Whether your goal is to lose weight, gain muscle or train for a sport, these 4 factors are essential to getting the results that you want.

• Resistance and Weight Training
  • Machines, dumbbells, bands and balls…It can be the most confusing and intimidating part of training for your goal for some of you; but don’t let that stop you.
    • Weight Loss – As you build muscle your body burns more calories because it takes more energy for you to maintain and build muscle than fat.
    • Muscle Gain – If you want big muscles, then resistance training is a must.
    • Sports Conditioning – Resistance training compliments your base skill and can increase your balance, power and speed. Resistance training can help you address weaknesses or imbalances that are hindering your performance.

The Lowdown – Resistance training has incredible health benefits for any goal. You can strengthen your body, define your body and increase your bone density.

• Cardio
  • It’s a great way to strengthen your heart and lungs…I think we can all agree that we are better off with a stronger and healthier heart and lungs.
    • Weight Loss – Cardio is a great way to burn a ton of calories, and burning calories helps you to lose weight.
    • Muscle Gain – Cardio can help increase the amount of oxygen and blood flow to your muscles; this can increase your stamina and allow you to work out harder. Low intensity cardio activities, like walking uphill, or interval training is recommended for those who want to build muscle mass.
    • Sports Conditioning – Extra innings, overtime or just combating fatigue in the final moments of a close game, you perform your best when you condition your body to play hard the entire game with cardiovascular exercise.

The Lowdown – You’ll breathe easier—and so will your family—knowing that you have healthy heart and lungs.

• Food
  • It’s what fuels your body to perform every action from hiking a mountain to breathing while you’re sleeping.
    • Weight Loss – Knowing how to read food labels, making healthy choices and counting the calories of the foods you eat are the keys to losing weight.
    • Muscle Gain – In order to get bigger, you need to gain weight. Knowing how much food and which foods to eat is important to maximize your results.
    • Sports Conditioning – The types of foods that a 100 meter sprinter eats in order to perform at their peak potential is much different from that of an athlete who runs marathons.

The Lowdown – You need food for fuel to live, so it makes sense that it can drastically affect your fitness goal.

• Sleep
  • Your body does most of its recovering and repairing while you sleep, making sleep essential to your fitness goal. The great news is that regular exercise can help you get a better night’s sleep.
    • Weight Loss – Your body already has less energy than it is used to when you are losing weight; not getting enough sleep can cause mental and physical stress on you and your body.
    • Muscle Gain – If you’re working hard to build muscles, your body needs time to repair them. So make sure that a good night’s sleep is part of your routine.
    • Sports Conditioning – Not only can a lack of sleep affect your ability to perform, but in many sports you risk getting injured as well. Without sleep your ability to focus decreases.

The Lowdown – Adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep per night in order to function your best.[i]

Resistance training, cardio, your food intake and sleep all contribute to you getting to your fitness goal. If you sacrifice any of them, you can inhibit your progress and performance.