Carleton Fitness Plan

5 WAYS TO MOTIVATE YOURSELF They say it can take between 21 and 66 days to turn a new behaviour into an automatic pattern, however motivation is what gets this process started. Here are five motivation hacks to help spur on your efforts and reach your health and fitness goals. MAKE IT EASY FOR YOURSELF... Making healthy habits as easy as possible is one way to stay motivated and on track. Spend Sundays cooking a few healthy staples for the week, pack your gym bag and lunch the night before, and have a backup plan for missed exercise, such as a 10-minute bodyweight circuit at home. BREAK IT DOWN Losing 30kg can seem like a mammoth task so best to break up your goal into manageable chunks, such as losing half a kilo per week. Avoid fad diets or overly intense exercise programs that are unsustainable. You want to be able to continue these habits for life, so be realistic about your schedule and adjust your eating and exercise regime to bust through any weight loss or fitness plateaus. FOCUS ON ACTIONS, NOT OUTCOMES Instead of being fixated on a number, clothing size, or the exact number of calories to consume each day, make your goals action based. Specific goals such as drinking one glass of water with each meal or having a salad with dinner are tangible actions that will lead to a healthier, happier you. MAKE IT FUN Do you dread the treadmill, yet force yourself to slog it out? There’s a misconception that certain activities, like running, are essential for being fit. While cardiovascular exercise is important you’re more likely to stick an activity you enjoy long term. Try something fun, like Zumba or Barre Attack to improve your cardio and coordination, or mix it up on the gym floor with equipment such as TRX or BOSU balls. All this variety ensures you don’t become bored and will constantly challenge your body in new ways. GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK It’s hard to stay motivated when you feel flat. The truth is your body needs a break each week to rest, replenish and build muscle, otherwise you run the risk of burning out and ditching your workout all together. Plan one or two days where you do a low intensity activity like walking, gardening, stretching or yoga. Additionally, don’t be overly strict with your diet as it can lead to unhealthy thought patterns or disordered eating. Enjoy small indulgences without guilt a few times a week, as long as you’re eating whole foods and balanced meals most of the time. HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF?

Waffles with Blueberry Maple Syrup Ingredients: 1/3 cup frozen blueberries 2 teaspoons maple syrup... 2 whole-grain waffles 1 tablespoon pecans Make It Microwave blueberries and syrup together for 2 to 3 minutes, until berries are thawed. Toast waffles and top with warm blueberry syrup. Sprinkle with pecans.

OVERNIGHT OATS So simple, so quick! This breakfast delight spells balance. Oats are packed with fibre and low GI carbs to sustain your workout. The seeds pack a protein punch and a healthy dose of good fats. Topped with fresh fruit to for a healthy dose of antioxidants. Serves 1... INGREDIENTS 1/3 cup steel cut oats or rolled oats 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds 1 tbsp sunflower seeds 1 tbsp chia seeds 1/2 cup milk of your choice 1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries 1 kiwi fruit, chopped 1/4 cup pomegranate arils 2 tbsp natural yoghurt METHOD Soak the rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and chia seeds in the milk overnight. Add chopped fruit and yoghurt prior to serving. Drizzle with honey if desired.

FIVE FOODS TO BOOST YOUR WINTER WORKOUT (via: http://www.carletonfit.me/blog) Whether your immune system is weak due to stress, lack of sleep or excessive training, these five foods can help boost your winter workout. ROLLED OATS... This fibre-rich wholegrain does more than just tame cholesterol. The beta-glucan (a type of fibre) found in oats helps boost the activity of white blood cells that gobble up bacteria and viruses. And being fibre-rich means they gradually release carbs into your bloodstream, keeping your energy levels consistent during your workout. Try these overnight oats, bliss balls, or peanut-butter porridge. BEETS Red root vegetables such as beetroot contain high levels of nitrates, converted to nitric oxide in the body, and has been associated with increasing exercise tolerance by increasing blood flow and oxygen availability to muscles says Naturopath, Stephen Eddey. The result? Delayed fatigue making it possible to exercise longer and churn through more calories. Try adding beets to your daily juice, a beets powder to your smoothie or adding beets to your winter roast vegetable mix. CITRUS After exercise, your body needs specific nutrients to repair muscle and stabilise blood sugar. Citrus, such as mandarins, oranges, blood oranges, and grapefruit offer slow releasing carbs, immune-boosting vitamin C, and hydration in one convenient package. Pair with a protein source such as nuts or natural yoghurt, and you have a balanced, portable snack to help you recover quickly post workout. Winter is the perfect time to reap the benefits of citrus, so try these raw blood orange tart, radichio salad or baked salmon recipes. SWEET POTATO Sweet potatoes are a bit of an enigma in the vegetable world. Despite their name, they don’t actually belong to the potato family. Whereas potatoes are a starchy, tuberous crop with a swollen underground stem or shoot, sweet potatoes are a sweet-tasting tuberous root vegetable. Just one cup provide 15% RDI for niacin (a type of B vitamin) needed to unlock energy to reduce fatigue, as well as being a source of magnesium for strong muscles. Swap regular stodgy fries for sweet potato chips. CINNAMON Due to cinnamon’s effect on insulin, cinnamon may help to remove the glucose (sugar) uptake of glucose out of the blood and drawing it in to the muscles for energy hence the potential blood sugar lowering effects adds Eddy. It’s still unknown how much cinnamon we need to achieve these positive effects and while we can’t make recommendations yet, it can’t hurt to sprinkle this versatile spice to your granola, winter crumble, or toast. WHAT FOODS DO YOU RELY ON TO BOOST YOUR WINTER WORKOUT?

THE BEST MUSIC PLAYLIST FOR YOUR WORKOUT (via: http://www.carletonfit.me/blog) Workouts are easier with music. Whether your library swings toward pop, rock, indie or rap, countless studies show that you really can’t beat a good quality playlist to motivate you and maximise your performance in the gym. In fact, a study by Olympic sports psychologist Professor, Peter Terry, found elite athletes who trained with music could run for 1.5 minutes longer than those who didn’t listen...Continue reading

5 FOODS TO EASE SORE MUSCLES