10 Habits That May Be Sabotaging Your Fitness Goals

1. Your Nutrition

Real food doesn't come in a box, have a shelf life, or have a long list of ingredients you can't pronounce. If you are on a diet that is mainly sourced from pre-packaged foods then you need to change your eating habits.

Consistently dieting and not fueling properly can sabotage your weight loss progression. Start eating the right foods in the right amounts and you'll realize the best way past a sluggish metabolism is to ignite it with clean, healthy and close to nature foods. Start thinking of food as your fuel and be sure to feed your engine well.

2. You Aren't Pushing Beyond Your Comfort Zone

Do you find that you are spending more time chatting then you are working out? Do you ease through a workout without even breaking a sweat or feeling a good muscle fatigue? If so, then you probably aren't getting the results you want. The only way to get more athletic and keep the body you want involves doing things you may not necessarily love. I always tell a client "If you don't love training a specific muscle group then it is a sign that you need to be training it!". Step out of your comfort zone and push your self with each rep, set and workout, it will deliver the best results with increased muscle definition and more calories burned!

3. You're Not Lifting Weights Or You're Not Lifting Heavy Enough

The famous words I hear most often are; "I don't want to bulk up". First off, no one accidentally bulks up. Bulking up and adding muscle tissue takes precise training and nutrition. Just because you progress from a five-pound dumbbell to a ten-pound dumbbell, does not mean that you will bulk up and turn into the hulk over night. Increasing your muscle mass will in fact increase your metabolism which will therefore increase your overall fat burning. You can keep doing the same cardio routine and get the same results, or you can lift heavier weights, put on a couple of pounds of lean muscle tissue, and start burning more calories at rest and continue to get leaner.

4. You Don't Hydrate Properly

Nothing leads to exhaustion more quickly than not fueling properly with clean foods and water. 75% of your muscle tissue and 10% of your fat tissue is comprised of water, so it's important to replenish it frequently. When you factor in variables such as intensity of exercise and temperature, your body requires water every ten to twenty minutes during exercise. Always carry water with you and drink up!

5. You Drink Too Much Alcohol

If you're dissatisfied with your fitness level or your body, you have two choices; either continue to drink wine every day or have the body you desire- but not both! Alcohol contains empty calories, meaning it's a simple sugar and is metabolized in the body as fat. That right, it is almost immediately stored as body fat! Alcohol can also interfere with your recovery as well as your exercise performance. Limit alcohol to your cheat day or weekends.

6. You Wear Worn Out or Incorrect Footwear

One of the first things I address when working with a new client is their footwear, especially if they are complaining of any joint pain from impact related exercises such as running and plyometrics. If you're going to invest in a gym membership, a personal trainer, you should also invest in proper footwear. I recommend changing your footwear every 6 months to ensure support and comfort. As well, be sure to go to a specialized store where you can be properly fitted for your body and specific exercise demand. Do your feet pronate or supinate? Do you have a short running stride? Do you even know? When you start wearing the right shoes for the right activities you will maximize your results and save yourself from discomfort and potential injury.

7. You Don't Rest, Maintain or Recover From a Workout

If you exercise a lot and don't prepare your body properly with rest and recovery then you are potentially setting yourself up for setbacks. Rest and maintenance are crucial for injury prevention and optimal results. Stretching, myofascial release, proper nutrition, supplementation and rest will help with recovery and repair of the muscle tissue. If you aren't getting the results you desire, look to what you're doing when you are not exercising to maintain and recover your body.

8. You're Only Active Three Days per Week

As much as I am a firm believer in adequate rest and believe you should not repeat the same exercise patterns daily, but truth be told the human body is meant to move! I recommend to all my clients that You should be doing something physically active every day, whether it's traditional exercise or simply "Active" rest. For overall general health, the American Heart Association recommends a minimum of five days a week of at least thirty minutes of moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise with an additional two days a week of muscle strengthening activity. This can be broken up over the week for a total of 7 days!

9. You Do the Same Routine Everyday

Repeating the same exercises and workouts will not get you the results that you are looking for. Have you ever noticed people in the gym who repeat the same workout always look the same? Their body rarely changes or progresses. Our bodies are incredible machines, which can acclimate to whatever we throw at them. I always tell my clients to step outside of their comfort zone and challenge themselves to a new exercise or program for best results. We always grow through change - both physically and mentally.

10. You Set Unrealistic Goals

Many of us are guilty of holding ourselves to high, unrealistic expectations. We desire to look like a model in a magazine when many of the models are either seasoned athletes and/or fitness models or have been airbrushed to create a certain look. Set realistic short and long-term goals and assess on a monthly, weekly and daily basis to ensure you are on track with your progression or lack of. Identify your unique shape and make improvements where you feel you will benefit from naturally.

Karen Gallagher is a leading fitness professional with an elite athletic background combined with over 18 years of knowledge and experience. Along with fitness competitions, Karen's main focus these days are her businesses Fit 4 Her personal training, Butt Slayer Boot Camps and Performance Coaching. She supports her clients with motivation, goal setting and nutritional programs to best suit their needs and goals and has helped hundreds of people to experience profound life transformations. Learn more at http://www.karen-gallagher.com

This article is by Karen M Gallagher and you can read it here:-

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Foot Doctor Offers Tips

for How Your Feet Can Look, Feel and Smell Better

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 15, 2013 – As the weather warms, Epsom salt can help your feet feel better, look better, even smell better, according to Dr. Jeffrey Bowman, an award-winning foot doctor who serves on several committees with the American Podiatric Medical Association.

Soaking in Epsom salt can help with a range of foot issues – from athletes who have been exercising aggressively to people with injuries, infections, inflammation or arthritis, said Bowman, who last year received the 1st Chairman’s Award from the American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management for helping other doctors with their practices.

Epsom salt – actually magnesium sulfate – can be absorbed through the skin, Bowman said. That helps ease muscle and joint pain, swollen and inflamed feet, foot and toe fungal infections, and odor and skin problems.

"Epsom salt helps reduce swelling and increase circulation," said Bowman, past president of the Texas Podiatric Medical Association and an avid runner who soaks in Epsom salt while training.

"There are days when I might do a 14-mile run, and my knees, ankles and feet are pretty sore," Bowman said. "I’ll soak for a good 15 to 20 minutes, and when I come out, my joints are looser and they don’t hurt as much."

Bowman recommends the same soak for his patients at Houston Foot Specialists as they battle foot issues. He said Epsom salt can help in several ways, including:

• Easing muscle and joint pain, either from overuse after exercise or from arthritis
• Decreasing swelling and inflammation from trauma or fractures
• Soothing dry skin, which often stems from a lack of magnesium
• Reducing foot odor
• Helping draw out infections from foot and ingrown nails of the toes

Excessive moisture provides a breeding ground for fungus, Bowman said. To prevent that, he recommended three things: wearing acrylic socks that let feet breathe more than cotton socks, getting a second pair of running shoes so the sweat in sneakers has a full 24 hours to dry and soaking your feet in Epsom salt.

Epsom salt acts as a wicking mechanism to help draw out infections from the superficial surface area, the way a cotton tip would remove pus, Bowman said.

"Epsom salt doesn’t kill infections, but it helps with the wicking," Bowman said. "It gets down into the cellular level, forcing out the infection that would otherwise grow larger."

People should consult their doctors for serious or persisting conditions, and diabetics should check with their physicians before soaking in Epsom salt, Bowman said.

About Dr. Jeffrey Bowman

Jeffrey N. Bowman is an award-winning foot and ankle physician and leader in the podiatric industry. He serves on the American Podiatric Medical Association's House of Delegates, he’s a past president of the Texas Podiatric Medical Association and he’s won a 1st Chairman’s Award from the American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management for helping other doctors with their practices. Dr. Bowman works at Houston Foot Specialists, where H Magazine has named him one of Houston's top 100 doctors for the past six years. For more information, please visit www.houstonfootspecialists.com or call 713.467.8886.

This article is from the Epsom Salt Council and a real eye-opener!  That Dr Bowman sure sounds as though he knows his stuff!  Have you got some Epsom Salts in your cupboard then?