80 Ways You Can Join the Food Revolution

This past week I found this article and knew I had to share it with you. The article, 80 Ways You Can Join the Food Revolution gives you tons of strategies for healthy eating. I hope you'll take a minute this weekend to read it.

Have a great weekend!

Dress for Weight Loss Success

Save money while losing weight by purchasing a simple black dress and dress it up or down.

Dress for the job you want. Dress for success. Clothes make the man. These are all familiar phrases, but do you agree with them? I do. I believe that the way we dress tells the world how we feel about ourselves. The type of clothes we choose, the fit of the clothing, even the color of clothes we wear gives a clue to what is going on inside our heads.

It seems to me that people who are on a mission to lose weight often feel that they aren't worthy to dress nice. I'd like a dollar for every time I've heard someone say, "I'm going to buy....when I lose weight." Why not look your best while you are on your journey as well. When we look good, psychologically we feel better. It raises our self-esteem. I would even go as far as to say that it could lead to weight loss success. When you look nice, people notice. You receive compliments. Compliments are great motivators.

Baggy sweatpants and t-shirts are fine for working out, but for some they have become a staple of their wardrobe. I asked my blogging friend, Tracey from Tj's Test Kitchen, to give me her thoughts on dressing while she was losing weight. Tracey has lost 70 lbs., but in her own words, dressing for her new body has brought about some challenges. First, take a look at a few photos of Tracey.



You may have thought these photos were taken several months apart but actually, they were both taken on the same day. Notice how much smaller Tracey looks in an outfit that fits? Even her facial expression changed when she put on the more fitted outfit. Here is what Tracey has to say:

"I've had a weight problem all my life. What I am dealing with right now is seeing myself thinner. I still see the 232 pound person in the mirror. Yes- my clothes are smaller, and I see what the tag says, but when I put it on my body I see myself larger than I am.

That second outfit (baggie shorts- hoodie) I bought to go exercise in. I would walk around the neighborhood or go to the local gym but like I said they were tight on me and a BIG baggy tee shirt or a sweatshirt would always be worn. A bigger shirt would make me feel safe. Covering my butt and even my thighs. I would cover up in baggie clothes because if it was form fitting you could see lumps and bumps and people might see my trouble areas.

Even though I am struggling with seeing myself after the 70 pound loss I know that the fitted outfit makes me look better. Plus I do enjoy all of the compliments I get when I dress in my new clothing and get to show off my success. "-Tracey Jones, TJ's Test Kitchen

Tracey's Toned Little Tummy

Who would have know that was hiding under that baggy outfit?

You don't have to spend a fortune on clothing while you are transitioning from one size to the next. For women, a pair of black slacks, a black dress and a few tops can work with accessories that you already own. Add a colorful scarf, necklace or bag to complete the look. And for heaven's sake, get a decent fitting bra and undergarments. They can make a world of difference. Even tiny little Eva Longoria-Park admits to wearing Spanx to look lump and bump free. I wear them proudly!




For the gentleman, please, I beg of you, get rid of the pleated pants and opt for a flat front pair if you are at or near your goal weight. The pleats only add bulk. A few pairs of pants and jeans along with some nice shirts won't cost a fortune. Believe me, the ladies will notice.




For everyone:

Dark colors on the bottom will give the illusion of a smaller figure.

Make friends with the tailor at your local dry cleaners. For a relatively small price you can have your clothes taken in as you lose weight. Why wear a bigger size than you need. You did the work, why not enjoy the fruits of your labor?

Shop stores like Target for fashionable, well-made and affordable clothing.

You are worth it. You deserve to look nice regardless of your size or where you are on the road to losing or maintaining your weight.

Do you dress to impress or are you still hiding in baggy clothes?

Four-legged Fitness Buddies

Image via Scot-Petshop

A few summers back, my daughter and I volunteered at our local Humane Society. During our volunteer training, a long-time volunteer spoke to the group about the joys of volunteering. She loved cuddling with the kittens, but her favorite part of the experience was visiting with the dogs and talking them on daily walks. After she left the room the Volunteer Coordinator who was facilitating the training told us that the woman who had just left the room was too humble to mention a pretty impressive detail. She had lost 75 lbs since she had started volunteering. The only change in her lifestyle was that she was spending time 6 days a week walking the dogs at the shelter. Isn't that amazing?

I could relate well to that story. You see, 6 years ago I lost 10 lbs over the summer by taking my dog Murphy on several daily walks. We had just moved into our newly built home and without a fence to contain his majesty, we were forced to take him for potty breaks. (We tried walking him in the backyard, but stubborn little guy that he is, he refused to take care of business.)

Dogs, just like humans, need regular exercise to maintain good health. Larger breeds make great running partners. Even small dogs can walk a mile without rest. A 15 minute walk in the morning and a second 15 minutes after dinner is all it takes to keep your furry friend in good shape while you reap the benefits as well.

Not only are dogs beneficial to your physical health, studies show that pets of all varieties are good for our emotional well-being. According to a study conducted at Missouri Western State University, the simple act of petting a dog was shown to lower blood pressure. The study further noted that pet owners tend to suffer from loneliness far less than those who don't own pets. In addition, pet owners tend to seek medical treatment less often and are less likely to suffer from depression.

If this doesn't make you want to run out and get a kitten or puppy, nothing will!

If you can't afford to own a pet, you can still reap the same health benefits that pet owners enjoy. Consider volunteering at your local animal shelter. Volunteers are greatly needed to care for the animals. In addition, there are pet therapy programs that could use your help. These groups bring animals to visit with patients at nursing homes, Hospice facilities and hospitals. Spending time with animals provides patients with a break in their daily routine of medical treatment.

My little pug Murphy, AKA Tiny Terrorist, still behaves like a puppy at almost 9 years old and loves his daily walks. When we get the lease out he does what we refer to as "the spin of excitement".

Notice that he couldn't sit still for this picture.

Do you own a pet? Has pet ownership produced any positive benefits?

The Healthy Backyard Barbecue

Healthy Barbecue recipes, including the Mexican burger, can be found at More.com

Take a walk through my neighborhood any given evening during the spring and summer and you will smell the aroma of meat cooking on the grill. You are probably noticing the same thing in your neighborhood. Barbecue season is in full swing. As you are well aware, the typical barbecue fare is not exactly diet-friendly. No fears though, if you are planning to have friends or family over for a good old-fashioned backyard barbecue, a few tweaks to the menu is all it will take.

Instead of serving the standard hot dogs and hamburgers, think outside of the box. How about grilling up some chicken kabobs, turkey burgers (be sure to use only ground turkey breast), shrimp, fish or my personal favorite, the Spicy Black Bean Burger from Morning Star.




The secret to tasty, yet healthy, barbecued foods is in the seasoning. Marinades and rubs can add lots of flavor to your main dish. Try a Cajun, Tex-Mex, Asian or Chipotle seasoning to give your meat some pizazz.

While the grill is getting fired up, put out a tray of veggies for your guests to nosh on rather than the standard bill of greasy potato chips. Add a little Greek yogurt for the perfect accompaniment.



If you want to REALLY impress your guests,channel your inner Martha Stewart and create an edible centerpiece. A how-to video can be found here. Very swanky!




Everyone will expect lots of side dishes at your barbecue. No need to skip the coleslaw. Make it with a vinegar base instead of a creamy dressing. Red wine vinegar adds plenty of flavor without any of the fat of your customary cream-based dressing.

Potato salad has few redeeming qualities, but you can make a healthier version by adding lots of fresh vegetables to yours and following the advice of the The Healthy Irishman and make yours with a delicious vinaigrette*:

Vinaigrette:
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 garlic clove – peeled & chopped
1 tbsp fresh oregano
1/2 lemon – juiced
1/2 cup olive oil
S&P to taste

While you are making your meat kabobs, don't forget to make a few skewers of vegetable kabobs too. Tomato, zucchini, squash, peppers, onions and mushrooms can be pierced on skewers and marinated in your favorite salad dressing for extra flavor.

Image via Lisa's Journey as a Loser

Fruit salad is a colorful and delicious choice and can stand in as dessert too.

If a "real" dessert is a must you can fool your guests into believing that they are getting a decadent dessert. Try angel food cake stuffed with whipping cream and Berries.

Go easy on the whipped cream!

Grilled fruit is fantastic as dessert. Pineapple and peaches are especially delicious when grilled. So good, in fact, no one will miss the s'mores that you won't be serving.

Image via showstopperonline.com

With a little forethought, you can treat your guests to a delicious and nutritious meal.


*The above vinaigrette was meant to be served with 8 oz. of cooked red skin potatoes. Recipe may need to be doubled or tripled depending on how many you are serving.


Do you have a strategy for making your backyard barbecue healthy?

Functional Training

Balancing on one leg while standing on a Bosu Trainer is a form of functional training

My mom started having issues with her knees years ago. The little pops that she experienced in her 40's gave way to much more severe issues and eventually led to a knee replacement. Last spring she slipped on some wet grass and ended up fracturing all the bones of her ankle, harming the surrounding tissues and suffering nerve damage. Because of the severity of her injuries she was unable to stand. Thankfully, a neighbor saw her trying to crawl back to her house and assisted in getting her to the emergency room. Her recovery was slow and painful and she still has issues with nerve pain.

Since her accident I often wonder if my mom could have avoided the fall and maybe even the knee replacement if she had been instructed by her health care providers to strengthen the muscles that support the knee joints. It is a moot point now, but it really made me start to look at my future. I have osteoarthritis in both of my knees. Was this going to be my future too? Not if I could help it. I needed to take some action to prevent the same kind of thing from happening to me. The answer for me has been functional training.

I had never heard the term "functional training" until I started working out at American Mobile Fitness. According to The American Council on Fitness (ACE), functional training involves strength training "in such a matter that the improvement in strength directly affect that performance of movements so that the individuals daily activities are easier to perform. " A key element of function training is to take into account how the body moves in more than one direction, or on different planes. In simple terms, rather than isolating muscle groups, functional training focuses on strengthening multiple muscle groups and their surrounding joints so that daily activities that you perform are easier and less painful.

For instance, in the image below, the lunge with a twist being performed is similar to the type of movement we might make while shoveling snow. The move not only works the muscles of the legs, but the addition of the rotational motion works the core of the body.


Functional training involves mainly exercises that are weight bearing and work the core of the body where all of our movements originate. When we strengthen the core or our bodies, our daily activities are easier to perform.

If you think about the typical activities you perform on a daily basis, functional training makes good sense. For instance, if you are the parent of a small child you need to have the strength to pick up your child to carry him or her. A squat with a bicep curl or overhead press is similar to this motion.



Using functional training methods to strengthen the muscles is an excellent preventative measure. You may remember last week when I spoke about breaking my toe when I tripped. Had my trainer, Gregg, not been teaching me functional training methods, that trip may have turned into a fall that resulted in a much more serious injury. Thankfully, in the six months that I've been working with Gregg, my core stability has dramatically improved.

If you have not incorporated functional training into your workouts, give it a shot. You never know what you might prevent.

Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to the winners of Melinda Hinson Neeley's book, Finding Life's Secret Sauce:

1. Confessions of a Compulsive Overeater
2. Kyle from Getting Better and Better

Even if you didn't win you still have the opportunity to enjoy Melinda's wisdom at her blog of the same name. Melinda's book is available for purchase on her site as well.

Interview At Finding Life's Secret Sauce

Want to hear a little more about my thoughts on living a healthy lifestyle? I am dishing over at Finding Life's Secret Sauce. If you stop by, be sure to congratulate Melinda Hinson-Neely, the blog's author, on running in the Boston Marathon yesterday. (I know, she's amazing!)



Don't forget to enter my giveaway for your chance to win one of two copies of Melinda's inspirational book, Finding Life's Secret Sauce: How to fit good food, fitness and fun into your crazy busy schedule. The contest ends tonight at 7:00 PM EST.

Why Are French Women So Slim?

They are known to drink good wine, enjoy chocolate and nosh on bread and cheese, yet French women are famous for their slim physiques. While 30% of Americans are 30 or more pounds overweight, only 11% of the French population is considered obese. Author Mirielle Guiliano sheds light on this topic in her book , French Women Don't Get Fat.




Ms. Guiliano came to American as an exchange student in her teens and soon packed on 20 pounds thanks to a steady diet of brownies and cookies. Once she returned to France, her mother took her to a doctor who taught her the value of following the "old French method". At a petite 5'3", Guiliana has maintained her current weight of 110-112 lbs for nearly 30 years.

In her estimation, diets "offer a fast round of misery". Guiliano believes that American women associate food with guilt and that guilt has taken the joy out of eating. By comparison, French women are taught to use all five senses when eating. Enjoying the texture and the scent of the food enhances the experience of eating.

A French woman might eat just 3 bites of a croissant, but she will use all 5 sense to savor those bites

We are all aware that portion control plays a role in keeping your weight down. Rather than gulp down huge servings, French women prefer to relax and enjoy just a few bites of their favorites like chocolate or pastries. They eat less because they are paying attention to what they are eating.

French women often visit the market several times per week to find the freshest ingredients for their meals.

Choosing a variety of foods, according to Guiliano, is the key to dropping pounds. She compares eating a narrow range of foods to being in a romantic rut-without that spark, the urge to cheat is more likely. Her suggestion is to choose only the freshest produce, herbs and spices. Selecting foods that are in season will guarantee the quality and quality is a must.

My favorite of Guiliano's suggestions is to make meals a pleasurable ritual. Don't save the good china and crystal for special occasions only, use it to make your meals more of an event. As well, the French believe that wine should be consumed with a meal to be fully appreciated. Rather than drinking several mixed drinks before and after meals, wine drunk as part of the meal adds to the experience.

You don't have to get this fancy, but definitely banish the paper plates.

Physical activity is also part of the equation. Whereas the average American woman will jump in the car to pick up that gallon of milk or dozen eggs, walking to the market and on errands is part of the French culture. Along with their style of eating, the extra miles logged during their daily excursions help zap the calories from those tasty croissants and French chocolates.


To read an excerpt from French Women Don't Get Fat, click here.

Thoughts?

Do You Live in an Unhealthy City?

Every year a new study pops up listing the healthiest and least healthy cities in the United States. These studies combine a variety of criteria to gauge the overall wellness of a city. For instance, statistics are gathered regarding nutritional habits, availability of recreational and medical facilities and predominance of smoking. Issues that can affect mental health and contribute to stress such as the rate of unemployment and cost of living, are also factored into the equation. A recent study conducted by Sperlings BestPlaces and Centrum found that cities on the west coast generally ranked higher than those on the east coast, with five of the most healthy cities located in California.

It isn't difficult to see why cities like San Francisco, California might come out smelling like a rose in a survey like this. While the cost of living is high in San Fran, the residents of the city are more likely to walk and bike as a form of transportation. The city allocates 20% of it's land to parks that can be enjoyed during most of the year as the climate is temperate. San Francisco boasts a large vegetarian population as well. But what about those cities that aren't doing so well on the health and wellness front? What are the factors that are contributing to the degenerating health of their residents? What can be done to facilitate positive change?

Sadly, the state where I was born and raised, Ohio, is among the states harboring many of the least healthy cities. I grew up in Toledo, Ohio. (Less than an hour drive from Detroit, Michigan, #7 on the list of Sperlings LEAST healthy cities!) There are a number of factors that come to mind as to why Toledo's population is expanding, in waist size, not the number of residents! Let's examine a couple of stats about my former hometown.

-Toledo has been said to have more restaurants per capita than nearly any city in the U.S.

-Toledo, aka, the Glass City, is a blue collar city whose tax base relies heavily on the automotive industry, an industry hard hit by today's economic climate.


-The public schools are considering doing away with physical education classes in an effort to save money.

Get the picture? On the plus side, Toledo also has a wonderful park system and plenty of bike paths throughout the city. They have a terrific farmer's market where nearby growers bring in the freshest produce. There are also a number of large hospitals and medical facilities in the area.

Regardless of the city where you reside, leading a healthy lifestyle is attainable. The choice is yours. You may not be able to change where your city falls on the list, but you can change your individual habits.

What does your city offer its residents to improve the quality of their health?

Don't forget to enter my giveaway.

Finding Life's Secret Sauce and a Giveaway

A few months ago I discovered a blog that I can really relate to, Finding Life's Secret Sauce. I love how Melinda Hinson Neely, the blog's author, lives life to the fullest. She is an entrepreneur, marketing executive, wife and mother, but she still finds time to run marathons. Melinda shares her secret to juggling her hectic schedule in her book, Finding Life's Secret Sauce: How to fit good food, fitness and fun into your crazy, busy schedule.

Last month I contacted Melinda to let her know how much I enjoyed her blog and she graciously agreed to send me a copy of her book to review and share with readers of this blog. I enjoyed her book tremendously and would like to share a few bits and pieces.

By looking at the cover of the book you would think that Melinda has always been the thin and trim marathon runner that you see pictured, but in her book she shares her struggles with weight gain during college as well as how she deals with balancing her diet given her Southern roots (and all the high fat cooking that came with it!) I loved this statement that Melinda made about losing the 25 lbs. she gained in college and keeping it off:

"Not only do I feel better about myself, I just feel better. This, to me, is the pinnacle of health and wellness."

In her book you will find advice on cooking food that balances taste with nutrition, strategies for eating out, suggestions for adding fitness into your schedule and her thoughts on balancing your personal and professional lives.

In a chapter entitled Challenge Yourself, Melinda discusses the value of choosing a goal to strive for and the importance of enjoying the journey. Just finishing something that you put your mind to is an accomplishment in and of itself. Too often we are so engrossed in trying to achieve perfection that we may lose sight of the joy that can be found on the road to reaching our goals.

My personal favorite moment of the book was an experience that Melinda shared that occurred just prior to the start of the 2009 Boston Marathon. Her nerves were getting the best of her when she noticed another competitor wearing a sign that read:

"Relax. Neither one of us is going to win."

Those words put things in perspective for her. Run the race. Push yourself harder than you thought possible. Complete the race to the best of your ability. Don't compare your race to the race of anyone else. Most importantly, have the time of your life. Those are words that apply to the race we are all competing in every day, the race to lead the life we dream about.

Melinda has agreed to send a copy of her book to two lucky readers. For a chance to win just leave me a comment then visit Finding Life's Secret Sauce and introduce yourself to Melinda.

The contest will end on Tuesday, April 20 at 7:00 PM EST. The winners will be announced on Wednesday, April 21.

Why Do We Put Ourselves Down?

I had an enlightening experience this weekend during a girls day out that included an afternoon of shopping, dinner and drinks. While waiting for our friend to finish in the dressing room, I made an innocent comment about how difficult it is to find pants that fit. I was blessed with a pretty small waist, but I can't say the same about my hips. I started complaining about my hips. I continued complaining about my stomach pooch and droopy bum too. Despite many hours of exercise, believe it or not, I still don't have the body of a lingerie model. She stopped me and told me that her husband, on more than one occasion, has mentioned that he thinks I'm too hard on myself. He's right, I am often hard on myself. I have been thinking about this ever since.

I like to see myself as a glass half full kind of person, but when it comes to certain aspects of my life, aspects I feel like I should be able to control, I am very hard on myself. I don't have all the answers, but I think I have a pretty good idea why I am like this. My own mother put herself down often. My mom is a beautiful woman, inside and out. She is perhaps the most organized person I've ever met. She is well read, has a fantastic sense of humor and the capacity to give of herself like no one I've ever met. Yet as recent as this past week she uttered her favorite put-down, "I may be ugly, but I'm not stupid." When you hear your mom talk this way, you assume that it is acceptable, that you are almost expected, to have that kind of self deprecating humor.

When we don't feel good about ourselves, we assume others think the same way about us. It's easier to point out what we perceive to be our flaws before someone else has a chance to do it for us. It's easier to accept our own criticism than that of others. Why not say what you think the other person is thinking. Let them know that you know. It is a defense mechanism of sorts. A shield that we put up to deflect criticism, whether or not it's coming.

For some, putting themselves down is all they know. It's pretty common to grow up hearing that you could do better, try a little harder, achieve more. Success is expected, not praised. Compliments aren't handed out readily. Too much praise for small achievements leads to low expectations for oneself. Not true.

I may be far off the mark, but I think most people of my generation received very little in the way of positive reinforcement from their parents. I rarely received compliments growing up. I was reminded that I needed to work harder when my grades slipped. I was reprimanded when my room was messy. I was told that my hair was a mess. It would have been nice to hear, "You are a really talented writer." or "Your hair looks nice today." every once in a while. One thousand reminders of what you are doing wrong can't produce nearly the results that come from the single uttering of, "Great job, you're heading in the right direction."

Starting today, I'm on a mission to stop putting myself down. I don't want my own daughter growing up thinking that it's unacceptable, arrogant or shallow to have a positive perception of herself. This is going to take some work on my part. A pattern of behavior that is forty-five years in the making doesn't change overnight.

Do you think you are overly critical of yourself? Why is that?

Manage Your Health Like a Business

Is it just me or does Bret Michael's remind anyone else of Captain Jack Sparrow?

I have a new guilty pleasure, Celebrity Apprentice. Similar to the original show, The Apprentice, a group of celebrities are assembled, divided into two groups and given various business projects to complete each week. At the end of each task the weak link on the losing team is fired. While watching this past Sunday night it occurred to me that if we treated our health and fitness like a business project, we might just see an overall improvement in our well-being.

Think about it for a minute, let's say you were hired by a client to market their business. What is the first thing you would do? My instinct tells me that the first thing I would do would be to ask the client a lot of questions about their goals. [What are your fitness/health goals?]

Next, I'd ask the client what approach the company has taken in the past to meet those goals? Why weren't those approaches successful? [What have you done in the past that has failed? What have you done that has worked?]

After that I would start doing a whole lot of research. I would look at statistics about similar companies and their marketing strategies. I might survey consumers about their experience with the company who hired me. [Have you researched the effectiveness of different fitness and diet programs? Have you looked for reviews from people who have used the program?]

With all of the information gathered, I would bring together a team to assist me in putting together the marketing plan for the company. [Have you considered hiring a registered dietitian or fitness professional to assist you in achieving your goals? Do you need to address psychological reasons for your health issues?]

Finally, with the help of my team, I would put my plan into action. [Have you developed and launched your plan?]

No one wants to hear these words.

If managing your health and fitness were your job (and they are!) would you be promoted or fired?

What I Learned From an Injury

It was a Monday evening. I was changing the sheets on my bed. My son brought me the phone. There was a perky young lady on the other end telling me about all of the wonderful improvements that have been made at the university from which I graduated and suggesting that all alumni donate $200 in order that more projects on campus come to fruition. I wasn't paying attention to the large carpet rolled up at the end of my bed. I tripped on said carpet. I broke the second toe on my left foot.

Injuries, even minor ones like a broken toe, can cause disruption to our lives. I wasn't able to put weight on that foot for a day and a half. I was forced to limp for more than a week. It took me 1 hour and 40 minutes to do my grocery shopping that first week after I broke the toe. I had to cancel my Wednesday morning session with my personal trainer, Gregg.

But the upside to an injury is that you learn a lot.

I learned that what I take for granted is a blessing. If I had a permanent disability or if I were 50, 70, 100 pounds heavier, every day activity would feel like a struggle.

I learned that a injured foot isn't an excuse to stop exercising. There are alternatives. Pilates is done completely on the floor. As a matter of fact, it was developed as a form of conditioning for dancers who had suffered injuries. I dusted off an old Denise Austin Pilates workout and got to work. (Believe it or not, we still have a working VCR so I've held on to my old exercise videos.)

Used copies of the workout I use in DVD form are available at Amazon for under $6.

I learned that my trainer has the knowledge to work around my injury. There are plenty of exercises that can be done seated or on a mat.

This one is a lot harder than it looks!

I learned that riding a bike is a good form of cardio. Riding my bike through our neighborhood's bike trail and into a nearby park is not only going to raise my heart rate, but it's also a lot of fun. I may make bike riding a part of my summer fitness routine. My daughter loves riding and it would be an activity we could do together.


I learned the value of R.I.C.E. therapy after an injury. While simple, it is effective.

Most importantly, I learned that it's okay to slow down, delegate chores, and say no to requests for your time. Actually, you don't need an injury for that one.

Oh, I also learned that breaking your toe is a fan-tas-tic excuse to get rid of a telephone solicitor!

Have you ever suffered an injury? Did it teach you anything?

My Thoughts on Eating Disorders

Today you can find me guest posting for Bobbie at Anonymous Fat Girl. Hope you'll stop by and read my thoughts on eating disorders.

Guest Post: Mixed Martial Arts

Image via EMixedMartialArts.com

You are in for a treat today. Alexia Kraus from MMAIndustries.com

is guest posting today on the subject of Mixed Martial Arts as a form of fitness. As someone whose only experience with martial arts was an occasional kick-boxing class, I was eager to learn more. Alexia may just convince you to try MMA yourself.

Average People Can Enhance Their Overall Strength and Endurance by Adding Aspects of a MMA Workout Routine into Their Daily Fitness Regimen

By Alexia Kraus

It’s pretty obvious that the workout regiment and strength training of a mixed martial artist is gravely different than that of your average day-to-day gym goers. A MMA fighter has to build a body that can both take and outlast the punishment of the sport. This is much different than average gym goers who are usually looking for a healthy workout just to maintain their physique. However, this doesn’t mean that a MMA workout can’t fit in with the workout routine of an average person.

One of the biggest differences in a fighter's workout routine is that it focuses on the whole body in one session rather than the different sets of muscle groups. Most people workout legs and back one day and arms and chest the other. Fighters, on the other hand, need their bodies to work as one complete unit. This is done in one session of a strength training regimen of dead lifts, squats, and chest presses. An exercise you don’t always see in the gym is jumping rope. Based on this fact, it would seem that most people don’t consider the fact that jumping rope requires all aspects of the body to be moving in order be done correctly. Mixing this exercise into a workout routine adds enormous value to your level of endurance while sharpening reflexes and reaction time.

Even things as simple as the training gear that MMA fighters use separates them from the rest of the gym pack. Fighters use MMA Training Equipment, such as MMA Training Gloves, as part of their workout while most people working out wear nothing more than old shorts and ripped shirts. This shows that not only do fighters workout differently, but they use the best equipment they can to maximize their workout and simulate the actual conditions that will exist in the ring.

This doesn’t mean that average gym-goers can’t maximize their own workout. By adding aspects of the MMA fighter routine into their workout 2 or 3 times a week, an average person can build up a higher level of endurance and strength than they would normally be accustomed to achieving. This may not get them ready for the cage anytime soon, but it will definitely make their workout more effective.

What do you think, ready to give it a go?