Two of the most common New Year’s Resolutions are to exercise more and lose weight. Often, these both go hand in hand.
Since it’s Dec. 31, 2009, just in time for the New Year here are five tips to help keep your fitness resolution(s).

1. Make reasonable goals – As was stated in the Dec. 30 blog, don’t set fitness goals so high that you set yourself up for failure. Make your goals reasonable and be willing to adjust them some. Rather than set an exact weight loss amount in pounds, if you state a resolution to eat better and stick to it then you’ll wind up losing weight anyways. You’ll avoid feeling like a failure if you don’t hit a 15- or 30-pound weight loss goal, but may still hit the mark you hoped for.
Same for exercising, if you make a resolution to exercise more instead of saying you’ll work out five times a week it could wind up being a more positive end result.

2. Get organized - Plan ahead of time when you can work out and do some research on how to meet your goals. The same goes for people who want to try to eat better. Research workout and diet ideas on the Internet and also go into a bookstore and see what fitness magazines and books are available. There’s more great information than ever before available.

3. Plan meals ahead of time – The easiest way to fall off a diet is to not have a meal plan set in advance. I know for me, I’m most likely to go through a drive-thru for fast food if I’m in a hurry and know there’s nothing in the fridge at home. Have a meal plan in advance and it never hurts to freeze leftovers or meals ahead of time to have them accessible in an instant.

4. Set yourself up for success – If you have existing workout equipment, get it ready to go as soon as possible in the New Year. That could mean cleaning it and inspecting it and calling a service man or fitness company to make any needed repairs. Get your music in order that will help inspire you during workouts. You could also take stock in what equipment you have and make a decision to add a new piece or pieces to get you going.

5. Write it down – As I’ve stated before, writing it down is one of the best tips out there for people to stay on a workout plan. A workout log will help you stay organized, chart your progress, serve as a motivator to not have blank pages stick out and also set goals for the future.

Bonus tip: If you can find a workout buddy, it will make things easier for you to stick to a program. You will have someone else to be accountable to and you can both push each other.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all and let’s make 2010 the “Fittest” year yet!
At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net

More than half of Americans will set a New Year’s Resolution in the coming days, if we haven’t already.
Unfortunately, statistics also show that less than 20 percent of people will be able to keep those resolutions. Some studies have found as low as 5 percent of people keep them.
Here are five tips to help improve the odds of keeping your vow, and in turn bettering yourself in 2010. At the end of this blog, I’ll share my resolution.

1. Set an attainable resolution – A guy telling himself he wants to get washboard abs if you have a size 40 waist, or a woman saying she wants to get a figure like a super model is an unattainable goal for most. Instead, set something realistic, like vowing to lose a reasonable amount of weight or that you’ll exercise three to four times a week. Be open to adjusting your resolution some if it’s not quite working out – that’s a lot better than quitting altogether.
And don’t set resolutions that you’ve made in the past and always seem to fail – unless of course you really believe this is the year.
If you are trying to take on a really major resolution that‘s failed in the past, like quitting smoking or drinking, then this time seek professional assistance. If you’ve failed repeatedly in weight loss or other fitness goals, then maybe working with a dietician or trainer will help get you over the hump.

2. Stick with it at least two weeks – Most resolutions are lost before January is even a few weeks old. The most crucial time to keeping a resolution is the first two weeks, so be tough on yourself the first two weeks even if it’s really hard. If you can get through those two weeks you’re obviously still not home free, but it will be a lot easier.

3. Write it down – Create a gameplan to keep your resolution. Write down ideas on how you’ll be able to follow through and you can write down some of the hurdles you expect will present themselves. If you’ve set fitness goals, keeping a daily workout log will be a huge help.

4. Get a little help – Ask family and/or friends to help you. Maybe that will mean one of them will become a workout super-buddy. If you’ve set a goal to be a more positive person, then you can ask someone close to you to gently remind you when you’re not (ie: you start being a “Negative Nellie” again).

5. Reward yourself – Setting a big resolution is not easy, so if you’re able to keep it then reward yourself at various steps along the way. Tell yourself if after two months you’re still on track, you’ll buy an outfit or new workout clothes. Tell yourself early on if you can get through the whole year keeping that resolution, you’ll do something really special – like take a vacation somewhere warm to show off that newly chiseled physique.

My resolution: Keep a detailed workout log. I usually do pretty good on getting to the gym to work out and stay active overall, but feel keeping records will help me do even better.
Oh yeah, I also plan to eat better and work with my wife to cook most meals at home.

On Thursday, I’ll offer some extra tips on how to keep your fitness resolutions.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net

There are just four days left until 2010!
It’s hard to believe how fast not only this year, but the entire decade has flown by.
This time of year makes a lot of people do a lot of reflecting. It’s time to look back, but more importantly look ahead. What kind of person do you want to be in the coming year?
Statistics show that more than half of Americans will make a New Year’s Resolution and the vast majority have declared one at some point in their lives.
This week is the time to plan ahead a little and make that resolution.
Here are 22 of the most common New Year’s resolutions as listed by Wikipedia:

Pursue a Satisfying and Fulfilling Career
Lose weight
Get out of debt
Become more organized
Maintain a diary
Save money
Improve grades
Get a better job
Get fit
Eat right
Get a better education
Drink less alcohol
Quit smoking
Reduce stress
Take a trip
Volunteer to help others
Be less grumpy
Be more independent
Learn something new (such as a foreign language or music)
Try to get up early in the morning
Time management
Help the poor

Wow, that’s a lot to think about. And there’s no rule that you can’t make more than one resolution.
Not too many people keep their resolutions, though. In fact, it’s believed to be less than 5 percent that succeed.
Keep following this blog in the coming days to find tips about how to make your resolutions stick, especially when it comes to fitness.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net

This is the last in a seven-part series on building your own home gym. Today, we take a look at the extras that will set your gym apart.
We’ve talked about choices to make when it comes to big equipment for your home gym, but the little things can mean a lot as well.
Setting your home gym apart can be the “extras.”

A must-have for many gym owners are rubber mats, which help protect the floor, reduce noise, protect the equipment and provide good traction to work out on in many cases.
Some people have their entire gym floors padded with workout mats.
Others use workout mats under specific pieces of equipment.

Earlier in this series we talked about what to consider when adding dumbbells to your room, but another extra to think about are kettlebells. You can add them instead of dumbbells, or as a complement. As a result of the full-body motion involved with lifting kettlebells, a person can get a much better aerobic workout with them than dumbbells.
Kettlebells will produce overall muscle that is dense and strong, whereas dumbbells could allow for certain muscles to become bulkier.
One obstacle to using kettlebells is learning their more complex movements, but there are training videos and books available. You may even be able to find a qualified trainer with expertise in kettlebells.

Power Tubes offer resistance that allow you to do most of the lifts possible on expensive machines, such as triceps extensions, biceps curls, rows and squats but at a fraction of the cost. Stretch Tubes are available from At Home Fitness for just $39.99.

To further enhance your workout, an exercise ball ($39.99) is highly recommended. They are not only the best way to do sit-ups, but can also be used for a variety of other exercises.

Other extras to consider are chalk (improves grip, reduces formation of calluses); weightlifting belt; weightlifting shoes; dip belt (adds on weight when you do dips, pull ups, etc.).

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net

This is the sixth in a seven-part series on building your own home gym. Today, we take a look at what type of bench and squat rack is best for you.

Besides the weights themselves, a bench is one of the most traditional pieces in a workout room.
Get a bench that supports your back and feels good to use, but you don’t want it so wide it will get in the way of your arms and shoulders in the bottom position of a lift. It should be sturdy enough that it won’t tip or rock when using heavy weights. If at all possible, get a bench that can be used in a flat or incline position.

There are also benches that you can put free weights on, but will guide the lift
The bench can be set out in the room, or if you’re tight on put it inside the Power Rack.
Heavy-duty power racks allow adjustments for a variety of lifts and presses Body-Solid is a great one to check out for $599.
There are also a wide variety of other racks to check out.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net

This is the fifth in a seven-part series on building your own home gym. Today, we take a look at which aerobic machine is better for you: Home Gym or Functional Trainer

Many people prefer to use a “machine” over traditional free weights in their home workout room. But did you know there are two different types of those machines available?
The more traditional Home Gym is what most people are familiar with, dating back to the days of the Nautilus machine. The Home Gym includes one or two weight stacks, with fixed arms and hand grips. It can be bulkier and more expensive than Functional Trainers. Most movements on a Home Gym follow a set plane, such as military press for shoulders, bench press for chest or leg extensions.
Home Gyms are great for beginners as they are generally regarded to be easier to use, but they can also benefit experienced lifters. They can be a good complement to lifting with free weights because Home Gyms will keep you on a controlled lift and do a good job of isolating specific body parts.

Functional Trainers have increasingly gained popularity as they are often less expensive than Home Gyms and take up less space. Functional Trainers have weight stacks on their
base, too, but the main difference is in the cable systems that come with different shaped handles. They provide more options for working out and because the cable does not have to follow a fixed plane more sports specific routines can be implemented.
For instance, a golfer can hold the cable handle and simulate his or her swing. A baseball or softball player can grip the cable handle and mimic a throwing motion. There are hundreds of different movement possibilities for a Functional Trainer.
You can even incorporate an exercise ball into your workout, sitting on it and pulling the cable handle toward you at a variety of angles.
However, these machines can also be harder to use and some people aren’t sure if they’re following the right motions. It’s important that they ask questions when contemplating buying a Functional Trainer and have correct information on how to use them.
Final analysis
Whatever direction you decide to go, the Home Gym or Functional Trainer will provide health enthusiasts a means to get a total-body workout. You should also consider how these two choices would complement the other fitness equipment you already have, such as free weights.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net

This is the fourth in a seven-part series on building your own home gym. Today, we take a look at which aerobic machine is better for you: Treadmill or Elliptical.

Either a treadmill or elliptical would be a great addition to your home gym, but it’s important to fully understand what your fitness needs are. And try out several models before making a purchase.
Pick the style of workout equipment that you’re most likely to use.
Treadmills and Ellipticals both offer outstanding benefits for any home gym.
Depending on what your needs are for space, finances and training goals, there are many options to choose between them.

Treadmills have been around a lot longer than elliptical trainers and are more widely recognized.
But how are they different?
The biggest difference between the two is that you’re not physically connected to a treadmill. There is no pre-set motion to follow and one size fits all.
Anyone from a rehab patient who walks at an extremely slow pace to a marathon runner putting in a grueling indoor workout can use a treadmill.
Right behind treadmills as the top selling fitness equipment are ellipticals.
Ellipticals are excellent for a cardiovascular workout that will not put as much impact on a person’s joints. Since your feet are placed on a pad, you are burning calories but not getting as much shock to the knees or hips as
with a treadmill.
Another factor to consider is perceived exertion, or how hard a person thinks they’re working. Since we can all practically walk, or maybe even run with our eyes closed, it might not seem like we’re working as hard as when we’re following a less natural movement pattern on the elliptical. The truth is you’re working hard on both of them if you’re putting out effort.
If you’re trying to get more motivated, then this aspect of the elliptical might be a good selling point for you. The elliptical can be set for forward or backward movements. Elliptical handles allow a person to get more of an upper body workout than with treadmills.
Both pieces of equipment can usually change the plane you’re moving on and offer different workouts, such as fat burning, aerobic or strength training.
For hard-core walkers, joggers or runners, it’s hard to beat the treadmill.
However, for older people, those with joint issues or maybe just people looking for a new twist on their workouts, then an elliptical might be the best choice. Octane and Life Fitness are two leading brands for ellipticals. Both pieces of equipment are excellent ways to burn calories and improve your aerobic health.
If space is a concern, AFG and Landice both offer folding and non-folding treadmills.
Treadmills will usually start out at around $1,200 and can be priced upwards of $5,000 for the elite models.
AFG and LifeCore are among the top makers of ellipticals, which are usually slightly less expensive than treadmills and take up less space.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net

This is the third in a seven-part series on building your own home gym. Today, we take a look at what to consider when buying free weights and the all-important barbell for your gym.

The barbell (aka bar) is not an area where you want to skimp on quality. The better the barbell, the better the safety and feel. And since you’ll hopefully being using it a lot – from exercises ranging from squats, to bench, to dead lifts and much more – you’ll be sliding a lot of weight on and off.
My recommendation is to get a 45-pound Olympic quality barbell, even if you have no plans to go to an elite level with your training. This wider quality barbell can still be great for you to use and will build better balance, strength and grip with its width once you get used to it. Good quality barbells will support up to 1,000 pounds.
Make sure to get collars with the bar to keep weight from sliding off. If you’re really on a budget, you can still find some good deals on eBay and Craiglist.

There are countless companies that produce plates for your bar. You’ll want to get weights with 50mm holes to fit your barbell. Troy is a good brand for plates.
It’s often possible to get package deals when you buy the barbell and/or weights together.
To start out, I’d recommend getting four plates each for 2.5, 10 and 25 and then six 45 pound plates.
Iron plates are usually less expensive than rubber-coated plates, which are not really necessary unless you’re doing Olympic style lifting.
Getting a weight tree to keep the iron off the floor and organized is a great idea.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net

This is the second in a seven-part series on building your own home gym. Today, we take a look at the different options available for purchasing dumbbells.

If you want to build your own home gym, there are many things to consider.
Three of the biggest factors: what are your fitness goals, how much money can you spend and how much space do you have? For people who want to lift weights, oftentimes they come to the conclusion that dumbbells are a must-have addition.
Dumbbells are small in size, but offer a big number of possibilities.

Here are some things to consider when thinking about buying dumbbells:
* If you are tight on space in the area you work out in or plan to start, but have a decent amount of money to spend then consider getting PowerBlocks. A lever allows you to easily change the amount of weight picked up on the dumbbells. They take up very little space and can be stored on the floor.
Whatever the top weight on the block is will be the most you can lift, though, with that PowerBlock. These aren’t cheap, but are well worth the value. A 90-pound PowerBlock set can sell for around $600.
* If you have a lot of space, but little money to spend then adjustable dumbbells with screw-on or clip-on collars are the way to go. It may also be good to invest in a rack to store them on. Used dumbbells can be purchased realtively cheaply, around $40 for a 60-pound pair. You can buy dumbbells in sets at weights such as 10, 20, 30, 50, 70 pounds, or just buy a set for 20 and 70 pounds, and then take the time to switch them to ligher weights as needed.
* If you are low on both space and money, don’t despair. I even have a suggestion for you: Get PowerBlocks for the lower weights up to about 50 pounds (approximately $350). That will allow you to easily shift between the lower weights with the click of a lever. If you still want to have some heavier weight for lifts like bench press or dead lifts, then buy a set of adjustable dumbbells with 100 pounds of weight. You can change the collars to go up or down as needed between 50 and 100 pounds.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net

This is the first in a seven-part series on building your own home gym. Today, we take a look at the pros and cons of taking the big step in the first place.

The first, obvious reason, it takes to decide to want to build a home gym is a desire to stay, or become, physically fit. Once you’re sure of that commitment, there are some big pluses and minuses to consider.

Positives of a home gym
Saves time – You can use your home gym whenever you want. It’s always open and there’s no reason to have to wait in line for a machine or bench to open up like at a club.
Cuts expenses – Although it will cost you $500 at the minimum and up to $1,000 or more to get a decent set-up going at your home gym, you will make back your money over the cost of a gym membership (around $600 a year) in a matter of just a few years. It’s truly a life-time investment.
Freedom – Home gyms allow you to do things your way, with no club rules to follow. You are also spared having to lay on a bench, or sit on a leg extension machine, following “ultra sweaty man.” Or having to talk to someone whose only social life, other than living in his parent’s basement, seems to be talking to people at the health club.
You can also train the way you want to and not have people watching or coming up to you offer suggestions. The radio/CD player is yours, too, to control.

Negatives of a home gym
Self-discipline – My wife takes college classes and often has to leave our house to go study at the library. She says there are too many things to distract her – like the TV, computer, chores that need done, tasty things to eat in the fridge, etc. – from studying at home.
That same principle has to be dealt with when comparing a home gym to a club. When you drive yourself to the club, you’re almost certainly going to work out once you’re there. At home, even though it’s just a few short steps to the fitness room, you have to find even more self-discipline to go in that workout room instead of plopping in front of the TV or Internet, or finding other excuses not to work out.

No spotter – In a club, there’s usually always someone around to spot you on heavier lifts. At home, this can be a problem. Solutions at home might be to try to find a partner to lift with. Or. at the very least. someone who can be around on days you do heavier lifts. If you’re using a machine, instead of free weights, you won’t need a spotter as much.
Lack of space and/or money – The single biggest obstacles for many people who want to set up a home gym are space and/or money.
There are ways to compensate for both. As stated earlier, you’ll recoup your investment in a short time and can add on over the years as cash allows. Ask anyone who owns a good home gym and they’ll tell you it’s never quite complete – they’re always tweaking this or adding that.
As for space, even if you live in a broom closet there are always ways to ad lib. (OK, that’s an exaggeration. If you live in that small a space, then you need to a.) move when possible and b.) work out somewhere else. But there are ways to adjust even in tight quarters.
As this series goes on, I’ll offer tips for what the key pieces to add for a gym are, what expenses to expect and how to deal with issues such as a lack of money and space.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.net