Planning Archives - Chape Fitness

Posted on 14 July, 2020 by chape — 3 Comments

7 Ways to Stay Motivated With Your Fitness Goals

Taking the first step towards something important is always a significant milestone. It comes with energy, excitement, and endless possibilities, which are all great things!

What becomes more difficult at times, though, is the moments after you have started, and maybe some of the original feelings have faded away. These are the moments that will make or break whatever you are trying to accomplish. It is when you find that second wind, or when you decide to give up.

So the better prepared you are for these moments of decision, the more likely you will be to push through and continue on with your journey. That is what this article is all about.

These 7 ways to stay motivated with your fitness goals will keep you moving forward and onward. They will be there to continue to challenge you and to help you pursue your best.

Inspirational Books and Videos

What you put into yourself is what comes out. So if you want to feel like you can accomplish anything, read about people that have already done so. There are so many success stories out there (fitness and others) where people have overcome seemingly impossible challenges. Reading and watching videos about people that have already conquered their giants will only help to motivate you. You will be able to draw motivation and energy from their stories. And who knows, maybe someday someone will be reading about your inspirational story and will do the same.

Follow Positive Social Media Accounts

Social media is here to stay (for better or worse), so you might as well make it work for you. In the same way that you want to watch and read positive material, your social media feeds should be the same. So take the time to find some social media influencers that speak to you, and that will help stay motivated to be your best every day. The more you can surround yourself with positive and encouraging messages, the more you will want to be your best self.

Make a Plan

It is hard to stick to something if you are unsure of what you should be doing. This means that you need to sit down and figure out a fitness plan for you. If you are a beginner, get online and do some research on one of the many great fitness websites out there. Before long, you will have a good understanding of where to start and what you should be doing each week. And as you go, you will continue to learn and adapt as needed. It all starts with first taking the time to chart the right course, though.

Set Goals and Write Them Down

This is similar to making a plan, but slightly different as well. Along with creating a plan, you also want to set short term and long term goals for yourself. By doing this, you will have something to look forward to accomplishing, which will inspire you to keep working.

When you set your goals, make sure that they are customized to you, and that they are challenging, but also realistic. Secondly, make sure that you write them down somewhere. It could be on a physical piece of paper, a whiteboard, or even on your phone. Just make sure that it is somewhere that you will see it regularly. This will help remind you to stay locked in and on task.

Find a Fitness Partner

This is not always the easiest thing to do, but it can be a huge gamechanger. If you can find a fitness partner to join you on your journey, it will make a world of difference. You will be able to have someone to challenge you, encourage you, and hold you accountable. Also, on the flip side, you will be able to do the same, and you will also want to work harder so that you don’t let them down.

If you cannot find a fitness partner because of scheduling or another reason, try and find an accountability partner instead. Ask a close friend or family member to hold you accountable, and then permit them to call you out if you aren’t doing what you should be. Setting up a regularly scheduled check-in time is also encouraged. This will make sure that you have regular accountability.

Give Yourself a Break

You may not be able to make it to the gym every day, or you may miss a couple of days in a row because something pops up, that is okay. You should do your best to get right back on it as soon as you can, but don’t beat yourself up. Do your best to stay positive, and remember that progress is progress.

Also, what will really help with this is being able to be flexible with your workouts. For example, if you are unable to get to the gym, but have 30 minutes at night, do some bodyweight exercises, yoga, or something along those lines. It might not be exactly what you wanted to accomplish for the day, but it is still a step in the right direction.

Enjoy the Process

Anything worth doing takes time, and it is rarely ever going to be done the first time perfectly. It is a process that takes time, so enjoy that process and enjoy the challenges that come with it. The more you can learn to do this, the more you will want to continue on. And not only will you want to continue on, but when you accomplish your goals, you will want to set even bigger ones the next time.

7 Ways to Stay Motivated With Your Fitness Goals Conclusion

Staying motivated with anything in life is all about how you prepare and organize your daily routine. It is the same way when it comes to fitness. If you do an excellent job with these seven ways to stay motivated and use them regularly, the sky is the limit. It is up to you, though, to make sure that you are staying locked in and setting yourself up for success.

So have fun with the journey, and continue to improve and challenge yourself physically and in every other area of your life.

Kyle Ohman

Kyle is a basketball trainer in Tampa, Florida, and is also the CEO of BasketballHQ.com and ListsForAll.com. He enjoys all things fitness, sports, writing, and outdoors.

Posted on 6 September, 20188 July, 2020 by chape — 7 Comments

Plan your workouts like a pro

Today I´m going to explain how to plan your workouts like a pro. Planning your training sessions is key to succeed. I bet you´ve heard the famous quote “Failing to plan is planning to fail”. When it comes to fitness plans, “failing” means not meeting your goals and expectations. You have to plan ahead to meet your goals because it takes much more than motivation and goodwill to get there.

The technical term for this kind of planning is “periodization”. It is the process of dividing an annual training plan into specific time blocks. Each block has a particular goal. This allows us to create hard training periods and easier periods, to facilitate recovery. Periodization also helps us develop different physiological abilities during various phases of training.

Let´s say you have found a workout routine that works well for you. That´s great but, lately, no matter how hard or how often you work out, you just can’t seem to progress any further. You’re stuck on a plateau. This is because your body has adapted to the exercise you’ve been doing. You need to “shock” or “surprise” your body, give it a new challenge periodically if you’re going to continue to make progress. Instead of doing the same routine month after month, you change your training program at regular intervals, “periods”, or “cycles” to keep your body working harder, while still giving it adequate rest. That goes for both strength and cardiovascular training.

The goal with periodization is to maximize your progress while also reducing your risk of injury. It also addresses peak performance for competition or meets. Periodization, if appropriately arranged, can peak the athlete multiple times over a competitive season (Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, track and field) or optimize an athlete’s performance over an entire competitive season like with soccer or basketball.

Periodization cycles are classified by amounts of time:

The macrocycle is the longest, and includes all four stages of a periodized training program: endurance, intensity, competition and recovery. All 52 weeks of your annual plan. For example, if you want to peak for an event one year from now, you can mark that date on your calendar and work backward to create a program that allows you to peak at that time. You can use the same process to identify several major events throughout the year and develop a plan that facilitates multiple fitness peaks.

The mesocycle represents a specific block of training that is designed to accomplish a particular goal. Mesocycles are typically four or six weeks in length. For instance, during the endurance phase, you might develop a mesocycle designed to enhance your muscular endurance for six weeks.

A microcycle is the shortest training cycle, typically lasting a week with the goal of facilitating a focused block of training. Generally speaking, four or six microcycles are tied together to form a mesocycle.

You can get the most out of your training by having a good understanding of each of the three cycles of periodization and then using these cycles to create a plan that allows you to peak for your most important events throughout the year.

For example, you can alter your strength-training program by adjusting the following variables:

The number of repetitions per set, or the number of sets of each exercise
The amount of resistance used
The rest period between sets, exercises or training sessions
The order of the exercises, or the types of exercises
The speed at which you complete each exercise

There are many different types of periodized strength-training programs, and many are geared to the strength, power and demands of specific sports.

You should also periodize your cardiovascular training for the same reasons: challenge your body while still allowing for adequate recovery time.

For example, you’re a recreational runner, running for fitness, fun and the occasional short race, you’ll want to allow for flat, easy runs, as well as some that incorporate hills and others that focus on speed and strength.

What you don’t want to do is complete the same run every time. If you run too easily, and don’t push yourself, you won’t progress. And chances are you’ll get bored. Conversely, too much speed or high-intensity training will lead to injury or burnout, and most likely, disappointing race results.

If you want to improve your time in a 10K or completing a half marathon or even a full marathon, you’ll need a periodized program geared to each type of race.

Specially designed periodized training programs are also available for cycling and many other sports.

Periodized training will ensure that you continue to make measurable progress, which will keep you energized and interested in reaching your goals.

Proven benefits of periodization:

Management of fatigue, reducing risk of over-training by managing factors such as load, intensity, and recovery
The cyclic structure maximizes both general preparation and specific preparation for sport.
Ability to optimize performance over a specific period of time
Accounting for the individual, including time constraints, training age and status, and environmental factors.

Plan your workouts according to your goals.

There are different types of periodization:

Linear periodization

is the most commonly used style of training. This form of periodization gradually increases volume, intensity, and work by mesocycles in an annual training plan. Progressive overload is a major key to the success of this training style. This style is characterized by longer training periods, less reliance on super compensation, and a focus of more general training over specific.

This programming style is useful for building a strong foundation, progressing in one variable, and working towards a peaking point. Recommended for those who are newer to training, it’s definitely the easiest periodization style to understand.

Non-linear/undulated periodization

rely on constant change throughout training cycles. As opposed to a linear periodization that focuses on gradual increase of one variable, this style manipulates multiple variables like exercises, volume, intensity, and training adaptation on a frequent basis (daily, weekly, or even bi-weekly). Non-linear periodization is more advanced than linear and incorporates multiple types of stimuli into a training program.

This programming style is an excellent way of individually training one variable and secondarily training others at the same time. It’s often used for those with advanced training backgrounds and longer sport seasons. For example, think about a program that has you train strength one day, then power two days later – this is non-linear.

Block periodization

focuses on breaking down specific training periods into 2-4 week periods. It consists of a two-block design, accumulation and restitution.

In the accumulation blocks, the focus is directed toward supporting motor abilities while simultaneously developing certain strength qualities necessary for the athlete with a limited volume load.

The restitution block is essentially the opposite. They support strength qualities in the athlete, while addressing the development of specific, technical motor qualities with a limited volume load. These training loads must target different abilities (max-strength, explosive strength, max anaerobic power, etc.).

The goal behind these smaller, specific blocks is to allow an athlete to stay at their peak level longer, since most sports call for multiple peaks. Within the training season, athletes will only focus on adaptations they need specifically for their sport, if an athlete doesn’t need endurance, they won’t train for it.

When trying to maintain a high level of athleticism for competition over an extended amount of time, block periodization can be a great tool. By frequently training specific training adaptations you work towards progressing in your sport with the variable you need, and avoid burning out.

Periodization has stood the test of time for the simple fact that there are so many progressions and ways to structure your training so that you can be at your best when it matters most. Failing to utilize any form of periodization for your training could lead to overtraining, failure to recover appropriately for progression, and the inability to see the progress you deserve from the time you put into training.

Help for beginners

To start planning your workouts, here is a linear periodization template, for free.

I know that planning workouts for the first time can be complicated, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask me and I will help you.

Posted on 1 May, 20188 July, 2020 by chape — 15 Comments

Meal planning and grocery list with Evernote

Today I´d like to share some tips to save you time and make your life much easier, explaining how to meal planning and build your grocery list with Evernote.

If you have been following this blog for some time, you´re used to a monthly “30 healthy recipes” post. If not, let me show you the list of recipes available so far, in alphabetical order:

This simple list means 480 recipes, without a single paper, which proves that Evernote is a great tool to keep and search all the recipes you need. All you have to do is create a specific notebook for your recipes and save them all in there. But you can (and should) do more than just save recipes. You can plan your meals and your grocery list with just a few clicks.

First, when you´re struggling thinking about what are you going to eat next week, there is nothing easier than scroll down your recipes notebook and chose from a wide range of recipes. Then, all you need is a note called “Meal plan“, for instance.

Let´s plan your next week´s dinners. We could plan all your meals, but this post is just to give you an idea of how easy and useful is Evernote for your daily life.

You check your recipes and chose what you´d like to have for dinner next week. Right-click on the recipe and select “copy internal link” (Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + L).

Then paste this link on your “Meal Plan” note (Shorcut: Ctrl + V).

The table, of course, is totally optional. For new Evernote users who want to know more about creating and customize tables, please read this.

Once we have our internal links on our Meal Plan note, we can easily check the instructions, losing no time searching the recipe.

To help us build our grocery list, all we have to do is copy (Shorcut: Ctrl +C) the ingredients of each recipe and paste (Ctrl + V) them right after our meal plan.

While you´re doing this, I strongly recommend you to check:

The most common ingredients, like salt, olive oil, onion, etc.
What you already have in your kitchen.

This way you won´t buy what you already have available or buy the same product twice.

As we are used to taking our phones everywhere we go, you´ll have your grocery list available anytime, and you won´t ever need a paper to remind you what to need to buy at the store.

Tag: Planning