Mitzi Dulan- America's Nutrition Expert » Workout http://nutritionexpert.com/blog Credible information about health, nutrition, fitness, food, diet, and weight loss, recipes, fun/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:47:08 +0000 en hourly 1 Keys to Maintaining Your Workout Routine http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/2010/11/keys-to-maintaining-your-workout-routine/ http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/2010/11/keys-to-maintaining-your-workout-routine/#comments Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:00:06 +0000 America's Nutrition Expert: Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/?p=3803 Experts say that there are three motivating factors to maintaining exercise, based on each person’s needs; there is a competitive component, a companionship component, and an autonomy component. Depending on your style and personality, each of these needs has to be met to a certain capacity. What motivates you the most?

Here are some tips to fuel the fire and reach your fitness goals.

Work out with a buddy and fulfill the need for companionship. Why it works? Numerous studies have shown that exercising with a friend helps to keep you motivated. It could be that you and your friend switch off days of feeling energized, and push each other on days when the other is not feeling so hot. If you feel responsible to another person, not only yourself, then you will be more likely to keep on going.

Create a contest and fuel the competitiveness. Why it works? It doesn’t matter if you are reaching toward a goal of beating yourself or winning a prize, either way you will be inclined to push yourself. Competition is human nature, and when used to your advantage, can be great for your health!

Be responsible to yourself; keep an online workout journal and fuel the autonomy. Why it works? Working out can be a stress reliever, mental health therapy, and a just be a way for you to just have some time for yourself. Buy yourself some new workout clothes or gear, and keep it in eyeshot to remind yourself of your goals and your commitment to yourself.

Most importantly have fun with your routine. Mix it up, find what works for you, and stay out of the exercise rut!

Assistance provided by Stephanie Horvath

   Post to Twitter Tweet This Post   Post to Facebook Post to Facebook]]> http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/2010/11/keys-to-maintaining-your-workout-routine/feed/ 0 3 Reasons to Listen to Your iPod During Your Workouts http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/2010/02/3-reasons-to-listen-to-your-ipod-during-your-workouts/ http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/2010/02/3-reasons-to-listen-to-your-ipod-during-your-workouts/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:10:42 +0000 America's Nutrition Expert: Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/?p=1290 female_runnerI know that I have a playlist on my iPod for every activity I do during the day: working in my home office, cooking dinner, reading, lifting, running, etc. Music is a huge part of society today, and with a vast variety to choose from, there is the perfect song for every part of the day. In that same way, an energizing playlist can be just the thing you need to get you through that tough workout. Music has been shown in studies to be very beneficial as part of your workout routine because people workout at a higher intensity when listening to music.

1. Distraction: Music keeps your attention away from the stress you are putting on your muscles. As you listen to your favorite song, concentrating on the words or beat can reduce your perceived exertion (making you feel like you aren’t working out as hard).

2. Soothes: One hypothesis claims that calming music relaxes the brain and puts an individual into a restful and content state of mind even during exercise. To feel this effect, calm music should be inserted into your workout playlist.

3. Paces: Playing an upbeat song is a great way to pick up your speed during a run. Try keeping your stride on with the beat to keep yourself going at a steady rate throughout your workout.

One thing to keep in mind is that loud music from headphones can damage your hearing. Here are some great workout enhancing workout songs for you to check out!

ipod-classic• Butterfly by Jason Mraz
• Unskinny Bop by Poison
• Can’t Stop by Maroon 5
• How Do You Do by Cascada
• Dirty Pop by N*Sync
• Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
• Shake Your Body by Michael Jackson
• Unstoppable by Kat Deluna
• Everybody Loves Me by OneRepublic
• Dirty Dancing by Black Eyed Peas
• Hot Blooded by Foreigner
• We’re Dancing by Mandy Moore

What are some of your favorite workout songs?

By Mitzi Dulan with research assistance from Kaylee O’Connell

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