“Different Equipment, Different Goals”: Free weights (#24)

Free weights: “Strength and Size”

 

Today at your local gym you’ll likely find more of the experienced lifters using free weights. This is not by mistake. Maintaining proper lifting form while moving a free weight requires a concentrated effort. This is why I look at stationary machines and cables machines as more of a “safety” pre-requisite. Nevertheless, lifting free weights comes with its own set of benefits as well.

 

One of the first things you’ll notice while lifting these type of weights is that you’ll start to experience soreness, more frequently, and in more areas. This increased soreness is actually a good thing as your body learns to grow and adapt to higher stress demands. Furthermore, this soreness indicates that you’re activating ALL your muscles and not just the primary ones.

 

‘Soreness’ is an indicator that your muscle are repairing themselves and becoming stronger.

 

For instance, there are several “assisting muscles” that are actually inhibited when performing arm curls on a stationary machine, whereas with free weight arm curls you’re activating your core, glute muscles (stabilizers), and even secondary muscles like your chest.

 

If you are fairly new to using free weights it’s always a good idea to start off light and then gradually increase in weight. As a matter of fact, it’s always a good idea to start off “light” regardless of experience because doing so will help you develop proper technique. As you continue along your fitness journey don’t forget that person growth is a process! Encourage yourself each week by keeping track of your progress with each machines, cables and free weight exercise. Good luck!

 

Try starting with these! Here are six common free weight exercises that you’ll be able to do in just anywhere:

 

  • DB bicep curls

 

 

  • Triceps extensions (bent over)

 

 

  • Dumbbell back rows

 

 

  • DB shoulder press

 

 

  • Dumbbell chest bench press

 

 

  • DB squats

 

 

 

Key Takeaways:

Free weights…

  • are the most advanced of the three types of weight lifting
  • promote stabilization and core activation
  • should be increased gradually to avoid injury
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Mini Habits! (#21)

You and I are creatures of habits. It’s amazing how many decisions are made in our daily lives without thinking. Some studies even show that subconscious habit makes up 40% of our daily actions! Therefore, in order to keep that ‘40%’ full of healthy actions we’ll discuss how to change unhealthy habits with “mini habits”.

 

One misconception about habits is that they take a lot of effort to build, but I disagree. Nature shows us that a small snowball rolling downhill will eventually get bigger and stronger with enough momentum. The snowball doesn’t require much “effort” once it gets going. In the same way, we’ll use effortless mini habits to build daily momentum towards our goals.

 

 

A small snowball (mini habit) doesn’t require much effort once momentum kicks in.

 

 

There’s a saying that goes “success is built upon success”. Fortunately this quote never mentions how big the success has to be! Think of a mini-habit as a daily task towards your goal that’s SO simple that it’s hard not to do it every day. For instance:

 

  • If your goal is to improve your gym consistency, start a mini habit of driving past your local gym on the way home each day (nothing more!)
  • If you want to build a strong core, start a mini habit of simply laying in sit-up position on the ground for a few seconds (yep! that’s it!)
  • If you want to drink more water each day, start a mini habit of simply filling up a water bottle (I didn’t even say you had to drink it!)

 

“Great! But isn’t this a little TOO simple…what’s the catch?”

 

Mini habits are designed to get you comfortable with taking the first step towards your new goal (a healthier habit).

 

 

Therefore, these too-easy-not-to-do mini-habits simply serve as your “daily bare minimum” accomplishment for the day. However, I assure you it won’t be long before you naturally feel compelled to do more simply because you “might as well”. You’ll figure:

 

  • “I’m already driving by the gym each day (mini habit accomplished), I might as well go inside on the treadmill for a couple minutes”
  • “I’m already down here in sit-up position (mini habit accomplished), I might as well do a couple”
  • “I’ve already filled my water bottle (mini habit accomplished), I might as well drink some”

 

Remember: The “mini habit accomplished” is your main goal, anything else is an extra bonus.

The power of a simplistic habit checklist goes a long way.

 

Furthermore, I would seriously recommend making your momentum visible by utilizing a journal or checklist calendar. Keeping track of your progress this way is a great way to see your “success building upon itself”. Seeing your daily momentum gives yourself a satisfying sense of accomplishment every day. The longer your daily “success streak” gets, the more you’ll want to keep it alive.

 

And boom – you’ve just created discipline without even realizing it.

Let’s get that snowball rollin 🙂

 

Key Takeaway:

  • New habits are best acquired through daily momentum
  • Daily momentum is best sustained through simple, mini habits
  • A mini-habit (baby step) is something that’s “too-easy-not-to-do“
  • Keep track of your daily progress in a journal or calendar checklist
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What’s Next? (Unfamiliar Opportunities) (#13)

Man busy at gym

While I’m a huge advocate of mastering what you already know, there comes a time where we internally ask ourselves, “what now?” As human beings, we’re naturally wired for goal achievement (this is why most of us don’t enjoy being bored). Psychologist Abraham Maslow takes this a step forward by referencing self-actualization as our deepest human need (ie. “fulfillment of our potential”).

 

Taking gradual steps in ‘unfamiliar territory’ gives us a chance to grow!

 

Take myself for instance.

 

For most of my life I was very timid around people I didn’t know. I showed traits of low self-esteem like avoiding eye contact, being stuck in my head, not giving honest opinions, and questioning myself. However, one day I decided it would be cool to share my fitness passions with others. I (very slowly) began journaling different health and fitness topics each day. Eventually I gained the confidence to share my ideas with friends, and today (years later) I’m here sharing these same ideas with YOU!

 

I went from being shy to sharing fitness tips in front of hundreds of employees!

 

So where are the unfamiliar opportunities in your life: Is it longer workouts? Consistent gym attendance  Public speaking? Trying a new machine?

 

Whatever it is, the best way to grow is by taking small, realistic steps at a time. For instance, it might be more beneficial to warm up with an unfamiliar cardio machine for 2-minutes instead of 15-minutes. When we view growth as a never-ending process it keeps us from the unnecessary temptation of doing “too much, too soon”.  As a friend used to tell me,

 

“The way you eat an elephant is one bite at a time”

 

Trying something new requires the risk of being “bad” the first couple of times – but no worries! Just remember: we ultimately become good at what we practice over and over again! 🙂

 

Reference Link: https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

 

Key Takeaways:

  • We long for fulfilled potential
  • Take small, gradual steps towards something unfamiliar
  • View growth as a “never-ending process”
  • We get good at what we practice
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The Great Value of Journaling (#11)

Man writing in his journal.

When it comes to daily health and fitness, journaling your progress is essential to your success. Often times we get so caught up in our daily routines that we easily forget where we started. Reflection on our progress provides us with the encouragement we need to move forward.

 

Journal reflection becomes particularly important at times when we become frustrated from not seeing immediate results.

 

Journaling is a great for assessing daily moods, challenges, victories, and much more. Furthermore, this Journal encourages us when reflecting on how far we’ve come.

For instance, it’s much easier to appreciate that you stuck to your exercise routine 5 days in a row, than it is to complain about not losing any weight in the last 5 days.

 

Thankfully, writing down our progress helps keep us process-minded rather than goal-oriented.

 

Furthermore, the great thing about journaling is that it can be useful in a variety of ways in our everyday lives. Sometimes I’ll find a random journal topic that helps me learn more about myself. Other times I’ll journal just to vent and rant on personal things.

 

Journaling has proven to be one the few stress-relievers that I can practice just about anywhere. Other benefits include:

 

  • Increased creativity
  • Self-confidence
  • Mindfulness
  • Goal attainment
  • Improved communication skills
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Increased self-discipline

 

So whether you’re keeping track of progress or writing about an interesting topic, use journaling as an excellent tool to keep you mindful about your personal growth!

 

FIT BOOST CHALLENGE: For one week, write down how you feel after each workout. What was your experience in the gym like? How did you feel before compared to after? Did you reach a new goal? Take note of any daily progress and see what changes along the way!

 

Key Takeaways:

  • Writing down your progress helps prevent frustrations
  • Tracking our progress helps keep us process-minded rather than goal-oriented.
  • Journaling can be useful in a variety of ways in our lives
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“The Beautiful Growth Mindset (Facing Challenges)” (#10)

Man smiling.

A children’s study showed that kids who were praised solely for their intelligence couldn’t handle adversity as well as those who were praised for their effort. 

 

When ability becomes one’s lone focus it leads to a fixed mindset. Effort, however, develops the growth mindset.

 

So which mindset are you aiming for?

Natural ability (without effort) has a capped ceiling.

 

As you see, our mindset plays a significant role in how we perceive challenges. The fixed mindset basically says “it is what it is”, while the growth mindset says, “I have an opportunity to challenge myself and grow”.

 

Let’s take a closer look at the two mindsets.

The Fixed Mindset says:

  • “I either can or can’t, period”
  • “Either you got it or you don’t”
  • “If I fail, I’m a failure”
  • “I’d rather stick to what I’m good at”
  • “That’s just the way it is”
  • “I give up when I’m frustrated”
  • “Everything is based on my abilities”
  • “I’m satisfied”
  • *Me-focused

 

The Growth Mindset says:

  • “Hard work and effort can help me get to where I want to go”
  • “Practice and effort is the key to becoming skillful”
  • “Failure is something that I do, not who I am, and is a vital part of the learning process”
  • “I’d rather try new skills”
  • “What else can I improve at?”
  • “I persevere when I’m frustrated”
  • “Everything is based on my attitude and effort”
  • “Whats’s next?”
  • *Mission-focused

 

 

 

Here at Daily Fit Boost we focus on the process rather than the outcome and we NEVER stop growing! And the good news is that it’s never too late to switch from a fixed to a growth mindset once you realize it’s possible.

 

 

The effort required is based on each individual goal – and whether you think you can do it!

 

So let’s GROW!

 

As you work towards your fitness goals you’ll eventually get to a place where you develop effort-less habits.

 

Key Takeaways:

  • It’s better to be praised for your effort than your ability
  • Our mindset plays a significant role in how we perceive challenges
  • It’s never too late to shift to a growth mindset

* (Study Source: Dr. Carol Dweck, a professor of psychology at Stanford University and author of the book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, studies mindset in children.)

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“Why Not Me?” (Effort) (#9)

Man looking at sky.
“Wow, that person seems like such a natural, I’d never be able to achieve that!”

 

If the above quote sounds familiar to you, no worries. In fact, the person writing this article has also feel victim to these thoughts on numerous occasion. While it’s easy to get visual overwhelmed at the sight of someone’s progress, we often slip into the trap of disregarding the hard work these people put in on a consistent basis. Today I’d like to challenge your thinking from “how did they?” to “why not me?”

 

Remember: The people who are in incredible shape weren’t born that way. 

 

I’m a firm believer that we shouldn’t compare ourselves to others, but rather focus our attention on becoming the strongest version of ourselves. Asking ourselves “why not me?” immediately shifts the focus to our personal potential.

 

It’s impossible to live up to someone else’s standards, so why not have fun and live up to your own?

 

For instance, instead of :

 

“How in the world will I ever be able to lose 10 lbs as quickly as Laura did!?”

 

How about:

 

“What’s stopping me from putting forth my own best effort like Laura and seeing what happens?”

 

One common denominator of success that I’ve noticed is that success begins with something each of us can control – our effort. Focusing on your best effort, rather than the result, enables you to realize you have less control over the results as you think.

 

Thankfully, having this type of process-mindset keeps you from comparing yourself with others and redirects your attention back to your progress.

 

So, if the first step towards your health and fitness goal is something that you can control (your effort), then why not you?

 

Key Takeaways:

  • Challenge your mindset by simply asking, “Why not me?”
  • Our attention should be on becoming the best version of ourselves
  • Achieving our fitness goals begin with something you can control – your personal effort.
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Healthy Habits For Weight Loss

Healthy Habits For Weight Loss starts with one small mini habit at a time. Today’s video covers the importance of taking healthy habits towards your fitness goals, particularly with healthy habits for weight loss. Reach your fitness goals by building upon mini healthy habits!

 

Read more about Mini Habits here!: https://dailyfitboost.com/mini-habits/

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