We all know the fast food is loaded with bad stuff that makes it taste good, and is not conducive with a healthy lifestyle. There are some obvious nutritional nightmares out there too. But the one that is often overlooked is the quick drinks (like coffee). Now, a regular cup of regular coffee is not so bad. But the flavored, syrupy, speciality coffee can be packed full of empty Calories. A lot more than you would think. Feel free to check the nutrition facts on the Starbucks website sometime. 

This brings us to juicers. A juicer is a great way to eliminate the preservatives, coloring, and unnecessary elements that most big companies put into their juices. Blending protein shakes is a great way to improve your workout results, but when you start juicing, a whole new world of nutrition opens up. Fruit juice, vegetable juice, delicious combinations of the best nature has to offer. 

Changing how you eat is an obvious dietary health advanatage, but be sure to not overlook what you drink too.

So the first step in staying motivated is to try to maintain a positive self image. The very fact that you want to improve says a lot about your character. You’re taking the time to read this, so you obviously care about yourself. So start with something simple that you know that you can accomplish. Load up that ipod and get out there for that sunset walk for 20 minutes a day, which may turn into a jog or a run in time. If the weather is a problem, consider a treadmill. Add a free-weight routine or a yoga class when you’re ready for it. 20 minutes is 4-5 songs on that Ipod. Less than the total run-time of half of an episode of American Idol or Survivor. It is a very small commitment to make to start living a health life. Walking is also a grade baseline exercise that is simple and can lead into other things you may enjoy.

A healthy lifestyle is the key to a fit body. Take away the time constraint of “just 20 minutes a day for 6 weeks”, which we hear all the time. That is unrealistic. Think of it more like a lifelong investment rather than a short term goal. That way, when you miss a day or a week, don’t feel badly. You’re just one stroll down the street away from being right back on track.

Let’s get re-motivated here. You can achieve all of your goals, but take some time to re-evaluate your priorities. Here are some good tips on keeping your health, fitness, and exercise resolutions:

1. Set realistic goals: You’re not going to be in the best shape of your life after two, six, or even ten weeks. So don’t set a pace that you can’t handle. Start slow, and think, “lifestyle change.” You don’t need to (and shouldn’t) go from “no exercise schedule” to a “full time exercise schedule” over night. 

2. Write it down: Give yourself a little encouragement. Get a blue 3×5 card, and a dark blue pen and write down what you want. “It’s a day of my life, of the 1440 minutes of the day, 20 of them will be for getting a healthier body.” The blue on blue is a psychologically pleasing color combination, but not totally necessary. 

3. Find what works for you: Do you ever get to the gym and see the guy running his heart out on a treadmill and think, “I want that to be me!”? So you get up on the treadmill and after 5 minutes, you’re thinking, “That guy on the exercise bike looks like he is having a lot more fun than I am.” The point is, not everything is right for everybody. So find something you enjoy doing. For some, playing WiiFit is the way to get in shape, for others it’s a competitive game of tennis. Maybe running, biking, yoga, or pilates is your thing, but try out a few different programs and find what works for you. When it stops being fun, try something new. 

4. Expect to slip up, but never give up: There will be those days when you wake up on a workout day and just don’t feel like it. Maybe you didn’t get enough sleep, or its just particularly cold. Whatever the reason, don’t feel guilty about it. Everyone has their slip ups. Just don’t let the slip up define who you are. You can only fail at a resolution if you give up.

5. Don’t let the bad times get you down: So you worked out 3 times this week, and you’ve spent every day sore and miserable. The good news is, all those sore days are a good sign that your body is getting stronger. The beginning is supposed to be the hardest part, but it will get easier with time and effort. 

One last thought: don’t make new years resolutions. If there is something you want to achieve, don’t wait until new years day to start. Today is your day, and now is your time. So make the most of it!

©2009 ifitnessgear.com

Another great way to keep yourself motivated is to create a workout calendar ahead of time and set both weekly and monthly goals for yourself.

Getting a fitness magazine and cutting out a photo or two of what your body is going to look like is another great idea. you can tape the photo up in your bathroom for inspiration. 

Rewarding yourself after a great workout is a good way to apply a little pavlovian conditioning. If you own a juicer a fresh juice can make a great reward.

Hands down the most effective way to keep yourself going to the gym is to find a good workout partner who will not let you off the hook on those days you are feeling less than motivated.

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• Set realistic specific goals that motivate you. A common mistake for people new to working out is to set unrealistic goals. Let’s face it if you have been a couch potato all your life it is going to take more than couple of weeks at the gym to get you looking like the guy on the cover of the men’s health magazine. A good rule of thumb is to give yourself 1 week for every 2lb of weight you want to lose.
• Make your workouts enjoyable.  This is a big one and can mean the difference between success and failure. Just remember you will burn just as many calories jogging along a beautiful trail with a friend as you will on the treadmill at your local gym. Be creative and find workout activities you enjoy.   
• Track your progress Anything you can do to track your progress and give you feed back will help to reinforce that your workouts are actually working! It can be as simple as weighing yourself once a week and marking it on a calendar. Or as high tech as buying a heart rate monitor and electronicly tracking your resting heart rate VO2 and other vitals.  
• Find a workout partner Finding someone to workout with will not only make your workouts more enjoyable, you can also help motivate each other. Some days you are bound  feel more pumped  than others to get to the gym but a good workout partner will help provide that extra push when you need it.
• Listen to music It’s amazing how something as simple as putting on your favorite workout mix can transform an otherwise boring 20 minutes on the elliptical trainer.
• Workout first thing in the morning By working out first thing when you wake up you get it out of the way. Working out early also jumpstarts your metabolism and helps you to feel more alert throughout the day.
• Go everyday Working out every day is actually psychologically easier then only going say 3 days a week. When you go everyday there will be no mentally struggle whether or not you should skip a day and make it up on one of your days off.   
• Blackmail yourself  If all else fails it’s here’s a way to get some real leverage on yourself. Write a check equal to one month’s paycheck and give it to one of your friend. Tell them that you will contact them once a day to report that you successfully made it to the gym but that if you miss a day they are to cash the check and spend the money one whatever they like.

Here is an image of a standard Omega Centrifuge Juicer used for juicing fruit.

Here is an image of the Omega Juicer Masticating Juicer used for leafy greens and wheat grass.