for exercise. HIIT workouts is can be done anywhere: at home, in a hotel room, in a park, at a gym, etc. And most are 30 minutes or less! Who can’t spare that?

3. No Equipment Necessary No dumbbells? No problem! HIIT workouts generally use only your body weight, since the focus is on getting your heart rate up and keeping it there. These workouts result in â&#x20AC;&#x153;optimal muscle building and muscle retention couples with fat loss and increased calorie burn,â&#x20AC;? says Salvador. Source: http://dailyburn.com/life/fitness/high-intensity-hiit-workout/

2. Boxing Training Boxing fitness training is an excellent way to get a great cardio workout. Boxing is considered by many to be one of the best exercises because of its ability to help condition the entire body in one workout. This sport improves the cardiovascular and endurance fitness of its participants by providing a high-intensity, calorie-burning routine that promotes optimal physical fitness. To participate in a boxing routine, you will need proper equipment, proper technique and a planned routine. Boxing Is an Overall Workout Boxing is one of the true all-around workouts available, meaning it strengthens and works numerous if not all muscle groups rather than spot training one area alone. Boxing works the core muscles contained within the trunk of the body by using balance and strength, the leg muscles through various kicks and stances, the arm muscles through punching and jabbing, plus the back muscles, shoulder muscles and even the all important gluteus maximus, through continued skipping and dodging movements that are essential.

Boxing Mixes the Workout Up The leading fitness experts have discovered that repetitive workouts and continuous looped movements are detrimental to peak fitness. A constant up shift and down shift of cardio and strength training along with sudden burst training is proving more eﬀective. Boxing incorporates this constant shift of workout, from solitary stance minibag boxing through to large bag boxing and then to one on one sparring with constant movement and flow. An hour of boxing can produce more sweat and more calorie burn than a continuous one hour jog.

Boxing Will Assist Weight Loss Boxing fights obesity which is a major problem worldwide. It is believed that at least 30 minutes per day of regular exercise is enough to keep a minimum level of fitness. How the 30 minutes are spent is very important. A form of activity that is ineﬀective and boring will not yield results, whereas a sport that can be enjoyed, and provides a total body workout that is undeniably eﬀective like boxing, will.

Boxing Is Fun One of the biggest letdowns to fitness is that it is perceived to be a “have to” activity rather than a “want to” activity. Boxing is fun; it can be solo with a bag to music, with a partner or with a group. The element of competition and danger makes it exciting and the non-choreographed free movement means it can be as aggressive and energetic as you like. It is a fact that a task that is enjoyable will have a better overall result than a workout that you don’t enjoy. Source: http://www.3fatchicks.com/4-fitness-benefits-of-boxing/

3. Plyometrics Â

Speed and strength are integral components of fitness found in varying degrees in virtually all athletic movements. Simply put the combination of speed and strength is power. For many years, coaches and athletes have sought to improve power in order to enhance performance. Throughout this century and no doubt long before, jumping, bounding and hopping exercises have been used in various ways to enhance athletic performance. In recent years, this distinct method of training for power or explosiveness has been termed plyometrics. Whatever the origins of the word the term is used to describe the method of training that seeks to enhance the explosive reaction of the individual through powerful muscular contractions because of rapid eccentric contractions. Â

Plyometrics type of exercises has been used successfully by many athletes as a method of training to enhance power. In order to realise the potential benefits of plyometric training the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) must be invoked. This requires careful attention to the technique used during the drill or exercise. The rate of stretch rather than the magnitude of stretch is of primary importance in plyometric training. In addition, the coupling time or ground contact time must be as short as possible. The challenge to you as coach or athlete is to select or create an exercise that is specific to the event and involves the correct muscular action. As long as you remember specificity and to ensure there is a pre-stretch first then the only limit is your imagination. Â

Focus T25 Many people say they want to get or stay fit but just do not have the time to workout. If that is your excuse as well, then you are apparently one of those people who can benefit from Focus T25. Designed to deliver an hour’s results in just 25 minutes a day, it is a short workout program that is becoming increasingly popular for changing many people’s lives. The program is marketed by Beachbody and created by Shaun T, creator of another very successful Beachbody workout program, the Insanity. While it is general belief that longer workouts provide better results, major studies have proven that shorter workouts are more effective than long ones. A 30-minute regimen can be just as effective at scorching fats and even more efficient than 60 minutes of excessive sweating. So Shaun T spent over a year in developing a new program, created hundreds of new moves, and experimented sequences and trial and error to perfect the ultimate time-saving workout. 30

The secret behind Focus T25 is its Focus Interval Training (FIT). You will be working out one muscle group at a time, work it to exhaustion and when you can barely do one more rep, you move on to another muscle group, and then to the next. It involves pure intensity workout with no rest for 25 minutes targeting your glutes to shoulders, your abs to quads, and biceps to obliques. Advantages: •  Time- eﬀicient. It is easier to commit to a 25-minute workout than the usual rigorous 60-minute routines. You get even better results in less than half an hour with Focus T25. You can get the body you have always wanted in just 10 weeks. •  Total body transformation. It is more than a cardio workout. The exercises focus on working out all your muscle groups resulting to toned arms, abs, thighs, butt, and overall fitness. •  Modifer. Helps you get the moves done properly with the availability of modifiers, so it is great for all fitness levels. Disadvantages: Intensity. It is very intense and for the whole 25 minutes, you will be rigorously sweating out without rest. It is best to consult your doctor before you try this program or any other fitness regimen to ensure you are getting the full benefits of your workout and to avoid injury. http://fitnessandweight.org/focus-t25-review-is-it-as-good-as-they-say/2/ 31

Clean eating is a crucial part in achieving the “body” you want. In my case, I wanted my cuts to really come out in my abdominal area. Even if I have always had a skinny upper body, I always felt that my body stored my fat in my tummy area. In my first 6 months of working out to get the “sculpted abs” that I wanted, I didn’t really pay attention to proper nutrition. In May 2013 however, I decided to make the big switch and I became very cautious of what I was eating. It definitely helped bring out the muscles I wanted as well as my over all performance in the gym.

Clean eating is not as bad as it sounds, I learned how to plan all my meals ahead and I learned how to prepare ALL my food. Yes, I still eat sweets, ice cream and chocolates. I just eat it in much moderation now and I try to limit it to the weekends. - Lexi

Lesson 1: How to Start Eating Clean Add instead of subtract to create lasting change. Thrive Forward approaches nutrition from a plant-based perspective, but its progress—not perfection—that matters. There is no right or wrong way to start eating clean, and the tools provided in this program are beneficial for anyone seeking to improve overall wellness. (You don’t have to be vegetarian or vegan to find value in Thrive Forward). Clean eating is predominately plant based, utilizes whole, unprocessed foods, is free of artificial ingredients, and opts for organic whenever possible. What It Means to Eat Clean Whole, unprocessed plant-based foods are full of vitamins, minerals, quality macronutrients, and antioxidants the body needs for cellular regeneration. Plant-based foods are also beneficial to the planet, using fewer natural resources to support whole body (and whole planet) health. Eating clean means avoiding foods that were made in lab, or simply put: not eating foods with ingredients you can’t pronounce. Artificial foods, foods that have been genetically modified, or are laden with pesticides and herbicides have the opposite eﬀect of nourishment, causing stress on your body. Source: http://thriveforward.com/lesson/clean-eating-101lesson-1/#.Uv0HYUKSzMA