The 5 Biggest Fitness Mistakes

Take a walk through any gym, and you'll notice many mistakes. Mistakes that waste time. Mistakes that put people in danger. And mistakes that are just plain stupid. Maybe you even make a few of these mistakes yourself.

By avoiding these common blunders, you'll put yourself on the fast track to results. Check out the following 5 fitness mistakes and the solutions you need to avoid danger and to get fit fast.

Mistake 1: You use the wrong weight

The goal is to challenge your muscles, not to simply go through the motions. If you are able to complete 15 repetitions easily, then the weight is too light. On the flip side, if you aren't able to perform an exercise through its full range of motion, and find yourself cheating on form, then the weight is too heavy.

The correct weights will feel challenging by your last few repetitions, but won't force you to sacrifice form.

Mistake 2: You do the same routine

You may have noticed that most people do the same exercises each time they visit the gym. Maybe you've been doing the same exercise routine as long as you can remember - if it isn't broken then don't fix it, right?

The truth is that exercise routines have expiration dates, and that is the date that they begin to lose their effectiveness. As a rule of thumb never use the same routine for more than 4 weeks.

Mistake 3: You don't warm up

Most people consider warm up time to be wasted time - they'd rather jump right into the heart of the routine. What they don't realize is that a good warm up will allow you to perform at a higher intensity, which means greater results.

The point of a warm up is to increase your muscle temperature. This increases blood flow, muscle contraction and reduces muscle resistance. Your warm up should last 5-10 minutes.

Mistake 4: You use bad form

Gyms are filled with people performing exercises with bad form. The two biggest reasons are that you aren't concentrating on the exercise, or you're trying to lift weight that is too heavy. Lifting with improper form almost always results in injury.

Take the time to achieve proper form, by doing so you'll avoid injury and will reap the full benefit from each exercise.

Mistake 5: You workout alone

People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and typically see fewer results. It makes sense, doesn't it? Why rush to the gym if no one is there waiting for you? Why push yourself if no one is watching? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.

The best way to avoid injury and to see results is to work with me, your trusted source on fitness. I am passionate about seeing my clients achieve results - without wasting time, energy and effort on mistakes.

Call or email today to schedule your first workout. You'll find my contact info below.

PS. Take the time to visit my website: www.1822fitness.com and don't forget to share with me on the section below your thougths on this post and/or other mistakes people make that stop them from seeing greater results.

Take care,

Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com

Steps to influence people

This is a non-fitness related blogpost. But very useful if you deal with people in a regular basis.
As a business owner and Christian I am called to influence people to expand the kingdom of God and/or increase my business. My pastor Richie Vasquez talked about the power on influencing people and he gave away some practical steps on how to become people of influence in this world. I wanted to share those steps with you. Enjoy them. Leave a comment and share with me your practical steps in how you influence the people around you in a daily basis.

Steps to influence people:
1. We have to make the first move.
2. Connect by finding common ground.
3. Listen-Listen-Listen
4. Stay on task when you speak (what to say and how to say it, be wise) Right Time-Right Place-Right Spirit
5. Get their attention by saying enough to causing them to take the step you want them to take.
6. Build the bridge don't break it.

-Principles taken from John 4:7-42 and Acts 17:22-34
-Message from Pastor Richie Vasquez on 11/22/09 @ New Wine Fellowship (www.mynewwine.com)


Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com

The Top 5 Side Effects of Exercise

Your doctor feels like a broken record.

That's right - he's sick and tired of telling you how important exercise is to your health because YOU DON'T LISTEN.

He's sick of explaining how so many of your health problems will improve or even disappear as the result of a consistent exercise program.

He's tired of tallying your controllable risk factors which include physical inactivity and obesity.

So why does he continue to give you the same lecture?

Because he's seen exercise change lives.

He's even seen exercise save lives.

A Doctor's Perspective

Dr. David Shilling MD has been a family doctor for over 30 years. In that time he's given a fair number of patients the exercise lecture...with good cause.
He's seen firsthand the healing power of exercise.

Exactly what kind of healing? Dr. Shilling shared the top 5 benefits that he's seen patients experience as a result of exercise...

1. Feel Great: The first thing that patients tell Dr. Shilling after starting an exercise program is how much better they feel. “People don't realize how bad they feel. They get used to feeling bad. Then when they start exercising they feel so much better.”

Your energy levels boost and you feel great.

2. Pain Be Gone: Next patients notice a reduction in aches and pains. Chronic muscle and joint pain that they've lived with for years begins to fade. For some, joint replacement surgery is postponed. For others, arthritis pain is reduced.

Your muscles and joints feel better than ever.

3. Goodbye Coronary Heart Disease: While patients can't feel this healing benefit of exercise, it is the one that saves lives. Exercise removes two of the major risk factors that lead to heart disease: 1) physical inactivity and 2) obesity. Exercise also increases your good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers your blood pressure.

Your risk of heart attack or stroke is reduced.

4. Goodbye Type 2 Diabetes: Patients with type 2 diabetes gain substantial benefits from exercise. Exercise improves the body's use of insulin, and the related weight loss improves insulin sensitivity. Of course patients with type 2 diabetes need to get guidelines from their doctor before starting an exercise program.

Your blood sugar levels are better controlled.

5. Goodbye Sleep Apnea: Patients with sleep apnea are often caught in a destructive cycle. Their weight promotes occurrences of apnea then inadequate sleep promotes weight gain. Dr. Shilling has seen exercise break this cycle.

Your sleep becomes restful and weight loss becomes easier.

With all of these benefits it's hard to see why anyone would avoid exercise. What's your excuse?

I know you're tired...exercise gives you energy.
I know you're in pain...exercise alleviates your muscle and joint pain.
I know you'd rather stay in bed...exercise makes your sleep more restful.
I know you're pressed for time...exercise improves your efficiency and extends your life.
I know you don't know where to start...that's where I come in.
Reply to this email or call me at the number above and we'll schedule a consultation where I can show you the fastest and safest way to reap all of the benefits of exercise.

Then the next time you see your doctor he won't give you a lecture.

He'll congratulate you.












Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com

Your Most Neglected Body Part

I can't figure out why, but people universally neglect to train their legs. It's a funny thing, since proper leg training will dramatically deliver total body results.

Walk into any gym and you'll see the bench press taken, the dumbbells being curled-and an empty squat rack in the corner.

Leg exercises are tough, I won't deny that, but the benefits are more than worth the exertion.

A Case for Your Legs

Your legs are a major muscle group, so it's no surprise that training them will get you big time results. Training your legs will...

Melt fat from your body. As I mentioned above, leg exercises are tough. Your legs are a large part of your body, so each exercise literally moves your whole body. This is precisely why a good leg workout will fire up your metabolism to melt fat away. You'll burn more calories while exercising your legs than any other body part.

Due to the intense nature of a leg workout, your metabolism becomes elevated for more than 24 hours. That means that for an entire day your body continues to burn extra calories without any extra effort on your part. Who wouldn't love that?
Build strength for everyday life. How often do you use your legs? Most of us depend on our legs constantly throughout the day-so wouldn't it make sense to strengthen our individual mode of transportation? Kind of like putting a super charger on the engine of your car.

Exercising your legs isn't only about increased strength; you'll also improve your coordination and balance. This means that you'll be able to do and experience things that you otherwise would have missed. You only live once, right?
Uncover natural muscle shape. Let's be honest, toned legs are attractive. I'm not saying that you're legs will bulge with muscles (unless we trained you for that), but I am saying that consistently training your legs will uncover your natural toned shape.

Many of my clients discover a whole new level of confidence after getting their legs back into shape. Women especially enjoy the freedom to wear shorts or a skirt without feeling embarrassed to show their legs. Wouldn't you love that freedom?

Oh, and I should tell you that as you strengthen your legs you'll also reduce the risk of injury to your lower back because you'll actually learn to pick things up off the ground the right way.

Best Leg Exercises

Now that I've convinced you to pay more attention to your legs, here are three of the top exercises you should do. Each of these exercises have dozens of different variations, so have fun and always keep your workouts fresh and challenging.

The Lunge: Start with your feet together, take a large step forward and bend your knees down into a lunge position. Exhale as you press yourself back up to a standing position, or continue through with your step into another lunge.
The Squat: Start with your feet shoulder width apart, inhale as you bend your knees, keeping your back straight. Be sure to keep your knees from going past your toes. Exhale as you push back up to a standing position.
The Dead Lift: Grip the barbell with a mixed grip (one palm faces you, one doesn't). Allow the barbell to hang down in front of you as you stand on the platform with your feet shoulder width apart. Lean forward at your waist, keeping your back flat, and bend your knees, bringing the bar down past them. Exhale as you straighten your legs and lift the bar up. When you are standing upright lean back slightly and squeeze the muscles of your lower back. Hold this contraction for a moment. Inhale and slowly return back down to the starting position.
By no stretch of the imagination are these three the ONLY leg exercises out available. And that's the other great thing about training your legs... you have tons of options and variations.

Want to know more about leg exercises and which ones are the best for you? Are you finally ready to get into the best shape of your life? Let me help.

Leave your comments!!!

Email me at the address below and we'll schedule a consultation where you and I can assess your goals and I can show you the fastest and safest way to reach them.


Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com

Go FITNESS Shopping

Did you know that the grocery store is the source for most of your unwanted pounds?

Well, that and the fast food restaurants, but we'll leave that for another day.

If you're like most people then your shopping trips aren't exactly organized. In fact, your grocery cart is likely to be more fat than fit.

The good news is that with a few small modifications to your routine you'll be able to turn your grocery shopping trip into an easy opportunity to slim down.

I've broken down the process of healthy grocery store navigation with an easy-to-remember acronym - FITNESS.

Come, take a walk with me through your grocery store and we'll improve your shape and the shape of your family members.

F: First Veggies
Your mom always told you that you had to eat your veggies before dessert-so this will be an easy one to remember. When you start shopping, first go to the produce section. The bulk of your shopping should take place here. Fresh vegetables, lettuce for salads, and fruits are the best things to eat when you want to look and feel great.

Don't skimp on produce-aim to fill most of your cart here.

I: Is it Wheat?
When it comes to bread you only need to ask yourself one question. Is it wheat? White bread products have been processed and filled with simple carbohydrates – these will easily stick to your body as fat. Wheat breads, on the other hand, contain more fiber and are much healthier. Make it a policy to never purchase white bread, wheat bread is the right choice even for the little members of your family.

Always choose hearty wheat bread products-the more whole grain, the better.

T: Trim the Fat
In the meat section you are faced with a major decision. Do you go with your taste buds or do you go with your health conscious side? I urge you to stick with the latter. These days lean meats are more available than ever, and the benefits to going lean are numerous. When you choose lean meats you avoid extra saturated fat (your heart will thank you for this) and you also avoid the extra calories that come packed into each fat gram.

Want to be lean? Then eat lean meats.

N: Never enter the Junk Food Aisle
I have a simple policy that has saved me from thousands of unnecessary calories. I don't walk down the junk food aisle. You and I both know that it is nearly impossible to walk past rows of chips, candies and cookies without putting something into the cart. The bright packages stamped with mouthwatering images will give your will power a run for its money. My two cents? Avoid that row altogether and save yourself from the whole ordeal.

Nothing good ever came from walking down the junk food aisle-just say no.

E: Edge around the store
Here's a really easy trick for healthy shopping. Edge around the store, as in shop the perimeter and avoid the inner aisles. Think about it-the healthiest products are kept around the perimeter of the store: produce, meat, dairy. The inner aisles are where you run into trouble: processed food, baked goods, and sweets. Don't get me wrong, there are healthy products kept in the inner aisles too, but a majority of the items are waist-expanders.

Shop in a circle-stick to the perimeter of the store, do less shopping in the aisles.

S: Skinny Cow
The dairy section is filled with many healthy items; it is also filled with extremely high fat items. Your job is to pick out all those calcium-rich foods that you love in the low fat and non fat versions. I realize that many people have a prejudice against low milk or yogurt, simply because they've always eaten the full fat version. Making the switch to low fat is such a simple way to cut unnecessary fat and calories from your diet, while still getting all the benefits of dairy.

Fat free dairy products are the way to go-you'll only lose unwanted pounds.

S: Stick with Water
Warning: mini lecture to follow. I'll make it short and sweet. Drink more water-period. Sodas, sugary juices and calorie-laden alcoholic beverages are responsible for a large number of unnecessary calories in your diet. Don't fill your cart with these sneaky calories. Keep them out of your kitchen and out of your life.

Looking for a tasty beverage? Look no farther than crystal clear water.

There you have it-your FITNESS shopping plan that will take your cart from fat to fit. I suggest that you write down the FITNESS steps on a note card and take it to the store with you.

Are you ready to take your body from fat to fit? I've got what it takes to get you there! No guess work, no fad diets, and no super long workouts.

Call or email today to learn more about my fitness, strength and conditioning programs that will quickly change your life.


Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com

Discovered: The Fountain of Youth!

What if I told you that the Fountain of Youth had been discovered and that you could reap the benefits of its life-extending, body-enhancing powers today? You would probably think I had either lost my mind or that I was about to pitch a new line of supplements to you! But it's true, the Fountain of Youth exists, and I need you to read on, because these next few paragraphs will change the way you view your body forever:

Age creeps up on you in the form of lowered metabolism, easier weight gain and aching muscles and joints. In fact, at the age of 50 most people begin to lose 12% of their muscle strength and 6% of their muscle mass with each passing decade. It's no wonder that for centuries people have been so intrigued with finding the Fountain of Youth!

But did you know the real culprit behind age-related ailments? Disuse That's right - your body feels the effects of aging most when you don't use it! Makes sense, doesn't it? In youth we are generally active and vigorous, and as the years pass by we tend to be more cautious and less apt toward physical activity. This disuse takes quite a toll on our bodies.

Exercise is the Fountain of Youth.

Exercise is the only proven way to drastically combat aging and to regain your youthful body. In fact, most people are able to regain up to 1/3 of their muscle strength and mass after participating in an exercise program for just a couple of months. Many studies have also shown that seniors who exercise regularly live longer than those who don't. Isn't that amazing!

What if you aren't 50 yet - maybe not even 40? Should you simply sit back and relax, since aging is so far off in your future? No! If you are younger than 50, I still have one piece of advice for you - exercise! By making exercise a part of your daily life you are in the position to arm yourself against ever feeling the full effect of aging on your body. What a powerful thing! And guess what? Exercise brings you a plethora of other benefits as well.

And you thought that exercise was only useful for losing weight! Not only will exercise increase your strength and muscle mass, check out this list of the proven benefits of exercise:

improved sleeping patterns
improved blood profile
increase in bone density
increased life expectancy
improved cardiovascular health
decrease in life-threatening conditions, such as diabetes, insulin resistance and heart disease
increased muscle strength
decreased blood pressure
improved psychological health
increase in mobility and flexibility
Wow! Did you know that exercise could do all of that for you? It has been proven that regular exercise will help keep you younger even as your age increases. And we are talking about both physical and metal youth.

So now that you know the secret power of exercise, what should you do to harness it? Participate in a regular exercise program and feel younger and more vibrant than ever! Making the decision to get into shape will be the best one you make in your life, and I encourage you to contact me to jump start your exercise program.

Are You Hungry?
When you find yourself reaching for a candy bar--WAIT! Are you really even hungry? Or are you simply eating out of habit? Next time you find yourself gravitating toward a junk food fix do a short burst of physical activity instead. A dozen jumping jacks, 15 crunches, a walk around the block... you get the idea! By the time your heart rate returns to normal you will find that your craving has passed--and not only did you save yourself from empty calories, you burned extra calories as well!

Grilled Chicken & Spinach Salad with Orange Dressing
Sweet fruit flavors deliciously complement peppered chicken in this tantalizing salad. It can be enjoyed for a healthy lunch or dinner.
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 (10-oz.) pkg. pre-washed fresh spinach, torn
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon grated orange peel,
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 medium shallots, minced
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves, pounded slightly to flatten
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 slices orange, halved
1 1/2 cups strawberries, halved
Instructions

Heat grill. Place spinach in large bowl. In a small sauce pan, combine orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, orange peel, salt and shallots; mix well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Immediately pour over spinach; toss to combine. Divide evenly onto 4 plates.
When ready to grill, lightly sprinkle 1 side of the chicken breast half with 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place chicken, peppered side down, on gas grill over medium heat or charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals. Cook 5 minutes. Lightly sprinkle chicken again with remaining pepper; turn chicken. Cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear.
Slice chicken breasts crosswise into slices; do not separate slices; arrange 1 breast half on spinach mixture on each plate. Arrange halved orange slices and strawberries around chicken.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1/4 of recipe) equals 260 calories, 4g fat, 25g carbohydrates and 30g protein.

It's time to do something about it. Let's get together and I'll show how to get there twice as fast, guranteed!! Log onto www.1822fitness.com for mor info. And if you want me to include you in our bi-monthly newslettter, email me to joel@1822fitness.com with the following info: name and email, and if you want to include your phone number if you want to redeem your FREE session with me.

Dedicated to your fitness success,


Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com

Tips for Proper Squatting

The squat is one of the most or the most beneficial exercise among the lower body exercises. When squatting make sure to follow the following tips to maximize the benefits of one of the greatest exercises of all time.
1. Preparation: Set the bar in the power rack at about mid-chest level. Get in front of the bar with your feet directly under the bar and squat untill you’re underneath it. Take a deep breath and hold it and squat up to unrack the bar and then exhale. Take one step back with one leg and another step back with the other leg and then squat.

2. Before execution: Make sure that before squatting, your chest is up, you look slightly down– look forward and slightly down to keep your back straight and neck in line, the bar will rest on the muscles of your upper back, to have a narrow grip to tighter your upper back, keep your wrists straight, tighten your upper back, elbows back, toes out around 30 degrees, and have your weight on your heels.

3. Execution (phase1-squatting down): At this point you're about to perform the first rep. As you go down make sure to have your hips back like you're about to sit on a chair, don't allow your knees to go over your toes as you squat down, that's why is so important to throw your hips back and to have your weight on your heels, squat parallel to the ground or beyond parallel, the deeper the better (butt-to-heels)

4. Execution (phase 2-squatting up): At the bottom position of the squat, you want to push through your heels to return to the standing position. While going up: squeeze your glutes,
stay focused on the target, keep your knees out or aligned with your toes, and push up with your hips without compromising any of the points discussed above (#1-3).

Don't forget to establish a proper breathing pattern throughout the preparation and execution of the exercise. For more info refer to the blog posted before this one.

PS. If you're ready to change your lifestyle and would like me to take you through the proccess I would be more than happy to do it. Redeem your FREE pass by logging onto www.1822fitness.com and click on the area of contacting Joel and send me an email and I'll send you the pass to see me for FREE without obligation.

Dedicated to your fitness success,


Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com

Always Breathing!

Many people have asked me many times about the right way to breath while exercising.

Here is what I have to say:
1. During strength/endurance training such as weight lifting you should generally exhale on the exertion (the most difficult part of the exercise) and inhale on the recovery (the easiest part of the exercise). For example, when squatting, you should inhale during the upright position before you squat down and exhale on the way up.

2. During cardio training, such as cycling, running or swimming you should remember that breathing and the cadence of the cardio activity may not be in sync. The most important things is to avoid shallow breathing whenever possible. Try to establish a breathing pattern (inhale/exhale) that feels comfortable for you.

PS. Are you ready to take your fitness level to the next level? Contact me via email or log onto www.1822fitness.com to redeem your FREE session with me.

Dedicated to your fitness success,

Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.

The Blame Game

Whose fault is it that you're out of shape?

If you go by what you hear in diet ads then you believe that it's anyone's fault but yours.

The big diet companies think that if they put the blame on you, then you wouldn't buy their bogus pills. So they put the blame on your cortisol levels, your modern diet (ie fast food), or your busy schedule instead of where it belongs - which is squarely on your shoulders.

Sure, you have obstacles that get in your way - your schedule, your job, your kids, the weather, your knee injury from college...but ultimately you have the body that you accept.

I'm going to repeat that so it will really sink in.

You have the body that you accept.

Embracing the blame for your current weight is not a bad thing - it's empowering. Think about it. If it really wasn't your fault, if it really was due to a long list of variables that you have zero control over, then you'd be stuck. You'd have no way to change.

The Secret Behind 'Before and After' Pictures

Allow me to pull back the curtain for you on something that the diet industry doesn't want you to know. You've seen countless before and after pictures documenting weight loss as a result of a diet product. Well, there is more involved than just the diet product, and it's the same across the board.

Look into the eyes of any person in their before picture and you'll see that they are disturbed. The body they have is no longer in sync with the body they can accept.

They changed the body that they accept.

Now look into their eyes in the after picture - see the sweet satisfaction? They now own the body that they decided they could accept. And what a great feeling that is.

Your Time To Transform

Whether you realize it or not, you already posses everything you need to transform your body, but it all starts with taking responsibility for the body that you have today. You have your current body because until this moment you've been OK with it.

Oh sure, you aren't thrilled with it, and you even talk about losing weight and getting fit, but you haven't changed what you'll accept. Here's how to transform your body in 3 steps:

Step One: Get Disturbed

You've heard it said that emotion creates motion. This is essential when it comes to losing weight. Just like those folks in the before pictures, to transform your body you must first decide that you can't live another day in the body you currently have.

It's time to get your emotions stirred up. Make a list of all the reasons that you must lose weight and get fit. Get disturbed!

Step Two: Get Focused

Without clarity it's very hard to get where you want to go. Now that you're disturbed with the body you have, it's time to decide what the body you can accept looks like.

I want you to think in concrete and specific terms. Just like the captions under those before and after pictures - "Suzy lost 25 lbs", "Mike lost 8 inches from his waist", "Jenny went from a size 18 to a size 6" .

Get a clear picture in your mind of what you'll look like in your after picture and visualize what the caption will read.

Step Three: Get Moving

The time spent between your inspiration (now) and your action determines whether you will succeed or fail. Don't allow yourself to get stuck between inspiration and action - there is always something that you can do right now.

Don't you agree that you'll be happier living life in a fit, healthy and attractive body, rather than the body you have today? Of course you'll be happier.

I've helped scores of clients just like you finally lose their unwanted weight.

I am here to take you from your before picture to your after picture, however, you need to bring something to the table - you need to make up your mind about what you'll accept of yourself.

What will you accept?

Ready to get that edge?




Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com