Archive for the tag - results

Friday Pep Talk: Prove Yourself Right.

October 8, 2010 By

Time for a little pep talk.

You have a goal. You might want to lose weight. Or build muscle. Or just be healthier and more active. You probably also have a lot of support - and maybe a few critics. Funny how loud those critics can sometimes be.

Critics can take surprising forms. Parents, friends, coworkers and relatives - these people may be vocally opposed to you reaching your goals. But at the end of the day, that’s their baggage. It’s not yours. Their inability to support you and whatever changes you’re looking to create says a lot about them and nothing about you.

You don’t have time for that. And you certainly don’t have time to prove them wrong.

Come from a place of power. Rather than being motivated to prove them wrong, be motivated to prove yourself right. YOU know you can do it. You have the strength, the ability and the persistence. Prove yourself right by sticking to it. This is about you.

Go team, go!

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: , , , ,

Exposed: How Long Does it Take to Get Results from Working Out?

August 21, 2010 By

Dear Davey,

How long should it take to see results from working out? I’m relatively new to the exercise game. I’ve been doing resistance training and cardio for about 4 weeks. Thanks for any advice you have.

Impatient in Iowa

Thanks for such a great question!

First, Mr. Iowa, we have to define results. Your “results” are likely different from the next person, and obviously it is all dependent on your fitness goals. Some people exercise for weight loss while others are looking for (if you can believe it) weight gain. Some want bigger muscles and others want improved energy or endurance.

Second, we have to determine the best way to measure those results. Here are just a handful of ideas:

  • How your clothes fit
  • Tape measure
  • Body fat percent
  • Cholesterol
  • Improved level of activity (don’t get winded as easily, can lift more weight around the house, etc.)
  • Scale
  • Sleep (if you’re sleeping through the night)

Obviously, there are a number of methods to measure your results and these methods will be dependent on your goals. If your goals are building muscle mass and increasing strength, for example, then I’d recommend a tape measure as your method (this is much better than weighing yourself). On a biweekly basis, you can measure the width of the muscles that you are trying to build and track the results.

Third, consider diet. Does your diet support the results you are looking to achieve? If you are looking to build muscle, are you taking in the right amount of protein? If you are looking to drop a few pounds, does your diet support a calorie deficit? A lot of people have great fitness goals that they are working towards in the gym - but then they ignore those goals when it comes to food. It’s like trying to swim upstream. On the flip side, if your diet supports the change that you are looking to produce, your results will be expedited.

Fourth, we need to factor in the amount of time and energy you’re spending exercising. Obviously, someone who is working out intensely 5 days a week is going to see results faster than someone that is spending 20 minutes a week working out. Not surprisingly, there is a positive correlation between effort and results. If you are working out less frequently - this isn’t necessarily a bad thing - then just know that your time line will be extended.

Having said all of that, most beginners will start to see results in one way, shape, or form after the first 6 to 8 weeks of exercise. Of course, different muscles build at different rates - and so larger arms will be noticeable before, say, more developed abdominal muscles (abs build very slowly). Remember: Rome wasn’t built in a day. And your results won’t happen overnight. Moreover, many of the changes are so slow, they’re hard to track with the naked eye. Be sure to measure with something a little more objective than your bathroom mirror.

Keeping all of this in mind, it’s important to recognize that exercise isn’t about setting a goal, measuring against it, achieving it and stopping. It’s about making exercise a regular, sustainable and integral part of your life.

If you’re looking to get started (or change things up), my Total Body Assault program is a great way to start. For a limited time, use promo code “results” to save 25%.

Filed Under: Ask Davey, Tips Tagged With: , , ,

Working Out Twice a Day: Is It For You?

August 11, 2010 By

This guy is one of the few things that could get me to the gym twice a day.

Okay, I admit it. I occasionally workout twice a day. But my second workout is usually something fun and different - like swimming, kayaking, canoeing or a bike ride. It’s not something that I do a lot, but it is common practice for a handful of very dedicated enthusiasts (though most of us have a hard enough time getting to the gym even once!).

Ideally, “twice-a-dayers” will do cardio in the morning and strength training in the evening. Each workout could range from 20 minutes to an hour. Hitting the gym twice a day is really a splitting of your workout. It doesn’t mean that you’ll be doing your normal routine twice - it means that you’ll divide things up accordingly. And in fact, many people find they’re able to push themselves harder by exercising twice a day, and that they’re actually able to shave off some time from their workout.

Here’s what you stand to benefit:

  • Double boost in metabolism. When you exercise, your body burns fat and calories at an increased rate. This increase continues for some time even after your workout is complete. So obviously, when you exercise twice a day, you get twice the boost! If you’re trying to lean up or release some extra weight, this is good news.
  • Shorter workouts. Instead of doing a 90 minute fitness routine, you could break it up into two 30 - 45 minute workouts. Shorter workouts make it easier to focus - and much easier to really give it your all; you’ll avoid the drag that most people experience in the second half of a longer workout.
  • Increased energy. If you workout in the morning, you’ll know that it’s better than a cup of coffee. Whether you’re feeling lazy, sluggish or unproductive, there’s nothing like a good workout to energize your day. But by the afternoon, most of us fade back into a haze. If, however, you hit the gym again in the afternoon, you’ll be stimulated and alive all evening. It’s like a second wind. And don’t worry - working out close to bedtime doesn’t lead to insomnia or sleep problems for most people, though there is some risk.
  • Better results. Maybe. If you’re able to push yourself harder, faster and stronger by splitting your workout in two, then you’ll see better results sooner.

Working out twice a day isn’t for everyone. For me, the benefits are often outweighed by the idea of commuting to the gym twice, changing twice, dirtying two gym outfits, etc. But what do you think? Do you workout twice a day? Is it something that you’re interested in trying?

Filed Under: Tips, Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: , , , , ,

Not Seeing Results from Your Workout? Here’s Why!

August 10, 2010 By

We all know people that complain about a lack of results. Just the other day, I was talking to a woman at my gym who couldn’t figure out why she wasn’t losing weight. Day after day, she’d hit the gym and do the same routine - but alas the pounds were not shedding. Duh! If she’s not getting results, why keep doing more of the same? Doing the same thing and expecting different results is insanity. But I know that she’s not alone and so I compiled a list of the top reasons the exercisers don’t see results:

  1. They’ve plateaued. The woman at the gym was playing it safe - she had found a workout that she could manage and performed it religiously. But she wasn’t challenging herself or pushing her body to its limits. It’s time for her to supercharge her workout and turn up the heat. After all, you’ll only get out of your workout what you put it. Break through your plateau!
  2. They’re inconsistent. Consistency is one of the most important factors in achieving any fitness goals. Taking a day off here and there is fine - but days can easily become weeks, and weeks undue progress. At the minimum, get a good workout 2-3 time a week.
  3. They don’t have a clue. Lack of results can often be attributed to cluelessness. It’s one thing to have a fitness goal. It’s another thing to know what you’ll need to do to achieve that goal. Maybe you want stronger arms - but do you know what it takes to build them? Doing good, solid research or hiring a person trainer can help - or you can sign up to get Davey Wavey Fitness blog updates by e-mail. 😛
  4. They can’t focus. I always chuckle at the number of people that only seem to be exercising their mouths at the gym. Sure, it’s great to socialize, but let’s remember the task at hand! Just going to the gym isn’t going to help you get results - you have to actually to do something while you’re there.
  5. They eat shit. If someone is following a tried and true fitness program consistently and they still are not seeing results, then it’s time to look at the other end of the equation: nutrition. Proper nutrition doesn’t mean eating raw eggplant and alfalfa sprouts - but it does mean doing your best to avoid the shitty stuff most of the time.

Are you not seeing the results you want? What’s your story? And which of these reasons might apply to you?

Filed Under: Nutrition, Tips, Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: , , , ,
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