fitness, workout, gym exercise, lifestyle and healthy concept. Close-up Legs and feet of women walking on the treadmill in the gym for good health and strength at sunset.
Before outlining my tips, it is important to mention some key points about human psychology and the difference between goals and processes.
It is believed that people are creatures of habit, and not just at the mercy of their genetics. The significance of this is that routines can be put into place which become habit over time and then further evolve into a lifestyle. With this in mind there are a number of strategies which can be used in order to get more efficient and steadily progress.
If there are no goals then there will be nothing to work towards. Having a goal gives motivation. One of the main purposes of life is to achieve goals. Lazy people cannot be lazy if they have goals, as goals are what sets lazy people apart from active, motivated people. Write down your goals and all you want to achieve. Sign it with your name. And stick it onto the wall. This means that your goals are now tangible, and you have committed to achieving them.
A process is something that you will do everyday. A lesser known tip is that in order to reach goals you have to set processes. A goal might be to write a Novel. A process might be to write your novel everyday, or to write 1000 words every day. You cannot fail to achieve a goal if you commit to doing processes everyday, as ultimately your goals will be achieved.
The following are Seven self care tips for Lazy people. Some might seem obvious at first, however it is important to bear in mind that not everybody has the same levels of motivation or enthusiasm, and everyone is different. Make use of goals, processes and signatures to put the following tips into action and to integrate them as part of a healthy lifestyle.
1 – Exercise
Obviously you need your body in top physical condition. Use the goal/process/signature protocol mentioned above to exercise 3-4 times a week minimum. If you are sitting in front of a desk for 8+ hours a day looking at a computer monitor, then stretching is of the utmost importance, as well as fresh air. Exercise outside is best as nothing can trump fresh air, which will also help you sleep. There are several hit and tips on GGP about how to motivate yourself to work out for extended periods of time.
2 – Establish a Morning Routine
A good breakfast will set you up for the day in terms of what you eat. But a good routine will set you up for the day in all ways. Establish a morning routine which incorporates a period of meditation, eating a healthy breakfast, looking at the goals you need to achieve and saying positive affirmations. This will put you into a positive mind frame for the day instead of just rushing out the door in the mornings in order to beat traffic and make it into work on time.
3 – Have a Skin Care Routine
Skin Care is perhaps the most overlooked area of physical health. The skin is the largest organ in the body. However, little attention is paid to skin care. There are ample opportunities to absorb much needed nutrients through the skin. The shower is completely under utilized and is a prime opportunity to allow vital minerals to soak into your skin. The shower is the ultimate form of skin care. Get an organic, high quality body lotion and just allow it to soak in. Your skin is “eating” the lotion in the same way that the mouth “eats” food. It is also very important to be aware of what types of skin products your skin care regime includes – makeup, sunscreen and hand lotions often contain harmful chemicals. Organic is best.
4 – Eat healthy
This means an increase of fruits and vegetables, and a decrease in animals and animal products. It does not have to be a big deal, you can just give up sugar, alcohol and processed foods at a moment's notice. Simply stop eating them now and put focus towards eating healthy. 21 days is the time it takes to establish a habit. Thus if you can manage to eat a certain food for this time period it will no longer be a strain, it will be incorporated as part of your lifestyle.
5 – Drink Water
Aside from skin care this is perhaps the most overlooked area of physical well being. The advice to drink lots of water is well known. What is perhaps lesser known is that the quality of water indicates if you should be drinking it in the first place. A water meter can be purchased on Amazon for $10. The difference between drinking water with 0 Parts Per Million(PPM) and 200 PPM is quite literally the difference between drinking water that is pure and water that is poisonous. Most bottled water has PPM in the range of 200+. Test your shower water as well as the skin is efficient at absorbing water.
6 - Destress
Stress is touted often as the main cause of disease and mental illness. There is never any reason to stress. Even if it's a self help tip such as to drink clean water, do not stress if you cannot put the tip in practice right now. Do what you can when you can and don't stress about the rest.
7 – Unplug
In order to engage in maximum productivity it is best to know how the mind works. Study after study has proven that best results are achieved by 40-50 minutes of focused attention, followed by 10-15 minutes of focused relaxation. Thus even if you feel you could work for longer than 50 minutes it is best to stop for a few minutes, take a few deep breaths, relax completely and utterly and resume work after your relaxation period. Most people actually take their work with them on their break, as their work related thoughts keep replaying in their minds. This is counterproductive. Time off is essential for mental maintenance.
Nina Agdal and Trainer Akin Akman Design Stretching Routine Specifically For Long Drives
1. Neck Stretch Description: This gentle stretch targets the sides of your neck. Benefit to driver: A stiff neck can cause headaches and upper back pain so it’s important to loosen up to aid comfort ahead of a long drive.
2. Eccentric Upper Body Push Up Description: This is an inclined push-up in which she will slowly lower herself onto the car until her chest is almost touching the hood or front panel, and then return explosively to the starting position. Benefit to driver: Strengthens chest and back muscles while engaging the core. Increases blood flow to arms and upper body. Returning explosively to the starting position increases blood flow, heart rate, and boosts overall alertness.
3. Eccentric Lower Body Squat Description: Standing close to the back bumper with your back facing the back of the car, slowly lower down into a squat until your butt just touches the bumper. Then quickly return to a standing position. Benefit to driver: Builds strength in your legs. The quick return to a full standing position awakens the senses by increasing heart rate and blood flow, elevating one’s focus and attentiveness.
4. Back Mobility Description: With your arms reaching back behind you, slowly bend your back towards the car until you can place your hands flat on its surface. (It is not necessary to go into a full “bridge” position.) Finish the exercise by returning to a standing position — and then performing a forward toe touch. Benefit to driver: Sitting for long periods builds tension in the lower back. This exercise releases that tightness in the lower back. The forward toe touch serves to loosen the hamstrings.
Akin teamed up with model and client Nina Agdal to demonstrate some of these key moves on site at Buick's Studio Envision in East Hampton this past weekend where the “Joy to Drive” video was screened for the first time. An intimate group of hosted guests at The Buick Studio Envision, an immersive experience in the heart of the Hamptons, also underwent a “Joy to Drive” work out with Akin Akman and Nina Agdal (pictured above).
Buick Celebrates new compact luxury SUV, the first-ever Buick Envision, with "Buick Envision Joy to Drive" Video Nina Agdal and Akin Akman design custom stretching routine to aid with comfort on long drives
Health and wellbeing are top of mind for more and more Americans today, and for Buick as well. The first ever Buick Envision five passenger compact luxury SUV feature's signature Quiet Tuning, advanced driver assist technologies, and soft-touch materials, designed to contribute to a more relaxing, calm and happy driving experience.
The"Buick Envision Joy to Drive" video delivers a special stretching routine created by super trainer Akin Akman alongside his client, model Nina Agdal. The duo designed the routine specifically to aid comfort before, and after, long drives.
“I travel a lot for work with much of it being long distance whether it be driving or flying and I know first-hand the value of making sure that pre and post journey I look after my body – stretching helps deliver that comfort that allows me to relax and make the journey a joy,” said model Nina Agdal.
Speaking on the routine he created with Agdal and the need to stretch to create driving comfort trainer Akin Akman said, “These moves were designed to support core strength and increase blood flow and heart rate to stimulate alertness which is helpful both pre and post long drive.”
The "Buick Envision Joy to Drive” video celebrates the design details within the Buick Envision including premium soft touch materials, sculpted surfaces, ambient lighting and ample leg room which combine to deliver comfort for driver and passenger and thereby a happier drive.
The custom Nina Agdal and Akin Akman "Buick Envision Joy to Drive" Stretching Routine consists of the following four maneuvers, to be done both pre and post drive:
1. Neck Stretch Description: This gentle stretch targets the sides of your neck. Benefit to driver: A stiff neck can cause headaches and upper back pain so it’s important to loosen up to aid comfort ahead of a long drive. 2. Eccentric Upper Body Push Up Description: This is an inclined push-up in which she will slowly lower herself onto the car until her chest is almost touching the hood or front panel, and then return explosively to the starting position. Benefit to driver: Strengthens chest and back muscles while engaging the core. Increases blood flow to arms and upper body. Returning explosively to the starting position increases blood flow, heart rate, and boosts overall alertness.
3. Eccentric Lower Body Squat Description: Standing close to the back bumper with your back facing the back of the car, slowly lower down into a squat until your butt just touches the bumper. Then quickly return to a standing position. Benefit to driver: Builds strength in your legs. The quick return to a full standing position awakens the senses by increasing heart rate and blood flow, elevating one’s focus and attentiveness.
4. Back Mobility Description: With your arms reaching back behind you, slowly bend your back towards the car until you can place your hands flat on its surface. (It is not necessary to go into a full “bridge” position.) Finish the exercise by returning to a standing position — and then performing a forward toe touch. Benefit to driver: Sitting for long periods builds tension in the lower back. This exercise releases that tightness in the lower back. The forward toe touch serves to loosen the hamstrings.
--- About Buick Envision: Buick Studio Envision takes inspiration from the Buick brand values of quiet, calm and comfort and continues the support of the growing trend for wellness and the pursuit of happiness, a core American value. The all-new Envision is a perfect blend of style, refinement, versatility, and safety. These attributes give passengers a driving experience that creates a harmonious and spacious environment and a sense of wellbeing.
About Buick:
Buick is an international modern luxury brand offering vehicles with sculpted designs, luxurious interiors and thoughtful personal technologies, along with responsive-yet- efficient performance. Buick is attracting new customers with its portfolio of award-winning luxury models in North America and China. Learn more about Buick cars and crossovers at www.buick.com, on Twitter @buick, on Instagram @BuickUSA, or at www.facebook.com/bu
One of the most common questions that people often ask me is “how can I take my training to the next level?” and it’s a very valid concern. After all, it’s only natural that you want your hard work to produce the best results.
There’s no quick answer to this one, but you can get more from your workouts by taking heed of these tips below. Try them out now, and you should soon see far greater results in the gym and the mirror.
Mix Up Your Training Regime
If you’re finding that your routines aren’t getting the desired results, it could be down to two things. Firstly, you might not be working hard enough. Alternatively, it might be a case of your body become acclimatized to the current strategies.
Shocking the body into overdrive by mixing up your routines is one of the best upgrades you can make. Try hitting a high-intensity interval training program to drive your results to the next level. Meanwhile, attempting new sporting activities should keep exercise fun.
Making this change will make your workouts more exciting while the increased results will make them more fulfilling. You couldn’t ask for much more.
Improve Your Nutrition
Your training is crucial to gaining the best results. But every gym-goer should be aware that diet forms the foundation for everything you achieve.
While employing a positive diet will serve you well, you should also consider muscle building supplements. Adding these to your daily ritual won’t just give your body a natural boost. It will also help provide extra motivation to work out as regularly as your schedule allows.
Your body is a machine, and it won’t perform unless you give it the right fuel. Take care of this vital aspect, and you should be just fine.
Compared to other forms of leisurely activity, working out is pretty cheap. A monthly gym membership costs less than one night out down clubbing while clothing is pretty reasonably priced too. However, there’s no reason that you can’t treat yourself by embracing the latest technology and gadgets.
Running belts and other products can help push your workouts to the next level. Meanwhile, investing in these items should serve as a slight guilt trip that will encourage you to stay on track too.
Furthermore, there are plenty of mobile phone Apps to aid your workouts. Even if it’s only a music streaming service, you should embrace these facilities with open arms.
Team Up With A Buddy
One of the biggest struggles that many gym-goers face is motivation. Let’s face it, fitting exercise around a hectic schedule or work can be difficult. If you’ve found yourself taking one too many off days, it might be time to team up with a friend.
Working out with a friend brings many benefits and should help keep you on track. Better still, the social aspects will probably make working out more fun. Once you start to see this as a social event, as well as building a better body, you should find yourself skipping days on a far less frequent basis.
Ultimately, if you dedicate more hours to exercise, you’ll see better results. It’s as simple as that.
The One Part Of Training We All Have A Tendency To Leave Out
When an athlete has tight hamstrings the quadriceps will work harder because they are working against the hamstrings to compensate. This causes both the quadriceps and hamstrings to fatigue and sets the stage for a poor performance or makes the runner prone to injury.Tight hamstrings are a huge contributor to lower back pain, knee pain and leg length differences. If the hamstrings are tight and don’t fire properly, neither do the gluteus maximus and this causes the erector spinae to contract first, followed by the glutes and then the hamstrings and this puts massive stresses on the lumbar spine causing back pain. This also can happen to you!
The following are some great stretches for your hips and legs. Hold each stretch for a minimum of 30s and repeat each stretch for both the right and left leg 3 times. Make stretching a priority and part of your daily routine.
