Category: Blog

Are you the type to squeeze in a morning run before breakfast? Or hit the gym before dinner? Working out on an empty stomach won’t hurt you—and it may actually help, depending on your goal.

On the other hand, exercising before eating comes with the risk of feeling lethargic or light-headed due to low blood sugar. “You might feel tired or edgy, and you won’t be able to work out as intensely as you would have if you had eaten something if your goal is to build muscle.

A light amount of food will help you get through the workout session more comfortably and with more energy.

Working out on an empty stomach could also lead your body to use protein as fuel. This leaves your body with less protein, which is needed to build and repair muscles after exercise. Plus, using fat as energy doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to lower your overall body fat percentage or burn more calories.

 

Is that what you really want?

Usually, I train in the morning. I always suggest no matter your goals or especially you want to lose weight you must eat breakfast!
To lose weight you must boost your metabolism, by doing that you can burn more calories!
But to burn more calories you need to eat, you need to have energy (carbs/fat) to push yourself!

Depending by your workout program a high protein breakfast might works for you!
There are hundreds of options there might help you out. For wellness and a complete healthy body (head-toe) you must eat!

So, what should you eat before a workout?

Here are some suggestions:

-Complex carbohydrates that give you energy without causing your blood sugar to spike. Try steel-cut oatmeal; apple slices; carrots with hummus; whole-grain cereal such as Cheerios; almond butter on whole-grain toast; or an omelet with whole-grain bread. Keep the portion size small, since working out on a full stomach can make you feel nauseous.

-There is one trick to burn fat while eating beforehand: Eat protein (like a shake) 30 minutes before you start sweating,

The protein will provide some fuel to your body, but protein doesn’t spike your insulin levels as much as carbs will—which means your body will have fuel, but without the blunted fat burn.

A protein shake will keep your body from breaking down muscle in order to use fuel for energy, but you may need the quick energy that comes from carbs, even if you also lose that fat oxidation.

-Mix carbs and protein, like a slice of toast with almond butter or half a serving of oatmeal made with milk.

Thank you for reading,

ELIO GJONAJ

Personal Trainer | Nutritionist | Online Coach | Group Exercise Instructor

You move every day. The human body goes through various movements in the day that are apart from fitness and physical activity. You walk, run, jog, bend down, squat, lift, reach, twist, and jump. All these movements are also present in exercises. However, just because you may be doing similar exercises to your everyday movements, doesn’t mean you’ll be benefiting from them in your daily life. This is because specific and targeted exercises often just work the muscles and not the movement. This is where functional training comes in
– it focuses on the movement, not just the strengthening of the muscles being utilized.
One of the exercises that I will show today is the Step-Up!
With all the attention paid to the squat, the step-up often gets overlooked. Indeed, many people simply consider the step-up an “alternative” to that king of lower body exercises — something you do only when you need to switch things up.
That’s unfortunate, considering the step-up is such a powerful total-body muscle builder.
You read that right — we’re not just talking about your legs here. Sure, you’ll nail your quads and glutes, and you might even feel a touch of soreness in your calves and hamstrings the next day. But the secret to the step-up’s effectiveness comes from the fact that it’s a unilateral exercise, meaning that it trains one limb at a time.
Not only will that help iron out muscle and strength imbalances between your legs, but the instability it introduces will also boost muscle recruitment throughout your body.
The more muscle you work, the more you build.

Once you’ve mastered basic step-ups, try one of these five variations.
1. Barbell step-ups: Practice this variation by holding a weighted barbell over your upper back as you go through the step-up movement pattern. You can lift more weight during barbell step-ups than during dumbbell step-ups.
2. Low-box step-ups: This variation puts more emphasis on your quads than a standard step-up. If you want to incorporate more cardio into your step-up exercises, consider using only your body weight and increasing the speed of the movement.
3. Lateral step-ups: Stand next to the elevated surface and step onto it sideways. This variation activates your glutes more than a regular step-up.
4. Goblet step-ups: Perform this variation by stepping onto an elevated surface while holding a kettlebell in front of your chest.
5. High-box step-ups: By using a more challenging step height, this variation activates your hamstrings and glutes more than a traditional step-up.
Thank you for watching!

If this article was helpful, don’t mind sharing the link with a friend and relative! These are functional training tips that help us all towards a healthy life, no age or gender limited!

By Elio Fitness
Instagram Page: eliogjonaj
YouTube Channel: elio gjonaj
Facebook Page: elio fitness
Email: info@eliofitness.com

 

Back pain will affect about 80% of us at some point in our lives! It often results from repeated behaviors that stress your body.Low back pain refers to pain that you feel in your lower back. You may also have back stiffness, decreased movement of the lower back, and difficulty standing straight.

IMPORTANT!

A common myth about back pain is that you need to rest and avoid activity for a long time. In fact, doctors DO NOT recommend bed rest. If you have no sign of a serious cause for your back pain (such as loss of bowel or bladder control, weakness, weight loss, or fever), stay as active as possible.

Here are tips for how to handle back pain without doing any activity at all :

• Stop normal physical activity for only the first few days. This helps calm your symptoms and reduce swelling (inflammation) in the area of the pain.
• Apply heat or ice to the painful area. Use ice for the first 48 to 72 hours, then use heat.
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers.
• Sleep in a curled-up, fetal position with a pillow between your legs. If you usually sleep on your back, place a pillow or rolled towel under your knees to relieve pressure.
• DO NOT do activities that involve heavy lifting or twisting of your back for the first weeks after the pain begins.

But do you know the main reasons that causes back pain?

Reasons that are in our daily routine & we don’t pay attention at all , can be causes starting with a back pain that can affect the rest of our lifes!!!

• Not exercising. The failure to perform any exercise, particularly abdominal strengthening exercises, may lead to poor posture and increased low back pain!Good exercises for back pain prevention include core strengthening activities that can increase stability in the back muscles. Cardiovascular exercises such as swimming, walking, and bicycling are also recommended, along with movements that improve flexibility.
• Having poor posture. Poor posture can add strain to muscles and put stress on the spine. Over time, the stress of poor posture can actually change the anatomical characteristics of the spine. To avoid back injuries, try to stand with your knees slightly bent, and place one foot forward to take pressure off the lower back and reduce back strain.
• Lifting incorrectly. Often back injuries occur when we try to lift heavy objects and do so incorrectly. Bend your knees and use the power of your legs, keeping the weight close to the body; keep your head down and back straight, and be sure to avoid twisting.
• Being overweight. Keep your weight under control for back pain prevention. You’re more likely to suffer from low back pain if you are overweight or obese, or quickly gain a significant amount of weight.Being overweight, especially in the mid-section, shifts your entire center of gravity forward and puts additional strain on your back muscles. Try to stay within 10 pounds of your ideal weight to avoid experiencing unnecessary back pain. Exercise and a healthy diet can help move you toward this goal.
• Smoking. Nicotine restricts blood flow to the disks that cushion your vertebrae and increases the rate of degeneration. This loss of cushioning can cause back pain. Cigarette smoking also reduces calcium absorption and prevents new bone growth, leaving smokers with an increased risk for osteoporosis ( brittle, fragile bones) and slower healing after bone fractures, which can cause back pain. Additionally, coughing from heavy smoking can cause back pain.
• Not getting enough calcium and vitamin D. These nutrients are essential for bone strength. If you don’t get enough calcium and vitamin D in your daily diet (your body also synthesizes vitamin D in response to sun exposure), discuss the possibility of supplements with your doctor.
• Being sedentary. Limiting activity as a means of pain management when you’re experiencing back pain can be counterproductive. Activity increases blood flow to the affected area, decreasing inflammation and reducing muscle tension. Research shows that people who continue with their normal daily activities after experiencing low back pain may have better back flexibility than those who rest in bed for a week. Prolonged bed rest can may also increase pain and potentially lead to complications, including depression, blood clots in the legs, and decreased muscle tone.

EXERCISES & BACK PAIN

IMPROVE YOUR FITNESS!

A complete exercise program should include aerobic activity such as walking, swimming, or riding a stationary bicycle. It should also include stretching and strength training. But it is important to start going to the gym!Going to the gym & lifting light weights.You need to have a costumized program & a nutrition plan just for your needs!You need to follow the instructions of your personal trainer .These types of aerobic activities can help improve blood flow to your back and promote healing. They also strengthen muscles in your stomach and back

Through exercising with a trainer you can:

• Improve your posture
• Strengthen your back and abdomen, and improve flexibility
• Lose weight
• Avoid falls
• Improve your mentality

When you’re in the throes of back pain or simply want to ward it off, avoiding these habits will help protect and strengthen your back and your entire body.

Click this link to see the videos that shows what can you  do to prevent your back pains & live a healthy life

if you want to change your lifestyle & getting in a good shape without injuring yourself contact ElioFitness_ .

Don’t forget to subscribe at Elio Fitness youtube page

 

You think bench is the best chest building exercise?

Here’s how to do Dips for chest.

When it comes to building chest muscles, most people will think of the Bench Press first. But if you do them right, Dips can give you much more benefits.

For best chest building results you’ll need to learn how to perform Dips that target the chest more than the triceps.

Here’s what you need to know about Dips:

• Benefits of the Dips exercise
• What we should avoid while we execute dips
• The right form for Chest Dips
• Dips isolating triceps

Scroll down for details, or check out the video summary below.

Benefits of Dips

• More effective in targeting chest – Most lifters don’t feel the Bench Press in their chest. Usually the front shoulders get tired before the chest. Also, most men can easily build up their Bench numbers, but they don’t get a big chest.
• More muscle groups activated – During dips, your upper body is not supported by the bench and your feet are off the ground. It requires more stabilisation and activates more muscles groups.
• Wider chest development – The Dips are great in targeting the outer chest. This kind of exercise makes your chest look not only bigger, but also wider. For more info contact ElioFitness_
• Functional movement – The skill and strength you build with Dips will transfer to any athletic activity in which you have to master your own bodyweight.

Before I show you how to do dips properly you should avoid these mistakes:

❌Keep your shoulders in place – Contract your upper back so that your shoulders don’t move forward as you go down.

❌No swinging or bouncing – If it the move is not completely smooth, you’re doing it wrong. If it’s too hard for you, reduce the range of motion until you get a bit stronger.

❌Don’t lock the elbows on top – Stop just a little bit before full lock out.

Here’s how to do Dips with proper form:

✅Straighten your arms & keep your chest out

✅Lower your body by bending your arms while keeping your chest out

✅Dip down until your shoulders are below your elbows

✅Lift your body up by straightening your arms

✅Lock your elbows at the top

Here is how to isolate the triceps with dips : 

To isolate the triceps with dips, suspend your body while holding in a chair or on two parallel bars with your arms locked out & keep your feet straight on the ground or if you are doing it in two parallel bars keep it crossed behind your back. Turn your elbows in tight to your body,keep your chest out and bend your arms until the top of your elbows and your forearms are at a 90-degree angle. Then flex the triceps and extend your arms back until they are locked out straight and the backs of your arms are feeling tight and fully contracted. Be sure to keep your elbows in during the entire range of motion. Repeat the exercise for the desired reps or until you get an intense burn in your triceps

Follow in instagram for more fitness tips  ✅✅  ElioFitness_

We all want to live long lives. We all want to live healthy lives health & fitness aren’t just an outside interest; health & fitness can 

play a major role in your success. While the physical benefits clearly matter, the mental benefits of improved health & fitness on your professional & personal life — perseverance , resilence , determination & mental toughness — are just as important.

Being healthy & fit is tough when the nature of most work involves sitting at a desk all day.

But how can you determine the impact of a relatively sedentary professional lifestyle? Cardiovascular disease & stroke are the leading causes of premature death, making physical fitness assessments a strong predictor of health, but routine physicals don’t include sophisticated tools like treadmill tests.

Fortunately, there’s a simple & possibly better, way you can test yourself: Do some pushups.

Push-up is one of the greatest general conditioning exercises for any person,any gender , male or female & any level beginner & you know what? You can do them anywhere, no equipment required!

Push-Ups: Muscles Worked

Unlike many weight machines that target specific muscles, push-ups work many muscles in your body. When doing push-ups, muscles targeted include  chest (pectoralis major), triceps (triceps brachii) and shoulders (deltoid),

Do not sacrifice technique to achieve the recommended sets & repetitions. Pushing yourself beyond your fitness level & using poor form may lead to injury & stop your progress. If you experience pain during your workout, stop & consult your doctor.

Regular push-ups primarily focus on the pecs while close-grip push-ups shift the focus to the triceps.Other muscles that help stabilize the movement include the biceps, quadriceps & core muscles.

Either way if you just started with your activities or you struggle with your professional life & your daily time , pushups in any way & any technique should be in your daily to do list!

 If you are struggling doing regular pushups start with knee pushups first!

No need to kill yourself , no need to add & multiply numbers in your head!

Just start on your knees,do 3/set,do 3 sets in one day , let the muscle recover for a day & then start over.

TIP : Progress one pushup a day not 100!!
Don’t forget that you just started , you are doing it & by time passes you will do full sets!!

Just because you started YOU ARE WINNING!

HOW TO DO A REGULAR PUSH-UP?

To do a push-up, your hands should be placed slightly wider than shoulder width. Keep your spine in a neutral position & your body straight from your head to feet. Lower your body by bending your elbows; then push your body back up until your arms are straight. For a close-grip push-up, move your hands in so that they are slightly narrower than shoulder width.

NOTE : If this is too difficult, start on your knees.

HOW TO DO A KNEE PUSHUP?

This move is pretty straightforward. It’s like a push-up… but on your knees.

1. Kneel on the floor.
2. Extend arms & put hands shoulder-width apart on the floor in front of you.
3. Tighten abs while you bend arms, lowering your torso until chest grazes the floor.
4. Push torso back up by straightening arms. Slow and steady, baby.
5. Rinse and repeat.

It’s critical to focus on form instead of speed or number of reps.

A few more tips :

• Keep your back straight — never rounded! — throughout the move.
• Focus on keeping your muscles active even when you’re lowering to the floor.
• Tighten your abs and butt to work your core during push-ups.
• Push your weight into your whole hand, fingers included, to avoid straining your wrist.
• Remember to breathe!
• If you notice your form is getting sloppy, take a break. You might hurt yourself if you do too much too soon. But you’ll build up strength over time!

THANKS FOR READING THIS POST!

-CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE TO GET YOUR NUTRITION PLAN OR WORKOUT PROGRAM AT WWW.ELIOFITNESS.COM

-FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE DAILY LIFESTYLE TIPS @ELIOFITNESS

 

Physical activity is defined as a body movement produced by the action of muscles serving energy.

To maintain good health, all individuals from a young age to old age must maintain an active lifestyle that includes:

1. Moderate aerobic exercise for 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week or aerobic exercise with moderate intensity higher than 20 minutes a day, 3 times a week.

2.8-10 exercises force me 8-12 repetitions, twice a week, on non-consecutive days.

3. “More for the better” modernity, amount of activity and intensity Are indicators that promise to further improve the ability of tires by reducing the risk of chronic diseases, or there is weight gain.

4. Performing aerobic activity on daily activity for ages up to 40 years.

If time information is one of the obstacles, a minimum of 1 hour of exercise (20 minutes / 3 days) is enough, the week has 168 hours, the day has 720 minutes, give yourself 20 minutes a day.

Physical activity has shown that there are opportunities in:

-Reduction of the activist from premature deaths
-Reduces the Death Market from coronary heart disease and the establishment of circulatory pressure, cancer and diabetes.

Helps reduce fat layers and weight control

-Helps reduce the blood pressure in some people who have high blood pressure.
-Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints.
-Increases metabolism, reduces obesity, endurance and insulin, lowers blood fats and lowers high circulatory pressure
-Performing the cognitive firm to people of all ages
-Reduces anxiety and depression, improves mood
-Promotes psychological well-being.