Fitness Together - Scott Circle

Oatmeal! The Ultimate Power Breakfast.

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 09:42:00 -0600

You’ve heard it before: oatmeal protects the heart. And rest assured, the man on the Quaker oatmeal box isn’t lying — oatmeal is a whole grain, a type of plant food and complex carbohydrate that makes up the backbone of the heart-healthiest Mediterranean style of eating. Choosing whole grains as your main form of carbohydrate nourishment has been scientifically proven to thwart heart disease, cutting the risk of coronary artery disease by a phenomenal 40 percent. Eating whole grains, like oatmeal, is key to heart health. Plus, the complex carb and protein combo keeps you full longer and helps you maintain a steady blood sugar level for hours.

Go Outside Your Comfort Zone

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:37:00 -0600

Convinced you “can’t” run a marathon, or sprint at level 10 on that treadmill? … Are you sure about that?

Even if you have a physical challenge or condition that limits you in some way, most of us also create false boundaries for ourselves — “no-can-do’s” that are only in our heads. And more and more studies are showing that the thing you think you can’t do just might be the one thing you MUST do to light a fire under your workout results.

Breaking through these false limits can also lead you to be more consistent about your workout regimen.

“Intensity is by far the most important factor affecting increases in, and maintenance of, cardio fitness,” notes Jeffrey M. Janot, PhD, technical editor of the IDEA Fitness Journal. “Although we do not know the exact level of intensity that provides optimal health and fitness benefits, we know the optimal range and that it is directly related to exercise program adherence. You may not enjoy an exercise program if you get sore or injured because the intensity is too high. On the other hand, you can grow bored with a program if intensity is below the optimal range and you aren’t improving.”

Why push your limits in your workout regimen?

The body is wired to adapt to routine. Once your body gets used to a routine of walking 2 miles a day, for example, you’ll likely see less or slower weight loss than when you first began that routine. Extensive research has shown that to keep seeing results from an exercise routine, it’s essential to continually include intervals of higher stress and demand on the muscles and cardiovascular system.

Many people work out only hard enough to maintain their existing weight and physique. Going outside your comfort zone includes adding some intense workout challenges to build muscle and get stronger, faster, leaner. That doesn’t mean you have to run a marathon or work out 6 hours a day to lose weight or reach your goals. The point is to keep adding new challenges and different ways of pushing past your limits for speed, distance, weight you can heft, etc.

Why don't more people go "outside the lines" with their workouts?

Challenging yourself is uncomfortable by nature. It’s normal to feel a sense of fear or angst when you think about pushing beyond the places where you usually stop, ease up, or take a break. Common fears include whether you can handle an intense “burn” in your muscles and not get injured; or feeling embarrassed about getting out of breath, or even sweating more than you’re used to.

Can a personal trainer help you break through that fear — without yelling at you?

Yes! A great personal trainer should confidently instill in you the belief that you can do this.

“We know they can, even though you might not know it yet,” says Russ Yeager, owner of Fitness Together in Atlanta. “The empowerment our clients gain once they actually do it is awesome. We recently helped a client who at first could barely get through a workout and was very self-conscious. She’s now lost 50 pounds and did a 3.5 mile hike with a straight-up climb at the end!”

You or your personal trainer can determine your optimal cardio exercise intensity range via a number of methods including percent of maximum heart rate, the “talk test,” or rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Whether you’re training for a triathlon, hitting a weight loss plateau or ready to give up on ever having toned upper arms, one-on-one training can help you go where your mind has never let you go before.

Add Strength Training to Your Stretching

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:23:00 -0600

Let’s face it: Stretching feels good. It is relaxing, and getting all the kinks out of scrunched-up muscles can be liberating. Unfortunately, improving flexibility through a stretching class is simply not enough, either as a therapeutic approach, or to protect your body from future damage. Strength training is a necessary companion to your stretching class.

As we age, the natural loss of muscle makes it harder for our bodies to handle daily activities, such as bending, walking and picking up heavy objects. This loss of muscle tone contributes to back problems, knee injuries and a myriad of other body ailments. No matter how limber you may be, the cardinal rule for muscle is “use it or lose it.” Strength training not only helps maintain muscle but it can also

reduce the risk of osteoporosis by increasing bone density
help you maintain a healthy weight—lean muscle mass burns more calories than fat
protect your joints and ligaments, helping you to avoid future injuries
improve balance and overall well-being

It is important to engage in the right kind of stretching, as well. Some studies have suggested that the traditional static stretching (stretching a muscle or muscle group to its farthest point and then holding that position)—often a part of stretch and tone classes—is not ideal when used alone before exercise. Instead, the dynamic stretching (slow, controlled leg and arm swings or torso twists) often used by athletic teams to warm-up or a combination of the two (gentle general exercise to warm up and gentle dynamic stretching after exercise) may be more helpful. A 2008 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that engaging in both static and dynamic workouts reduced the risk of knee injury in female soccer players by half.

To truly improve your physical health, heal from injury and prevent future chronic ailments, a good overall fitness plan is needed. We can design an individualized plan that incorporates the right kind of stretching, strength training and aerobic exercise to turn your body into a well-oiled machine.

Nutrition Tip of the Week

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:33:00 -0600

Ode to CHOCOLATE, "food of the gods!"

It is well known that Giacomo Casanova was the most insatiable womanizer of all time. It is said that he called chocolate his “elixir of love,” drank it religiously before every love making tryst and used it in his seductions—the first love pro to tap into the timeless attraction between women and chocolate. Love and chocolate go even further back in time. Both the Maya and Aztec offered cocoa as a gift of love to the gods, prompting Carl Linneaus, the Swedish botanist and father of modern taxonomy to name the cacao tree Theobroma cacao, literally, “food of the gods.”

Dark chocolate — with a high content of nonfat cocoa solids — is now the new guilt-free super food! The scientific evidence is stacking up linking daily consumption of deep, dark chocolate with phenomenal health benefits. When it comes to choosing chocolate for health, the chocolate must be the flavonoid-rich dark variety. This is because dark chocolate has a much higher percentage of cocoa than milk chocolate and it’s the cocoa that contains most of the flavonoids—plant substances which provide your body with a host of health benefits. Natural cocoa powders (ground cocoa solids, aka the words natural cocoa powder unsweetened on the product label) had the highest level of flavonoids followed by unsweetened baking chocolates, dark chocolates, and semisweet chocolate baking chips. Milk chocolate and chocolate syrup had the least amount. Do your heart good—choose your chocolate wisely and opt for making your own sweet treats from cocoa powder.

Getting older? Get in some S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G!

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:10:00 -0600

Why stretch? Stretching increases flexibility, a key component of physical fitness that is often neglected. A greater degree of flexibility is believed to help prevent injury (and low back pain) and improve sports performance. We lose flexibility as we age, so practicing a regular program of stretching the major muscle groups can help prevent loss of flexibility and its associated negative impact on quality of life in our golden years.

Stretching properly involves a slow, steady elongation of the muscles and tendons to the point of tightness—never pain—and holding the stretch for several seconds. (Never use bouncing or ballistic-type stretching, which can cause injury.) It is best to stretch muscles that have been warmed up internally from exercise as opposed to cold muscles. In fact, stretching cold muscles can actually increase risk of injury, as a cold muscle is more prone to strains! Think of a muscle as if it were a rubber band. If you stretch cold rubber, it snaps and breaks; however, if you warm the rubber first, it stretches more elastically and fluidly, like taffy.

Stretching is different from “warming up.” A warm-up is what you do before you begin a bout of exercise and generally consists of a low-intensity version of the exercise you are planning on engaging in (such as a fast walk before a jog). A good exercise routine would be to warm up (work up a light sweat and raise the internal temperature of your muscles), followed by a series of brief stretches, then perform your exercise bout, warm down and end with another series of stretches. Practice this plan and you will have a well-rounded fitness routine

The 10 Commandments for Losing Weight…and Keeping it Off!

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:13:00 -0600

Success breeds success. What exactly, in terms of lifestyle changes, do people who have been highly successful at both losing weight and keeping it off over the long term do? That’s just what researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Colorado set out to determine when they began their on-going study called the National Weight Control Registry (www.nwcr.ws).

Currently, the registry contains over 5000 successful weight losers. To be eligible to become a member of the registry, one had to have lost over 30 pounds and kept it off for more than one year.

What the study found was that there is no magic to losing weight and keeping it off. The essential equation for success is the age-old motto: eat less calories and burn more through daily exercise and you will lose weight and keep it off! (And be sure to “get back on the horse” when life’s ups and downs get in the way of you maintaining your new healthy lifestyle habits.)

Here are the 10 habits of these successful weight losers:

1. 98 percent of registry participants reported that they modified their food intake in some way to lose weight (translation: you must change your eating habits in some way to lose weight—meaning eating fewer calories).

2. Most registry members reporting consuming less high-fat-dense food groups and more low-fat-dense food groups resulting in a lower daily calorie intake and greater weight loss (translation: eat lighter [lower calorie] and healthier [lower “bad” fats, less fried foods and more fruits and vegetables]).

3. 94 percent of registry participants reported increasing their physical activity (translation: daily cardio such as walking or running in addition to frequent strength training sessions).

4. 90 percent reported exercising, on average, about one hour per day (translation: get in some daily cardio such as walking or running in addition to FT strength training sessions-preferably 3 times/week).

5. 78 percent reported eating breakfast daily (translation: eat breakfast…lose weight).

6. 75 percent of registry participants reported weighing themselves at least once a week (translation: weigh yourself weekly at FT with your NT consultant—regardless of what you think the number will read).

7. 62 percent watched TV less than 10 hours/week (translation: limit the tube time unless you have a treadmill in front of the TV).

8. 42% of the sample reported that maintaining their weight loss was less difficult than losing weight (translation: once you lose the weight, be sure to keep up with your new habits—which is the hardest part).

9. Nearly all registry members stated that weight loss led to improvements in their level of energy, physical mobility, general mood, self-confidence, and physical health (translation: losing weight and attaining your health and fitness goals will make you a happier person, so stick with it!).

10. For those who did regain weight, weight regain was due, at least in part, to failure to maintain behavior changes (translation: this is not a diet that you go on and off but a lifestyle …always remember to keep at it and get support to overcome lapses and avoid a full-blown relapse.

3 Ways to Kick the Habit of Skipping Workouts

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:33:00 -0600

Trying to get into an exercise habit, but finding you’re more in the habit of making excuses? You can break out of that pattern with these tips from fitness experts on staying motivated and sticking to your fitness routine. Our Fitness Together trainers and studio owners recommend these three strategies to help you stay inspired to work out regularly.

1. Keep your eye on the prize.

You must have a very strong “why” you are doing it. Always connect to that “why,” especially when things get tough or you get busy. If your goal is to get back into your favorite jeans, hang them on the outside of your closet where you’ll see them every morning when you wake up. For an extra nudge, pin up an old photo of yourself wearing them.

Or, if you’re working toward a health goal such as lowering your blood pressure or relieving chronic back pain, mark your improvements on a chart posted on the fridge. Or tape a photo on your bathroom mirror of someone who’s achieved a goal you’re striving toward. Think fit, healthy-looking people your age playing tennis, climbing a mountain, training for a triathlon, running a 5K, or skiing with their kids!

2. Schedule a consistent workout time.

Set a regular time that fits into your daily and weekly schedule, and prioritize it just like you would a meeting with your boss or a top client. Think of it this way: Skipping out on your commitment to take good care of yourself means sooner or later you’ll start feeling depleted and run-down, with nothing left to give to those who count on you. Sticking to your fitness regimen not only helps keep you healthy, but also refills your well of physical and mental energy. So you’re more likely to be there and be “on” in your job, relationships, family and others who matter to you.

3. Use the power of a pro to keep you on track.

You’re much less likely to be a no-show for your workout when someone’s waiting for you at the gym, track, pool, court …. Agree on a time and place to work out with a trainer. When someone’s there, waiting, and holding you accountable to your exercise commitment, it’s a mighty motivator. Scheduling sessions with a personal trainer creates an especially powerful incentive to work out: You’ll feel a natural desire to make your trainer proud, and to respect the time commitment he or she blocked out to work with you. That’s powerful inspiration when you’re mulling whether to pull the sheets back over your head or pull on those gym shoes!

Detox Diets - Good or Bad?

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:01:00 -0600

When it comes to the world of diet and fitness, there are many ideas out there about what is good for our bodies. When it comes to weight loss and dieting, there is a new fad in detox, or detoxification, diets, but they are not scientifically proven. Detox diets are marketed as a way to remove toxins from the body.

Specific detox diet plans differ, but the basic idea is a period of fasting followed by a strict diet usually containing raw vegetables, fruit, and fruit juices, and water. Some of the detox diets also include using certain herbs and supplements in addition to a colon cleanse to help cleanse and empy the intestines. On average detox diets last about 7-10 days but there is no science to back up the claims that detox diets are actually removing any toxins from the body.

Some people have reported that they feel more energetic and focused during and after a detox diet-but most doctors believe this is only because they think they are doing something good for their body. However, there is very little evidence that detox diets work. Any toxins that are ingested are effectively and efficiently removed byt the liver and kidneys and excreted naturally. Besides the lack of evidence of efficacy, there are serious side effects and risks to detox diets and if you have any additional medical conditions the risks could be much greater, but for a heathy individual detox diets can also lead to dehydration, fatigue, dizziness, and/or severe nausea.

If you ae considering a diet regimen, check with your personal physician. And remember, the best diet for almost everyone is on based on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean sources of protein.

Grass-Fed Beef and Heart Healthy Benefits

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

It is becoming more common to see new terms being used in the meat department- "grass-fed" beef being the most prominent.

To be specific, grass-fed beef comes from cows that were fed primarily grass and other foraged foods, such as unprocessed grains.

Typically beef and dairy cows are fed a diet of processed grain, like corn, but now the difference in diets is known to change the fats and nutrients that you get from the different beef.

When other types of beef are compared with grass-fed beef, the heart healthy benefits of the grass-fed beef my include:

Less Total Fat
Higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids-these are the heart healthy fats
Higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid-a type of fat that is thought to reduce heart disease and cancer risks

Any beef that is 10 percent or less fat can be part of a heart healthy diet, even if it's not grass fed.

You should always talk to your doctor about adding more lean beef into your diet, even if it is grass-fed beef.

White Whole Wheat Bread - Is it whole wheat or white bread?

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

White whole wheat bread is becoming more common on grocery store shelves. But not everyone knows what white whole wheat bread is. When most of us think of whole wheat bread, we think of the darker colored bread. But for those that don't like the taste of regular wheat bread, white whole wheat bread is the answer-it has the nutritional benefits of whole wheat bread, with increased fiber and nutrients, but with texture and taste of white bread.

Regular white bread is made from grain that has been refined, in a process that strips out certain parts of the grain. But whole wheat bread is made with whole grain. The difference between white whole wheat and regular whole wheat bread is in the type of wheat used. The whole wheat that we are used to seeing is made with red wheat, which is what gives the bread the darke color, red wheat also has a slightly bitter taste. White whole wheat bread is made with an albino variety of wheat, which is not only lighter in color, but is has a smoother texture and more mild and sweet flavor.

The really important thing to remember when you are choosing your bread is to look at the ingredients list. You want to see the first ingredient listed as "whole" grain. For example, whole wheat, white whole wheat, or whole oats all mean that it is a whole grain bread and has the nutritional benefits of whole grain. If it doesn't list whole grain as the first ingredient, is is not a whole grain bread. Many people make the mistake in thinking multi-grain makes bread healthy in the same way whole grain does. But all multi-grain means is that more than one grain has been used in the mix, but these could be precessed grains.

Are You Throwing in the Towel?

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:48:00 -0500

In boxing, there is a term called “throwing in the towel.” This is done by the boxer’s trainer to stop the fight, and it represents that the boxer is giving up in the face of defeat. Are you throwing in the towel when it comes to your health and fitness?

We all have days when we oversleep and miss our morning workout. We all have days when we plan to hit the gym on the way home from work but suddenly get called into a last-minute meeting.

There will always be the officemate who brings in a dozen donuts on the day you forget to bring your oatmeal. And at least once a month, someone will order a pizza on the day you actually prepare a wonderful healthy meal. Don’t let these little things become huge setbacks. Don’t throw in the towel!

So, in the boxing ring of life, don’t beat yourself up! Think about your long term goals. How will you feel five years from now if you throw in the towel now? How will you feel 10 years from now?

Remember—you are a champion! No one who has given their best has ever regretted it. Fight the good fight—yes, it can be a daily battle—but whatever you do, don’t throw in the towel!

Sea Salt or Table Salt - What is the Difference?

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:14:00 -0500

The chemical makeup of sea salt and table salt is basically the same, as they both contain two minerals, sodium and chloride. Even though sea salt is marketed as the healthier alternative, they have basically the same nutritional value as well. The real difference between the two is in taste, texture and processing.

Table salt is mined from salt deposits underground, once it is mined it is heavly processed to remove any trace minerals. Table salt usually contains an additive to prevent clumping, and is also commonly found with iodine, which is an essential nutrient.

Sea salt is produced through evaporating seawater, and requires little or no further processing, which helps to retain trace minerals and elements that can vary depending on the water source. These minerals add a bit more nutritional value along with color and flavor to the sea salt. Sea salt is also available in varying levels of coarseness depending on your preference. iodine also occurs naturally in sea salt, but only in minute amounts.

The human body only needs a small amount to stay health - only a couple of hundred milligrams, but most of us get way more than we need. Most of the sodium we over consume comes from processed foods. Pay attention to the labels of all processed foods, you may be surprised to learn the sodium content.

No matter which salt you prefer, you should still keep your sodium consumption to 1500- 2300 milligrmas per day for a healthy adult. However, if you have high blood pressure, you are of African American decent, and anyone that is middle-aged or older should be sure to aim for the low end of the recommended range. Regardless of what kind of salt you use, remember it only takes a couple hundred milligrams to be healthy, so less is more.

Protein Supplements: Are They Right for You?

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:32:00 -0500

When it comes to nutrition, it's always best to get the things your body needs from food, but there may be times that a protein supplement might be right for you. Here is some basic information to help you decide if they might be right for you.

Proteins are the building blocks of life. Your nails, skin, hair, and bones all are built and maintained with protein and is also essential for healthy muscle development. Proteins can be found in many different foods, and should be part of a healthy diet.

Protein supplements commonly come in powder form to be added to shakes or smoothies. In general, most protein powders get their protein from soy or whey. Whey protein comes from a component of cow's milk, however it has very low levels of lactose, so even those that are intolerant can uses it. Also whey protein is gluten free and very easily digested.

When it comes to more extreme fitness, training protein powders are especially useful. Not only do they give the body the energy it needs, but also speeds muscle recovery time, which allows people to workout with more intensity and more often.

Before adding supplements, vitamins, or any similar products, you should consult with your doctor. Not only do you want to make sure you are taking the right supplements and vitamins for your body, but also there are many medications, both prescriptions and over the counter, that should not be mixed with certain nutritional supplements, herbs and even vitamins.

Do Toning Shoes Live Up to the Hype?

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:47:00 -0500

There are several shoe brands now marketing 'toning shoes' that are supposed to tone your legs while you walk and burn more calories. The shoes are designed to simulate walking barefoot or walking on an uneven surface.

The idea behind this is the unstable design forces the wearer to use their leg muscles more, therefore burning more calories and toning at the same time. However, a nonprofit fitness organization did an independent study and found no evidence wearing toning shoes improved muscle tone or burned more calories.

However, if you like the way toning shoes look and find them confortable and stable, there is no harm in wearing them. And if you increase your activity then you are doing your overall health a great service, and well worth the price of the shoes. The key is getting active, it doesn't matter what kind of shoes you're wearing, as long as they are comfortable and supportive-the benefit comes from getting active, and walking is a great way to start.

Exercising When You're Sick

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:31:00 -0500

You're sick, you've got a cold, nothing major. You don't have a fever, but should you continue your workouts? Well, there are a few general rules when it comes to exercising when you're sick.

If your symptoms are 'above the neck' - for example, a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, or sore throat - go ahead to your workout. You will, however, want to reduce the intensity of your workout, if you need it. Listen to your body, if your symptoms get worse with physical activity, stop and rest, or end your workout early. Return ot your regular workout routine gradually as you feel better.
If your symptoms are 'below the neck' - for example, chest congestion, hacking cough, or upset stomach - postpone your workout. The same goes if you have a fever, fatigue, or widespread muscle aches. Not only are you putting your health at risk, but you are more likely contagious with a fever and other symptoms. Return to your regular fitness routine slowly after symptoms are relieved or disappear.

Easy and Nutritious Breakfast: Brown Rice Cereal

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 17:02:00 -0500

You're not limited to the cereals your see on the grocery store shelf, you can get creative with all kinds of different grains. For something new to get you started, try a bowl of sweetened brown rice and milk.

Serve it up just like a bowl of cereal, hot or cold, what ever you prefer. Brown rice is a great choice because it's full of B-vitamins for energy and it's full of fiber to keep you full longer.

Cook your rice the night before to make breakfast as easy as a bowl of cereal. In the morning, start by putting the brown rice in your bowl then a teaspoon of honey (more or less to your liking) a handful of raisins, some fresh cut apple pieces and a little cinnamon. Top it all of with soy, rice, or almond milk and warm in the microwave for a delicious breakfast that is healthy and delicious.

If you don't like brown rice, or just want to try some other "cereal" options you can try other cooked grains like barley, oats, buckwheat, quinoa or millet.

Sick of Work - Not Sick At Work

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:15:00 -0500

Pretty much all of us become sick of work at some time or another but you don't want to get sick at work. Here are a few common sense things you can do to help prevent seasonal illnesses.

Keep your desk or workspace clean. Even if you have a cleaning crew that cleans the office, it's a good idea to clean your phone, keyboard, mouse, and anything else you handle or use frequently with a disinfectant wipe-especially when others may be sick around you.

Eat healthy balanced meals, especially breakfast, everyday! Many people skip breakfast for what ever reason but research has shown that people who eat breakfast are healthier and maintain a healthier weight as well. Keeping your body healthy and energized is a great way to stay healthy.

Drink plenty of water. Common advice has been 8, 8oz glasses of water a day, but if you keep water with you throughout the day and drink it when you're thirsty, you will most likely get the right amount of water to stay hydrated. Even though coffee and soda help to keep you awake, they also contribute to dehydration.

Take exercise breaks throughout the day. If you find yourself feeling tired and sore, take a moment to stretch at your desk, or if you can, get up and walk around for a few minutes. Taking short break, and keeping your body healthy and in shape, will not only help you feel better, but make you more productive as well.

The First and Most Important Meal of the Day

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 08:32:00 -0500

A healthy breakfast provides you with fuel to start your day, and the best part is that people who eat breakfast are significantly less likely to be overweight or have diabetes compared to those that do not eat breakfast.

However, grabbing a doughtnut on your way into work doesn't count since it is loaded with unhealthy sugars and fats, while returning little if any nutrition.

Here are a few ideas for simple yet healthy breakfasts:

Very Simple: High Fiber, Multi-Grain cereal or oatmeal, muesli, or other whole grain hot cereal with skim milk and fresh berries.
If you're on the go: A high fiber and/or multi-grain cereal bar, fresh apple, and a glass of soy, rice or almond milk.
Fruit and Yogurt: A bowl of low-fat yogurt with fresh blueberries and/or raspberries and a piece of whole wheat toast and natural no-sugar-added fruit spread.
Bagel and Fruit: A whole wheat bagel with light cream cheese and a sugar-free fruit spread. Other ideas for your bagel spread can include a large teaspoon of peanut butter, almond butter, or even a couple teaspoons of mashed berries.

These are just a few great options that can provide variety and taste to your morning meal.

Protein Supplements for Healthy Weight Loss

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 09:54:00 -0500

When it comes to losing weight, protein supplements, if used correctly, can be a great asset to losing weight and getting healthy.

You can use protein shakes in the same way as expensive meal replacement or diet shakes.
Protein takes longer to digest, so you feel full longer. It also balances out your blood sugar levels-this alone will help reduce cravings for unhealthy processed sugars.
One of the most important things protein does is help with muscle development and strengthening. Making your muscles strong will also speed up your metabolism.

How much protein should you get everyday? Many health experts recommend around 55 grams of daily protein. Those that are dieting and exercising are encourage to increase their protein consumption to between 55-100 grams daily. The correct dosage for you may differ depending on your individual health needs-so consult with your physcian.

If you happen to be using protein to try and gain muscle mass, you should be trying to eat about 1-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Protein powders and pills come in many different dosages, so it is really important to talk to someone that is well educated about supplements so that you can get the right amount and type of protein for your individual fitness goals and needs.

Know What, How Much, and When It's Okay to Indulge

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 11:29:00 -0500

As long as you take the time to know how and what you should be eating, you can still enjoy your favorites, in moderation. And if you know you're going to eat a high calorie dinner out with friends, keep your breakfast and lunch healthy to balance your caloric intake. Balance, moderation, and knowledge are your allies in your new healthy life. Here are a few truths versus the misconception about dieting and foods.

You can never eat desserts again. Not only does this idea tend to lead towards binge eating and eventually discouragement because who wants to live for the rest of their life without a few treats once in a while. The truth is, there is room in your diet for any of the foods you love, the key is moderation and balance. As long as you are controlling your total caloric intake (and carbohydrates if you track them) and exercise regularly, you can have dessert.
Avoid starches because they are fattening. When it comes to starches and other carbohydrates, for the most part they are less dense in calories gram for gram than other foods. When it comes to weight loss, the important issue are calories. So when you load up starches with fat, like a baked potato with sour cream and butter, the calories will add up fast. Now, if you are insulin resistant, your body may find it easier to convert carbohyrdate calories to fat than to burn it as energy, but caloric intake is more important than carbohydrate and starch intake.
Fast food is off limits, for good. When it comes to dieting, you should never say never. You can eat fast food, as long as you are aware of what you're eating and plan appropriately. Opt for menu items that are grilled rather than fried, avoid the high-fat condiments that can take a healthy item and make it unhealthy like mayo, and share your french fries to cut down on the portion size.

In Between Workouts: Smart Nutrition and A Few More Steps

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:02:00 -0500

Count every step towards your goal by wearing a pedometer. This is a great way to keep track of exactly how many steps you take including home and at work. By simply walking 2,500 steps (about one mile) you can burn 100-125 calories more calories and lose an extra pound per week. But don't sacrifice nutrition for weight loss either. Knowing when and what to eat is just as important as exercise and calorie counting.

Always eat a healthy balanced breakfast everyday. Your first meal of the day should include protein, a healthy carb, and a small amount of fat. An example of a good breakfast would be an egg-white omelet, piece of whole wheat toast, and fresh berries.

Healthy snacks are essential to fueling your body and your mind. A mid-afternoon snack like reduced fat peanut butter on whole grain crackers, low fat string cheese with an apple, or some cottage cheese and pineapple will keep you fueled and ready for an after work walk or workout.

Banish yourself from the kitchen late at night. All the extra calories you eat after around 8 pm you end up wearing into the next morning. To avoid this eat a good dinner with lean protein, veggies, and fruit for dessert.

Eliminate all processed foods- most importantly processed sugars, which are carbs that have been stripped of their nutrients. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, lean fresh meats, and minimally processed dairy products to ensure you get all the nutrition and none of the ingredients that have been proven to increase your cravings for empty calories.

5 Easy Ways to Meet Your Fitness Goals

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:51:00 -0500

1. Set reasonable goals and expectations for yourself. Unreasonable goals can yield disappointment while more specific and common sense steps to building to those goals are much more achievable. Instead of saying you want to lose weight to look good, plan to try to lose one pound a week, or to get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day.

2. Get ready to succeed by getting rid of all the junk food, the processed and unhealthy comfort or binge foods. Keeping them around is like planing to fail. Make sure to replace them with healthy options like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole foods, and water.

3. Get your friends and family involved. You and everyone will benefit from a strong support system as you encourage and celebrate your collective goals.

4. Keep a journal or just take notes of your daily exercise and food consumption This will help keep you on track to success. Get a small notebook that is easy to keep with you so you can jot down foods eaten, steps taken and personal notes- it doesn't matter so much what you list in it, the point is to track your journey to good health.

5. Find a way to reward yourself that doesn't involve food. Instead mark your milestones with a new outfit, shoes, a weekend getaway or even a spa treatment. Do whatever it is that makes you feel good, without any guilt on the scales later.

Can You Recognize Dehydration?

Tue, 31 May 2011 06:43:00 -0500

You may have heard it said that if you're thirsty, then you're already dehydrated. However, would you recognize the other symptoms of dehydration if you had them, such as fatigue, nausea, and headache? Some individuals experience swollen hands and feet and in severe cases may become disoriented and confused. Reduced performance, weakness, dizziness....all signs of dehydration.

Dehydration can happen as a single occasion- perhaps you were out in the hot summer sun and you didn't drink enough water. It can also be a chronic condition that develops over time. If exercise seems harder and you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it is time to evaluate your lifestyle and make sure that hydration is a part of your daily life. Drinking plenty of fluids should be done around the clock- you can't wait until a workout to start taking breaks for water!

How Exercises fights Off Infections

Tue, 24 May 2011 07:29:00 -0500

Individuals who engage in moderate activity on a regular basis have increased immunity, meaning their body can more effectively fight off infections like the common cold or even the flu. Why is this? Well....

Exercises reduces stress, enhancing the immune system's function.
Exercise speeds the rate at which waste and toxins are removed from the body. Increased respiratory rates help clean the lungs, sweat removes toxins from the skin, etc.
Raising your heart rate while exercising has the effect of increasing the speed at which white blood cells circulate through the body, decreasing the time it takes an immune response to react to infections.
Exercise also raises body temperature which may in and of itself be able to kill out infections- after all, raising the body temperature as in a fever is part of the body's natural infection fighting mechanism.

The Negative Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Tue, 17 May 2011 07:05:00 -0500

Sleep deprivation has a whole host of well-known problems- decreased immune function, memory impairment, slowed reaction times, and even age-related insulin-resistance.

The effects of sleep deprivation on your ability to perform physically range from decreased glucose metabolism to decreased aerobic endurance. Sleep deprivation also increases the level of the stress hormone cortisol in your body, which decreases athletic performance and slows the body's recovery time.

So, if you want to be effective in your workouts, decrease your chance of injury and ensure that your body has ample resources to recover from your workout, you need to make sure that you're getting enough sleep! No matter how much you wish there were more hours in a day, there aren't, so making the time to sleep is about making an investment in your future health; a worthwhile investment to be sure.

The Importance of Recovery

Tue, 10 May 2011 10:46:00 -0500

There are two main forms of recovery with which you should be acquainted. Short-term recovery, and long-term recovery.

Short term recovery is what happens in the hours directly after your workout. On your end, this is the time to replenish fluids and provide your body with the fuel that it needs for optimum protein synthesis. During this time your body is engaging in soft tissue repair, removal of built-up chemicals from the workout and replacing energy stores in muscles and cells.

Long term recovery should be built into your training program for the long-term. Taking the occasional break from working out is common, but even more important is the need to vary workouts. Cross training, modified workouts or changes in activity help to ensure that you aren't over-working in certain areas or losing your workout's efficacy due to adaptation or tolerance.

Avoiding Those Common Sports Injuries

Tue, 03 May 2011 07:28:00 -0500

One of the many benefits of working with a trainer is the increased safety of having a spotter, an expert to help you with body alignment and someone to help guide you during your workouts. Even so, you want to be aware of the more common sports and workout injuries that occur so that you can be working proactively to avoid them from your end as well. Among the most common of these injuries are sprained ankles, knee pain, low back pain, and shoulder injuries. Work with your trainer to avoid alignment issues being causal in these injuries.

Remember, you're the one who laces up your shoes, so make sure they are appropriate for the task at hand. Ankle, knee and low back issues can arise from improper footwear. Next, make sure that you aren't letting your skeleton do the job, meaning, activate those muscles. Your skeleton can hold the weight for you, sure, but it puts pressure on joints rather than allowing the muscles to gain strength by doing the job.

Functional Fitness

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:19:00 -0500

Functional fitness is pretty much exactly what it sounds like- your fitness to function, i.e., your ability to actually perform activities in real-life settings. Your latest bench press might be impressive, but if you can't put your suitcase in the overhead bin on the airplane without dropping it on you - or worse, someone else's head or straining your back, then you aren't really getting the full benefits of your workout.

How could the scenario above or one like it come to pass? Easily, as it turns out. When workouts focus on isolated muscle groups, those muscles get stronger but they don't learn how to work in coordination with other muscle groups. This kind of coordination is what we use in the real world, as it turns out. We use large muscle groups and multiple muscle groups at a time. Picking up a child, moving a piece of furniture, even twisting to pull a bag from the back seat into the front presents us with a multi-muscle group challenge. Let your workout reflect the demands of your daily life and you'll benefit more, have fewer aches and pains from day-to-day activity, and be better prepared for whatever comes your way.

What Activities Are You Doing Between Workouts?

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 11:42:00 -0500

Working out is hands down a good idea, and you're in even better hands when you are working with a personal trainer. However, if all you do between workouts is sit around, you aren't going to see nearly the kind of progress that you would if you were leading an active lifestyle. That doesn't mean you have to spend your time doing push-ups, but rather, make your life something you experience on your feet.

Make activity a social reality. Go for a walk after dinner with the family, plan a game together outside or do the yard work together. Getting your housework done can also be a great workout- you'll bend and stretch and walk and scrub. Even if you just work at holding your abs or actively using your arm muscles while cleaning the floor you'll be accomplishing more. When you're out and about, you know the routine: take the stairs instead of the elevator, park further away and walk where you're going, etc.

Keep on Eye on Your BMI

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 07:45:00 -0500

BMI stands for Body Mass Index, and is a number calculated from height and weight and is considered a reliable indicator of body fat for most people. BMI is used to calculate whether or not a person is at a healthy weight, and if not, whether they are underweight, overweight, or obese.

BMI measurements are limited in that they may overestimate fat in athletes and other individuals with a great deal of muscle mass and it may underestimate fat in elderly peoples who have lost muscle mass. Using a waist circumference test along with a BMI test can help to rectify those limitations.

The general guidelines for BMI are:

Underweight = Less than 18.5
Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
Overweight = 25–29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

All Over Muscle Toning

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:13:00 -0500

Nearly everyone knows that cardiovascular exercise burns calories and helps keep you fit and strong, but if you're seeking muscle definition you'll need to do more than just cardio. Many people, women especially, avoid weightlifting because they're afraid they could start looking brawny or bulky. But luckily, there are ways to attain a firm, all-over toned body without looking like you're preparing to enter a bodybuilding competition.

Cardio and diet. Make sure you fit in regular exercise to keep excess fat away – otherwise you'll never be able to see those toned muscles you've worked so hard for! And eating a well-balanced diet will help you to get all the nutrients you need so your body has all the fuel it needs to power you through your workouts, keeping you energized and strong.

Low weight, high repetitions. When it comes to weightlifting, go for a lower weight and a higher number of repetitions. Four or five sets of 15-20 reps are ideal for all-over muscle toning.

Use your own body as resistance. Exercises like yoga and pilates will strengthen and tone every muscle in your body, giving you the long, lean look that comes with an all-over toned body. Exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, and triceps all work your body using your body's own resistance, so you don't even need a gym!

Stretch. Stretching your body thoroughly before and after every workout will prevent injuries and lengthen your muscles, making it less likely your physique will develop into a group of knotty, bulky muscles.

Muscle Building Tips

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:10:00 -0500

Are you ready to get serious about building your muscles? Here are 8 tips involving diet, exercise, and lifestyle habits that are important if you want to reach an anabolic state:

Eat five to six small meals a day. Your body needs calories for energy and effective workouts. By eating smaller meals more often, your caloric intake will be just above your caloric expenditure, putting you in an anabolic state.
Consume plenty of protein, and enough carbohydrates to fuel exercise.
Consume healthy fats, or foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Avocados, salmon, olive oil, walnuts, flax seeds, pecans, almonds, and pumpkin are all good examples.
Eat a good pre-workout meal consisting of slow-burning carbohydrates like whole-grain pasta or rice, and a serving of protein.
Eat a good post-workout meal to refuel your body--it should consist of fast-burning carbohydrates and protein.
Drink plenty of water--all day, every day. Sodas, coffee, juices, and Gatorade are no substitutes for the most important nutrient of all!
Take a multi-vitamin.
Allow your mind and body plenty of rest and recovery time. Take one or two days off per week from working out.

One Minute Exercises

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:09:00 -0500

We all spend a fair amount of time sitting in traffic or standing in line; why not turn that wasted time into workout time? Check out these one minute exercises that can get you toned.

Milk-jug curls: instead of scoping out the latest celebrity gossip or the newest type of Skittles in the supermarket checkout lane, do a quick curl workout. A milk jug weighs around 4.5 pounds, do around twenty repetitions with each arm while waiting in line. Technically, you are still pumping iron since milk is packed with it.

Calf raises: let’s say you’re waiting in a long line at the DMV. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and raise yourself up onto the balls of your feet 10 times. This helps strengthen and tone those calf muscles. This workout will come in handy if you fail your driving test.

Shoulder rolls: you passed your driving test, but now you are stuck in traffic. Instead of yelling out the window, practice slow shoulder rolls coupled with deep breathing to put you in an easygoing state of mind.

Whey Protein: The Basics

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:38:00 -0500

Whey protein is a dairy based protein derived during the production of cheese; it’s a good protein for those without diet restrictions or allergies to dairy products. All essential amino acids can be found in this supplement – this promotes muscle, skin, and connective tissue health. Whey protein is considered a fast-acting supplement because the amino acids are absorbed directly into the muscles, making it the ideal post-workout protein supplement when the body is starting to repair muscles. This supplement contains hardly any cholesterol and it helps flush bad cholesterol out of the body.

You can take whey protein at any point in the day to reap the benefits. Taking it in the morning replenishes protein depleted during sleep. At night, it builds extra protein so the levels aren’t as depleted in the morning. Regular use reduces the risk of injury, builds muscle mass, and eases soreness after hard workouts.

Whey protein can be added to any type of food or drink to increase the protein level without sacrificing taste. People with the proper amount of whey protein in their systems have a smaller chance of getting type-2 diabetes – some studies even suggest that this supplement could prevent it all together. This protein is beneficial for those who have diabetes and cancer, because of the helpful amino acids among other physical benefits. It has also been shown to increase protein growth in senior citizens, which slows muscle loss as they age.

Many free online guides and recipes are readily available if you are ready to try out this healthy, high quality protein.

How to Love Your Workout

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 11:27:00 -0600

Study after study has shown that regular physical activity -- even at moderate levels -- enhances physical and mental conditioning, while reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure and obesity. But unfortunately, many Americans still choose a sedentary lifestyle. Here are some tips to encourage you to get off the couch and into the gymd

Find something you enjoy. Keep experimenting until you find an activity that moves you, both mentally and physically. If you don't like what you're doing, you won't be motivated to keep it up. If you're not sure what you like, explore: Take a dance class, hike in some nearby mountains, or try a spinning class.

Set goals. Write down your goals, reviewing them often. But be realistic. If you've started out walking for 10 minutes, don't aim to run a marathon in three months. Set goals that are specific, measurable, and time bound to encourage action.

Exercise in the morning. Statistics show that people are more likely to stick with a fitness program if they exercise first thing in the morning. Exercising at the beginning of the day provides a jumpstart to your morning, and you don't have to worry about something coming up later in the day to sidetrack your evening workout plans.

Schedule your workouts. Make exercise as high priority as a doctor's appointment or a business lunch. Sit down with a calendar and your planner a week or more in advance and schedule your exercise sessions around your other obligations. As you would if you had to cancel a meeting or appointment, reschedule your exercise sessions. You and your health are worth it!

Reward yourself. Reward yourself as you complete smaller goals to motivate you to stay on track toward larger goals. When you can complete a 30-minute walk on the treadmill or do 10 push-ups, for example, reward yourself with a new CD or T-shirt. When you've stayed with the program for 12 weeks, get a new pair of sneakers.

Abandon the all-or-nothing approach. Don't have an hour to exercise? Try 30 minutes. It's better than nothing, and your body will still reap the rewards of a shorter workout.

If you "fall off the wagon" of good workout habits, don't beat yourself up about it. Simply get back to your routine without further procrastination. Remember: it's about progress over time, not perfection!

Exercise: Squats

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:18:00 -0600

The squat is considered by many to be the single most important strength training exercise because of the number of muscles it works at the same time. The squat is a standing, weighted exercise where you place a weight bar behind your neck and across your shoulders. Slowly lower your buttocks towards the floor, keeping your back straight. When your hips come lower than parallel, stop and return to the starting position.

The squat is a total body workout that works your legs, core, back, shoulders, and arms. So what are some other benefits of the squat?

Stronger Legs – legs, especially the upper leg (thighs, quadriceps), are strengthened by pushing through a full range of motion.

Hip Motion – squats build and maintain hip flexibility, which is important for workouts and everyday activities.

Stronger Knees – with the proper technique, your knees will gain strength simply from the motion of the squat workout.

Before your squat workout, you’ll want to perform the squat stretch. To do this, stand with your knees out, in a squatted position with body weight resting on the heels and your chest up. The position looks similar to how a sumo wrestler stands. Do this three times for 30 seconds before you begin.

Squat technique takes time to perfect, so it’s best to start out with light weights; improper technique and too much weight can quickly lead to injury. Avoid these common pitfalls:

Stance. A narrow stance could cause you to fall over, so stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Stay on your heels. Never push from the toes, push from the heels for added power and a smoother lift.
Elbows back. Prevent an elbow injury by not allowing them to come forward at any time during this workout. This places extra strain on the joint and could easily turn into a nagging injury. It takes time to perfect the squat technique, but with a little practice, you’ll quickly be on your way to harnessing one of the most effective workouts.

Tips for Beginning Runners

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:14:00 -0600

As with any new workout plan, running can be intimidating for the beginner. Taking the first step is the most important thing, and each step after that will get easier and easier with some perseverance. Running can be an enjoyable way to spend time outdoors, explore new areas while you are on vacation, or just to clear your head after a long day.

It’s important to remember that every runner is different. You may have a friend who is into long distance races of over 20 miles. After you get the feel for running, you may find that you only like to run 3 miles or less. For beginners, mileage isn’t important; the important thing is that you are taking strides towards improving your mental and physical health through running.

Start out slow; think about the tortoise and the hare. If you haven’t run in a few years, or if you’ve never run, you don’t want to go 100% at the start. Take it easy and you’ll gradually build speed as you build endurance. You’ll also avoid pulled muscles, which can be discouraging for a beginner. For beginners who want to improve times and build endurance, it is important to set up a running plan with an end goal. If you have friends or family members that are runners, you can ask them for assistance, or visit many websites that have free guides written by experts. Most of these workouts will focus on speed and distance, breaking them up into two different workouts on alternating days, all working towards the same goal of increased running efficiency and endurance.

Lastly, remember to have fun. You’ll have ups and downs as a runner, always remember that it doesn’t always have to be about beating the clock; leave the stopwatch at home every now and then and enjoy the feeling of no-pressure running. If your workout gets boring, switch up your running routes, or start a hill workout or fartlek (speed-play) routine for a few weeks, then switch back and forth as you desire.

Body Weight Exercises

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:09:00 -0600

When you experience a lapse in your normal fitness routine, you might feel as though you can sense your body deflating. There are a number of reasons you may miss the gym here and there, but that doesn’t mean you need to skip fitness altogether. Help keep your body in top shape with these portable and free workouts.

Crunches: Get in the starting position. With your back flat on the floor, knees bent, feet flat, and arms behind your head with fingers touching, raise yourself off of the ground by contracting your abdominal muscles. Avoid pulling on the neck or back of the head during this exercise. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions; increase the number of repetitions as the workout becomes easier.

Push-ups: The classic workout. Start with your hands shoulder-width apart, push yourself up, and then slowly back down for 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Push-ups work your back, arms, shoulders, chest, and legs.

Leg lifts: With your back flat on the floor and both feet raised, your body will look like the letter L. Slowly lower both legs until they almost touch the ground, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat for 3 sets of 10 repetitions. This will work your legs and abdominals.

Sound Nutrition for a Busy Lifestyle

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:06:00 -0600

Are you overloaded with work, family and personal demands, often rushing to adhere to a stressful "24/7" schedule? If so, your everyday meal solutions don't need to come from drive-through windows or Styrofoam take-out boxes. Even with a busy lifestyle, you can put nutritious meals on your dinner table with ease. Being time-starved doesn't mean you have to sacrifice nutrition. A few small changes in your shopping strategies can yield positive results.

Cheat. Supermarkets today offer an array of partially prepared products and other kitchen "shortcuts." When you're busy, you can still put good nutrition on your table without doing all the time-consuming preparation yourself.

Staples. Keep fresh lettuce on hand and then add nutrient-rich extras: grated cheese; bite-size grilled chicken, tofu, or chopped hard-boiled eggs; cut-up vegetables; sliced apples, pears, or berries; toasted nuts or seeds. (Keep a variety of salad dressings on hand for variation.

Add your own flair. Enhance to "ready-to-prepare" dishes: add diced lean ham, chicken breast, or chopped carrots, broccoli or tomatoes to cooked macaroni and cheese; chopped dried fruit or nuts to rice; sliced red and green peppers, mushrooms, and broccoli florets to a good quality frozen pizza.

Add flavor. Flavor your protein with prepared sauces and spreads: barbecue, steak or teriyaki sauce on pork chops, chicken breasts, burgers, or fish steaks; hummus as a sandwich spread; salsas for quick tacos or quesadillas; pasta-ready or pizza-ready herbed tomato sauces.

Saucy. Use any oil-vinegar based dressing as a vegetable, meat, poultry or seafood marinade.

Your Number One Obstacle: Your Mind!

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 06:49:00 -0600

Battling weight loss comes with great obstacles. Your greatest obstacle being your mind. It is mind over matter. Here are some top ways to stay motivated and conquer those negative thoughts.

Post positive messages on sticky notes by your mirror, or desk.
Self talk, meaning take the time to repeat your favorite mantra to yourself throughout the day.
Reward your efforts with a gift that is not food.
Surround yourself with emotionally supportive people.
Hold yourself accountable.
Wallow and then swallow. What I mean is to give yourself a few minutes to wallow in self misery then swallow it by sucking it up and moving forward with positive thoughts.

Want to Boost Your Metabolism? Try These 5 Things Today!

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:40:00 -0600

Lift weights - Lifting weights not only burns calories but it raises your metabolism by increasing the rate and efficiency at which you burn calories! Think of your muscle as a big fire place. And the fat you want to burn is the fire wood. The bigger and more efficient the fire place, the more wood you can throw in there! Keep in mind that you have to lift correctly so please seek the help of a professional fitness coach to make sure you get the most out of your efforts.
Eat Frequently - Many people do not know that eating can actually make you burn more calories. Think of your metabolism as a spinning top. We'd like to keep that top spinning all day right? Well, one of the best ways to do that is to eat a healthy, balanced meal every 3-4 hours. Get that top spinning by eating a substantial, balanced breakfast within one hour of waking up. Keep that top spinning all day long by eating every 3-4 hours throughout the day. Remember, the meals/snacks must be a balance of lean protein, starchy and fibrous carbohydrates.
Do Intervals - High intensity, periodic interval training (if done correctly) will burn more calories than steady-state cardiovascular exercise AND they will keep your metabolism up for hours after you are done! Try this: walk at a speed of 3.3, 1.0 incline for 2 minutes. Then, increase the speed to a fast walk if you are a beginner (try 4.0) or a run if you are more advanced (try 6.0). Do this for 2 minutes as well and then drop the speed back down to 3.3. Repeat this for 30 minutes. The key is to get your heart rate and intensity up to 85-90% of your max for the higher paced interval. The greater the difference between the upper and lower intervals, the better.
Caffeine - When taken in its natural form (a caffeine pill), caffeine can actually raise your metabolism and increase fatty acid oxidation. Please note, this effect has been found particularly effective in non-habitual users. If you drink caffeinated drinks everyday, there is a good chance that you are somewhat desensitized to its positive effects. If you currently drink caffeinated drinks, try to ween yourself off and avoid caffeine for 8 weeks. Then you can begin utilizing it in its pure form to help you with fat oxidation. Ask your fitness coach for more details!
Sleep - In order for you body to function at its best, you need 7-8 hours of sleep every night. No less than 7; no more than 8. With plenty of sleep, your body will function better overall. But more specifically to metabolism, sleep allows your body to heal from the weight training and it keeps your hunger and cravings in check. When you don't get enough sleep, your body does not regulate hunger correctly so you will end up eating more than you should and eating foods that you shouldn't.

And most importantly, you need to be consistent with these 5 things. In our fast paced, busy world this can be difficult but with the help of a professional fitness coach, you can achieve the metabolism you've always dreamed of!

All The Right Reasons...

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:33:00 -0600

Physical activity, no matter what you decide to incorporate into your regular training sessions, should be part of your daily routine. Getting and staying fit has many advantages beyond losing weight or shaping up:

Those who are active every day have less bouts with depression.

Moderate exercise helps reduce joint swelling and pain, and improves mobility.

On average, people who exercise live longer than those who don't.

Active people have a lower risk of suffering from heart disease and stroke.

Strength training helps to counter osteoporosis.

Exercise facilitates overall functional fitness, meaning you will be able to do chores and other daily activities with greater ease.

How Exercise Can Affect Hunger

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:06:00 -0600

Can the physical act of exercise really make a difference in a person's appetite? At this time researchers and most others understand that exercise increases the amount of calories a person burns during the day. As individuals at more lean body mass it also increases the number of calories the body will burn at rest. But, does exercise really reduce your appetite?

The answer to that question is still not well understood nor agreed upon by researchers and physicians. Some believe that exercise will reduce the appetite more in men than in women while others have found that the intensity and length of exercise will dictate whether or not an individual experiences a reduction in appetite.

In a study published in June 2008 researchers found that exercise did not suppress appetite in women who were obese as it did in women who were lean. This lack of appetite suppression may account for the greater amount of food intake that obese women eat after exercising. This information should help therapists and physicians to understand the limitations that exercise pass in appetite suppression.

In another study reported in 2009 researchers found that exercise appeared to simultaneously make people hungrier but more satisfied by a meal. The difference in these responses vary from person to person. The study looked at 58 overweight and obese adults who started an exercise regimen and found that exercise would boost hunger before the meal compared to how they felt before they exercise.

On the other hand, this study also found that the participants were more easily satisfied by their breakfast meal than they had been before becoming active. There were other more subtle differences between individuals who were more successful at their weight-loss efforts.

Researchers found that in general the individuals who were exercising and did not meet their expected weight loss were hungrier right before breakfast and throughout the day as compared to their hunger ratings at the beginning of the study, prior to exercising. In contrast, those individuals who do lose weight found that their pre-rectors appetite increased after becoming active but they were not hungrier throughout the day.

The bottom line from this research is that individuals should not stop exercising if they start feeling more hungry than normal or fail to lose the weight they had been hoping to lose. Instead, they should look for ways of satisfying their hunger that is reduced in calories. It is well documented that exercise has other health benefits, such as improved cardiovascular fitness, lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol even when weight loss is modest.

Some researchers believe that although weight training and cardiovascular exercise will affect the production of specific hormones believed to play a role in stimulating hunger it is the cardiovascular and aerobic exercise that has the strongest effect on decreasing hunger.

In another study published in the American Journal of physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, researchers looked at the effect that exercise had on to hormones, ghrelin which stimulates appetite and peptide YY that suppresses it. This study used a small group of 11 men. The group was split into three. The first performed vigorous workouts on the treadmill for 60 minutes and then rested for seven hours; the second group did resistance training for 90 minutes and rested for 6 1/2 hours and the third group got no exercise at all.

During this study participants rated their hunger and researchers monitored hormone levels. They found that the participants who worked on the treadmill had a drop in ghrelin but a rise in and peptide YY. Those who did resistance workouts only lowered their ghrelin and did not affect their peptide levels. Those on the treadmill reported more suppress appetite than those who did resistance exercises. In both instances the appetite suppression effect lasted approximately 2 hours.

Researchers theorize from this study that dieting without exercise is less effective way of losing weight. This study did not examine whether the individuals changed the amount of food they consumed after exercising.

Based on studies that have been performed thus far it is wise to assume that individuals must monitor for themselves whether or not exercise is able to reduce their appetite or suppress their appetite for any length of time following the exercise. There is also some evidence to believe that this suppression may carry over to the next day.

All of this information indicates that we must be our own best advocates and understand the effects that exercise has on our own body. By recognizing how we feel both before during and after exercise we are better able to monitor our own calorie intake while still enjoying the benefits of cardiovascular and peripheral vascular health.

Easy: Follow Your Trainers Advice For New Workout Rountines

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 10:54:00 -0600

When beginning a workout routine, it is best follow your trainers advice for the best fitness plan for you and the level of exercise you need. Most exercise routines are designed to work multiple muscle regions through different exercises.

Pay attention to the number of reps suggested to include the max number of reps. When you are just starting out, you need to make sure that your workout routine fits your needs. Pushing yourself too hard in the beginning can cause injury. Stay in the range of suggested reps, even if you have a regular exercise routine, you can still overdo it.

You also want to save energy for the rest of your workout, so you can complete your circuit and work your whole body. You do not have to strain or exhaust your body to get positive results. Low impact exercise is just as effective as some more strenuous workouts. Listen to your body, if you can't reach the number of reps recommended its okay. The most important part is putting in the effort and getting moving.

itness plan for you and the level of exercise you need. Most exercise routines are designed to work multiple muscle regions through different exercises.

Good Fuel For Your Workout

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 06:38:00 -0600

A healthy diet and plenty of rest are essential to getting fit and healthy. Along with just taking good care of yourself there are many things you can do prior to your workout to help your body get the most out of your activity. Here are three good starters for fueling your workout.

Protein: Fueling your body with protein before a workout instead of carbs will help your body burn significantly more fat during your workout.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is great for pushing stored fat out of your muscles. It will also help your muscles to recover faster after a workout. If you plan on getting your Vitamin D from milk, be careful not to drink it too close to the beginning of your workout, or you could make yourself sick. Its better to get your vitamin D from the recommended 20 minutes of unprotected sun exposure.

Water: Water is essential to your body, and is the most basic part of fueling your workout. By staying hydrated, you’ll boost your energy and your effectiveness. Before your workout, you should try to consume 20 ounces of water. Continue drinking approximately 8 ounces every 15 minutes throughout your workout.

How to Set Annual Goals

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 14:02:00 -0600

A year can seem like a long time when it is January. Once the following December rolls around, however, it is often difficult to figure out where all the time went. People often feel the need to accomplish many things during a 12-month period, hence the tradition of New Year's Resolutions. Truly setting annual goals takes planning. There needs to be specific goals, rather than vague self-promises, to be successful during the year.

Step 1

Pinpoint what is most important in your life. List these in terms of priority, such as family, spirituality, career, hobbies and volunteer work. Your list will differ according to your own values.

Step 2

Write down each of your priorities on a separate sheet of paper. Underneath these titles, document a specific goal you wish to accomplish in this area. For example under "family" you may have "eat at three meals together per week." While under "hobbies" you could have "build a model of Notre Dame."

Step 3

Outline how you will accomplish each objective underneath the titles of the goals. For example, outline how you will rearrange schedules to make eating together three times a week feasible. For the Notre Dame model, write down the specific design you will follow and the materials you require.

Step 4

Create a timetable for each goal. Predict how long each segment of each objective will take to complete. In some cases, you will not need a timetable, such as the goal to eat together three times weekly. Others will take some detailed planning, such as the model. For something with multiple steps, set a time line for your predicted progression.

Step 5

Keep the documents regarding your annual goals in a folder. Make it organized and accessible so you can refer to it frequently. Keep a journal with the folder that you will write in during the year as you go about accomplishing your ambitions

Get Outdoors Between Training Sessions

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 13:56:00 -0600

You can supplement your weekly training sessions by getting outside in your neighborhood.

If you live near a park, get out there for some suspension training. You might not be in school anymore, but the monkey bars can be a great place for chin ups and parallel bar dips. Start slow if you haven't been working out regularly.

If you live in the city, its time to take a little tour around a couple blocks. A good routine for a block buster starts by warming up and stretching, which you should do before EVERY workout to help prevent injury. First sprint one block at about 75% of your full speed, then walk a block. Do this a couple times if you're up for it.

Another easy outdoor workout is a hill sprint. After warming up, start by sprinting up the hill, get a running start if you need it. Then once at the top, you can stop catch your breath then walk down the hill. Get a drink of water and do it again! Not only is the exercise great, but you'll be getting out in the fresh air and sunshine to soak up the vitamin D!

Three Basic Resistance Band Exercises

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:42:00 -0600

Seated Rowing: Start by sitting on the floor and looping the resistance bands securely around each foot, while holding the bands extend your legs straight out in front of you. Keeping your back straight and shoulders square, bring your elbows towards you, keeping them close to your sides. Pull the bands to your body, pause, then return to the start. Do ten reps of this.

Push Ups: This is done like a standard push up with your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart. Take one band, put it behind your back, position the band so that you have tight resistance across your shoulders with one end of the band in each hand. Proceed with a normal push up lowering yourself to the floor and back up for ten reps.

Frog Push: Lie on the floor, face up, with your hips and knees at 90 degrees. Loop the band around your feet, then cross the ends to make an X in front of your legs. While holding one end in each hand, position your hands on the floor beside your hips. Tighten your core muscles, such as your abs and glutes, while extending your legs into the air straight in front of you, while keeping your legs off the ground. As you extend, your legs will create a 45 degree angle with the floor Pause and hold for 10-15 seconds to start, then return bend your knees to slowly to the starting position. Do 10 reps.

Using Social Networking For Your Healthy Advantage

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:59:00 -0600

Many of us can’t make it through the day without Facebook and Twitter. We are so reliant on social media in every other part of our lives, integrating it into our workout shouldn’t be difficult.

Before you begin on a fitness regimen, post your plan and your goals online for everybody to see. Also you can search for other people starting or already in a good workout routine. You can share tips and ideas. You can even start a group with other individuals with similar plans and goals. This way you can all support each other along the way, and compare notes, tips, recipe, and workout ideas.

Be sure to keep your friends and followers up to date as you progress—recounting your triumphs and failures. It is easier to stick with a plan like this if you have others supporting you. Their comments, and posts might be just what you need to push through and achieve your goals- or your comments and posts might inspire or encourage someone going through the same things!

Getting Physical Decreases Hunger and Improves Food Choices!

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:49:00 -0600

It's not a big secret that when you have a sound fitness program, including cardiovascular exercise and resistance training, it helps you control your blood sugar and relieve stress. As a result, you are far less likely to choose foods that impact you negatively. Remember,

Taking a deeper look at this, there are hormones that have an impact on our hunger state. They are leptin, ghrelin, peptide YY, cortisol, and insulin.

motion equals emotion. To be more accurate, I should say it equals positive emotion. The interesting thing is, those who exercise regularly generally choose better foods.

I could easily spend hours discussing the role of these hormones but to keep it simple, let's briefly look at the role of each hormone and the effect that exercise has on each one.

Leptin- This hormone has been gaining a lot of attention because of the neurological impact it has on the hypothalamus in the brain. Leptin is known as the "fat hormone" because it controls your hunger, your behaviors, and it plays a key role in fat metabolism. When you are low in this hormone, you will hold on to fat even when you lose weight. Plus you don't feel full and satisfied. Many studies show that those who go on "diets" without exercise have dips in leptin and also develop a leptin resistance. We can counteract this with a combination of resistance and aerobic training.

Ghrelin- Think of ghrelin as the antithesis of leptin. Similarly to leptin, ghrelin impacts your hunger but too much ghrelin, however, can make you feel hungry. This hormone is located at the source of your hunger, your stomach. Usually, when you are low in leptin, you have higher concentrations of ghrelin. Higher concentrations of ghrelin lead to increased hunger and decreased adipose tissue metabolism (aka fat burning). Just like leptin, many studies demonstrate the positive effects of exercise on ghrelin release.

Peptide YY- Just like ghrelin, this peptide chain is also found in the stomach. However, its role is to suppress appetite. Once again, exercise demonstrates a positive impact, as it increases peptide YY release.

Cortisol- This hormone is also known as the "fight or flight" or "stress hormone." Under acute stress, this hormone is beneficial as it can heighten awareness and physical abilities by breaking down proteins for quick energy. It also helps to coagulate blood. Conversely, if you fall under constant stress, it can contribute to fat gain, particularly around the tummy or midsection . Here's the irony, acute physical activity increases cortisol release. However, the long term benefits of both resistance training and cardiovascular exercise decreases cortisol long-term. People who exercise simply handle stress better!

Insulin-You are most familiar with this hormone as it relates to Type I & II diabetes. Its role is to uptake glucose (i.e. blood sugar) from the blood stream into the muscle. Along with proper nutrition, exercise can affect your insulin sensitivity. Without getting into too much detail, you simply need to understand that when your insulin is out of balance, you can become irritable and feel hungry. This usually causes you to reach for a sugary, high-glycemic, processed carbohydrate snack. In combination with proper nutrition, exercise helps control the insulin reponse by using carbohydrates for energy and metabolism.

Endorphins- You're familiar with this hormone because it is what gives us that "runner's high." A consistent exercise program increases the release of these hormonesthat have a positive impact on neuroreceptors in the brain. The "runner's high," which is not only experienced when running) will give you feelings of euphoria and pleasure. In other words, exerise releases endorphins causing you to feel better!

Any way you look at it, in a post-industrial society, you must be involved in a sustained, long-term fitness and wellness program. To be quite honest, I'm not even doing great justice to the benefits of exercise on the emotional state at the hormonal and neurological level. There have been hundreds of studies on the subject and they always come to the same conclusion...

... If you want to feel good- Get Physical!

Why Improve Flexibility

Sun, 19 Dec 2010 13:28:00 -0600

Whether you're naturally flexible or someone who really wishes they could still bend over and touch the floor with straight legs, increasing your flexibility is beneficial to your health. Think you can be in truly great shape without flexibility training? Think again:

Flexibility:

Improves your posture
Increases nutrient and blood flow to body tissues
Improves athletic performance
Decreases stress on your joints
Decreases the risk of injury during activity
Improves muscular coordination
Prevents and/or reduces back pain
Reduces sore muscles
Increases your enjoyment of physical activity

To increase your flexibility, start simple. When you wake up in the morning, do a few simple stretches in bed before you get up. Stretch your body lengthwise and to either side. Roll your wrists and ankles through their full range of motion. Do a few simple back stretches (yoga cat and cow postures are a great way to start your day). Take stretch breaks at work to extend your legs and always warm up and cool down before exercising. Without any extra flexibility training, you'll be well on your way to a healthier, more flexible body.

Exercise to Boost Success and Happiness

Sun, 19 Dec 2010 13:23:00 -0600

Exercise is an often overlooked way of ensuring a healthy, happy life. Physical health, however, extends much further than the state of the body – it also affects us mentally and emotionally. Exercise is a great way to relieve minor depression, increase energy levels and stamina, speed up metabolism, sleep better at night, and so on. If you are looking for ways to increase the vitality of your life, look to physical activity.

Let's look at the benefits of exercise in terms of both success and happiness. We all want to be successful in our lives, including in business and career arenas, in our personal goals, in building a family and maintaining friendships, etc. All of these things contribute largely to our sense of happiness. Happiness is the responsibility of an individual, and what makes each person happy varies, but there are usually a few common threads that emerge.

In regard to exercise, there are a number of ways that you might view working out as a vehicle for increasing your success. Obviously, there are the personal goals involved with having a strong, healthy body. There is the sense of achievement when exercise goals have been reached, and a sense of self confidence that arises both from the achievement and from the physical appearance that comes with a healthy, fit body. Similarly, the uplifting effects of accomplishing something, particularly if it's challenging, can influence us beyond the momentary post-workout bliss, and actually inspire us to success in other areas of our lives.

Certainly, the increased energy levels will be vital in achieving goals and conquering problems. All said and done, the benefits of exercise far outweigh any excuse one might have to avoid it!

Tips for Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:24:00 -0600

Gobble, gobble…that’s your cue that the holidays are upon us and it’s time to start putting on the brakes NOW before the real damage is done. The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” really applies to the holiday season. The following tips will help you fend off that holiday weight gain so that you won’t end this season with a New Year’s resolution to lose those added holiday pounds!

How Much Weight Do We Really Gain?

Most people think the average American gains about 5 pounds over the holidays. In actuality, most of us gain an average of 1 pound (5 pounds for overweight people) between Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s Day.¹ The problem is, we fail to lose that 1 pound of holiday weight gain, which adds up to many excess pounds over the years.

Why Do So Many of Us Gain Weight over the Holidays?

When you think about it, the holidays really boil down to just three days: Thanksgiving, Christmas (or Chanukah), and New Year’s. If you gorge only on those three days, you probably wouldn’t cause too much damage. However, many of us take on that holiday mentality of six weeks of nonstop feasting and putting our regular exercise routine on the back burner. Plus, let’s face it, this time of year is very hectic and stress filled—many commitments compete for our precious time. So start now to strategize how you’ll move yourself to the top of your Christmas gift list by making you and your fitness and healthy eating habits a priority.

Five Tips for Fending Off Holiday Weight Gain

Get off the “I’m on a diet” mindset. Now is no time to diet—in fact, a wonderful goal for the next six weeks is to simply maintain your current body weight so that the number on the scale reads the same on New Year’s Day as it does on Thanksgiving. You can accomplish this by allowing yourself (and planning ahead for) indulging in small amounts of your favorite holiday treats. But be sure to make sensible eating choices the rest of the time.

Exercise more to offset holiday overeating. Don’t let your shopping and party commitments squeeze out your workouts. Now more than ever is when you need to up your physical activity so that you can balance out the extra holiday splurges. If you have an exercise partner or a personal trainer, make a “contract” with them to get an extra weekly workout in to cover your inevitable holiday indulgences.
Follow good eating guidelines: Eat breakfast, don’t skip meals, drink all your calorie-free liquid, and eat small, frequent, lighter meals at home. Carry healthy snacks like fruits and veggies and light yogurt, and never, ever arrive HUNGRY at an event where holiday treats are being served. These yummy delights are impossible to resist when one is famished. Before you go, appease your appetite with some light snacks such as whole-grain crackers and string cheese, veggies and hummus dip, or a glass of tomato juice. And don’t forget to bring your own “lighter” holiday makeover dish to the party.
Use only small plates and load up on salad first if you attend a buffet. Take small tastes of the food and eat only what you love.
Limit alcohol consumption (liquid calories). Alcohol is highly caloric, plus it can sabotage your best laid plans by affecting your judgment. After a few drinks it’s much harder to refrain from eating all those rich gooey desserts. If you do drink, stick with the lighter choices: A 4-ounce wine or champagne weighs in at just 80 calories versus a 5-ounce cocktail, a heavy 300 calories. Try alternating an alcoholic drink with a sparkling water and lime.

The Gift of Health

Remember what the holidays are all about. Focus less on the food and drinks and more on celebrating the beauty of the season and the company of the people you love—your family and friends. Give yourself the gift of health this holiday season by sticking with your fitness routine and planning ahead to curb excessive overeating.

Get Into The Habit of Walking

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:18:00 -0600

Who would have thought that something so simple as putting one foot in front of the other could be so good for you - and make you feel so good? That's right, getting into the habit of taking walks is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental well-being.

Often dismissed in the past as being "too easy", walking has gained new respect as a means of improving physical fitness. Studies show that, when done briskly on a regular schedule, walking can improve the body's ability to consume oxygen during exertion, lower the resting heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and increase the efficiency of the heart and lungs. It also helps burn excess calories. Since obesity and high blood pressure are among the leading risk factors for heart attack and stroke, walking offers protection against these two major killers.

Walking burns approximately the same amount of calories per mile as running does, a fact particularly appealing to those who find it difficult to sustain the effects of long-distance jogging. In weight-bearing activities like walking, heavier individuals will burn more calories than lighter individuals. For example, studies show that a 110-pound person burns about half as many calories as a 216 pound person walking at the same pace for the same distance.

Although increasing speed does not burn significantly more calories per mile, a vigorous walking pace will produce more dramatic conditioning results. Someone starting out in poor shape will benefit from a slower walking speed, while someone in better condition would need to walk faster and/or farther to improve. Recent studies show that there are also residual benefits to vigorous exercise. For a period of time after a dynamic workout, one's metabolism remains elevated above normal, which results in additional calories burned.

In some weight loss and conditioning studies, walking has actually proven to be more effective than running and other more highly-touted activities. That's because it has the lowest dropout rate of any form of exercise, and it's virtually injury-free.

In addition to its physical benefits, there is also a substantial psychological payoff to walking. Beginning walkers almost invariably report that they feel better and sleep better, and that their mental outlook has improved. Walking can also exert a favorable influence on personal habits. For example, smokers who begin walking regularly often cut down or quit. There are two reasons for this. One, it is difficult to exercise vigorously if you smoke, and two, better physical condition encourages a desire to improve other aspects of one's life.

Vitality Through Fitness

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 21:19:00 -0600

Fitness is an essential component to wellness, and it requires action on your part. No amount of vitamins will replace the nutritious benefits of eating whole, healthy foods and no amount of walking on a treadmill will replace the invigorating health benefits of being active in the great outdoors. If you want to be well, then you must act well. That means getting out and enjoying your life.

When many people think about fitness, they think about workout gear, going to the gym, and eating salads. However, that is a very limited approach. Fitness should be a part of your daily routine, not something you have to schedule in. Think about your daily routine for a moment. How many opportunities do you have to do something good for yourself in any given day, and how many times do you choose to do otherwise?

It is important, when making changes in your life, that you not berate yourself for your old behaviors, rather, praise yourself for your new habits. Let each awareness be an opportunity for you to create the desired shift in your life. Invite your friend to take a scenic walk with you instead of meeting at a coffee shop. Do an extra lap around the mall and park further away from the doors to turn your shopping trip into something more. Plan your vacations around hiking, biking, or other activities that get you outside. Even just doing yard work on the weekends is a great way to stay in shape- remember to stretch those muscles before you do anything strenuous!

Easy Ways to Improve Your Fitness Outlook

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 08:45:00 -0600

Starting a fitness routine is a great way to improve your overall quality of life- but when you don't see immediate results it can be discouraging. Your first instinct might be to give up but instead you just need to change your fitness outlook.

The reasons people exercise can vary greatly, but the main goal should be to improve and maintain health. Don't concentrate on how many pounds you have, or aren't, loosing. Since muscle weighs more than fat it's not the best way to gauge the effectiveness of your workout.

The best way to judge your workout routine is by how you feel physically. If you have increased energy and physical tasks are becoming easier for you, you are doing great. Make sure to reward yourself. Now this does not mean to hit McDonald's after you work out, or to grab a big piece of cake- if you stick to your workout schedule all week, maybe you can treat yourself to a new outfit, or electronic gadget, whatever tickles your fancy.

Most importantly, don't compare yourself with the person on the treadmill next to you. We are unique individuals, which the same goes for body type and how we each respond to diet and exercise.

Great Abs and Core Strength Without Sit-Ups

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 10:15:00 -0600

Everyone wants to have tight, sculpted abs, but no one wants to do that many sit-ups or crunches. And luckily there are many other exercises that can help you achieve your goal.

Swimming is one of those ways to work on toning your core while keeping your back off the hard floor. By simply swimming laps around the pool, you can drop weight and see results fast! Swimming uses your whole body. For the best results, get in the pool for 30-45 minutes, 4 to 5 days a week.

To get the best workout you want to be sure to pay attention to your form. Concentrate on proper strokes and keeping your core engaged. Otherwise, your just splashing around. Swimming is a fun workout for your abs, and its also a great cardio workout. Pools are also wonderful for low impact exercise.

The Importance of Vitamin D

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 08:27:00 -0600

New studies are finding that vitamin D is essential for your muscle health. Many Americans young and old are becoming vitamin D deficient, and research has found that individuals, especially women, with low levels of vitamin D hold extra fat in their muscles. Women also need this vitamin to help their bodies absorb calcium, which is essential for strong bones before, during and after menopause.

The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Lack of this vitamin is now thought to be a contributing factor in childhood obesity and stunting the growth of young girls going through puberty. In adults, vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteomalacia, which results in muscular weakness.

Doctors and nutritionists don't recommend that everyone start taking vitamin D supplements. However, to make sure your levels are sufficient, you may want to consult your physician and, if necessary, receive the proper dosage. You can help increase your vitamin D without taking supplements by getting outside in the sunshine. So add some outdoor activity to your workout routine. Doctors recommend about 20 minutes of unprotected sun exposure for a normal healthy adult to get their daily vitamin D!

Easing Muscle Cramps

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 08:14:00 -0600

Most muscle cramps during exercise come from dehydration. When you become dehydrated, it disrupts your electrolyte balance, which results in cramps. If you get a cramp, drink some water slowly, while resting.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to make it a point to stay hydrated before, during, and after your workout. In the three hours before your workout drink at least 20 ounces of water. While you are working out you should drink approximately 8 ounces of water every 15 minutes throughout your workout.

Potassium is also a preventative measure for cramps. If you get cramps frequently throw together a banana smoothie prior to your workout, and its also a great healthy snack for anytime. You should also incorporate other potassium rich foods into your regular diet.

Weight Loss Myth: Carbs are BAD for You!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 10:14:00 -0600

Without carbohydrates, your body will begin to do. Here’s a closerfruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts.

blood sugar faster (aka “the sugar spike”), which

fruits

carb myth coincides with just about every diet. That is, they do not include exercise

as a part of the equation and they are quick weight loss gimmicks. This is flawed and

misleading. Instead of going on a diet, get active and change your lifestyle. Quick fixes

never work for the long term and usually make your situation worse.

, vegetables, grains, and nuts.So, there you have it. Carbohydrates are good for you. One of the errors of the low

in turn can cause a sudden rush of insulin over

compensation (an “insulin rush”). As a result, your

blood sugar then dips. This is when you begin to

feel groggy and crappy, thus leading you to pick up

your favorite high GI snack to make you feel normal.

Carbohydrates power your brain and your muscle.

You need carbs to fuel the brain. It’s the only source

of fuel the brain uses. The only exception is a by

product of fat called ketone bodies (this is the

premise behind Atkins through a process called

ketosis). Your body only uses ketone bodies as a

last resort and it is inefficient. It’s kind of like trying

to use alcohol to fuel your car instead of gasoline. It

works, but it’s really hard on the engine. Ketone bodies are hard on the brain.

Carbohydrates are Protein Sparing. Without ingesting carbs, your body will

breakdown muscle protein if you do not get enough carbs. Why? You need glucose

to fuel the muscle and other tissues. With exception to the brain, muscle is the most

metabolically active tissue in the body. When you lose muscle, you decrease your

metabolism. In other words, you hold on to body fat better. (Other things begin to

transpire, such as hormonal shifts also occur. These shifts

also decrease your metabolism.)

The Thermic Effect of Food. You actually utilize a certain

amount of calories in digestion alone. Foods that require

more energy require more caloric expenditure. Carbs that

are high in fiber are the ones that have the greatest thermic

effect. Usually, carbs that are low GI have the greatest

thermic effect. Once again, these are real foods such as

Let’s get real about it; this fallacy was started by the most popular diet of all time,

the Atkins Diet. Constantly, I hear people mention that they try to avoid carbohydrates.

Though it seems that the marketplace is getting wiser, at the same time, this fallacy

seems to raise it’s ugly head constantly.

First of all, let me begin by saying that you need carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are

your primary source of energy.

some crazy things in order for you to get your energy requirements

look at carbs:

Carbs are Would you argue that fruits and vegetables

are bad for you? How about whole grains like

oatmeal, and nuts like almonds? These are

whole foods that have fiber, vitamins, minerals,

phytonutrients, and antioxidants. They are good

for you! You should at least eat fruit 2 times per

day and vegetables 3 times per a day (the more

the better). You should eat whole grains at least 3 times per day.

Avoid Processed Carbohydrates. The problem with carbohydrates is what we do

to them. They are stripped of their fiber, stripped of their nutrients, we add food color,

sugar, sometimes fat, sodium, and all kinds of crazy stuff and put them in a box,

bottle, plastic wrapper, etc. In other words, we turn them in to junk food. As a result of

processing, the glycemic index also goes up.

What is the Glycemic Index (GI)? The glycemic index is basically a

value system based on a scale of 0-100. Carbs that are high GI break

down much faster than those that are low GI. Thus, eating high GI

carbs (close to 100) like a bag of pretzels (and most junk food) can raise

Better Fitness May Keep Colds at Bay

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 11:11:00 -0600

Immunological research has previously shown that regular exercise improves immune system function in a way that would suggest that people who are more fit would be more resistant to illness. Interestingly, until recently little evidence has been collected to prove that people who are more "fit" actually get sick less.

Researchers in North Carolina tracked the frequency of upper respiratory tract infections in over 1000 men and women over 1 year. At the end of the 12 month period, participants completed questionnaires that solicited information on lifestyle, exercise type and frequency, self-reported fitness level, nutrition, and stress.

The most active participants, those who exercised more than 5 times per week aerobically had 46% fewer colds than those at the opposite extreme who trained less than one time per week. Moreover, those who exercised the most had less severe symptoms and recovered from cold symptoms faster than the most sedentary group.

Interestingly, the researchers discovered that older, married men had a lower frequency of colds compared to other groups.

Aerobic exercise has previously been shown to increase the activity of immune system cells that fend off viruses. This is a temporary effect that occurs following an acute bout of exercise. The immune system returns to normal function thereafter. This helps explain why greater frequency of exercise was the greatest contributor to preventing colds in the current study.

In an article by HealthDay News, it was written that annual healthcare costs associated with the common cold currently top $40 billion. Consequently, a little exercise could go a long way in improving health care costs in the US.

The Benefits of Adding Yoga to Your Workout Routine

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:22:00 -0600

Adding yoga to your normal exercise routine has some great benefits for your body. Yoga helps to strengthen your muscles and over time increases your total flexibility.

If you exercise regularly, or do more strenuous exercise normally, yoga is a great way to condition your joints. You will put less strain on your body, but will still be strengthening and toning your muscles.

Beginner yoga is a great low impact workout. But when you start doing yoga, make sure to add a recovery day. Too much exercise can do damage just like not exercising at all. You need to give your body time to rest to prevent strains, pulls, and other workout related injuries.

Yoga is also good for strengthening weak muscles and will help to reduce pain in both muscles and joints. You will also be improving circulation, which can lead to fewer muscle cramps.

Simple and Effective Moves with a Kettlebell

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 10:20:00 -0500

There are many types of simple and affordable tools to get more from your fitness plan. A couple really great tools are the Kettlebell and Medicine Ball. Both are similar in that they are weighted balls for exercise. The main difference is that the Kettlebell has a handle at the top, which makes it easier to maneuver and hold on to. Here are two simple, effective exercises to use your Kettlebell and/or Medicine Ball.

Around the body pass

Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, holding the ball in front of you with both hands, let go of the ball with your left hand then move both your hands behind your back where you will hand off the ball to your right hand and then bring the ball and both hands back to the front of your body. Do ten reps of this, with one rep being one full rotation around your body. Then switch hands for another ten reps.

Deadlift

This is a squat type exercise. So to begin, place the Kettlebell/Medicine Ball on the floor between your feet. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, keeping your back straight and flat, bend your knees, squat down, and grab the bell. Now, keeping your arms extended down, stand up by pushing down on your heels. Tighten your abs and glutes as you return to a standing position. Do ten reps.

How to Help Ease Common After-Workout Pain

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 10:14:00 -0500

Most of us experience some after-workout pain at some point in time. Whether it is when you first start, after an injury, or you just happen to push yourself a little too hard. There are different things you can do to help ease your post exercising pain. However, if your pain is abnormally intense seek medical attention. It is very easy to make an injury worse while trying to make it better. But here are a couple tips for mild after workout pain.

Lower Back Region: When you have pain in your lower back, generally it is a tight muscle, however herniated discs putting pressure on the sciatic nerve is a common back injury. When your back is feeling sore, rest, take an over the counter pain medicine like Ibuprofen (an anti-inflammatory that will ease swollen muscles). When your pain is gone, work on some core training to help prevent future pain.

Knees: Two common knee injuries include an inflamed iliotibial band (also referred to as IT band) or an injury called runner's knee, from the strain and impact of running. If you are experiencing pain around the kneecap, you may be suffering from runner's knee. If you suspect this is the problem, you should reduce your mileage to avoid more strain. To prevent this injury from happening again, you should build strength in your quads and hamstrings.

Ankles: The most common culprit of ankle pain is a sprain, which happens when ligaments are stretched too far. The easiest way to remember how to care for a sprain is to use the acronym RICE, which stands for Rest, Ice, Elevation, Compression. Rest with your ankle propped up above heart level, apply ice for 20 minutes, if you still have pain and swelling you can apply ice again after 20-40 minutes.

Why Weight Loss Might Be the Wrong Goal

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 10:38:00 -0500

When you set a goal to lose weight, you are focusing on one very small part of the equation, and you are also focusing on a goal that can be pursued to the exclusion of other goals, which might in fact be more important for your health and well-being.

If you are focusing on the scale, you might just fail to notice the inches you've lost, the increased cardiovascular stamina and the other benefits of working out that can sometimes kick in before the numbers really start to drop. Beyond that, weight loss is a goal that doesn't get you very far- even once your weight is down, you'll still need to stick to your workouts and healthy lifestyle in order to maintain what you've achieved, as well as continue to increase your physical fitness.

Consider having a process-oriented goal instead of a results oriented goal. That means that instead of aiming to lose 20 pounds or be able to fit into a size 10, that you instead goal to stick to your schedule of workouts each week and eat a healthy diet at least five days per week. The result is that you are focusing on creating healthy habits that will benefit you for years to come and your success will be doubly rewarding when you achieve your goal AND discover that you've lost weight.

Basal Metabolic Rate Explained

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 10:33:00 -0500

Improvement in muscle performance (this means increased strength, control and endurance) comes from stress and recovery.

So should you stop before you “feel the burn?” Research has shown that to improve muscle strength you shouldn’t. When you work your muscles hard, your body goes to work about eight hours later. Your cells release cytokines that cause inflammation (and soreness), increased blood flow (redness) and increased fluid flow in the damaged area (causing swelling). The cells around the damaged area encourage tissue growth to heal the damaged muscle fibers. Muscle fibers become larger each time, and sometimes grow in number by splitting to create new fibers.

Eventually your muscles will not be as sore from repeating the same old routines. You may be thinking that this is a great thing, and you are partially right. Your muscles have grown to the point where they are no longer overworked and therefore damaged with micro-tears from your regular workout routine. If you are happy the way you are, then keep up the routine and revel in the lack of pain. However, if you are looking to build more muscle or strength you will need to change your routine and yes, face more soreness.

Interval Training

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Interval training can help jump start your body or get you out of ruts and plateaus. This type of exercise routine combines alternate bursts of high-intensity movement with periods of less-intensive exercise, or what is called active rest. As your body becomes more fit, you decrease the "rest" time and increase the high-intensity periods.

For example, if you've hit a plateau and you now run for 30 minutes at 6 mph, try this instead: jog on the treadmill for five minutes to warm up. Then, increase your speed to 6.5 mph for one to two minutes. Come back down to your normal speed for 5 minutes, then again at the faster speed for one to two minutes. You repeat this throughout your workout session. The bonus of interval training is that when you only have 15 minutes to workout, it's one of the best ways to maximize the time.

For other types of exercise you can use your heart rate to gauge intervals. If your heart rate hits 70% of your maximum while using the eliptical machine, you can build up to that rate, then increase the intensity to get your heart rate to 85% or 90% of maximum for one to three minutes. Then, slow down and return to the 70% heart rate, and continue alternating. As you improve at this technique, aim for a workout to active rest ratio of 1:3.

Former Engineer Turned Fitness Trainer Embarks on Charity Walk for Diabets

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Health nuts and gym rats can be quite annoying—critiquing everything you eat, flashing their firm physiques at every opportunity, devouring food you wouldn’t touch even if you were starving—the nerve of them. But Kenneth Clarke isn’t like that. The physical trainer doesn’t want you to envy, he simply wants you to enjoy and live life. And that’s why Clarke’s Fitness Together studio, the largest personal training franchise in the nation, will, on Oct. 23, be raising money for a cure for diabetes.

Clarke’s studio, based in Silver Spring, Md., was recently named the official health and fitness sponsor for Washington, D.C.’s upcoming "Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes," an event organized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The charity trek will feature a 2-mile walk around Nationals Park and a 5-mile hike through nearby Eastern Market and Capitol Hill. For the public, it’ll be a chance to help give back and raise money for a good cause, but for Clarke, it’ll be a chance to continue a personal vendetta.

Clarke’s mother fought obesity for years, a battle he helped her fight off and on. But 12 years ago she had a stroke and developed diabetes as a result of her condition. With a family history of the disease, Clarke was motivated to partner with a few other colleagues in the area to lend a hand. Now, he’s walking in search of a cure.

“We were looking for a cause to partner with and to help raise money and hopefully find a cure for, and diabetes was kind of the one medical condition that we found that was common among our clientele,” Clarke said. “Black, White, young, old, [it] didn’t matter. We all had a percentage of our clientele who had diabetes because of being overweight, family history or whatever else. We’ve been working to raise money. So far, we’ve raised almost $12,000 and we’re looking to raise $15,000 by [Oct. 23].”

Coming from an engineering background, Clarke wasn’t predestined to be a fitness guru. He was always active in sports and fitness, but he spent 15 years doing information technology work for the government and private companies before settling in on his current occupation. After assisting a few friends and family members with their weight and diet to some success, Clarke decided to make a career out of it and took over his current facility in 2006. The former engineer has been changing pants sizes and lifestyles ever since.

“What we do is we focus on three areas: weight resistance training, cardiovascular conditioning and nutrition,” Clarke says. “We work one-on-one with folks because we can actually develop relationships with our clients and they take our advice and respect our advice. When they follow our suggestions, they get results. There’s a lot of diets that promise you results in 10 days, 15 days, 21 days, whatever. We’re actually trying to change lifestyles.”
And save lives in the process.

Add to Your Fitness Routine Everyday

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

OK, all of us struggle with keeping up our exercise routines every day. Of course if you work with a personal trainer, they really help to keep you motivated and on course. There are always new ways to increase and maintain healthy movement every day. Try these simple suggestions:

Instead of taking the elevator or escalator use the stairs instead.

Park your car farther from the door instead of trying to get as close as you can.

A lot of us eat our lunch at our desks so mix it up and take a 10 to 20 minute walk before you eat.

Reject the TV or movies on the weekend – go to the park, take a bike ride, enjoy a walking tour, or organize a neighborhood softball or volley ball game.

Tip: Writing down your weekly fitness plan or goals helps you to stay on track. Keep a fitness diary too; don’t forget to note the days you did not exercise and why you didn't. This is a great reference to refer back to. You'll have a better idea of what works for you and you can avoid the things that unmotivated you.

Light Eggnog Holiday Makeover Recipe

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Creamy and delicious, with zero fat!

2 small ripe bananas, peeled

1 cup fat-free milk

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp rum extract

Makes 1 serving

Put all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a festive cup and enjoy!

Nutritional Information Per Serving (~ 1 cup):
Food Weight: 2.0, Calories: 190, Total Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 130 mg,
Total Carbohydrate: 31 g, Dietary Fiber: 4 g, Sugars: 30 g, Protein: 11 g

Fitness Together can help you with your holiday fitness and eating routines. Contact Fitness Together today to set up a personal training program. At Fitness Together you will also get the Nutrition Together program which is a customized plan for healthy eating which complements their 1 on 1 personal training sessions. To find the Fitness Together near you to fitnesstogether.com

Endurance Training and Muscle Loss

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

If you're training for an endurance event like a marathon, where you might run 60 miles or more per week, you'll almost always see a decrease in your muscle mass. For most of us who do more moderate amounts of physical activity, there will be minimal, if any, loss in muscle mass – so there's nothing to worry about.

If you are planning on endurance training and you are concerned about losing muscle, it is a good idea to start with 20-30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise (at 50% to 70% of your maximum heart rate) two to three days per week. From there, increase your aerobic exercise gradually, and include at least two days per week of muscle toning for each major muscle group. While you don't want to bulk your muscles up, keeping them in top condition will boost the muscle's ability to support endurance training.

Body Mass Index: An Accurate Indicator of Healthy Weight?

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

For the majority of people, the Body Mass Index (BMI) is a scientific method of determining healthy or unhealthy weight an individual is carrying. However, for some people this may also incorrectly identify obesity. For example, a person who is lean and muscular, who is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 220, with 12% body fat, would be considered obese based on BMI standards. In reality, with that percentage of body fat this person would in no way be obese.

The scientists who developed the BMI defend these guidelines on the basis that many people are not fit, nor lean and muscular, but do admit that these standards do not apply to everyone. They also point out that not everyone who is classified as overweight or obese is unhealthy – quite the contrary. Some studies have shown that, in some cases, these people were healthier and lived longer than unfit people who were at “normal” weight.

The point is, don't focus so much on the BMI. Pay attention to your weight, waistline, and your cardiovascular health.

How to Build Muscles

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Help for Muscle Soreness

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Even those of us who are in top physical shape may still have to deal with muscle soreness from time to time. For years this soreness was attributed to a buildup of lactic acid, a muscle by-product. A common remedy was a good hot soak in a tub with a variety of mineral salts or baking soda, which was believed to leach the acid out and relieve the pain. However, we know now that muscle soreness is caused by micro-trauma to the muscle fibers. This micro-trauma, which is caused by vigorous exercise, causes calcium molecule leakages from the muscle fibers and an accumulation of histamines, potassium, prostaglandins, and local edema (fluid retention). The painful sensation come from pressure placed on the muscles from the fluid retention in the muscle area. The localized edema puts pressure on the muscle’s nerve endings, causing a sore sensation.

Light training using the same exercise and stretching the sore muscles can help alleviate the soreness. And as long as you do these exercises with caution there is little chance to do further damage to these muscles.

6 Healthy Habits for Living Longer

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Do you eat breakfast everyday? Do you always take the stairs? Whatever your daily habits are, there’s no denying that they impact your health. Even though the things we do as part of our daily routines might seem small, over time the small things can add up. So, by keeping your daily habits healthy, you can literally add years to your life.

Here are six daily habits for living longer.

1. Always opt for exercise

Technology exists to make our lives easier, but it doesn't always make us healthier. Daily exercise, however, is a definite boon to health. In fact, studies suggest that daily exercise can add up to three years to your life. Although finding time for structured exercise can be pretty much impossible for many guys, the good news is that opportunity for exercise is everywhere — just be creative.

Whenever you can, walk to work. You don’t even have to walk the whole way. If you take public transit, just get off a few blocks sooner and enjoy a stroll. If you live or work in a high-rise building, just take the stairs. It’s really that simple.

2. Eat a healthy breakfast

Including breakfast in your daily routine is a great healthy habit for living longer. Over the years, researchers have found that those who eat an early morning meal are less likely to be obese and get diabetes compared with those who don’t. Breakfast-eaters also report feeling better both mentally and physically. All in all, it seems that eating breakfast is a great and healthy way to start your day. To get the full benefits of breakfast, though, the Mayo Clinic recommends a meal with carbs, protein and a small amount of fat. The key is to keep your meals varied to ensure you get a good mix of nutrients, so spice up your breakfast diet every once in a while.

3. Get enough sleep

A lack of quality sleep can shorten your life. At least that’s the conclusion drawn from a number of studies conducted over the past decade. Although it’s not entirely clear how many hours of sleep we really need, failing to get at least seven hours of sleep or only sleeping at odd hours appears to heighten the risk of major illnesses including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

But it’s not just a lack of sleep that can be dangerous; a lack of relaxation can leave a lasting mark as well. We all know that stress and anxiety are killers, and so it follows that finding ways to relax each day can be a lifesaver. Whether it’s classical music, massage therapy or meditation, whatever you use to relax will most certainly add years to your life. It may even help you sleep better.

4. Brush and floss daily

Flossing can add 6.4 years to your life, says Dr. Michael Roizen in his book The RealAge Makeover. Although that estimate might be a little far-fetched, the thinking behind it is probably pretty sound. The reality is that poor oral hygiene can lead to nasty gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis. These inflammatory diseases can actually lead to a narrowing of the arteries, a common cause of cardiovascular disease. By simply brushing and flossing daily, we rid our mouths of the bacteria that cause inflammatory gum disease and save our heart a little bit of trouble.

5. Stay in touch with friends

There’s an old saying that says a good friend is cheaper than therapy. Oddly enough, researchers now hold this to be true, though it’s not just about friends; any social network, whether it be through church, a sports club or cooking class, can positively impact your physical and mental well-being.

Social networks can provide us with useful information, like encouragement to go see a doctor; they can give physical support, like helping us run errands; and they can provide emotional support, like listening to our problems to help us overcome depression and anxiety. All of these seemingly minor perks can literally add years to our lives.

6. Stay hydrated

Our bodies are nearly 70% water, so it should come as no surprise that water is essential to maintaining health and prolonging life. We use water to regulate body temperature, protect our joints and organs, and to help transport oxygen to cells. But in order for water to keep our bodies in check, we need to make sure that its levels are constantly replenished. The solution is simple: hydrate.

Although the common prescription of drinking eight eight-ounce glasses of water per day has been called a myth, the message isn’t necessarily a bad one. As long as you hydrate frequently, from various sources, not just water, you’re probably in the clear. Let your thirst be your guide and drink to life!

Making Daily Habits Count

Many of us are set in our daily routines. We eat the same meal, wear the same clothes, take the same route to work, and work the same old job. But what we sometimes fail to recognize is the huge impact that our daily routines can have on our health. By making just a few small changes here and there — and sticking to them — you can add a significant number of years to your life. Although change isn’t always easy, it can be done. Set small goals, ease in changes one at a time and it won’t be long before you notice a positive change to your health and mood.

Is Your Food Safe

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Most of us know to follow storage and cooking instructions for meats and on prepared food labels but in the last couple of years there have been more cases of food poisoning from vegetables. This is particularly disturbing for those who have decided to eat healthier and for people who are choosing raw food diets.

From e-coli outbreaks that were traced back to baby spinach and concerns of pesticide and herbicide residues that are found on many of our favorite fruits and vegetables, it is becoming more evident that to have total confidence in the produce we want to add to our healthy diets that purchasing these locally from people we know and who have a vested interest in the quality of food they sell.

Mix Up Your Fitness Routine

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

It’s easy to get bored and, in turn, become less likely to maintain the same fitness routine day after day. Many people find that continuing their fitness training with a trainer helps to identify and maintain their goals but have found to stay focused that they need more variety. Your body is not too far behind this train of thought. The more stagnant your workouts, the more stagnant your results are likely to be. Give your workout a jump and add some variety in.

Try adding a few bursts on the stair climber, some exercise ball moves, or a rotation of 10 minutes each on different cardio machines. Explore working your muscles in unexpected ways and enjoy the new sensations!

Weight Loss Myths - As Seen on CNN

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/health/2010/07/24/nr.weightloss.myths.cnn.html

The Health Benefits of Juicing

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Vegetables provide a wealth of nutrition to the human body. Nutritionists recommend three to five servings of vegetables daily. This recommendation can be backed up by the growing cases of health problems suffered in the United States, like diabetes, high cholesterol, and other heart diseases, and rare for the people living in parts of the Mediterranean, Africa, Russia, and Asia. This can be attributed, in part to, the traditional foods common in these areas, which are largely made up of native and organically grown vegetables.

Consuming more raw vegetables as part of your daily diet will aid in overall good health and has been shown to reverse the effects of some diseases. A practical way to add more raw veggies to your diet is by juicing. The human body needs lots of raw food every day and by juicing you get all the nutrition and appealing taste.

Vegetable juicing also does not add to insulin levels like fruit juicing. Carrots and beets however, contain natural sugars like fruits, and therefore form a subcategory for vegetable juicing and monitoring the carbs contained.

Juicing vegetables also improves the absorption of the nutrients because they are more completely digested and absorbed more quickly and efficiently than the average solid food.

Tips on vegetable juicing:

Mix the pulp in the juice while drinking. The pulp is rich in fibers necessary for and promotes the production of the good bacteria in the intestines used for proper digestion.
Try to consume vegetable juices freshly made. Keeping or storing for long periods of time could actually affect its nutritional quotient in a negative way.
If you have to store your juice for a few hours, keep it in an air tight container, preferably opaque, with the juice filled up to the brim of the container so there is little room for air to mix with the juice. This will slow oxidation of the food materials by air and light.

It is recommended that you rotate the variety of vegetables daily. Continuously juicing the same vegetables could actually make one allergic to them over a period of time.

Let's Get Fit - Local Woman, 40, trains as body-builder

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

By Arielle Retting
Thursday, July 08, 2010

After 17 years of climbing the corporate ladder, 30-year-old Sherry Nicely noticed she was getting winded — both metaphorically and physically.

"I was just never really satisfied or fulfilled, and sitting behind a desk doing accounting I realized that my health wasn’t as good as it could be," Nicely said. "You know, that sick and tired of being sick and tired kind of feeling? I thought I was way too young to feel that way."

So Nicely did what most people do: she joined a gym.

"I couldn’t wait to come home from a stressful day at work and go to the gym to work out my frustration," Nicely said.
But a gym membership didn’t quench her craving for fitness. She immediately got a personal trainer for a few sessions to take her fitness to the next level.

"It was my passion and my hobby," Nicely said. "I constantly had my head buried in a fitness or nutrition book or magazine."

While visiting her family on vacation four years ago, her mother found an article about becoming a personal trainer in one of those very fitness magazines. She asked her daughter, "Why don’t you do this?"

For the first time Nicely began thinking about turning her passion into a career. "It never occurred to me to do what I love for a living," Nicely said.

After eight months of hard thinking and tough training, she became a certified personal trainer, quit corporate America and took a job as a personal trainer at Fitness Together in Alexandria. She felt right at home at the Fitness Together franchise, saying, "I knew that was the right place for me."

After a few months working in Alexandria, Nicely took the plunge and opened a franchise in Fairfax. She believed the private, one-on-one personal training was something she could offer to Fairfax-suburban neighborhoods that no other franchise could.

"I truly feel that we put the personal back in personal training," Nicely said. "I could actually see changes and positive results I was making in my clients’ lives. Two of my clients have changed so much that they became personal trainers themselves."

Fast forward a year and the Fitness Together franchise in Fairfax was a success. Everything finally fell into place, and her world began to calm down. That is, until friend and employee Fernanda Winchester asked Nicely if she had ever entered a body-building competition. Now she was ready for another adventure.
Now 40, Nicely began training for her first figure competition, a division of bodybuilding meant for "very fit, well-toned but a softer body type" than what most people envision when they hear the word ‘bodybuilder.’ The competition is drug and steroid-free, usually requiring drug tests or polygraphs beforehand.

"My only goal was at the age of 40 to step on stage and look like I belonged there," Nicely said. "I didn’t go in thinking, ‘I’m going to win this.’ It was just, ‘What am I made of?’ ‘Do I have the discipline?’"
Nicely proved she had the discipline when she completed the Mount Rogers figure competition, but had a hard time sticking to her strict diet due to cravings when she began training for her second figure competition, the Natural North American last May.

"I’m human," Nicely said of her struggle. "I’m like any other woman. I don’t pretend that I’m not. When I’m in training it’s very disciplined and strict, but it’s worth every minute."

Difficult as it may be, the training and experience don’t just help Nicely, but aid her in becoming the best trainer she can be.

"The discipline that the body figure competition requires has caused her to have more sympathy and offer more inspiration to her clients," said Nicely’s friend Dave Sutton. He described her new-found interest in competing "a full-blown passion for fitness and nutrition."
But Nicely is so much more than just a trainer to her clients; she’s living proof that hard work, discipline and goals are all a person needs to change his or her life.

"A lot of women have a myth that they’re just going to look a certain way when they get beyond 40, and I’m here to teach them and prove them differently," Nicely said.

The Health Benefits of Juicing

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Juicing vegetables also improves the absorption of the nutrients because they are more completely digested and absorbed more quickly and efficiently than the average solid food.

Tips on vegetable juicing:

Mix the pulp in the juice while drinking. The pulp is rich in fibers necessary for and promotes the production of the good bacteria in the intestines used for proper digestion.
Try to consume vegetable juices freshly made. Keeping or storing for long periods of time could actually affect its nutritional quotient in a negative way.
If you have to store your juice for a few hours, keep it in an air tight container, preferably opaque, with the juice filled up to the brim of the container so there is little room for air to mix with the juice. This will slow oxidation of the food materials by air and light.
It is recommended that you rotate the variety of vegetables daily. Continuously juicing the same vegetables could actually make one allergic to them over a period of time.

Fitness Together Named Official Sponsor of American Diabetes Association 'Step Out, Walk to Fight Diabetes' in DC

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Silver Spring, MD—Fitness Together, the nation’s top one-to-one personal training franchise, is pleased to announce it has been named the Official Health and Fitness Sponsor for the National Capital Area “Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes” event spearheaded by the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

The event will be held October 23, 2010, starting and ending at Nationals Park. The event’s walk route will feature a two-mile course around Nationals Park and a five-mile course throughout beautiful, historic neighborhoods of Eastern Market and Capitol Hill.

Fitness Together, America’s largest personal training franchise, was drawn to the cause in large part because it dovetails with the studios’ “no gimmicks” approach. Fitness Together was founded on the proven idea that one-to-one training in a private setting will always yield real, lasting results. The Fitness Together approach combines workouts, diet counseling, commitment and encouragement —and never includes fads, pills or the latest contraptions.

Numerous Fitness Together studios in the area have worked with diabetic or pre-diabetic children and adults. In some cases, they’ve helped clients lose over 100 pounds—and helped them keep the pounds off.

“With one in three children in America expected to face a future with diabetes, it’s a special honor to be helping with this effort right here in our nation’s capital,” said Ken Clarke, owner of a Fitness Together studio in Silver Spring and one of the event organizers. “We need to get ourselves moving again, get sugary snacks out of schools, help adults make healthy choices, and make the fight for a healthy, physically fit America a national priority.”

Local DC area Fitness Together studios have pledged to raise at least $25,000 for the ADA.

“Fitness Together’s mission to help their clients live healthier, happier lives is very much in line with our mission to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all those affected by diabetes,” said Mary Merritt, Executive Director of the American Diabetes Association’s Washington, DC metro area market.

To find out how you can support Fitness Together’s efforts in “Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes,” please visit www.ftcustomfitness.com.

About Fitness Together Holdings, Inc.:

Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., is one of the world’s largest wellness organizations. The parent company oversees Fitness Together Franchise Corporation, http://corp.fitnesstogether.com, a one-on-one personal training fitness franchise established in 1983 that began franchising in 1996, and Elements Therapeutic Massage, Inc., http://corp.touchofelements.com, a massage therapy franchise that began franchising in 2006. Today, the combined franchise network has hundreds of franchises sold across the United States, Costa Rica, Brazil, Israel, Ireland, and Canada.

Build and Repair Muscles with Protein

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Most nutritionists will recommend three eight ounce (aproximately one cup) portions of protein foods every day.

Meats are a prime source of protein and the ones to eat are those that are 95 percent lean. Some choices are white chicken or turkey breasts, egg whites, fish and shell fish.

If you prefer a vegetarian choice for your proteins choose beans and legumes like lentils, lima, pinto and edamame. Soy (in food form) is another great source of protein such as tempeh and tofu which can be found in several healthy choices like veggie burgers.

Dairy foods in reduced fat forms like skim milk, yogurt and cottage cheese help you to maintain the minimum daily requirements for protein for every meal. This is required to balance out your carb intake. If you eat carbs alone your blood sugar will skyrocket and then plummet. Combining proteins and carbs will eliminate these dangerous blood sugar fluctuations.

Choosing the Right Kind of Fats

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Most of us are aware that there are healthy and unhealthy fats. The unhealthy being the trans fats which are the man-made ones created when vegetable oil is hardened. These are found in margarine, baked goods and junk foods.

Saturated fats are animal fats; butter and lard, and tropical oils and these should be limited in your diets.

While it is true that many people eat too many saturated and trans fats, there are good fats that should be included in a healthy meal plan.

Healthy fats include olive oil, avocados, flax seed and dry roasted nuts like almonds. Healthy fats play a part in helping our bodies use vitamins such as D, E, A, and K which are important for healthy hair and skin.

The amounts of healthy fats that can be added to an individual diet vary depending on the calories you require for weight loss or maintenance. There are approximately 120 calories per tablespoon of olive or flax oils. Moderation is the key here as well as the other food choices you make.

Walk for Diabetes

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/StepOut/DistrictofColumbiaMetroArea?team_id=483146&pg=team&fr_id=7239

Stay Cool While Exercising

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

By: Dr. Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN

There are certain precautions that everyone exercising during hot and humid weather conditions should be mindful of to prevent heat-related illnesses. The best ways to stay cool when exercising in the summer months is to:

1) Use caution when exercising outdoors and forgo outdoor activity when it is simply too hot to exercise safely. (Opt for exercising indoors in a climate-controlled environment instead.)

2) Acclimate to the hot weather by slowly building up the length and intensity of your outdoor workouts.

3) Work out in the coolest times of the day: early morning and late afternoon—when the sun is less intense.

4) Wear light, breathable exercise clothes.

5) Drink lots of fluid before, during and after your workouts. A good rule of thumb to determine how much fluid to drink during your workout is to gauge your “sweat rate” and try to match fluid loss with fluid intake.

a) There are calculations to determine your exact sweat rate, with the average person losing roughly 25 to 50 ounces of sweat per hour. Drinking at least 8 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes would cover you if you lose approximately 32 ounces of fluid per hour.

6) Eat a healthy plant-based diet naturally rich in the mineral potassium (bananas, potatoes, papayas and spinach are all high-potassium foods), and do not restrict sodium in the diet directly before a long exercise bout in the heat.

7) Make sure to warm up before exercising by performing a slow version of the same exercise that you will be doing during your exercise bout, and cool down by decreasing intensity until your heart rate returns to normal.

8) Remember to DRINK, DRINK, DRINK fluids before, during and after your workouts!

Missed a Work Out? Don't Stress

Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

There will be times when you won’t be able to workout. Sickness and schedule conflicts are a fact of our busy lives. But don’t let this discourage you and don’t stress over it and lose your motivation.

Approach everyday as a new beginning with a mental exercise competitive athletes use. When you wake up in the morning think about the benefits of burning calories, firming muscles and the flood of stress relieving chemicals you are going to receive with your next workout. Remind yourself of the feelings of invigoration and how much energy you will have to get you through your day.

Make a daily promise to yourself to stay with your schedule until this active lifestyle becomes second nature.

Ask How You Can Train for FREE for 1 Month!

Wed, 05 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Give us a call at 202-861-2222 and ask us how you can train for FREE for 1 month!

Is Aspartame a Safe Sugar Substitute

Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener found in most diet, sugar-free and diabetic products that would normally contain sugar and has been marketed as a safe sugar substitute. Unfortunately, many diabetics and those seeking weight management have embraced the chemical so they can continue to consume the sweet foods they love.

Aspartame was one of those scientific accidents discovered in 1965 when a researcher tasted a powder being studied as an anti-ulcer drug and found it to be sweet. It was, however, not approved by the FDA for human consumption for many years because preliminary tests caused brain tumors in rats. Even with this early evidence of cell transformation and damage, aspartame was approved for many foods in 1983 and by 1996 all restrictions were lifted.

When aspartame is consumed in food or beverages about 10% of it is chemically changed to methanol in the small intestine. Methanol becomes formaldehyde which is a potentially lethal substance that causes rapid, shallow breathing, hypothermia, and in a few cases has been linked to the onset of deadly comas in some humans.

In 1998 a study was conducted in Spain that found formaldehyde produced by methanol breakdown from aspartame consumption collected in the brain, liver and kidneys in lab animals.

Aspartame use overall has been shown to be a leading cause of overeating and nutritional diseases because most foods that contain this artificial sweetener are either free of nutrients and/or filled with empty calories. Of course overuse of refined sugar also contributes to obesity but when used in moderation it usually carries few other long term effects unlike aspartame.

DC Personal Trainer Excels in Stair Climb and Fund Raising for the American Lung Association

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Washington, DC – April 27, 2010 – Brian Kolb, personal trainer at Fitness Together Scott Circle, participated in the American Lung Association stair climb in Chicago, IL on Sunday, March 28^th.

“While numerous stair climbs for the American Lung Association are held throughout the United States, Brian elected to travel to the Chicago climb because there wasn’t an event in the DC area,” said Matt McKinnis, owner of the Fitness Together studio where Kolb is a trainer. “Not only did Brian want to support the American Lung Association, he also wanted to visit Chicago for the first time.”

Kolb ran up the 2,340 steps in the Presidential Towers residence (4 separate towers) in 21 minutes and 20 seconds, making him the 4^th in his age bracket and the 15th out of 700 participants. Additionally, he was the top fundraiser in the Chicago area bringing in $11,135 in donations.

For a four-month period prior to the event Brian rigorously trained by doing calisthenics and stair climbs. Often he would spend up to 60 minutes at a time running the stairs in the 8-story building where Fitness Together is located on the main floor.

“This is the best aerobic shape I have ever been in. Everyone should embrace the staircase and try not to rely on elevators and escalators to get around. You'll feel more energetic and increase your endurance, stamina, and lung health. Also, your legs and glutes will get a fantastic workout and who wouldn't want that?” said Kolb.

Due to his outstanding fund-raising and his excellent run time in Chicago, Brian aspires to secure a spot next year in the Empire State Building Run-Up in New York City, which is an invitation only event.

Fitness Together Scott Circle is located at 1112 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. For more information call the studio at (202) 861-2222 or visit http://fitnesstogether.com/scottcircle.

About Fitness Together Franchise Corp.:
Established in 1983 in response to the growing demand for personal fitness training, Fitness Together offers the latest in one-on-one personal training. Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together is part of Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., one of the world's largest wellness organizations. Fitness Together began franchising in 1996 and has sold franchised locations throughout the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland, Canada and Brazil.

Franchise Information:
Fitness Together Franchise Corporation is actively selling franchises. If you are interested in changing your life and the lives of others, please visit http://corp.fitnesstogether.com/ or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10 for more information about fitness franchise opportunities.

###

Fast Food Versus Healthy Choices

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Obesity and its related diseases are becoming a common cause of early death for thousands of people in the United States yearly. And this is all related to the bad food choices that are made daily. For many people the highly charged pace of life seems to dictate that our meals come from a drive through window where we get burgers and fries all intentionally laden with the sugars, fats and unnatural chemicals that taste good. When our bodies are stressed and run down, what they really need is time out for renewal and recharging, not another instant pick-me-up.

The reality is that we are responsible for our own health because commercial food companies don’t have your best interests at heart. Their scientists and food engineers work overtime to produce the foods that are extremely addictive and void of nutrients.

Eating these foods is like attaching a rocket to a car that’s run out of gas- you will get where you are going, but it won’t get you any farther. However, if you maintain your car and keep it fueled it will keep you going. So, next time you think about pulling into that fast food restaurant, how about driving to your local organic market and then taking some time to eat well and get some rest.

Top 5 Strategies at the Summer BBQ

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Fitness Together’s Army Officer-Turned-Workout Guru Offers:

‘Top 5 Strategies at the Summer BBQ’

Bethesda, MD—Its BBQ season again and Americans will once again face the temptations of the backyard grill. This is where we can all pack on the pounds if we aren’t careful, but help is here!

Rick Coe, one of Washington DC’s top local fitness experts, offers “TOP 5 STRATEGIES FOR THE SUMMER BBQ” to help you keep trim! A West Point graduate and former Army officer who now runs Fitness Together gyms in Bethesda and Rockville, Maryland, Rick offers the following proven strategies:

Strategy #1: “If you’re going to drink, choose light beer. This cuts your calories IN HALF! And no, it doesn’t mean you can have more than usual!”

Strategy #2: “Stay away from processed foods. Yes, that means chicken over hot dogs. And if you go back for seconds, choose protein (meats) over a plate of fattening potato salad slathered in mayo. You’re welcome.”

Strategy #3: “Instead of ice cream, cakes and pies, choose fruit. What’s to lose? The sun is still shining, you’re hanging out with friends, and life is good. No whining allowed!”

Strategy #4: “STAND, don’t sit, even when you’re eating! Sitting down to eat will encourage you to heap a plate with food. Standing keeps portions smaller and manageable.”

Strategy #5: “NEVER go to a party hungry or thirsty. Eat an apple on the way there, and drink a bottle of water. You’ll be amazed at how you can focus on friends, conversation, and a good time, rather than on the food.”

The leader in personal training, Fitness Together is a national franchise founded in 1996 that now has 400 locations worldwide. Fitness Together is different from all other gyms by offering one-on-one personal fitness training. Whether you are looking to lose weight, tone and tighten muscles or simply work toward better health, Fitness Together pairs you with a personal trainer in a private setting equipped with a workout plan tailored just for you. In addition to your personal fitness training regimen, Fitness Together offers nutritional guidance and a cardiovascular routine to help you attain your wellness goals. For more information, visit www.FTCustomFitness.com.

###

Healthier You: Positive Thoughts about Exercise, Healthier Body Image

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Regular exercise not only supports a healthy lifestyle, it also provides a host of other benefits, including a more positive mental outlook, less stress, and a more positive body image.

Exercise helps you feel good about yourself when you see that you're dedicated and disciplined enough to put yourself first and spend some time regularly exercising your body. You'll feel stronger and more fit, not to mention reap the benefits of endorphins-- the powerful chemicals produced by the brain that are natural painkillers and responsible for what is known as the "runner's high", a feeling of euphoria and general state of well-being often experienced by exercise enthusiasts.

When you look better, you feel better, and exercise assists you with both. Regular physical activity not only helps to maintain optimal weight and body composition those who regularly ex ercise enjoy significantly decreased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer, among others. And these benefits are more than just short term; those who regularly exercise are sick 30% less often than non-exercisers, and fit people generally enjoy longer lives than their less fit counterparts.

When you exercise, focus on how you feel and you'll likely stick with your exercise program. If the thought of dragging yourself to the gym for weight loss isn't motivating to you, maybe it's your body's defense mechanism, encouraging you to love yourself the way you are. When you exercise, seek activities that are fun and leave you feeling strong and empowered, whether it's a challenging spinning class, a relaxing yoga session, or a brisk walk on the treadmill. Your body will thank you for taking good care of it, and you'll reap the many rewards of a healthier body and mind.

Nutrition Tip of the Week

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Did you know that a program of regular exercise has been proven to reduce depression and improve mood? Not just in the short term from those feel-good hormones—endorphins—that bathe our brain cells during exercise but also throughout the rest of the day. So get on those sneaks every day and the sun will surely shine brighter for you!

Recipe of the week: Roasted Garlic Spread

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Ingredients

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: ½ a head of garlic)

1 large head of fresh garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Cut off the top third off the garlic head and discard. Sprinkle garlic with olive oil and kosher salt. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Remove warm clove and spread on bread just like butter.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (½ head of garlic):
Food Weight: 1.0, Calories: 85, Fat: 7 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 584 mg,
Carbohydrate: 5 g, Dietary Fiber: 0 g, Sugars: 0 g, Protein: 1 g

Common Sense Tips for Choosing Workout Wear

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Looking back through the last couple of decades, workout wear has evolved from the trendy lycra bodysuits and legwarmers to the well-worn t-shirt and cotton shorts. Choosing the proper clothes for your workouts is simple if you use common sense.

Tops – It is best to choose a natural fabric that will absorb and wick moisture away from your body, especially for high energy workouts that make you sweat. If you are going to be bending and stretching, as in yoga or Pilates, your best choice is a cotton and lycra blend. Whatever exercise you are engaging in, make sure that the shirt fits well. Too snug it will be difficult to move and too big it may get in your way.

Bottoms – No matter what activity you are engaging in choose breathable and well fitting shorts, capris or long pants. All natural fabrics are preferable but for exercises like biking choose a stretchy fabric for free movement.

Shoes –For most physical training activities you should wear a good pair of cross trainers that provide a proper foundation for your feet and body.

Bras – A properly fitting and supportive sports bra is essential for all women, no matter what your cup size. Make sure to try these on before you buy to ensure that they give proper support but don’t bind.

Remember, you don’t have to spend a lot of money when choosing workout clothes, your first consideration should be that they fit well and are designed for your form of exercise.

The Awful Truth About Energy Drinks

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

We’ve all seen them prominently advertised in magazines and on the huge posters at the local convenience store, and most of us have been tempted to get that quick fix on days we feel sluggish and unmotivated. The sad truth is that the ingredients in most energy drinks do more long term harm than good. Here is a breakdown:

Caffeine: A 12-ounce can of the average energy drink contains 70-100mg of caffeine which is equivalent to two sodas or two 6-ounce cups of coffee. This chemical is a diuretic that strips the body of fluid along with essential nutrients like calcium and can be a factor in osteoporosis. Caffeine also causes the heart to abnormally increase, produces unnatural production of dopamine (a happy brain chemical) and suppresses adenosine (the natural sleepy brain chemical). Once these wear off the sluggish and sleepy feelings return and you are tempted to down another drink – repeating this unhealthy cycle. Guarana is a common ingredient in energy drinks and also contains caffeine.

Sugar: Most energy drinks labeled as light contain sugar or more worryingly high fructose corn syrup, and adds hundreds of empty calories to your diet. This sweetener has been linked to Type 2 diabetes and with regular use can cause weight gain even in those that engage in regular exercise.

Taurine, and B Vitamins: Taurine causes the movement of potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium into and out of cells and over-stimulates nerve signals. B Vitamins are important for many functions of the body but too much vitamin B can cause nausea, gout, hypothyroidism, insomnia or reduced insulin release, among other side effects.

For lasting energy and good health drink plenty of pure water and natural fruit juices.

Is Your Personal Training Tax Deductible?

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

We are always striving to make our services as affordable as possible. To that end, we would like to bring the following information to your attention. It may be possible for you to deduct part of the costs of your personal training as a qualified medical expense under the IRS tax code. We have taken the liberty of paraphrasing the relevant information from the IRS website:

http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/ar02.html#en_US_publink100014898

We must remind you that we are your personal trainers and not your lawyer, accountant, nor tax attorney. Please consult with your trusted financial advisor to confirm that your personal training sessions are tax deductible.

If you do qualify for an IRS medical expense deduction, we recommend that you have your doctor or medical practitioner fill out a Fitness Together Exercise Prescription Form (available at FT, or call 202-861-2222 and we will send you one). Basically, your doctor fills out this form to show that your participation at Fitness Together is a medical expense you pay to lose weight to treat a specific disease diagnosed by your physician (such as obesity, hypertension, or heart disease). This expense can include fees you pay for membership in a weight reduction group as well as fees for attendance at periodic meetings. You cannot include membership dues in a gym, health club, or spa as medical expenses, but you can include separate fees charged for weight loss activities (such as the personal training sessions at Fitness Together!).

We are anxious to support your efforts to qualify for this deduction since we believe it will keep your training costs down. We would also be happy to speak with your doctor or accountant if they should have further questions.

For more information please contact your studio manager 202-861-2222. We have a four page packet with more detailed information on this deduction that we would be happy to email to you.

Managing Stress With Exercise

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Stress can make you feel drained, anxious, even

depressed. And while there are several ways to

manage runaway stress, none is as enjoyable and

effective as a regular exercise routine.

"Numerous studies have shown exercise provides

excellent stress-relieving benefits," says Cedric

Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the

American Council on Exercise (ACE). "And let's face

it, we all could do with less stress in our lives."

How It Works
Exercise causes the brain to release endorphins,
opium-like substances that ease pain and produce
a sense of comfort and euphoria. It also
encourages the nerve cells in the brain to secrete
other neurotransmitters, such as serotonin,
dopamine and norepinephrine, which improve
mood.
Deficiencies of these substances, particularly
serotonin, have been linked to symptoms of
depression, anxiety, impulsiveness, aggression, and
increased appetite. According to a study published
in Archives of Internal Medicine, when depressed
people exercise, they increase their levels of these
natural antidepressants.
According to the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), exercise also improves people's ability to
relax and sleep, promotes self-esteem and
enhances energy, concentration, and memory.
Exercise also provides an outlet for negative
emotions, such as frustration, anger, and
irritability, thereby promoting a more positive
mood and outlook.
Moderate exercise done regularly interrupts the
cyclic thinking process associated with depression.
A person who is worried about a particular problem
may dwell at length on the problem, bringing on
more worry. Depression deepens the worry, in a
descending cycle. Exercise can break the cycle.
Finally, exercise helps you take time for yourself.
"Whether you exercise alone or with a friend, it's
important to take time for yourself during stressful
periods," says Mr. Bryant. "In this way, exercise
functions as a positive distraction from the
problems of the day that are causing your stress."
Stress-Reduction Moves
Almost any exercise can provide stress relief, but
the following guidelines can help you find those
likely to be more effective for you.
Choose an exercise you enjoy. The kinds of
activities you choose depend on your physical
ability as well as your preferences.
"It's important to choose activities that are
accessible and feasible for you to do regularly,"
says Mr. Bryant. "You also need to determine if you
want to play competitive sports, such as basketball
or tennis, or if you'd rather do noncompetitive
activities, such as walking, bicycling, or taking an
aerobics class."
You also should consider whether you want to do
your exercise routine on your own or with others.
Exercise every day if you can. The U.S. Surgeon
General's Report on Physical Activity and Health
recommends 30 minutes of activity on most, if not
all, days of the week.
"You'll benefit from exercising three to five times a
week, but you'll see more consistent stress
reduction if you can be physically active every
day," says Mr. Bryant.
Consider mind/body activities. In yoga and tai chi,
your mind relaxes progressively as your body
increases its amount of muscular work. "If you're
attracted to a spiritual component, these forms of
exercise are effective for honing stressmanagement
and relaxation skills," says Mr. Bryant.
Controlling stress ultimately comes down to
making time to exercise. Physical activity provides
an enjoyable and effective way to cope with life's
troubles as it promotes lasting strength and
empowerment.

Water: Why all is Not Created Equally

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Staying hydrated before, during, and after your workouts is essential to overall good health and continued wellness. However, the choices now located at your neighborhood grocery and health food stores can overwhelm even the most educated among us.

Water is water, right? Well, lately, not so much! Experts are telling us that filtered tap water is actually a better choice than bottled water. The reasons for this range from studies that show most bottled waters have been over-filtered and don’t contain the beneficial trace minerals that most municipal water sources provide to the fact that most health experts warn against consuming the ever-popular flavored waters, most of which contain either artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup.

Beyond this, plastic bottles are contributing to pollution from their manufacture, their disposal in landfills, and are now circulating in our oceans and threatening thousands of sea creatures.

The best alternative to the fancy and trendy water choices is to install a filter or use a filter pitcher. Make sure to follow the manufacturers’ instructions for replacing filters – and then drink your water with confidence.

The Importance of Sleep

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Sleep is an essential body process that ensures that our waking selves are in good condition physically, mentally, and emotionally. Get too little or too much sleep, and you'll function poorly, feel depressed and fatigued, having slower response times, be more prone to injuries, and lower your body's immune response, among other things. Here's another way to look at it- national traffic safety experts have reported that more fatal accidents are caused by drivers who are asleep at the wheel than are intoxicated.

The amount of sleep any given person needs is individual, and depends on their personal body chemistry and balance, the stressors they face in their life and the physical challenges they face. Between seven and ten hours is considered normal. If you wake up tired, changes are, you need more or less sleep. A lack of sleep threatens your health from all corners.

Exercise is a good way to both tire your body so you'll sleep easily at night and to ensure that you feel wakeful and energized during the day. A good night's sleep will ensure that your body can properly repair itself after a workout and that you'll have energy for your next workout. You should wake up feeling well rested and energized each morning.

Counting down to the Oscars......

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600

http://www.localkicks.com/local_style/entertainment/counting-down-to-the-oscars

2010 Fight for Air Climb

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

http://action.lungusa.org/site/TR/StairClimb/ALAUM_Upper_Midwest?px=3916801&pg=personal&fr_id=1330