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Learn the foundations to starting your own fitness routine this year. Uncover ways to set goals, what to look for, and supplement breakdown.

So, you have a vision of your ideal body in mind, do you? Concrete goals and the burning desire to get up before dawn every day to hit the gym for three hours straight. Accompanying your demonstration of being perhaps the most ferocious athlete anyone has ever witnessed (or just your friends), you double- down on a regimented diet so strict, a single carbohydrate might just make you burst.

If this is you, then I raise my glass to you. Keep up the good work. But, I understand that most will agree that “This isn't me!” — don't worry.

With years of sports/fitness experience under my belt, I have previously managed a Popeye's Supplements and been fortunate enough to have worked with athletes and individuals of many wonderful shapes and sizes.

I will talk about what surrounds a successful fitness routine and a few fundamental supplements at the end for males and females to accompany your personal goals. For any major dietary changes, if you have questions concerning supplementation, or don't know if exercise is right for you, always consult with your physician first.

Mind you, I'm currently a marketing student — But what does that have to do with anything?

Well, as I hope to demonstrate; fitness is based on habitual qualities. It's a lifestyle, and as mastering an art, the secret ingredients are passion and time invested.

How do you know then, what's right for you?

Let's dig deeper here to understand the physiology of the body's composition. While reading, I want you to get a piece of paper and write down goals for yourself, but put some thought into this — it is your body after all. And if you want to learn more about building good habits, check out my article on why Jan. 1 isn't necessarily the only time to have a “new year, new me” attitude.

Goal setting: In order to achieve what you set-out to take on, I highly recommend you follow a plan of action. More times than not, I see males and females say they want to lose weight, eat better and exercise more — alright.

But ask yourself, what does that mean? For context, muscle does weigh more than fat, and weight loss could also be a result of less water being held in your body. On average, a person weighs seven pounds more at night than when first waking up. If you must weigh yourself, do it at the same time of day.

Write down S.M.A.R.T goals that are specific, time based and realistic for yourself, and over time keep them up-to-date.

As a rule of thumb, for men and women developing a workout-routine. Shift the attention of weaker body parts to the beginning of the week. The principle is that while you are fresh and energized you will be able to see better development in these areas, because the nervous system starts fatiguing over the week.

The body goes where the mind takes it: Success is seen more plentiful when you follow your plan with a positive attitude. This is not intended to be blindly optimistic, because life does happen. But keep in mind that stress is a factor in cortisol production (the stress hormone), produced by the adrenal glands atop our kidneys.

Beneficial to our body's function, excess cortisol actually can make you feel sluggish. It also has the capacity to make you retain water and store fat. The resulting stress also creates an acidic pH environment within the body, slowing down nutrient intake — along with other factors.

It's just hormones: That may be true, but what we put in our bodies affects the outcome.

In men, stress is seen most along the waistline as stored fat. Development of “breasts” and fat stores around the hips, low libido or energy are also indicators of low testosterone.

Women tend to have fat stores in the triceps region, thighs and hips as a result of excess estrogen production. Often paired with a lowered libido or energy as well.

The reason for pointing this out is that there are individuals who work so hard, not realizing that a more efficient way to their goal is by working internally first.

All can be helped to a degree regarding these common dilemmas, which I briefly will cover in Supplementation.

Consistency: Just remember, if you miss one day in the gym, it won't make you worse — just as going one day won't make you better. It's about doing the best you can do when you do, to continually grow from your experiences, and not just in the gym — because fitness is a lifestyle.

Supplementation: Supplements are intended to provide you with the nutrients food alone cannot. In no way are the below mentioned to replace or provide the sufficient nutrients recommended for an individual's daily caloric intake, but moreover to help you achieve your goals from a holistic and natural viewpoint.

Vegetable Greens: A great way to get your daily servings of vegetables without breaking the bank on groceries every month. Greens alkalize the body and help with absorption of other nutrients as well as many other benefits, like increasing energy and alertness, better muscle tone/development and mild daily detoxing.

Omega-3s: Helps to improve memory/alertness, along with cardiovascular, heart, and joint health. As well as it helps to reduce the amount of bad fat we store. It also acts as a natural precursor to testosterone production, helping with muscle definition and tone. But ladies shouldn't fear, you also have testosterone too. It is unreasonable to think you will get “bulky” from these natural supplements, in fact, they are beneficial to tightening up, and helping lose stubborn fat over time.

Multi-Vitamins: Keep you energized throughout the day, and aids in natural bodily functions. I recommend looking to capsule pill form for better absorption rather than coated-pressed pills.

ATP EstroControl — (Females): A brand I speak highly of for many of their products. ATP's Estro Control will help tighten up troubled areas on females by balancing excess production of estrogen, as well as aiding in fat metabolization to help reduce fat stores.

Natural Testosterone Boosters — (Males): There are now many great options out there, so ask questions and find what is best for you. Something as simple as pairing Zinc and Magnesium are proven precursors to testosterone production. Even without low testosterone, these products are especially useful to building a balanced physique along with increasing strength and muscle density. On the other-hand, they naturally help with fat metabolization and construction and reparation of muscle.

Quick Tip: Insulin is the body's most anabolic hormone. Meaning, it helps you build muscle and burn fat at the same time! Amazing right? Next time you finish a workout, try having 1000 milligram of vitamin C. The vitamin C naturally spikes your insulin promoting recovery, and the best part is not a single carb. See what your results are after four to six weeks, and don't forget — Keep up the good work. If you have any questions, I will gladly extend my Fanshawe email for contact at: j_boudreau51096@nullfanshaweonline.ca

Hope to see new faces around the Wellness Centre in 2019.