Fitness

Least Favorite Exercise

I love working out, but I always have those days where I’d rather forget about hitting the gym and would like to sit down on the couch with a huge piece of chocolate cake and watch TV. However, I’ve taken pride in looking and feeling my best over the last year and I always seem to find motivation to keep heading to the gym. BUT, I still have exercises that I absolutely would love to forget about and NEVER do.

Mini Motivations
Tips to keep you on track with your fitness goals this spring.

Sticky Notes (Everywhere)
Don’t let yourself forget what your mind has committed to. Remind yourself constantly by putting motivational words on sticky notes in places you will see throughout the day. For example, place a note on your refrigerator saying, “Nothing tastes better than being fit feels”. Or place a note on your dash board reading “Forever forward towards my goal.”

Positive Self Talk

I love to workout for many reasons. I have more energy throughout the day and I always feel that I’ve managed to accomplish more. I love knowing that I’m taking care of myself now while I’m younger because I know working out will benefit me when I’m older. I find it’s easier to stick to a daily routine when I find reasons to push myself and stay motivated.

TRIFECTA FITNESS
By Rachel E. Murray

Whether you’re just starting a fitness program for the first time, or you’re a veteran gym junkie, there are three simple aspects everyone should keep in their routine.

This trifecta of basics, and I’m talking general ‘take-care-of-your-body’ rules, consist of cardiovascular conditioning, resistance training, and flexibility training. Each equally important separately, but together they are essential in building a foundation for an active and healthy lifestyle.

Runner’s high is not a statement; it is not a definition but a feeling that is so extraordinary that the only way to describe it is to experience it. There are thousands of reasons people run yet running is so often labeled first as a form of exercise to lose weight. Running to lose weight is last on my list.

Fitness Tips for a Healthier Holiday Season

No matter how long your holiday wish list is this year, I am pretty sure gaining five pounds is not on it. At this time of year when pumpkin pies are abound, cocktail parties rule your agenda, and last minute holiday shopping resides over your kick-boxing class at the gym… it can be very difficult to keep up with your health and fitness. Here are a few tips to help you improve your body through these weeks of temptation and kick start you into the New Year.

If you think all you can do is walk or run on a treadmill, think again. Although a treadmill can transform six feet of space into a three-mile track, you don’t have to limit your activity to traditional treadmill exercises. A treadmill can literally be your own personal trainer, transforming a boring walk in to so much more.

It’s almost that time of the year again. With all of the parties and social events during the winter holiday season, it’s no wonder so many of us gain weight. According to a study conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), most Americans put on a little over a pound, on average, during the winter holiday season. This doesn’t seem like a lot, but the bad news is that most people keep this weight on!

I want you to do a little experiment. Get an ice pack, and get a watch with a timer. Put the ice pack on your thigh, and start the timer. After 1 minute has elapsed, remove the ice pack.

Now take a look at your skin. What color is your skin where the ice pack was laying? For most, the skin will look white / blanched.

Now put the ice pack on your other thigh and leave it there for 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes have elapsed, remove the ice pack.

What color is your skin now? Most people will find that their skin will be red. And if your skin turns red after only 5 minutes, you’ll probably find that it turns really red after 20 minutes.

When your skin begins to cool, the initial reaction is constriction (shrinking of the diameter) of blood vessels. This happens after a short period of time (1-2 minutes for most people). The result of constriction of the blood vessels is that “whiteness” or blanching.

As many of you probably know, Apple released the highly anticipated iPhone 3G on July 11th. Being a gadget fanatic myself, I was one of those excited customers dying to get my hands on one. Though I wait for my new 3G to come in, I still get to enjoy all the wonderful perks that came with the new iPhone 2.0 software update released upon the 3G’s arrival. With this update came many new features and applications.

The new iPhone software not only offers better email management, maps and customization, the new applications are taking the whole mobile phone experience to an entirely new level.

You see, iPhone offers a new “applications section” where you can pick and choose easy to use programs. From the long list of “apps”, as they call it, you can choose from a large variety of programs that help you get the latest sports scores, find the nearest gas station, or even calculate a tip when dining out.

Some people just can’t stay away from the scale. Others are convinced there is a magnetic force that draws them to the wicked device. No matter how hard they try to avoid it, all of a sudden they are standing on the evil machine staring down at the display waiting for the verdict. For some it is an addiction and for others, just a curiosity. The problem arises when the results begin to dictate our mood, our diet, and our self-esteem.

Sometimes I think the person who invented the scale should be shot. It’s amazing how those little numbers representing your weight can absolutely ruin your day.

Have you ever heard the saying “a lazy man works twice”? It’s ironic, but we often end up doing twice the work by trying to take shortcuts in life.

When it comes to fitness, dieting is number one on the shortcut list. Most people think you should be able to physically “work” the weight off without dieting. No matter how much I encourage people to work as hard on their eating as they do in the gym; some people just have to learn the hard way.

This experience is most obvious during intense training like our Boot Camp program. Most of our boot campers have never worked as hard as they do during Boot Camp. When you’re working that hard you expect results - and when you don’t get them you are devastated. Besides, you put in the same energy as the girl next to you who seems to be dropping weight by the minute. The difference is you are trying a shortcut and your shortcut isn’t working.

Over the last several years there have numerous studies that point to the importance of weight training for women, especially for women over 40. However, there are still many women that do not include weight training as part of their routine. How many of you have walked into a gym, and see the cardio theatre full of women and only a few women in the weights area? Or how many of you have a set of weights at home sitting in the garage collecting dust? It’s time to dust off your weights and start using them again! If you’re still not convinced, here are some compelling reasons why you need to add weights to your workout routine:

You’ve probably seen it in the gym, and you may have even tripped over it from time to time. It’s that low-to-the-ground, often dusty piece of cardiovascular equipment known simply as the rower. Despite its infrequent use, it actually provides a fantastic workout and has several advantages over other traditional cardio machines. For one, it provides a full-body workout unlike the incredibly popular bikes and treadmills that are almost always occupied.

In order for your cardio workout to be effective, you need you be able to measure the intensity you’re working at. This will help you to achieve your goals more quickly and avoid burnout or injuries. Here are some simple ways to measure the intensity of your exercise.

“8 to 20” Scale

On this scale, 8 would be very light exercise, and 20 would be the most difficult exercise you’d be able to do. Moderate exercise would be about 12 on a scale of 8-20.

Target Heart Rate