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How Fitness Helps With Mental Health

Published by superadmin on April 15, 2024 | Leave a response

Many people in San Antonio, TX, are discovering that they feel better the more they get into shape. Some experience an immediate improvement in their mood right after a workout. For other people, the fitter they get, the more their mood improves consistently. Fitness can boost mental health for many reasons. One reason is the boost in energy and strength. If you feel stronger, you have the energy to overcome the obstacles you face. That will make anyone’s day a little better.

Exercise mimics running or fighting.

The fight or flight response serves a purpose. It helps you run from danger and boosts your strength if you have to face it. Everyone has heard the story of a parent going to heroic measures to save a child. That’s adrenaline, part of the fight or flight response. It has a purpose, but there’s also a downside. Today most stresses don’t involve real danger but social stress. If you’re late for an appointment and there’s a traffic jam, that causes stress. Exercise mimics the fight or flight response and burns off stress hormones. That leaves the person exercising relaxed, happier, and mentally healthier.

When you exercise, you stimulate blood circulation throughout the body.

Exercise boosts circulation throughout the body, including to the brain. That oxygen and nutrient-laden blood improves mental functioning. It helps cognitive abilities and eliminates brain fog. It causes people to take a clearer look at any situation. Exercise reduces inflammation and stimulates Brain-derived neurotrophic factor—BDNF. BDNF regulates the neuroimmune system which is crucial for mood regulation. The more you exercise, the more improved your mood control will be.

Psychologists and psychiatrists recommend exercise for anxiety and depression.

Many mental health professionals use exercise as an adjunct therapy instead of medication. Some studies have found it helps as much or more than some prescription drugs. Best of all, the only side effect is better physical health, a toned body, and possibly an occasional sore muscle. Moderate exercise three to four times a week can speed up recovery and help you become mentally and physically stronger.

Some people get crabby without enough sleep, and others feel insecure and off-kilter or allow little things to send them into an emotional frenzy. Exercise helps you sleep better at night.
Exercise can make you feel more confident and less vulnerable. Lack of confidence affects your mood. It can make you feel inadequate, depressed, and anxious. Exercise improves your posture and gives you a confidence boost.
Exercise and a healthy diet can improve your gut microbiome. The microbes in your gut play a vital role in your mood. Studies show that you increase beneficial gut bacteria the more you exercise.
Exercise can provide a mental escape and give your mind a rest by taking it off the problems you’re facing. Always get professional help if you’re facing severe mental issues.

For more information, contact us today at Iron Fit San Antonio

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Why Are Grains Unhealthy?

Published by superadmin on April 5, 2024 | Leave a response

It doesn’t matter where you get your nutritional information, grains are always part of a healthy diet. What makes grains unhealthy is how they’re processed. There are compelling reasons that grains without proper processing can cause a world of woe for your digestive system. If the grains are highly processed, they’re nothing more than empty calories. Some people have problems with gluten in certain grains. That can also cause gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Grains are vital for heart health and help prevent stroke, chronic inflammation, and diabetes, but eating the wrong type can contribute to those problems.

Grains are seeds and Mother Nature has ways to protect them.

Reproducing the species is a driving force of any living entity, whether it’s plants or animals. Each type of plant has a way that ensures seeds are spread far and wide and they only sprout when conditions are prime. One way seeds ensure this is the method of spreading the seed and precautions taken. Animals and birds eat grain seeds. Their hard shell protects them from digestive juices, allowing animals to excrete them in another area, complete with fertilizer. If conditions aren’t right, the enzyme inhibitor in the seed prevents it from sprouting. The enzyme inhibitors also affect the body by blocking digestive enzymes, which slows or stops digestion.

Grains contain phytic acid, lectins, and complex proteins.

Grains contain lectins which are natural insecticides to protect the infant plant from insects. It can cause digestive issues. They also contain phytic acid, which is an anti-nutrient that blocks the absorption of phosphorus, calcium, zinc, and magnesium. Grains also contain complex proteins that are harder to digest. They can cause glycation that leads to AGEs—Advanced Glycation End Products. AGEs can cause several health issues, including chronic inflammation and diabetes.

It’s all about how they’re processed.

Whole grains are better than processed grains. Whole grains contain bran, the germ, and the endosperm. When it’s highly processed, the healthiest parts, the bran and germ, are removed, leaving only the endosperm. The endosperm lacks nutrients and is primarily starch. Whole grains are more nutritious but not necessarily the healthiest option. The grain should be soaked, sprouted, or fermented before grinding to eliminate phytic acid, lectins, and enzyme inhibitors.

Using heirloom varieties of grain or pseudo-grains can also help reduce or eliminate gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Heirloom wheat varieties contain far less gluten than the commercial wheat used today.
Enzyme inhibitors protect the seeds to such a point that thousands of years old seeds found in pyramids still sprouted when planted and watered.
One type of processing that also affects the benefits of grains is bleaching and additives to increase shelf life. The empty calories of the highly processed grain combined with any added sugar can create food with few benefits and many detriments.
Not all types of grains create issues. If you have problems with modern wheat, consider sorghum, millet, amaranth, oatmeal, brown rice, kamut, or barley.

For more information, contact us today at Iron Fit San Antonio

Posted in Fitness & Wellness

Top Yoga Poses For Stress Relief

Published by superadmin on March 25, 2024 | Leave a response

Anyone who comes to Iron Fit in San Antonio, TX, knows how good they feel after a heart-pounding session of HIIT—high intensity interval training—or traditional strength training. That’s due to the stress relief that exercise provides. Many don’t realize that yoga poses can also provide the same benefits but in a more serene way.

Let your muscles heal by doing active recovery with yoga.

Your muscles need at least 48-72 hours to heal after a tough workout. If you don’t provide that healing time, it’s counterproductive. You don’t have to worry about doing two days of intense workouts in a row to get that exhilaration and stress relief. Just using the breathing techniques of yoga can offer quick results with little effort. You can calm your body by focusing on breathing and slowly inhaling through your nostrils and exhaling through your mouth.

A child pose is one of the most relaxing.

You’ll feel your stress drain away with the child pose. It starts with your body weight on the palms of the hands and knees. Fold your legs so the front of the lower legs rests on the floor. Exhale as you lower your bottom until it touches your heels. Slide your hands forward, extending your arms until your chest touches your thighs, with your arms fully outstretched and your forehead on the ground. Hold the pose as you breathe deeply, feeling your stress melt away with each breath.

Moving like a cobra helps relax the muscles in the back while bringing relief from stress.

Start this pose by lying flat with the top of your feet on the floor and your hands under your shoulders. Your elbow should be bent with your fingers pointing forward. Keeping your elbows close to the body, press down your lower body from the ribs down as you push your upper body upward. Exhale as you do this. Lift your upper body off the floor by straightening your arms, arching your upper body, and holding your head as high as possible. Hold the pose for 30 seconds as you do focused breathing.

The cat-cow combination of poses brings back and stress relief. Start on your hands and knees and raise your head as you drop your stomach for the cow pose. Move to the cat pose where you lower your head and arch your back.
The corpse pose doesn’t sound very inviting but it does help calm the mind. Lie on your back with your feet to the side edges of the mat and arms open to the sides, with your palms up. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and relax.
The garland pose looks like a deep squat with your feet pointing outward and knees spread. Your upper arms are inside your knees with your elbows bent and palms together. Lower your bottom as you squat, pressing your elbows into your thighs.
Do three-part breathing. Breathe in through the nose. Fill your lungs and belly. Hold and release the air by exhaling.

For more information, contact us today at Iron Fit San Antonio

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Resistance Bands Vs Free Weights

Published by superadmin on March 15, 2024 | Leave a response

There are times you can’t make it to the gym or you just feel the need to workout to destress. That’s when you need an at-home workout. You can use bodyweight exercises but if you want equipment, resistance bands or free weights can be purchased. Which is the best to buy? Is there a difference in the results? Which fits your lifestyle best? One advantage of resistance bands is they’re lightweight and easy to pack if you travel. The same isn’t true of free weights.

Your budget, experience, and needs can determine the choice you make.

Resistance bands are the most budget-friendly strength-building equipment. You can get a variety of resistance levels for around $10. While one set of dumbbells can cost about the same or slightly more, they’re just one weight, so as you get fitter, you have to purchase more weights. Some free weights require a spotter. Kettlebells require more extensive training. Free weights also use gravity as their resistance. Focusing on proper positioning and form is imperative. Resistance bands create tension by stretching. You can change the angle and direction and work muscles on the horizontal or vertical plane.

If you want bulk, free weights may be the best.

Resistance bands work great for building strength but they aren’t necessarily the best for building bulk. While resistance bands work well to achieve most people’s goals, it doesn’t work as well for bodybuilders who want to look their best for competition. It requires far more planning and modification of the moves to get the same progressive overload. It’s simply easier to do with free weights.

Free weights are still the gold standard for building muscle.

Both free weights and resistance bands build muscle tissue, but it’s quicker with free weights. Part of the reason is how people use resistance bands. You won’t get the most benefits from resistance bands if you don’t stretch them to the maximum capacity. When you lift weights, you get the resistance the minute you lift them and that resistance is consistent throughout the entire workout. Each movement using resistance bands can vary the resistance.

If you’re only using home equipment occasionally and use the gym at other times, the best option may be resistance bands. They’re easy to store and don’t cost much. If you use them infrequently, they’re the best option.
Some people may have a problem with resistance bands due to a latex allergy. There are non-latex versions. Like free weights, always check bands for nicks, wear, and tear to stay safe.
Just like kettlebells, resistance bands can provide a full-body workout. You get strength and flexibility training, too.
Resistance bands can provide an alternative to keep you interested in exercise. It’s easier to vary your workout at the gym, but it becomes more limited and difficult at home. Resistance bands help break the monotony if you’re only doing bodyweight workouts.

For more information, contact us today at Iron Fit San Antonio

Posted in Fitness & Wellness

Build Muscle Fast

Published by superadmin on March 5, 2024 | Leave a response

At Iron Fit Strength and HIIT, we help you build muscle fast. We provide strength training, HIIT strength training alternatives, and nutrition counseling so you have the nutrients to build muscle and have a speedier recovery. Nutritional counseling also helps show off your muscles. If they’re buried under a layer of fat, how can anyone see them? You don’t need supplements to create muscle or dangerous drugs. You need the right training designed specifically to match your fitness level, lifestyle, goals, and special needs.

It all starts in the kitchen.

You need a diet that boosts the potential for muscle gain to give you speedier growth. What you eat makes a huge difference in whether you’ll be as successful as possible or fail. High-quality protein should be part of your diet, as well as healthy fats and carbs. Consider a pre-workout and post-workout snack to give you the energy to do your best and boost recovery. Our Macros Coach will provide the right plan for you that’s customized.

You won’t get quicker results by putting in long hours.

Some people want quicker results so they do an intense workout daily, exercising all muscles in their body for several hours. That’s counterproductive. Your muscles need some rest to heal. When you do strength training it causes micro tears in the muscle tissue. They need a day or two to heal and become stronger. Working out smarter is the best route and we provide that. Using HIIT—high intensity interval training—can keep your workouts shorter while being more productive. Don’t work the same muscles every day. Keep your workout under 75 minutes, especially if it’s intense.

Circuit training builds lean muscle mass.

You can get your desired results in one-hour sessions three times a week. Our circuit training will help build muscle and improve endurance with a high-energy workout that provides accountability. We focus on compound movements using kettlebells that provide whole-body training for a more efficient workout. Strength-building requires a multi-pronged approach that uses weights and bodyweight workouts to achieve desired goals.

It takes the right type of exercise and combinations of exercises to get faster results. That’s why using all types of strength-building programs gives faster results.
We modify the workout to match your fitness goals. People of all fitness levels benefit from the program. If you want to build muscles faster, change your workout and make it more difficult frequently as you become fitter.
Stay hydrated during workouts. Drink plenty of water an hour or two before you start. Sip water throughout your workout. Lack of hydration can drain your energy and make your efforts less efficient.
Getting adequate sleep is vital to building muscle tissue. Your body repairs all tissues when you sleep. Since building muscle starts by repairing muscle tissue, lack of sleep can limit muscle building.

For more information, contact us today at Iron Fit San Antonio

Posted in Fitness & Wellness

Unlimited Motivation – How Do I Find That?

Published by superadmin on February 25, 2024 | Leave a response

If you dread going to the gym, finding unlimited motivation can be almost impossible. One of the first things you have to ask yourself is why you started your fitness program in the first place. Was it for health reasons? Focus on your family and how important it is to stay healthy or how good you’ll feel when you reach your goal. Picture yourself at your next doctor’s visit with your blood pressure or blood sugar normal.

Did you want to lose weight so you could look your best?

What made you decide to do it? Were you unhappy with how you looked or just realized how much you gained? Did you overhear a hurtful remark? That often is a driving force, just as a break-up is. In those cases, remember, the best revenge is success. Instead of wasting valuable energy crying over your loss or hating the person who hurt you, pour that unlimited motivation into getting fitter and more attractive. Before you know it, you’ll look great and be able to show off your new body.

Your motivation determines how you measure success.

If you want to lose weight to look better, success may be wearing a smaller size or having a healthy toned body. If your motivation was to get healthier, your measure of success may be lower blood pressure or more endurance climbing stairs. It’s why identifying that reason is so vital to success. Break your goal down into smaller increments you want to accomplish each week. Having immediate success can boost your motivation and keep you coming back for more.

Focus on how good you feel or how strong you’re getting.

Make your time at the gym a special time when you can get away from the hustle and bustle and get some peace. As you workout, focus on each muscle you work on and how good it feels to move it. After your workout, congratulate yourself on how well you did and how good you feel. When you sit down to eat, instead of worrying about the junk food you can’t have, enjoy the healthy food you do have. Chew each bite slowly and savor each bite. The pure joy healthy food brings can be a reward in itself.

Keep your weekly goals in front of you. Be determined to accomplish them. Having a smaller achievable weekly goal makes it easier for you to believe that you can do it.
Be realistic. No matter how motivated you are, if you’re almost six feet tall and large-boned, you’ll never be petite. Your mission is to create a goal you can believe in if you want unlimited motivation.
Remember, every journey starts with the first step. If you don’t feel like going to the gym, just go, but permit yourself to leave early. Once you’re there, you’ll probably stay the entire time.
Find a friend that has similar goals. Having a workout buddy can make a big difference. You can supply motivation for each other to go to the gym and cheer for each other’s successes.

For more information, contact us today at Iron Fit San Antonio

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It’s Not Too Late To Love Your Body

Published by superadmin on February 15, 2024 | Leave a response

If you think the only way to succeed at getting fit or losing weight is negative self-talk, you’re wrong. That’s the worst thing you can do if you want success. When you hate anything, whether it’s your body or another person, you don’t believe the object of your hate deserves anything. It doesn’t deserve to feel good or look good. You wouldn’t want to take care of a person you hate. That same feeling occurs when you hate your body. To ensure success, you need to love your body and ensure it gets healthy food and life-extending exercise.

Would you want to spend a lot of time with someone that hates you?

If your self-talk is negative, you’re not doing yourself any favors. Think about it. You should be your own best friend. If you don’t like and respect yourself, why should anyone else respect or like you? Your weight doesn’t define who you are. It’s just one aspect of your being. Find things you like about yourself and focus on them. Once you start to like yourself more, you’ll be more apt to take care of yourself.

Love your body and still lose weight.

Some people think that they must hate their bodies because doing otherwise is accepting the extra pounds. The truth is, you’re accepting today’s reality, not tomorrows. You can want to lose weight without hating your body or the extra weight. If you work in the garden all day or do messy tasks, you’ll end up dirty. That dirt is temporary and washes off. You don’t have to hate it to take a shower and get back to normal. That’s what a fitness program does for you. Those extra pounds are temporary and not part of who you are.

Start loving your body and look for ways to help it.

Notice how you feel after you exercise. It feels pretty good, doesn’t it? It comes from two sources. The natural changes in the body from exercise and the emotional boost when you know you’ve done something positive. Notice how you feel after you eat healthy compared to how you feel after eating junk. The more you focus on that, the more you’ll want to feed your body healthy foods.

Fear of failure can cause you to be negative. Some people believe that the only way they can succeed is with negative talk. That fear of failure may be what condemns you to lack of success.
Fat isn’t good or bad, it’s just fat. It’s not permanent either. Focus on the positive things you can do to improve your body rather than body shame. Besides diet and exercise, stay hydrated and get adequate sleep.
If you hate eating in front of others because you feel they judge you, stop! That causes eating disorders. Eat healthy foods and ignore others. You’ll be the perfect you in no time.
Look for ways to reward healthy behavior that doesn’t involve food. It can be a day at the spa, a special outfit, or just a few extra hours of peace.

For more information, contact us today at Iron Fit San Antonio

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Get The Confidence Boost You Need

Published by superadmin on February 5, 2024 | Leave a response

There are many reasons people in San Antonio, TX, offer for the reason they can’t achieve their fitness goals. One of those is a lack of confidence that they can succeed. You can boost your potential for success by increasing your belief in your goal. Not only will boosting your confidence to achieve health goals help you achieve those goals, but that success, the healthy diet, and exercise program, will increase your confidence for other goals.

You have to know what you want.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a fitness goal or not, precisely identifying the goal can help you achieve it and boost your confidence. Instead of making a goal to lose weight, identify how much you want to lose. You’ll never get that feeling of success without a clear goal. Knowing your goal allows you to give yourself a realistic timeline and create the steps it takes to achieve it. You can break it down to mini goals you achieve in a week to experience that success along the way.

Track your progress and congratulate yourself on little wins.

Winners keep score. It doesn’t matter what your goal is, writing down your progress or storing your scoreboard on your phone or computer helps boost your confidence. It keeps your goal in the foreground and allows you to see progress in both the short and long run. For fitness goals, a picture is also worth 1000 words. Take a photo of yourself every month wearing the same clothing and standing in the same spot. It’s a good addition to your scorekeeping.

Even if your goal isn’t a fitness goal, exercise and a healthy diet help.

Exercising increases the hormones that make you feel good and burns off stress hormones. That can make you more confident immediately. The more you exercise, the better your posture becomes. Improving your posture makes you look more confident and that can make you feel more confident. Try this test. Stand in front of a mirror with your head down and shoulders slumped. Note how you feel. It probably feels like you’re defeated. Now pull your shoulders back and down. Hold your head up. Immediately you’ll feel a sense of confidence surge through your body.

If you’re still struggling with the confidence that you can achieve your goals, fake it. There’s an old saying, “Fake it until you can make it.” Act as though you’re going to achieve it.
Treat yourself as you would a good friend. Be aware of negative self-talk. If you’re constantly criticizing yourself, you are sabotaging yourself. Clean up your inner language and avoid others that diminish your confidence.
Visualize success. Mental imagery can do a lot to boost your success. Picture yourself succeeding. Include how great it feels to conquer your goals. That feeling of success carries over to real life.
No matter what your goal is, including exercise can help chase away stress and boost your energy level. The more energy you have and the stronger you are, the more confident you’ll be.

For more information, contact us today at Iron Fit San Antonio

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Best Supplements For Muscle Growth And Recovery

Published by superadmin on January 25, 2024 | Leave a response

If you’ve spent much time around bodybuilders, you’ve probably heard a lot about supplements for muscle growth and recovery. The truth is that most people don’t need supplements if they have a good diet with adequate quality protein. Some supplements are supposed to help you recover faster, but so can a post-workout snack that contains carbs and protein. Some supplements help you build, but so can a healthy diet with healthy fat, carbohydrates, and quality complete protein.

The evidence that protein supplements help is limited, but there is evidence.

There are many reasons to take supplements to increase muscle growth. Sarcopenia is one of those reasons. Sarcopenia occurs as people age and starts in their mid-thirties. It’s the gradual loss of muscle tissue that most people face. Studies show that taking collagen, protein, and creatine supplements has reduced the problem and helped maintain muscle growth. Seniors may have trouble digesting protein, so taking supplements like creatine can help, along with resistance training.

Vitamin C and zinc help boost muscle recovery and increase muscle building.

Vitamin C is necessary to build collagen that’s vital to the creation of muscle tissue. It helps heal wounds like the microtears in the muscles that occur after an intense workout. It’s also anti-inflammatory, speeding up the recovery process. You can get it from your diet, but supplements can also help. Zinc supplements also improve tissue growth and repair.

Having a protein shake before working out or immediately following a workout may help.

Protein supplements used as a snack before a workout or afterward can help build muscle tissue. You can also do the same by eating a snack with both carbohydrates and protein. Before a workout, it helps replenish glycogen stores. Lack of glycogen stores can leave you weak mid-workout and lead to muscle soreness. After a workout, it helps boost recovery and build muscle tissue.

Look for labels like Certified for Sports that indicate NSF, an outside agency, tested the product and found it pure and free from harmful ingredients. Those harmful contaminants include mercury, arsenic, and other toxins.
Vitamin D supplements can help boost testosterone levels in people with low vitamin D levels. Testosterone helps build muscle tissue.
Never take supplements unless you speak with your healthcare professional first. Some interact with medications and others can cause issues if you have certain conditions. It’s always best to use your diet to increase muscle growth and improve recovery.
Sprinkling some turmeric on your food can help boost muscle recovery by reducing inflammation. It’s the curcumin in the turmeric that reduces inflammation and makes recovery faster.

For more information, contact us today at Iron Fit San Antonio

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Ways To Make Your Workouts More Effective

Published by superadmin on January 5, 2024 | Leave a response

Whether your life in San Antonio, TX, is hectic or laid back and relaxed, you probably want to make your workouts more effective. It saves time and produces better results. Not all exercises are equal in effectiveness. Some are better for getting quicker results or being just as beneficial in less time. It doesn’t mean you don’t have to work hard or can do them once and see results immediately. There are no magic shortcuts.

Compound exercises work many muscle groups at once.

Some exercises only exercise one muscle group. They are isolation exercises like the barbell bicep curl. They only work one joint and muscle group. Compound exercises, like burpees, work several muscle groups at once, so you get more of a workout in a shorter time frame. There’s a place for both types of exercise when you workout, but if you want a quicker and more effective workout, using compound exercises helps.

Have a cup of coffee before you workout.

While you’re sipping coffee, have a pre-workout snack. The caffeine in the coffee stimulates the central nervous system to give a boost to your performance. A pre-workout snack composed of carbs and protein provides the energy to help you maximize your workout without hitting the wall mid-session. When the workout ends, top it off with a post-workout snack also composed of protein. It helps recovery and stimulates the muscle-building process.

High intensity interval training—HIIT—burns tons of calories in less time.

If you’re trying to lose weight, burning extra calories sounds enticing. So what is this miracle exercise? It’s not an exercise at all, but a way of doing all types of exercise. You start with a few minutes at peak intensity and then a few minutes at a recovery pace, returning to peak intensity when that’s complete. You rotate intensity throughout your workout. It’s perfect for building endurance and works faster than steady-state exercises. You can also use it with strength-building workouts.

You’ll get a full-body workout when you use kettlebells. It also boosts several types of fitness, strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance. You’ll also burn more calories when you do kettlebell routines.
Sip on water throughout your workout to keep your body working at full capacity. Even mild dehydration can sap your energy and make your workout less productive.
Reduce your rest time between sets, repetitions, and exercises. If your workout is intense, you can take longer between exercises than you would if you’re working at a moderate pace. Cutting out distractions, like phone calls, gets you out of the gym faster.
Add weights to your workout. Whether you’re walking, running, or doing bodyweight workouts, adding weights can increase the challenge. Holding weights while doing squats makes the workout more difficult.

For more information, contact us today at Iron Fit San Antonio

Posted in Fitness & Wellness