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No More Average Workouts

No More Average Workouts

Published by on May 10, 2024 | Leave a response

At VIP Fitness in Fort Lee, NJ, we focus on helping you achieve your goals. We create a workout that allows you to reach those goals quicker and focus on excellence, not average. What is the difference between an excellent workout and an average one? It’s not how much time you spend at the gym working out, what is it? It’s how efficient you are, the effort you put in, and the attention to detail, which includes ensuring you’re doing every movement correctly.

It starts with a program designed to fit your goal, fitness level, and needs.

Our trainers create programs that are personalized. You’ll get the fastest results and reach your goal quicker using scientifically tested techniques. They show you how to do each movement and then watch to ensure you do it correctly. Your program will push you hard, but still be safely within your abilities. The trainers track your progress. Tracking your progress creates a visual representative of how far you’ve come or how you’re missing your mark. Winners keep score and tracking your workout makes you a winner.

Use the latest methods that get the best results for your body and your goal.

Not every exercise provides the same results for fitness. Some exercises even work better for some people than they do for others. The time you spend in the gym is valuable so you need to maximize your efficiency and choose the right exercises for your needs and body. It’s all about finding the most efficient workout to help you reach your goals. Our trainers do that for you and by tracking your workout and progress, also ensure that it performs as planned and gives you great results.

You have to put in the effort.

You reap what you sow. If you half-heartedly exercise, you’ll see half-hearted results. The next time you work out, ask yourself if you’re giving 100% or if you could do more. Try to push a little harder to see if it’s possible. It might feel uncomfortable initially, but when you see superior results, you’ll be glad you put forth that effort. Focus on detail. Do every minute movement correctly and with enthusiasm before pushing toward higher reps. Focus on tempo and body position.

  • Getting results also depends on your diet. You can’t out-exercise a bad diet. Avoid foods that cause inflammation, such as sugary food, and include whole foods that contain a plethora of nutrients.
  • The things you do outside the gym also count. Your body requires adequate sleep to get the full benefits of your exercise program. Keep your room cool and dark. Remove phones, TVs, and computers from your bedroom.
  • Consistency is also a key to success. It’s getting exercise at a scheduled time every day that takes the workout beyond average to excellent.
  • Focus on a good mental attitude, not just about working out, but life in general. Learn an attitude of gratitude and ways to cut stress quickly, like meditation, deep breathing exercises, or visualization.

For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center

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Is Your Extra Weight Because Of A Hormone Imbalance?

Is Your Extra Weight Because Of A Hormone Imbalance?

Published by on April 25, 2024 | Leave a response

If you feel like you’re carrying enough extra weight to qualify for a Strongman Competition, don’t despair. You may have dieted faithfully, and nothing seemed to budge them. Even though those excess pounds may be stubborn, the problem may be a hormone imbalance. Some imbalances come from medical issues, so get a complete physical first. Treating the issue can take care of the problem. You can realign hormones naturally by eating the right food and exercising.

Most people think of sex hormones when they hear the word.

Hormones are messengers and guide all types of functions. Some of those are sex hormones, but there are so many others that can be out of balance. Insulin is one of the hormones. It tells the cells to open and uptake energy. Another hormonal pair that can affect your weight is the leptin/ghrelin hormones. Leptin makes you feel full, and ghrelin makes you hungry. Lack of sleep can cause an imbalance by increasing ghrelin and reducing leptin production. Cortisol is a stress hormone that prepares your body for fleeing or fighting. Both insulin and cortisol excess can cause weight gain. The weight gain is in a specific area, the belly. Exercise and a healthy diet can help rebalance both.

Thyroid hormones may be causing your body to burn fewer calories.

You often hear people say they have a thyroid problem that slows their metabolism. In many cases, unless they’ve consulted medical experts, it’s not the case. Besides weight gain, other signs of an inactive thyroid include constipation, sensitivity to heat or cold, fatigue, dry skin, hair loss, and an irregular heartbeat. Even if the problem exists, there are still ways to help. Cut out highly processed food and food with added sugar. Learning meditation and other stress relievers can help. So can regular exercise. Always follow your healthcare professional’s advice before starting any fitness program.

Diminishing stress hormones can cause weight gain.

Women go through many hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause. Men also have a similar reduction of testosterone around the same time. Both can cause the accumulation of belly fat. You can even help those imbalances with exercise and diet. Both males and females benefit from increased exercise, particularly strength training, a healthy diet with slightly more protein, stress management, increased sun time or vitamin D, quality sleep, and less alcohol.

  • Genetics help determine whether you’ll lose muscle mass faster as you age. You can’t change genetics, but you can slow the loss of muscle mass with strength training.
  • Focusing on core training can help prevent belly fat. It can also help maintain posture and reduce the loss of height that comes with aging.
  • Exercise can help you sleep. Adequate sleep can reduce your appetite by maintaining your ghrelin and leptin hormone balance. If you constantly snack, eat healthy options like fruits and vegetables.
  • Stress can do more than cause weight gain. It can increase blood sugar levels and release stress hormones that change how insulin works. That can cause insulin resistance, which leads to diabetes and weight gain.

For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center

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Be In A Better Mood

Be In A Better Mood

Published by on April 10, 2024 | Leave a response

There are many reasons to exercise. Good health, weight loss, and endurance are a few. One reason people don’t mention is the effect exercise has on mood. I see it a lot at the gym in Fort Hood, NJ. Clients come in with a scowl, furrowed brow, or the appearance of stress. After they workout, they leave with a more relaxed appearance and often a smile on their face. The session helped them relax and feel better. It caused endorphins to be released. Endorphins are natural mood enhancers.

There are changes to your body caused by hormones when you start a fitness program.

Your body and brain make changes when you start a fitness program. The brain produces more brain-derived neurotrophic factor—BDNF. BDNF protects the brain and repairs memory neurons. It boosts the creation of brain cells and keeps the brain functioning. It’s a reset for the brain. Exercise boosts the creation of other brain chemicals, such as endorphins. You won’t experience the pain of running or pushing your body because the endorphins handle that. It’s part of the fight-or-flight response that prepares your body for escape or battle. The endorphins work like natural opioids to keep you going and not focus on pain or exhaustion.

There’s even more going on in the brain that makes you feel good.

Your body increases the creation of serotonin or norepinephrine. These two act as neurotransmitters and hormones. Scientists often refer to them as the “happiness hormones.” They calm your brain and are probably the reason exercise is a good adjunct therapy for depression and anxiety. One study found that people suffering from major depressive disorder remained in remission longer when they exercised. They found there was no relapse a year later at the follow-up interview.

The body produces more dopamine when you exercise.

Dopamine acts as a neurotransmitter that acts like a chemical messenger. It’s also a hormone that works like epinephrine and norepinephrine. It affects many functions like movement, motivation, memory, and mood. It is part of the body’s reward system. It’s released as part of the fight-or-flight response and rewards the body for doing what it needs to do to survive. It also boosts your mood.

  • You’ll sleep better when you exercise regularly. Lack of sleep can affect your sense of well-being. Exercise also boosts your energy level so you feel better and more willing to take on the world.
  • You need all types of training to get the most from the mood-altering experience, but just walking a half hour a day is a start. One study showed that strength training twice a week can help lift depression.
  • Exercise improves your posture and makes you look more confident. The more confident you look, the more confident you’ll feel. Others also view you as confident and treat you differently.
  • What you eat makes a big difference. Consuming healthy food with more B12 increases serotonin production which makes you feel good. Cutting out sugar can help reduce mood swings and depression.

For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center

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Best Ways To Get In Shape For Summer

Best Ways To Get In Shape For Summer

Published by on March 25, 2024 | Leave a response

Summer can creep up on you. Before you know it, you’re trying on swimsuits and not happy with the results. This is the perfect time to start a program to get in shape for summer. You have three months until June and four until July. If you lose two to three pounds a week, you could lose between 24 and 48 pounds and tone your muscles. If weight loss isn’t your goal, you can start a fitness program to boost your energy so you won’t hit the wall doing activities that require endurance. Taking the kids to an amusement park, a botanical garden, or a bike ride will be more fun.

Fitness starts in the kitchen regardless of your goal.

If you want to build muscles, you need to boost the protein in your diet. Cutting calories without cutting nutrition is necessary for weight loss. Even boosting your energy takes a well-rounded, healthy diet devoid of food with added sugar. You’ll look and feel your best when you eat whole foods. We’ll show you how to change your diet for the desired results.

Start a workout program that focuses on your goals.

Everyone wants to look good in summer clothing but it may not be their biggest goal. Some people want to boost their endurance, while others want to tone their muscles so they don’t look flabby. Our personal training programs will help you achieve your goals with a personalized program designed specifically for your needs. Trainers use the most advanced scientific methods to help you reach your goals faster.

Adopt lifestyle changes.

Working out regularly is one lifestyle change that makes a big difference. To ensure you stick with the program, schedule your workout as you would any appointment. Working out with a trainer helps because the trainer holds you accountable and keeps the workout interesting. Eating a healthy diet is also a vital lifestyle change. Getting adequate sleep is also vital. When you don’t get enough sleep, it causes the body to increase the production of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and decrease the production of leptin, the satiety hormone. Drinking adequate fluid and staying hydrated is also vital.

  • You’ll get faster results by increasing your daily activity. If you can take the stairs instead of the elevator, do so. Walk to lunch and park further from the store and walk. Add fun activities to your calendar such as dancing.
  • Track your progress. Winners keep score. If you’re working with a personal trainer, the trainer will track you. It can help show what’s working and what’s not. Tracking your progress can also be motivating.
  • If you want to eliminate cellulite, let your trainer know. Eating or avoiding certain foods and toning muscle tissue can help make cellulite less visible.
  • Include all types of training in your workout. Strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance training are necessary. Each provides benefits to help you look and feel better. They improve posture and make you look thinner and more graceful.

For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center

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Best Foods For Healthy Skin

Best Foods For Healthy Skin

Published by on March 10, 2024 | Leave a response

Food can improve your health or cause health issues. A healthy diet positively affects all of the body, including the skin. While many fitness centers only offer an exercise program, we offer a personalized diet and exercise program at VIP Fitness in Fort Lee, NJ. You’ll be amazed at the difference eating healthy can make. It can make weight loss easier, improve health issues, and even make your skin look its best. Good nutrition builds strong cells and improves your complexion from the inside. It can improve your skin far better than any expensive cream or lotion.

Knowing your skin type can guide you to the best diet.

Most people know whether they have dry or oily skin. It’s as simple as washing and drying your face, waiting a few hours, and then examining it. If your cheeks look dry and flaky, it’s dry. If it’s oily around the nose and above the brow—the T-zone—but the cheeks are dry, it’s a combination skin. If you place a tissue on your skin after two hours and the tissue sticks due to grease and oil, it’s oily. A healthy diet can deal with each type of skin and help troubled skin that is prone to breaking out.

Include a wide assortment of colorful fruits and vegetables.

Plant phytonutrients can determine the color of the produce. For instance, a deep red, purple, or blue color indicates anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant that also makes blueberries blue. It’s anti-inflammatory and can help reduce skin irritation that causes breakouts. Orange fruits and vegetables contain beta carotene that converts to vitamin A and is a natural sunscreen.

You need fat in your diet, but it needs to be healthy fat.

Most people get upset when they hear the word fat but you need healthy fat. Healthy fat is necessary for burning body fat and plays a vital role in attractive skin. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce or eliminate inflammation. That can reduce the risk of acne and keep skin clearer. Zinc, vitamin E, and protein are also necessary for healthy skin. Walnuts and fatty fish provide these nutrients. Avocados provide healthy fat that protects the skin by keeping it supple and moist.

  • A study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics noted that food high in sugar, including highly processed food, increased the potential for breakouts and complexion issues. Consuming food lower on the glycemic scale improved skin.
  • The older you are, the more water you need to drink to plump skin. Seniors tend to dehydrate faster and that shows by creating lines and wrinkles. Adequate hydration can plump skin. Including juicy fruit and vegetables in your diet also helps hydrate skin.
  • Red and purple grapes contain resveratrol that’s an antioxidant. It’s an antioxidant that can slow skin aging. Eating probiotic foods such as yogurt or kimchi helps balance the body’s microbiome to prevent damaging bacterial growth.
  • Don’t forget to include foods high in vitamin C, like broccoli. Vitamin C is necessary for collagen production. Collagen improves skin hydration and elasticity. Bone broth is another collagen source.

For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center

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Tips For Beginner Runners

Tips For Beginner Runners

Published by on February 25, 2024 | Leave a response

Before beginner runners put on their shoes for their first run, they should learn a few tips to make their journey better. When running is one of the exercises chosen to boost fitness, it has some pitfalls. People who start a program of running often begin excited and ready to tackle this activity. They often just start running without creating a plan ahead of time. It can mean they go full steam, thinking they’ll maintain that pace throughout the entire run, but the body often doesn’t cooperate. Dividing your run into sections and speed walking some of those sections and running others is a big help.

What you wear makes a difference.

Your shoes are the most important part of your run. You need shoes designed to run on the surface you choose. If you’re running on gravel, asphalt, or a rocky trail, the type of shoe you choose makes a difference. You need a good shoe that fits your foot properly. Getting it from a store that specializes in running shoes can make all the difference. Those stores often provide a gait analysis to provide a shoe that’s suitable for both the surface you run on and your gait.

Eat a snack an hour and a half before you go for a run.

Hydrate well, too. Keep the snack light. It should be between 200 and 300 calories and be high in complex carbohydrates and some protein. Don’t include fat in your snack and beware of too much fiber. Fat and fiber take a long time to digest. Don’t eat too close to the run. Both of those things will cause digestive issues. Do eat something, especially if you’re running a distance, so you don’t run out of steam before the run ends.

Don’t run every day at first.

When you start, only do it three or four days a week. On the other days, use two for other activities and take at least one day off from exercise. Your body needs time to heal and build endurance. Keep your runs shorter initially and work toward more time as you get stronger. Running every other day initially and doing strength training, flexibility training, or active recovery on the other days can boost your progress safely.

  • Create a running schedule that’s attainable. Limit your distance and focus on running form initially. Your form will determine whether you end up prone to injuries as you increase your running time.
  • Keep a water source with you at all times or plan your run around areas with fountains. Don’t drink too much right before a run can leave you searching for a bathroom.
  • Modify your run by alternating between peak intensity and a recovery pace. It turns your run into a HIIT—high intensity interval training—workout that can get you into shape faster.
  • Always warm up before a run and cool down afterward. Don’t run at night without reflective clothing. Always tell someone where you’re running and allow someone to track your phone if you’re running alone.

For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center

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See Yourself As Better And Become The New You

See Yourself As Better And Become The New You

Published by on February 10, 2024 | Leave a response

If you’ve been out of shape your whole life or tried to lose weight before and failed, it can be difficult to see yourself as better. “If you can believe it, you can achieve it,” is real. That belief can help you become the new you. We help people in Fort Lee, NJ, change their self-image to a more positive one and finally believe in themselves to boost their chances for success.

You have to look past the mirror into the future.

When you look in the mirror, you often don’t see what others see. You see the image in your head. When you’re on a fitness journey, it’s even worse. The change is so slow that it impedes a clear mental image even more. It can convince you that weight loss or fitness is impossible and make it hard to get excited about working out. One advantage of working with a trainer is the belief in the trainer, even when you don’t believe in yourself. That belief in the trainer can put you on your way to success.

There is power in belief.

It’s not magic or anything particularly mystical. The power of belief is real but for very down-to-earth, concrete reasons. When you believe something is possible, you continue to try to achieve it. Consider the legacy of Roger Bannister, the man who ran the first four-minute mile. Runners had been chasing four minutes or less since 1886, and it took until 1954 for Bannister to do it. It took almost seven decades for Bannister to break four minutes, but once he accomplished it, people believed it possible. Within a year, four other people broke four minutes. It was all about believing it was possible.

Create a goal and the steps it takes to reach that goal.

One way to boost your belief is to create a path to your goal. Decide what you want to accomplish. Would this goal be possible for others to achieve is another way of asking if it is realistic and doesn’t require self-belief. Once you have the goal, break it down into smaller steps that are easier to achieve. It’s now your roadmap to success. Like any roadmap, it can keep you on the road to success in your journey. Creating goals makes success more believable.

  • Listen to your self-talk. Are you your best friend or a condemning judge? Create positive statements to replace the negative ones and repeat them to yourself liberally.
  • If you don’t have a support system that believes in you, find one. We can provide that support. Our trainers will believe in you until you can do the same.
  • Change your attitude toward exercise. Don’t think of it as punishment for overeating or being lazy. Feel every movement and feel joy that you can do them.
  • Get introspective. Do you use your lack of fitness as an excuse? Does it prevent you from doing something you don’t want to do? Are you afraid of the success that comes when you achieve your goal?

For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center

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Importance Of Proper Form In Your Workouts

Importance Of Proper Form In Your Workouts

Published by on January 25, 2024 | Leave a response

Using the proper form for each exercise can make the difference between successful workouts and unsuccessful ones. The way you move during an exercise affects the way the body works a muscle. If you’re not going deep enough on squats, you won’t get the benefits. If you’re lifting something heavy, it makes a difference how you lift. Lifting the wrong way can cause injury. The same is true when you exercise.

The benefits occur when you do the exercise properly.

The reverse is also true. If you’re not doing an exercise right, it can cause injury that puts you out of commission for months. Something as simple as arching your back or hunching it during pulling exercises with weights can create back issues. If you don’t have a neutral spine position during lifting, it causes you to arch your back or hunch it. That can damage your spine by pulling muscles, injuring the nerves that surround it, or causing disc problems. Focusing on your form before adding extra weight can prevent the problem.

You don’t have to lift weights to have a problem with form.

Squats are popular, with and without weights. They work several joints and muscles at once to maximize the benefits. If your body position isn’t correct or your feet are placed improperly, it can cause the knees to cave inward. That can limit their strength and size or even cause injury to the joint. Practice as though you’re about to sit in a chair, with the weight of your body on your heels. You should be able to see your toes when you do. If you’re too far forward, you won’t be able to see them.

You won’t get the results you want with poor technique or form.

If just moving your hands further out or further in during push-ups or the placement of the feet during a push-up affects the muscles worked, it’s easy to understand how poor form can affect the outcome of any exercise. The correct form gives you better results without as much strain and focuses on the muscles you want to exercise.

  • One of the benefits of having a personal trainer is learning to do each exercise correctly. Not only are you guided through the exercise, but also the trainer watches to ensure you’re doing it right.
  • Any muscle weakness will reveal itself in your form. If you’re lifting or doing squats and can’t get the proper form, it may be due to weaker core muscles. Identifying the problem and working toward strengthening those muscles helps improve your entire workout.
  • Rather than trying to force proper form when the muscles aren’t strong enough, use a modified form of the exercise. If you can’t do a traditional push-up, opt for the modified form on bent knees.
  • Before you start any exercise program, talk to your healthcare professional. If you have any physical limitations, always tell the personal trainer. The trainer can modify your workout to accommodate you.

For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center

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How To Overcome Plateaus In Your Fitness Journey

How To Overcome Plateaus In Your Fitness Journey

Published by on January 10, 2024 | Leave a response

People in Fort Lee, NJ, often face plateauing when they’re getting fit. They may face stalled weight loss or the inability to progress further in strength, flexibility, endurance, or balance. If you face those same struggles, don’t worry. You can overcome plateaus in fitness by making a few changes. Identifying the type of plateauing you face determines the solution.

Are you having problems with stalled-out weight loss?

Weight loss doesn’t occur in a straight decline. Some weeks you’ll lose more weight than others, despite doing identical workouts and eating the same amount of calories. Sometimes, you are losing fat and gaining muscle. Since muscle weighs more per cubic inch than fat tissue does, you’ll look thinner but weigh the same. That’s not a problem. In that case, you’re making progress. Other times, you’re doing neither, building muscle or losing weight. You have to reevaluate your program to solve that problem.

Both weight-loss and workout plateaus have similar causes.

If you’re not varying your routine or making it more challenging, you’ll plateau. Your body becomes efficient at the workout you’re doing so it burns fewer calories. You may maintain your endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility level, but won’t get any better. The more you continue the same routine, the fewer calories you’ll burn and the less muscle you’ll build. Make your workout more challenging and vary your workout more often to overcome the problem.

Over exercising can lead to plateauing.

If you’ve changed your workout and are pushing hard, maybe you need to look at your workout schedule. Are you working at peak intensity every day without giving your body a chance to rest and recover? That can also lead to plateauing. Overtraining exhausts the body, especially when you’re doing high-intensity workouts and strength-building exercises. Strength training causes micro tears in the muscle that require 48 to 72 hours to heal. If you don’t allow enough time for recovery, it can cause plateauing and even loss of progress. That can lead to weight gain, loss of muscle tissue, and burnout.

  • Plateauing can occur if the workout you’re doing isn’t effective. It can also occur when you’re not exercising consistently, pushing yourself enough, or increasing the reps, sets, or amount of weight used.
  • Lack of sleep can affect your progress. When you sleep, it allows your body to heal. Lack of sleep can also affect your energy level and the intensity of your workout.
  • Maybe your plateauing isn’t starting in the gym. Maybe it occurs because of an unhealthy diet. If you’re eating too many calories, you’ll gain weight. If you don’t have enough protein, you’ll lose muscle mass.
  • Our trainers at VIP Fitness will create a personalized program that includes dietary help. We track your progress to ensure you’re making the fastest progress possible and make the changes necessary to avoid plateauing.

For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center

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Tips To Make Your Workout More Effective

Tips To Make Your Workout More Effective

Published by on December 25, 2023 | Leave a response

At VIP Fitness in Fort Lee, NJ, we focus on ways to make client workouts more effective. Some of the ways involve how you do a workout and some are specific to our training. Other ways are for people who work out on their own without a trainer. One example of the second group is simple. Make every minute count. Have a plan of action and a list that includes the exercises, number of reps, and number of sets.

Do a HIIT—high intensity interval training—workout.

HIIT isn’t a special workout but a way of doing workouts. You do an interval of high-intensity exercise, followed by a recovery period, and then go back to high intensity. You alternate between the two throughout the workout. Most people use it for a cardio workout, but you also can use it with strength-building exercises by combining it with a full-body circuit Just go at peak intensity and slowly reduce the rest between exercises.

Do compound and full-body exercises.

Compound and full-body exercises work several muscles, joints, and ligaments at one time. Because you have to use more energy to move more parts of your body, you burn more calories. You’d be amazed at how many workouts there are for each muscle. If you only work on individual muscles, your workout will keep you in the gym forever. Lunges and burpees are examples.

Have a cup of coffee and a pre-workout snack before exercising.

It’s all about the caffeine in the coffee. It stimulates the central nervous system to give an extra boost to your performance. The pre-workout snack should be a combination of protein and carbohydrates that keep you going at peak performance. It can be as simple as apple slices spread with nut butter. A pre-workout snack also jump-starts the recovery process, especially when you follow your workout with a post-workout snack.

  • Cut the rest time between sets and repetitions. Five minutes may be best if you’re doing an intense workout, but if the workout is moderate, cut that time in half.
  • Add weights to your workout. Bodyweight exercises bring admirable results, but if you’ve been exercising a while, you may need more challenges. Combine bodyweight workouts with weights.
  • Get down to business. Turn off your phone, and don’t stop to talk to anyone until after your workout is complete. Too often, people spend hours at the gym but get less than an hour of exercise.
  • Track your progress. Winners keep score, and you should too. Log the number of reps and sets for each exercise. Once the exercise feels easy, increase your efforts to match your new fitness level.

For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center

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