It's never easy keeping your resolution motivation going as a new year barrels forward and life gets in the way. Don't worry too much if your enthusiasm has waned, you're not alone. Some 80% of people who make new year's resolutions will let those goals go by February. The difference between you and them is that you're going to turn things around. Right? To help you get back on track to getting your fittest in 2019, we tapped trusted experts from the health and wellness world to share their most effective tips.
Certified nutritionist Dr. Philip Goglia -who also works as the official Marvel superhero nutritionist prepping meal plans for such clients as Chris Hemsworth and Brie Larson-suggests loading up on protein in the evening to see optimal physical results. "Dinner should be your biggest protein meal," he says. "Dinner should just be protein and vegetables. Your body will utilize the protein to help with recovery while you sleep." Goglia suggests fatty fish for its anti-inflammatory benefits and fat-burning benefits. Think salmon, sea bass, black cod or Arctic char. "Using high fat fish as a dinner choice increases the amount of omega fatty acids consumed at night. The result is a deeper sleep, increased growth hormone release and reduction of inflammation."
As much as grinding away at the gym is important for reaching fitness goals, so too is recovering properly. "One of the newest, most prominent realizations we've come to in the fitness world is the importance of recovery-focused services," says Marc Megna, Certified Personal Trainer at Anatomy in Miami. "The only way we can truly have longevity in training is by optimizing recovery." Megna recommends cold water immersion for helping your body replenish its energy and repair damaged tissues. He advises clients, post workout, to plunge in cold water for ten minutes to begin with, eventually building their tolerance up to 20 minutes. "Cold water immersion helps reduce the level of acid in your muscles, which means reduced swelling and inflammation, less pain and a faster recovery."
Traveling used to mean making sacrifices with your workout routine. In 2019, travelers have more options than ever to work out on the road as hotels place more importance on building out thoughtful fitness centers. "Hotel gym equipment is now technology driven," says Shannon Stringert, Director of Spa, Salon & Fitness for The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. "It's evolved beyond just offering a standard treadmill or elliptical and now includes the ability for guests to stay connected to their personal content while working out." Use your time on the road to try out new equipment, ask your hotel for any available guest passes to local gyms or just workout in your room if you have to.
If you're someone who travels a lot or is short on time, try breaking up your workout. "As odd as it sounds, breaking up your workouts into "snacks" (two bite-sized pieces) to start and end your day can help provide some extra structure to your schedule and make you feel better," says celebrity trainer Joe Holder. You don't have to overthink your workout snacks. Holder suggests keeping things simple. "Pick compound exercises or have a flow to your workout. Think either movements (push, pull, squat, hinge, rotation, etc.) or upper, lower, core and build from there."
The rowing machine has been around for some time, but Megna has noticed a resurgence in its popularity around the fitness world-and for good reason. "This is not a new concept but more and more gyms are incorporating rowing machines into their programs now more than ever, and I foresee them becoming immensely popular all throughout the US very soon," he says. Not only do newer rowing machines have the user-friendly capability to track workouts, they also allow you to work your muscles without crushing joints. "It is a lot easier on your body when you're engaging in an intensely powerful workout," Megna says. "The shelf-life and longevity in training using a rowing machine is a lot longer versus running vertically, which is very strenuous on certain joints like your knees."
The key to sticking with your fitness plans? Break up a goal into achievable steps. 10,000 push-ups in a year sounds intimidating. How about 192 push-ups every week? OK, still pretty intense. But breaking it down to 28 per day sounds a lot more manageable, right?
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