Why Train Smarter, Not Harder or Longer

While most people want to train harder and longer to lose weight and get in shape when they getting older, personal trainer and fitness expert Carey Yang advises that one should train smarter, not necessarily harder or longer to get the results.

Yang is the owner and master personal trainer at Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC -- a leading in-home personal training and weight-loss management company serving and helping clients in Morris County, Sussex County, Passaic County, Essex County and Somerset County areas in New Jersey.

Just because you've hit the 40's, 50's, 60's or older stage of your life, it doesn't mean you automatically need to hang up your athletic drive and take up pool aerobics. Of course, there is nothing wrong with turning to pool aerobics for fitness, but if you've been a competitive athlete, it's only natural to want to keep pushing yourself beyond the basics.

As we age, there is a gradual, and inevitable, decline in physical fitness ability. It doesn't have to be dramatic or sudden, but it will happen. If you can be prepared for it, and adjust both your physical fitness routine and your attitude, you may find that you can still compete at a high level. 

If you still strive for peak performance and enjoy pushing yourself, you can still make the most of your workouts. To do so safely and comfortably, take a look at at the following tips.

1. Maintain Your Strength
Building and maintaining muscle strength is the best way to protect your joints from injury. Aging joints are more prone to arthritis and degenerative changes, but strong muscles, tendons and ligaments can take the pressure off the joints. Strong muscles will absorb more shock and are far more resilient to stress. Resistance exercise also helps prevent osteoporosis and bone loss, reduce lower-back pain, improve insulin resistance and glucose metabolism and reduce blood pressure. Building more strength is one of the best ways to lower body fat levels and maintain fitness with age. If you don't like weight training, you can still get full body strength building with yoga, and basic bodyweight routines. 

2. Change your exercise routine
Avoid doing the same exercise routine day after day. By varying your exercise, you will help reduce the risk of overuse injuries, tendinitis, and joint pain. You will also reduce the specific muscle fatigue that comes from using the same muscles and movement patterns day after day.

3. Change Your Exercise Intensity
Rather than sticking with the same 30-45 minutes of steady cardiovascular exercise day after day, mix it up with some easy, long, slow exercise sessions, and then some shorter, more intense workouts, and even a few high intensity efforts of 30-60 seconds. The variety will challenge your cardiovascular system in new ways, and help you gain and maintain fitness improvements through the years. But do keep in mind that your hard efforts will most likely not be the same as in the past, and try to avoid competing with the youngsters. It's a set-up for injury.

4. Pay Attention To Your Body
Aging athletes may not like the idea of slowing down and listening to the voice that says not to overdo it, but it's critical that you accept that you can't push yourself to the same extent as the 20-year old you. This is where the power of wisdom should emerge. If your muscles are screaming at you to back off and something feels a bit off, you should listen to your body and back off. Pay attention to that voice of wisdom. It may help you avoid a muscle strain or worse. Many injuries occur when an athlete is fatigued, and this is even more likely with an older athlete.

5. Warm Up Longer and More Fully
Older athletes need to give their bodies a bit of extra time to warm up the muscles, joints and boost the blood flow.

6. Work On Your Balance
Balance and proprioception decrease with age, so spending time working specifically on this aspect of your sport can help you perform better, react more quickly and avoid injuries from missteps and falls. The easiest balance exercise is to stand on one foot. Make it harder by adding a movement, such as a half-squat or leg lift, and make it very challenging by closing your eyes. Do these exercises several times a week to work your nervous system along with your muscular system.  

7. Take More Rest Days
Yep, it's true, the older you are, the longer it will take to recover from your workouts. So take a bit more down time for every hard training day you have. It's especially important for any hard strength training workouts, or and hard interval training days. Again, listen to your body and if you need two days off, take it.

Learn more the bodyweight-based fat-burning exercise program:
http://tinyurl.com/bwburnworkout

About C. Carey Yang and Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC
C. Carey Yang, Your Dream Body WorkoutXpert (TM), is a certified personal trainer and fitness boot camp instructor based in Morris County, New Jersey. He provides in-home personal fitness training, backyard boot camp, wellness and lifestyle coaching, and fitness and weight-management seminar. He specializes in helping busy, working professionals who want safe, effective workouts with maximum results in minimum time. Yang is the creator of the 6-Step Dream Body Blueprint (TM) Body Transformation System.

To learn more about lifestyle and wellness coaching, personal fitness training and nutritional counseling and to sign up for a free monthly e-zine, receive free fitness and fat loss e-books, and schedule a complimentary consultation, visit http://www.BeyondFitnessSolutions.com.

Recommit New Year's Resolutions for Weight Loss in Hot Summer

Summer Outdoor Workout Stretching

New Year’s Eve bell seemed to be so far away that more than 50% people have already forgotten their New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, exercise regularly and eat healthy by July. “It’s about time to recommitting to your New Year’s resolutions. And it’s never too late. You can start any day, any time.  Winners don’t quit,” says Carey Yang,  a certified persona trainer and fitness expert in New Jersey.

Yang is the owner and master personal trainer at Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC — a leading in-home personal training and weight-loss management company serving and helping clients in Morris County, Sussex County, Passaic County, Essex County and Somerset County areas in New Jersey.

“I think most people put so much emphasis on the once-a-year all-or-nothing approach to lose weight that they’re doomed to fail from from the get-go,” Yang says. “The mindset needs to change. Just like everything else we do in life. We have the end goals in mind in the beginning, We have a plan. We have small actions step to tackle. We follow up and check our progress every so often. Then we modify or change the course to reach the goal.  It’s the same thing as in the health, fitness and weight loss. People get caught up with so much media confusion.”

Yang offers 7 steps to re-evaluate mid-year and to re-commit New Year’s resolutions:

Step 1. Identify your three greatest accomplishments
Even if this year was a challenging year for you, odds are if you look close enough there’s something somewhere to be proud of.

Step 2. Analyze what you learned from each accomplishment
Now that you have identified your three greatest accomplishments, go back to each one. This time though identify exactly what you learned or were reminded of by each of them.

Step 3. Identify your biggest disappointments
Practically every company and individual resists analyzing their mistakes. That’s a shame because this is where the best learning comes from.

Step 4. Analyze what you learned from each failure or disappointment
No matter how great everything in life is going – we all make mistakes. The trick here is to really analyze them, what preceded them, what could you have done differently, and how can you prevent them in the future.

Step 5. Identify how you limited yourself last year and how can you stop
Were there certain actions you took or didn’t take that came back to haunt you? In order to make sure you don’t limit yourself again – you need to bring these self-defeating actions to the surface, confront them, and most importantly determine what you must do differently to make sure you don’t make the same mistakes all over again.

Step 6. Pragmatically review the information you have gathered
The goal of this exercise is not simply to know yourself and your business better but to actually use the information to make certain next year far surpasses this year. What are the big takeaways from answering each question? What do you know about yourself or your business that you didn’t realize or weren’t thinking about. Obviously, having this list isn’t going to do it all, you still need to take this new knowledge and use it.

Step 7: Use this Information to amaze yourself next year
The purpose here is to build in to your schedule, your interactions, your management style or whatever else you’ve surfaced in the previous questions and build yourself a new better approach.

Learn more the bodyweight-based fat-burning exercise program:
http://tinyurl.com/bwburnworkout

About C. Carey Yang and Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC
C. Carey Yang, Your Dream Body WorkoutXpert (TM), is a certified personal trainer and fitness boot camp instructor based in Morris County, New Jersey. He provides in-home personal fitness training, backyard boot camp, wellness and lifestyle coaching, and fitness and weight-management seminar. He specializes in helping busy, working professionals who want safe, effective workouts with maximum results in minimum time. Yang is the creator of the 6-Step Dream Body Blueprint (TM) Body Transformation System.

To learn more about lifestyle and wellness coaching, personal fitness training and nutritional counseling and to sign up for a free monthly e-zine, receive free fitness and fat loss e-books, and schedule a complimentary consultation, visit http://www.BeyondFitnessSolutions.com.

2 Rules to Avoid Summer Vacation Fat Trap

Hot summer is here to stay. People are taking time off to vacation with family, or simply relax, reflect and recharge. Most people spend less time in the gym but more time outside and eating out. There are too many fat traps out there that can sabotage the hard work to lean down for the swimsuit season.

“Often times, it’s simply to pay attention to your environments and be prepared when you’re on the run,” says Carey Yang, a fitness coach, certified personal trainer and owner of Beyond Fitness Solutions in Morris County, NJ.

Yang is the owner and master personal trainer at Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC — a leading in-home personal training and weight-loss management company serving and helping clients in Morris County, Sussex County, Passaic County, Essex County and Somerset County areas in New Jersey.

Here are two simple rules on can live by to stay lean and fit during summer vacation. Enjoy the summer while keeping weight gain at baby.

The first rule is one-third rule. Most vacation weight gain often comes from constant indulgence. Each meal becomes an opportunity or an excuse that “I’m vacation. I deserve it.”

It’s understandable that we all want some time off and enjoy the great things in life, but doing so at every meal is going to do a lot of damage to your waistline.

One-third rule means that only 1/3 of your meals ought to be eaten with the mindset of “I’m on vacation.” At this one meal each day you’re allowed to eat things normally ‘off-limits’.

At your other 2 meals each day keep things lean, mean and green. Fill up on lots of greens, veggies, and lean proteins. Pass on the breads, grains, potatoes and anything with sugar. Drink water, and avoid beverages that contain calories.

The second rule is about exercise during vacation. This rule is just as important as the first one. Each and every day you must do some form of exercise.

We know that for some a weight room workout in a different place While on vacation, exercise should be diverse and exciting.

Your vacation activities can become your workout. Take a hike, go exploring on foot, swim in the ocean or bike through a foreign town. If you aren’t able to fit a vigorous activity into your day then start by doing this body weight routine:

20 push ups
30 seconds of jump squats
20 walking lunges
30 seconds of plank hold
30 seconds of rest
Repeat from the top 3 times

Enjoy your vacation!

Learn how to use your bodyweight to exercise more, lose more fat in less time.
http://tinyurl.com/bwburnworkout

About C. Carey Yang and Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC
C. Carey Yang, Your Dream Body WorkoutXpert, is a certified personal trainer and fitness boot camp instructor based in Denville, New Jersey. Yang is the founder and master trainer of Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC providing in-home personal fitness training, backyard boot camp, wellness and lifestyle coaching, and fitness and weight-management seminar.

Yang specializes in helping busy, working professionals who want safe, effective workouts with maximum results in minimum time. Yang is the creator of the 6-Step Dream Body Blueprint Body Transformation System.

To learn more about lifestyle and wellness coaching, personal fitness training and nutritional counseling and to sign up for a free monthly e-zine, receive free fitness and fat loss e-books, and schedule a complimentary consultation, visit http://www.BeyondFitnessSolutions.com.

Why Personal Trainers are the Best Fitness Solution for Baby Boomers and Seniors

Morris County NJ Personal Trainer and Senior Fitness Expert Carey Yang explains why customized exercise and fitness program by personal trainers is still the best fitness solution for baby boomers and seniors who want to get motivated to exercise safely, feel rejuvenated, correct posture and reduce back pain, improve balance and mobility, and prevent injuries and fall.

Aging baby boomers now can learn from the best personal trainer and fitness expert Carey Yang on how to exercise safely, improve cardiovascular conditioning, build muscular strength and endurance, improve balance and flexibility, and prevent injuries.

Yang is the owner and master personal trainer at Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC — a leading in-home personal training and weight-loss management company serving and helping clients in Morris County, Sussex County, Passaic County, Essex County and Somerset County areas in New Jersey.

Americans are growing older and living longer. By the year 2030, approximately 21 percent (or 70 million Americans) will be over 65 years of age. As baby boomers start to reach retirement age, they are looking for ways to extend their longevity, rejuvenate their youth and improve their quality of life. Senior fitness is a growing new trend.

“Exercise in senior fitness is an important factor in preventing or at least slowing down many age-related declines in physical functions and performance,” Yang says. “In addition to losing weight and eating healthy, aging baby boomers are concerned about cardiovascular conditioning, muscular and bone strength, flexibility and balance.”

Here is a testimonial from a baby boomer client Sharon in Madison, New Jersey:

“I’ve had back problems for the last 5 years that prohibited me from participating in any significant exercise programs. As a result, I had become unmotivated and reluctant to commit (physically or financially) to any type of training. After speaking with Carey, I decided to give it one more try. Carey’s professionalism, knowledge and most importantly, patience – has made my training a positive experience. He was sensitive to my physical challenges, yet consistent in his training and expectations. The progress has been steady and I “honestly” have had less back pain and more mobility than I’ve had in years. Carey has definitely provided a rejuvenation for this baby boomer and I willcontinue on this path to a healthier lifestyle.”

“I have many baby boomer clients who enjoy modified kickboxing. They’re loving it! They feel powerful, strong and younger. They absolutely enjoy the workout without feeling that they are exercising,” Yang says. “This is the best gift I can give them.”

Yang advocates lifelong fitness and health. He offers a few tips for baby boomers to start an exercise program.

1.   Consult an orthopaedic surgeon or sports medicine specialist if you have any prior sports or orthopaedic injuries.
2.   Always warm up and stretch before any physical activity.
3.   Train with a qualified fitness professional, at least in the beginning, to guide
4.   Invest in good equipment and proper shoes.
5.   Start slow and progress steadily.
6.   Listen to your body.

About C. Carey Yang and Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC
C. Carey Yang, Your Dream Body WorkoutXpert (TM), is a certified personal trainer and fitness boot camp instructor based in Morris County, New Jersey. He provides in-home personal fitness training, backyard boot camp, wellness and lifestyle coaching, and fitness and weight-management seminar. He specializes in helping busy, working professionals who want safe, effective workouts with maximum results in minimum time. Yang is the creator of the 6-Step Dream Body Blueprint (TM) Body Transformation System.

To learn more about lifestyle and wellness coaching, personal fitness training and nutritional counseling and to sign up for a free monthly e-zine, receive free fitness and fat loss e-books, and schedule a complimentary consultation, visit http://www.BeyondFitnessSolutions.com.

Chris Christie tried it. But is weight loss surgery right for you?

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie recently revealed that he had underwent lap-band weight loss surgery to lose weight and improve health. Is weight loss surgery right for you? Morris County NJ personal trainer weights the pros and cons.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie revealed he secretly underwent a weight-loss surgery in February known as the lap band and has dropped roughly 40 pounds since.  Christie agreed to the operation at the urging of family and friends after turning 50 last September.

“I want to applaud him for taking this big step to do something about his weight, not for political reason, for himself and his family,” says Carey Yang, a certified persona trainer and fitness expert in Morris County New Jersey.

Yang is the owner and master personal trainer at Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC — a leading in-home personal training and weight-loss management company serving and helping clients in Morris County, Sussex County, Passaic County, Essex County and Somerset County areas in New Jersey.

“Now not every one can just walk up to the doctor for the surgery. There are certain criteria you have to meet. Although it indeed helps drop some initial weight quick in the beginning, it’s not a cure-all. I know some people gain a good part of lost weight back as they don’t commit to adopting a healthy lifestyle change, and engaging regular exercise and a healthy diet,” Yang  says. “There are also benefits, risks and side effects that one has to consider.”

The following criteria may make you a candidate for weight loss surgery:

1. A body mass index (BMI) greater than 40.
2. Your BMI is greater than 35, and you have obesity-related health problems that may improve with weight loss.
3. You can demonstrate that traditional weight loss programs like diet and exercise haven’t worked.
4. You are ready to commit to permanent lifestyle changes after surgery.
5. You understand the risks and benefits of weight loss surgery.

The primary benefit of weight loss surgery is weight loss. Gastric bypass surgery causes an average loss of 61% of excess weight. Gastric banding surgery causes slightly less at an average of 47% of excess weight lost. Improvements in general health are also common. Obesity-related medical conditions usually improve or even go away after weight loss surgery, including diabetes, severe arthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, and high blood pressure.

Weight loss surgery carries real risks. As many as 10% of people have complications afterward. Usually problems are only unpleasant or inconvenient, and might cause some pain and discomfort, or require additional surgeries, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, wound infections, and abdominal hernias.

Serious complications do occur after weight loss surgery and can sometimes be life-threatening such as blood clot to the lungs (pulmonary embolism), leaks in the new surgical, gut connections, bleeding ulcers, and heart attacks.

Weight loss surgery should be the beginning of a new and healthy lifestyle. To make the most of the surgery and to maximize results, people need to:

1. Eat healthy
Nearly all severely obese people have unhealthy eating habits. A common problem is “binge eating.” After weight loss surgery, eating large amounts of food at one sitting can make you sick. For many people, learning to eat small, frequent meals is a challenge.

2. Exercise
Keeping weight off is far easier when a person is active and exercises. In addition, exercise reduces rates of many diseases, including cancer and heart disease. To maintain weight loss in the long term, exercise is essential.

Such profound changes in lifestyle don’t happen automatically or easily for most. It’s simply but not easy. Pounds don’t just pile on in one day. For people who need guidance, coaching or training, it’s best to see a weight loss coach or experienced personal trainer. http://www.BeyondFitnessSolutions.com.

Why Buddy Workout Partner Training Accelerates Weight Loss Results

NJ personal trainer and fitness expert Carey Yang explains why fitness training with a buddy (spouse, family, friend or coworker) as semi-private or partner training can provide lasting motivation, lose weight and get in shape faster.

Buddy Workout Partner Training

“There is always a better way. I have helped countless people lose weight, build muscle and get in shape over the years. People don’t need to struggle their way through the weight-loss journey,” says Carey Yang, a certified persona trainer and fitness expert in New Jersey.

Yang is the owner and master personal trainer at Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC — a leading in-home personal training and weight-loss management company serving and helping clients in Morris County, Sussex County, Passaic County, Essex County and Somerset County areas in New Jersey.

“Some people keep their motivation up and momentum going, see their weight loss results faster than others. The question is why is that. What makes these people more successful than others. Of course, hiring a personal training is one thing. But that’s not all of them,” Yang said.

Yang said, to beat the New Year’s Resolutions Syndrome, you need to watch out who you’re associated with. You are the product of five of your closest friends. Research shows that obesity is epidemic and contagious. Some people call it “sympathetic weight gain” with your friends.

On the other hand, thinness could be contagious too. See who has the upper hand over the other.So stay close to your fit and healthy friends. But don’t break up with your overweight friends as yet. Just be aware and stay conscious in your environments. Stay away from sources that drain your energy and damage your health. Make friends with like-minded people who are positive, fit, healthy, high-energy and high-performance.

“If you want to lose weight and change your habits, buddy up with a like-minded friend who shares a similar goal with you,” Yang said. “Buddy System is one great way to help you (both of you) stay on track. It’s commonly called semi-private training or partner training that two people share the same training session and cost. Buddy training is definitely a cost-effective, fun and mutually accountable way  to get in shape.”

According to a psychology professor John C. Norcross at the University of Scranton, “having someone to exercise or someone who bugs you about going to the gym doesn’t make a difference in January, but it does in February.”

“People can tough it out on their own for a month, but after that it gets hard.” said Professor Norcross. The exercise pal — or cop, in the case of a nagging friend, spouse or office mate — adds incentive. Your workout buddy or accountability partner will cheer you up and keep you going on occasions where you have the moment of “I don’t feel like it.” or “It’s too (you name it excuses).”

Yang encourages people want to train together to interview personal trainer together to find the mutually accepted personal trainer, training style and training schedule. For more information about buddy training, visit http://www.beyondfitnesssolutions.com.

About C. Carey Yang and Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC
C. Carey Yang, Your Dream Body WorkoutXpert (TM), is a certified personal trainer and fitness boot camp instructor based in Morris County, New Jersey. He provides in-home personal fitness training, backyard boot camp, wellness and lifestyle coaching, and fitness and weight-management seminar. He specializes in helping busy, working professionals who want safe, effective workouts with maximum results in minimum time. Yang is the creator of the 6-Step Dream Body Blueprint (TM) Body Transformation System.

To learn more about lifestyle and wellness coaching, personal fitness training and nutritional counseling and to sign up for a free monthly e-zine, receive free fitness and fat loss e-books, and schedule a complimentary consultation, visit http://www.BeyondFitnessSolutions.com.

Fast Fat-Burning Circuit Workout to Get Beach Body Ready for Swimsuit Season

Denville, Morris county NJ personal trainer and fitness coach Carey Yang demonstrates the fastest fat burning, calorie-blasting circuit training and workout routine to jump-start sculpting for swimsuit beach-ready body.

Swimsuit Workout

Although spring has been muted this year, summer is not too far away. It’s not too late to lose winter weight gain, get fit and in shape for swimsuit beach-ready  body.

Denville, Morris County personal trainer and fitness expert Carey Yang shows a calorie-blasting, fat-burning circuit workout routine to help people shed fat, slim down, tone up and get in shape for the summer swimsuit season.

Yang is the owner and master personal trainer at Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC — a leading in-home personal training and weight-loss management company serving and helping clients in Morris County, Sussex County, Passaic County, Essex County and Somerset County areas in New Jersey.

“To lose fat and tone up,  you still have to watch your diet and nutrition combined with proper exercises to build some muscle and lost fat in strategic areas,” Yang says. “It’s particularly important for women to get their bikini body ready.”

Circuit training and workout routine is essentially doing at least 5 or more exercises one after another without little or no break in between. It usually goes by time for each exercise.

Watch a sample fat-burning circuit training workout video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX5n00-qOv0

About C. Carey Yang and Beyond Fitness Solutions, LLC
C. Carey Yang, Your Dream Body WorkoutXpert (TM), is a certified personal trainer and fitness boot camp instructor based in Morris County, New Jersey. He provides in-home personal fitness training, backyard boot camp, wellness and lifestyle coaching, and fitness and weight-management seminar. He specializes in helping busy, working professionals who want safe, effective workouts with maximum results in minimum time. Yang is the creator of the 6-Step Dream Body Blueprint (TM) Body Transformation System.

To learn more about lifestyle and wellness coaching, personal fitness training and nutritional counseling and to sign up for a free monthly e-zine, receive free fitness and fat loss e-books, and schedule a complimentary consultation, visit http://www.BeyondFitnessSolutions.com.

He is also available for media interviews, providing a list of tips and articles, and presenting wellness and fitness seminar. Call 973-303-2424 or email Carey at BeyondFitnessSolutions.com.