Last week at Mom2Mom we had Roderick Benford, a personal trainer, (and our very own Emily Benford's husband) came to talk to us about setting goals and getting in shape.
He talked first about how important it is to set both short term and long term goals in order to be successful. A short term goal would be something like drinking water during the day or doing 25 squats. Committing to working out three to four times a week or losing X amount of pounds would be a long term goal. He stressed the importance of asking yourself "How badly do you want this?"
Roderick emphasized that our diets should consist of 60% carbohydrates, 20% fats, and 20% protein. Yay! Carbs!!
He also recommended finding someone to hold you accountable during your journey. This could be as simple as posting a status on Facebook, or as in depth as finding a walking buddy to join you daily. Any way you look at it, you are not alone!! Ask for help!
As far as working out is concerned, he said that it is fairly easy to start your own routine with three simple exercises that don't require any equipment. By combining push ups, sit ups, and squats you can get a great workout at home. Stability, flexibility and core strength are keys to a well rounded workout, so if you could add in resistance bands, or a balance ball that's even better. And just a reminder, spot training doesn't work (don't get mad). The only thing that will tone your muscles is burning the fat, so that we can actually see them. (Cardio is the best for fat burning)
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| Don't let the baby stop you from getting your squats in! |
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| Naomi demonstrating her rad core strength on the Bosu ball. |
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| Push ups for everyone! Knees, toes, it doesn't matter, just do them! |
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| Sandy showing us a proper lunge. |
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| Squats. Booty out. Like you're sitting in a chair. |
Some of Roderick's "favorite" items to stock a home gym include:
- medicine ball
- resistance bands
- TRX
- Bosu ball
- Dumbbells
(A good rule of thumb when you're buying anything weighted is that it should cost around $1 per pound. Most of these items are available at Target or Wal Mart, or even Play it Again Sports or Big 5 Sporting goods.) (And just as a side note, my husband made our own TRX using supplies from a hardware supply store for a fraction of the cost. Here is an example of a tutorial to make your own for only $13.)
If you have any questions or would like to train with Roderick, he can be reached at:
or
rcbenford1@yahoo.com
