How Many Calories Will You Burn Doing Chores This Weekend?
Dylan Armajani: Run Past Your Goals and Find Yourself
Work it off
Posted on Jul 7th 2008 3:07PM by Chris Sparling
Technology is a great thing for many facets of life, but not so much when it comes to working out. Fancy fitness gizmos -- such as one I saw advertised recently during an infomercial, claiming to be able to "transform your body without having to work out or diet" -- are no substitute for good, old fashioned hard work. Between dangerous diet pills and worthless fitness devices, many people are tricked into believing that there's a secret to getting into better shape. There is: it's called busting your butt. Don't rely on snake oils or fitness machines designed to work out for you; rely on your willpower. This, of course, requires that you give it your all... every time you step foot in that gym or open your refrigerator.
If you've been working out for a fair amount of time but still aren't seeing the results you hoped for, the reason why may not be what you want to hear. Aside from fitness plateaus -- which occur when you do not vary your workout enough -- your lack of jack may be due to the mere fact that you, my friend, just plain ain't trying hard enough.
Here are a few ways to tell if you're not giving it your all:
1 - You are able to easily chat with a friend, either on your cell phone or in person, for the duration of your supposed high-intensity workout.
2 - Your heart rate remains at just about the same place from start to finish.
3 - You're bored as hell.
4 - Instead of feeling a sense of mental clarity when finished, you instead feel even more stressed.
5 - You haven't increased the speed you've been going or the weight you've been lifting in more than two months.
