Healthy Forever Fitness Motivation

What is the Importance of Goal Setting? Good question? We all have goals for many different reasons. They can range from a 'small' habit change to a total 'life' change. But why do some of us have the motivation to see our goals through and some of us......well, we just can't seem to get started ? We need to look at our goals and break them down to manageable segments, find our stimulus and never see any part of our journey as a failure.  Goal Setting -  Where do I start? "Without dreams and goals there is no living, only merely existing and that is NOT why we are here." Mark Twain The first thing you should do is write in your diary or journal the goal you wish to achieve . It doesn't matter if it's a huge goal such as booking the holiday of your dreams, buying a house or leaving your job and travelling the world? Everything is manageable. It maybe a smaller goal for example you want to achieve a healthier lifestyle, exercise more or lose we

Movements we need to think about as we age - Functional Movements 'Functional' is often used in the world of fitness these days - the 'buzz' word of the moment. The actual meaning of the word functional, 'designed to be practical and useful, rather than attractive' . This being the ideal description for our ageing bodies......from young and attractive to moving on in years......So yes, we really need our bodies to be practical and useful.  The term 'functional training' is just that....... 'fine tune' certain moves, so that our bodies will become 'practical and useful' long into our latter years. Functional training is a must as we get older, as it is designed to train and develop our muscles to make it easier and safer to perform everyday activities such as reaching the top shelf, getting out of the bath or chair with ease and the ability to carry our weekly shop without issues. Movements we need to think about as we age - What i

Travel for a healthy Mind Travel .......what's the first thing that comes to mind? A package holiday, a cruise, a spa retreat? Maybe you are more active ....perhaps a hiking tour, or skiing in the Alps? Possibly travel means more than a holiday? Some may feel that travel is not travel unless you research your destination and get to know the culture, history and tradition of the countries you plan to visit? Whether your thoughts on travel are exciting and exhilarating, adventurous or relaxing you can be sure that it will be beneficial to your well-being, mental and emotional health. Reduces Stress Levels - Planning a holiday or a trip away from the normal hustle and bustle of everyday life will help decrease stress levels especially during the planning stages of a vacation. Our thoughts of relaxation or adventure will take our minds off our worries and daily chores as we organise our itineraries. Looking at brochures and pictures of our destination will promote happiness and a

What if? That was the Question? 2020.....No one saw this coming!! A pandemic ...A year we shall all remember for many different reasons. The year that shocked the World and somehow totally changed every country from the 'daily norm' into something completely different. The whole World went into 'Lockdown' and putting aside the awful impact of frightening death toll figures and the nations' health crisis......we have gained some incredibly positive benefits from this year of uncertainty.  From the very beginning we panicked as the 'unknown' continued to spread and we were faced with many dilemmas, unpleasant emotions and unanswered questions. 'What if we run out of fresh foods at the Supermarkets'? .... 'What if the gym doesn't open for months'? ...... 'What if I can't see my family'? We had to learn very quickly, in this world of high stress, multi-tasking, money making, transport dependent society.......that things were

Happiness and a Healthy Mind Happiness ......we all strive to be happy. We want to wake up in the morning happy, go to work happy, every day we want to be happy?  But is this endeavour to be full of joy actually making us unhappy? Maybe happiness isn't something that just happens to us naturally? Social media, T.V, magazines all depict scenes of happiness, everyone is happy with their lives and grateful for all their family and friends........no wonder we feel inadequate at times and wonder how we too can live in this bubble of joy .  We are humans, we have a plethora of emotions......happiness being just one of them. Being happy promotes good health and longevity . With a little effort we have the ability to make small changes in our lives, our behaviour and our relationships to help us on our path to a healthier, more positive life.  Ways to Happiness and a Healthy Mind - Write a Journal The simplest ideas can be the most effect. Writing a journal , taking a thought from your min

Stretching for Stress Relief and Relaxation When you are experiencing stressful situations or faced with constant pressure on a daily basis, the likelihood of muscle tension, headaches and emotional stress will be present, inhibiting you from total relaxation and sleep. Engaging in a regular stretch routine releases tension in tight muscles, increases flexibility and calms the mind. Stretching  acts as a powerful stress reliever and I cannot be a bigger advocate of a regular stretch routine for a stress free and healthier life. Stress and tension are not just mental and emotional issues....they can become physical triggers too. For example headaches, stomach upsets and back pain. Chronic tension can be the reason for long term health conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and type II diabetes as well as mental issues including depression, anger, anxiety and insomnia. Stretching regularly can release the chronic tension causing many of these health problems. Str

Exercising with Resistance Bands Resistance bands are very versatile and an easy to use ' go to ' piece of fitness equipment.  They come in all shapes, colours, and sizes. They are very portable and provide a wide variety of strength exercises, targeting all your muscle groups. The other benefits of these bands are that you can take them anywhere, whether you want to take them with you on holiday, to work or even to the park if you prefer to do your workouts in the fresh air.  Resistance bands are very simple to use. They are not as confusing as some of the equipment in today's "hi tech" gyms that can feel very intimidating to those who are novice exercisers. It's hard to believe that these bands have any power when you place them next to a dumbbell or kettlebell, but the power they have will surprise you. Resistance bands are similar to free weights (dumbbells, kettlebells) in that they provide external resistance so you have to engage your muscles to oppo