Blog

Strength - The most often overlooked aspect of fitness

Posted: 04/24/2012

Are you neglecting the most important part of your exercise routine?

Experts agree that a consistent exercise program is the key to health and quality of life. However, many people are neglecting one of the most important types of exercise.

When most people think of exercising, they think of something “cardiovascular” in nature. Perhaps they think of going for a jog or a bike ride, taking a walk or an aerobic class. Strength training is often considered to be reserved for the high school football team and the wanna-be bodybuilders. The fear of accidentally becoming muscle-bound and looking like Arnold Schwarzeneggar have kept many people from discovering the many benefits of one of the world’s most effective forms of exercise.

Proper strength training can improve your quality of life in more ways than you may have ever imagined, and is arguably more important to your daily life and health than any other form of exercise. Consider the following examples. Have you found yourself in any of the following situations?

Have you:

         Had trouble carrying a heavy box or suitcase up a flight of stairs?

         Had a child on one hip and dropped your keys? Did you worry about your back and your knees as you knelt to pick up the keys?

         Had a hard time putting that slightly oversized carry-on item into the overhead compartment on an airplane?

         Thrown out your back while rearranging the furniture in the living room?

         Had to say no to your child or grandchild who wanted you to pick him up, carry him or play with him because you were too tired or too weak? Maybe worried about hurting yourself?

         Stopped playing your favorite sport because you just don’t feel strong enough anymore or are afraid of injury?

Think of how limiting your life can be if you don’t feel strong and confident in your physical abilities. No longer being able to play the sports or be involved in the activities that you may have enjoyed before. Strength training can change all that.

Forget the old stereotypes of musclebound men and masculine women. Think more along the lines of today’s Olympic athletes, like swimmer Michael Phelps and skier Lindsey Vonn, who have used resistance training to build strong, athletic and toned bodies.

A good resistance training program will strengthen your lower back and abs, tone and firm your entire upper body and legs, and add the lean muscle that is necessary to speed up your metabolism for greater fat loss. You can use this incredible form of exercise to build a body that not only looks and feels better, but can perform the tasks of daily living confidently, comfortably and pain-free. So the next time you are on the tennis court, at the playground or on the beach, you will be much happier knowing that you can handle the task at hand and look good doing it.

Justin Tate is the owner of Fitness Together in Chattanooga. “Where excellence in personal training meets privacy and luxury.”

Go Wild for Salmon!

Posted: 01/26/2012

Everywhere you turn—magazines, websites, news shows—there are lists of “12 superfoods”, or “eat these 5 foods every day to lose weight”.  While we here at Fitness Together - Gunbarrel do not always support the latest fads or diet crazes, some of these lists do include some great foods.  One such food that appears on many of these...

Black Eyed Peas - A Southern Tradition for Prosperity

Posted: 12/30/2011

Happy New Year!If you are planning to celebrate the New Year in the Southeast, it is most likely that you will be offered black-eyed peas in some form, either just after midnight or on New Year's Day. From grand gala gourmet dinners to small casual gatherings with friends and family, these flavorful legumes are traditionally, according to Southern folklore, the first food...

The Top 6 Exercise Excuses During the Holidays!

Posted: 12/20/2011

Holiday season comes with great cheer, but it also comes with alcohol- and calorie-laden parties, sweet treats and busy travel schedules — all of which can make good excuses for why you can't keep exercising.If you're already convincing yourself that you can't possibly fit in exercise this wintry season — because it's too cold, you're too busy meeting family...

101 Weight Loss Tips

Posted: 12/12/2011

1.    Drink water2.    Train low intensity before breakfast3.    After you’ve eaten do high intensity cardio4.    Avoid refined sugar5.    Avoid simple carbs6.    Don’t eat within two hours of dinner7.    Train with weights8.    Do some light...

How to Handle Thanksgiving

Posted: 11/16/2011

During Thanksgiving, it's easy to go overboard with the calories and consumption. Temptations of gooey pecan pie and dense sweet potatoes topped with crackly marshmallows make it seem impossible to be disciplined.But eating healthfully on Thanksgiving doesn't mean you have to forgo all your favorite foods, said Jennifer K. Nelson, a registered dietitian and director of...

Hidden Calories!

Posted: 11/03/2011

I know that losing weight and feeling better about our bodies is always a constant thought.  I have heard over the past few years numerous issues about not losing weight fast enough or not fitting into your clothes.  Getting on the work-out wagon is only half of the battle when it comes to complete fitness.  Nutrition is just as important.  I know most...

Energize your Exercise Experience

Posted: 09/05/2011

Energize Your Exercise Experience by Joining a Small Group Training Pack Rolling over, turning off your alarm and sleeping in for an extra hour instead of heading out for a morning run is too easy to do. Letting the day get away from you and opting for happy hour with friends rather than working out at the gym can be an easy out too – especially if you’re running...

Supervised Workouts Improve Results

Posted: 08/26/2011

New research supports the benefits of hiring a qualified personal trainer to help you attain your fitness goals.Twenty men ages 18 to 35 were placed on a 12-week resistance-training program. Half the group trained unsupervised and maintained their own workout logs. The other half received one-on-one supervision with a certified personal trainer. In addition to keeping track...

Sweet! I Love potatoes!

Posted: 08/03/2011

I think back to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at my grandmother's house at times to decided what I'd like to fix for dinner) I do choose healthier ingredients though- really make the recipe my own). One of the things I come back to quite often is sweet potato casserole, though as a healthier alternative, I just bake them and add a little cinnamon. Great, huh?Well, Leigh...