Introduction
I’m a huge fan of working out at the gym, but I’ll be honest: it’s not always easy. Between long lines at locker rooms, waiting for equipment that someone else is using, and trying to find time between meetings and appointments, sometimes it can feel like all But there are ways to maximize your time and effort without sacrificing results! Here are five tips shared by Dorayslab that will help you get more out of every visit.
Do cardio first.
The most important thing to remember when it comes to your cardio is that it’s not just good for the heart or lungs. It’s good for your whole body.
Cardio targets the heart, making it stronger and more efficient at pumping blood throughout the body. This can be especially helpful as we age and our endurance decreases. The stronger our hearts get, the easier it will be for us to keep up with our daily activities as well as handle stress better and longer than before.
Cardio also serves an important role in keeping our lungs healthy by strengthening their ability to take in oxygen and eliminate toxins from within us. Not only do these benefits contribute to keeping us alive longer and healthier, but they also help prevent diseases like COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and asthma by helping with respiratory function over time!
Lift weights second.
Lifts are more important than cardio. Lifts can help you lose weight, build muscle, get stronger and improve your posture and balance.
There’s a reason why the gym is filled with rows of machines and not rows of treadmills: lifting weights is an essential component of any fitness program. It increases strength, builds lean muscle mass, and burns calories all day long—even when you’re not at the gym! There’s no doubt that lifting weights will make you look great and feel even better about yourself (which is important because when we feel good about ourselves we take better care of our bodies).
Drink enough water.
When it comes to staying hydrated, the old adage of “drink eight glasses of water a day” is a bit misleading. The amount of water you need depends on your body weight, what you’re doing, and other factors like temperature and humidity.
The general rule of thumb is that you should drink half your body weight in ounces each day (so if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces or 10 cups). But this only applies if you’re sedentary; if you’re particularly active—like going hiking or running—you’ll want to drink even more than that. When exercising for more than an hour at a time, be sure to sip on fluids throughout the duration rather than waiting until the end when thirst kicks in.
Listen to music.
The benefits of listening to music while you work out are many, and here’s why:
- The right songs will get you moving and give you more energy, which is especially helpful if you’re training for an event or are lacking motivation.
- Music can help get into a rhythm. Whether it’s a fast-paced song that makes your blood pump or slower tunes that allow for deep breathing between sets, music will help keep your movements consistent as well as pace yourself throughout the day.
- Music can help stay focused on your goals by blocking out other distractions in the gym like conversations among other members or annoying televisions playing news channels at top volume (yes, even though they’re muted). This way, when it comes time to make an important decision about how much weight needs to be added to the barbell—or whether there’s time left in this hour-long workout class—you’ll know exactly what needs to be done without having to ask anyone else first!
Time your meals correctly.
- In order to maximize your time at the gym, it is important to eat a small meal before going. This helps give you energy and focus throughout your workout.
- When you have finished working out, it is good to eat another healthy meal or snack that has been high in protein and carbohydrates. These nutrients help build muscle and will also help repair any damage done during your workout.
- Try eating a healthy snack between meals so that you are not too hungry when it comes time for dinner. A good choice could be fruit with yogurt or peanut butter on toast; these options are both high in fiber as well as protein and carbohydrates (and taste delicious!).
- If possible, choose foods that are low in fat at all meals – especially those eaten during exercise sessions!
Getting to the gym is the hard part; these tips will help you get the most out of your workout when you’re there.
Getting to the gym is the hard part. You’ve already done the work of deciding to go, so now it’s time for some tips on how to maximize your time there.
- Make sure you have a plan for what you want to accomplish in advance. Having a plan will help keep you focused and on track with your workout, and also make sure that you don’t do too much or not enough of something during each workout session.
- Figure out what motivates you most (a friend? music? social media?) and use those things as tools while at the gym—it could be anything from setting up a meeting with another friend beforehand through an app like Meetup or ClassPass, listening to music while working out (which can even help create effective workouts), checking Facebook or Instagram between sets, etc.)
- If possible, find someone who shares similar goals with us; having someone else there who wants similar results will help motivate us towards our own goals by showing us that we don’t need anyone else’s approval or permission; if they want success just like we do then why wouldn’t we try our hardest when they’re watching?
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of ways to maximize your time at the gym. Whether you’re looking for a new way to spice up your regular routine or just want to squeeze more out of every minute you spend working out, these tips will help. Remember that it’s important not only to have fun but also work hard when you’re exercising—after all, that’s why we go into the gym in the first place!
