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Posted on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 11:15 AM
High-Intensity interval training - performing repetitions of a series of high-intensity exercise bouts followed by rest - builds up your fitness levels and DECREASES FAT faster than longer aerobic training. Training at this higher intensity level can be done on a treadmill, stationary bike, rowing machine, elliptical or with no machine involved. You can increase your endurance, power and strength in a fraction of the time than the traditional aerobic workout. No two people are the same when it comes to levels of intensity. |
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Posted on Tuesday, February 12, 2013 6:03 AM
I have come across clients or random exercisers who insist that the best way to carve a tight midsection is through endless repetitions of abdominal exercises. Here's a study that may help those to understand that it takes more than crunches to get that six-pack.
Researchers from the department of kinesiology and health education at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, had one goal: to determine the effect, if any, of abdominal exercises on abdominal fat. Two groups of people were gathered for the study. |
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Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2012 8:17 PM
“Runner’s knee” is a term that
describes a painful and sometimes debilitating ailment of the knee present in a
quarter of active people. Researchers identified several circumstances
associated with the condition: weak hamstrings and quadriceps increased the
probability of developing runner’s knee. Prevention programs should focus on
increasing strength of the lower-extremity musculature along with proper mechanics. |
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Posted on Thursday, September 13, 2012 2:13 PM
Glycogen, otherwise known as sugar, within the muscles and liver decrease in the night as you sleep. Conventional wisdom suggests that exercising on an empty stomach would promote fat burning and weight loss.
A study from the University of Padua in Italy found the opposite to be true: physical activity after a light meal WORKED BEST best for losing body fat. Researchers studied fat metabolism in 8 males who ran on a treadmill at 65% of their maximum heart rate for 36 minutes on two different occasions - either without eating and after a light breakfast. |
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Posted on Saturday, June 23, 2012 5:23 AM
What's on your mind as summer approaches? Is it fun, sun, enjoying the beach and life itself? Or does your heart fill with dread as the thought of shorts, swimsuits and the beach -- add up to pure mental and emotional torture?
Unfortunately, if you are like most people, as the temperature starts to rise and the coats go back in the closet, fear and anxiety is triggered--all focused on the dreaded summer wardrobe and activities.
It doesn't have to be that way! Lets make today the day that you start the transformation of your body AND your mind! |
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Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2012 5:52 AM
Recent research published in theAmerican
Journal of Lifestyle Medicinesuggests that consuming purple and blue
foods, such as purple cabbage, eggplant, raisins, Concord grapes and 100% grape
juice, may help Americans get more of the nutrients they need and consume
healthier diets (McGill et al 2011).
In this study, researchers examined
the diets of more than 15,000 adults and children and found that in general,
those who consumed purple and blue produce ate more fruit and had healthier
diets compared to those who did not eat purple and blue produce. |
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Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 12:55 PM
Study: 42% Will Be Obese by 2030 -- News Review From Harvard Medical School
2012-05-15 - General Health
A new study says 42% of U.S. adults will be obese by 2030. Just over
one-third are obese now. The new study says the rate of increase in
obesity is slowing down. But even the smaller increases will add up.
Also by 2030, about 11% of Americans will be severely obese, the study
predicts. That's at least 100 pounds overweight. People who are severely
obese have the greatest increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and
other illnesses. The new research was presented at a health conference.
The Associated Press wrote about it May 7. |
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Posted on Thursday, May 10, 2012 2:16 PM
Running is one of the best ways to lose fat and improve fitness. Many people prefer running on a treadmill at home or in the gym because its more convenient than running on the track or at the park.
A University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire study found that people burn more calories and consume more oxygen when they run on a treadmill at a 1% grade and a self-selected pace compared to when they run on the track. Treadmills force you to exercise at a specific pace, while you can slow down when you get tired on a track. |
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Posted on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 2:04 PM
Congratulations to Melissa of Romeoville, Illinois!!! She lost 31 pounds in 12 weeks! Keep up the excellent work, girl!
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Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2012 10:41 AM
Exercise Prevents Cancer
Exercise is connected with a lower occurrence of colon cancer in
men and women, and of breast cancer in women. In the November 2003 issue of Medicine
& Science in Sports & Exercise, it has been reported that moderate to
vigorous physical activity has a greater protective effect against cancer than lower
intensity physical activity. It seems that about 30–60 minutes of moderate to
vigorous exercise per day is needed for risk reduction. In addition, physically active women have
a 20%–40% reduction in relative risk for breast cancer compared with their
inactive counterparts. |
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Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 7:46 PM
Shoe and apparel company Reebok International Ltd. recently agreed to
pay out $25 million in refunds to customers who bought its toning
shoes. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the company
falsely advertised that its line of toning shoes would help consumers
activate more muscle. Reebok’s various ad campaigns famously claimed its
shoes could shape and tone the glutes, hamstrings and calf muscles more
than regular walking shoes. When an FTC-commissioned study could not
produce research to support those claims, charges were filed against the
company. |
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Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2012 12:07 PM
Blood sugar
control declines with age and is influenced by genetics, diet, and physical
activity. Muscle accounts for approximately
42% of total body mass, so it is an important issue for regulating blood
sugar. A study from Arizona State
University focused on the effects of weight training intensity and volume on
blood sugar control in adult men and women (average age about 30) with slightly
elevated resting blood sugar levels (100-125 m/dL).
High
intensity weight training controlled blood sugar better than low -intensity
workouts. |
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Posted on Thursday, January 05, 2012 11:35 AM
I recently came across a new "gym" franchise. Being a
fitness professional, I was pretty sure what to expect, weights, cardio
equipment, showers. What I DIDN'T expect was a "no grunt" or no
body-builder sign, a fish bowl full of tootsie rolls and members being served
pizza.
If you surround yourself with the lifestyle you want, it will be the
lifestyle you get. Your gym should not make it more difficult for you to lose
weight by keeping tempting "foods" in fingers reach. |
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Posted on Tuesday, January 03, 2012 7:15 AM
Strength training is an excellent way to increase your lean muscle mass and the good news is that this will help you reach your fat-loss goal even faster. Always equate an increase in muscle mass to an increase in your body's fuel-burning engine. By lifting weights you will go from a four-cylinder to a six-cylinder engine. By increasing your muscle mass, the amount of calories you burn at rest each day will rise as larger muscles need more calories to be maintained. And since muscle is not as bulky as fat, the size of your clothing will go down and your overall shape will become more scultped while our weight may remain stable. |
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Heather R Johnson, CPT: Posted on Saturday, December 31, 2011 8:38 AM
Why is it
that January 1st the day when everyone seems to decide to begin being healthy,
to lose weight, to get in shape? Where does this magical motivation come
from? One theory: it's a great time for
"my fresh start," a new beginning. Why does that motivation drop off
around April and how do we keep that from happening this year? My answer: find
your motivation and keep it in sight!
Find your
motivation in other places to keep it alive.
Like pictures in magazines of fitness models, pictures of people moving
or dancing that make you want to get up and DO SOMETHING! |
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Heather R. Johnson, CPT: Posted on Friday, December 30, 2011 10:32 AM
Growth
Hormone is a vital hormone for those who want to lose weight. Growth hormone enhances fat loss and helps control how your body uses protein, fat
and carbohydrates when you are resting
and during exercise. So what does
this mean to you? For optimal fat loss, exercise at a higher intensity,
especially if you are older and obese. Literature
from the University of Virginia, found that it is with high intensity exercise
that growth hormone is released. Growth hormone release is decreased four to
seven times as people age and is lower in obese people than it is in lean
people. Also, if you eat before your
workout make sure it is a meal that not high in fat. Fatty meals consumed shortly before exercise
reduce growth hormone release and decreases the benefits of exercise on fat
burning and weight loss. |
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Heather R. Johnson, CPT: Posted on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 12:57 PM
Some vibration exercise equipment manufacturers claim that 10 minutes of "training" on a vibration platform is the same as doing one hour of cardio. This is not true according to research from Massey University in New Zealand's (Scandinavian Journal Medicine Science Sports). No 10-minute vibration exercise program will promote much fat loss. The effects of vibration training on your metabolism is less than walking or jogging. So, if you are considering buying cardio equipment, then beware: the claim that vibration training reduces body fat is ridiculous and fraudulent. |
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Posted on Saturday, December 03, 2011 8:30 AM
Being pregnant is no time to ditch the gym. Moms-to-be who frequently worked out doing moderately hard workouts ( a 5 to 7 on a scale of 1 to 10) in the first trimester had a lower risk of preterm birth, reports a new study. Their bodies may replenish more nutrients to their placentas after they exercise, says study author Anne Marie Jukic, Ph.D., a researcher at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Talk to your doctor about exercising while you're expecting she says: If you have certain risk factors or didn't exercise regularly beforehand, you may need to take special precautions. |
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Nick Nilsson: Posted on Friday, October 14, 2011 7:39 PM
How Dedicated Are You to Your Training.
How many of these describe YOU?
1.
If, on a job application, under "Previous Employment," you've listed
weight training and under "Hobbies" you've listed your actual previous
employment.
2. If you've ever made yourself so sore that it either
takes you a full minute to sit on the toilet or you have to fall down
onto it.
3. If you've been banned from an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant, especially on a leg day.
4. If you've ever broken a bone and tried to "train around it. |
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Heather R. Johnson, CPT: Posted on Friday, October 07, 2011 7:08 AM
In the fitness industry we generally promote organic food, but some people don't understand what the "organic" label really means. According to several surveys, people reportedly associate organic products with overall health and higher nutrient value.
What the label DOES mean:The guidelines for organic products set out by the USDA prohibit genetic engineering, pesticides, ionizing radiation and sewage sludge. Animals can't be infused with antibiotics and hormones, and have to be allowed access to the great outdoors. |
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Posted on Friday, September 30, 2011 4:31 AM
Coffee is looking more and more like the healthier choice. It contains essential minerals and antioxidants, which promotes metabolic health and is high in caffeine, which boosts energy levels.
A German study led by Kerstin Kempf showed that coffee drinking decreased markers of inflammation and increased HDL (the good cholesterol) both of which reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Regular coffee drinkers gave up coffee for one month, drank four cups per day during the second month, and eight cups per day during the third month. |
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NSCA: Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2011 8:21 AM
September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
While data shows that obesity
numbers continue to rise, perhaps the most frightening numbers related
to obesity are those among the children in the United States. More than
23 million children over the age of 2 are either obese or overweight.
This month, organizations across the country are joining forces to
increase awareness about this alarming trend of childhood obesity. The
fitness industry can play an important and active role in educating the
public a |
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Heather R. Johnson, CPT: Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2011 6:48 AM
What is the best way to make workouts and healthy eating easier?
Focus on why you workout. What is the prize you aim to achieve? When you're tempted to splurge at a restaurant, envision that part of your body that you dislike and how much you want that to change. Then think about how great you felt when you lost those last few pounds or inches.
Focus on why you workout BEFORE you order something to eat. Is the pasta or that plate of french fries worth it? Be conscious of why you are eating. |
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Posted on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 9:35 PM
It's a common mistaken belief that cardio should be done primarily if you have a lot of weight to lose, maybe even before starting a weight-training program. Actually, the opposite is true, weight training always accelerates fat loss. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue that burns fat. Lifting weights builds muscle and is a necessary part of every fat loss program. This doesn't mean that you need to lift like an Olympic champion. It simply means that weight training is necessary when your goal is fat loss. |
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IDEA fitness journal: Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2011 7:57 PM
A popular myth is that there is a specific range of heart rates in
which you must exercise to burn fat. Even many cardio machines display a
“fat-burning zone” on their panels, encouraging people to exercise in a
specific heart rate range. Have you ever wondered if you really have to
exercise in a specific heart rate zone to lose fat? And what happens if
you venture out of that zone? Jason R. Karp, PhD, a nationally
recognized speaker, writer and exercise physiologist who coaches
recreational runners to Olympic hopefuls through his company,
RunCoachJason. |
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Posted on Monday, April 25, 2011 5:17 AM
Does your stomach puff out somewhat, despite strict dieting and exercise? Check your standing posture. Stand straight. See if you can keep a book balanced on your head while walking. How do you sit at work? At home at the computer? While watching TV? Don't slump in your chair. Slouching or slumping will accentuate tummy fat. Sit straight and you'll look trimmer.
Good sitting and standing posture will strengthen lower back muscles, and stronger lower back muscles will make you more efficient at performing ab-targeting exercises as well as fat-blasters like deadlifts and barbell squats. |
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Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 12:57 PM
Be consistent! Have you been missing workout sessions? Not getting results? Perhaps you haven't been training for that long, which means your body may not have had enough time to learn how to be efficient when workouts are skipped. This physiological learning process will be expedited once you start training with more intensity and consistency. Make sure that your workouts are progressively challenging or hire a personal trainer to do the exercise programming work for you. |
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Posted on Sunday, March 06, 2011 5:05 PM
If your mom is overweight, your own figure isn't doomed. A study in PLoS Medicine found that doing any amount of exercise is linked to a 40% reduction in the genetic risk of being overweight - and people with the most obesity-related DNA sequences saw the biggest benefits from exercise. No excuses now. |
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IDEA Fitness Journal : Posted on Saturday, February 26, 2011 7:13 PM
Menopause and how it effects exercise is a common topic. The following is from an article that may help answer some of those questions:
If you're in the middle of menopause, you
may be experiencing challenges such as
weight gain, hot flashes or fatigue. Ugh!
The good news is that exercise can make
a positive difference.
Although there is much more to learn
about exercise research and menopause,
what we do know supports physical activity
as a means to help manage menopausal
consequences and protect against heart disease
and osteoporosis, says Jan Schroeder,
PhD, an associate professor of kinesiology
at California State University, Long Beach. |
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On Fitness, magazine: Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 1:42 PM
Do you spend all day inside an office, sitting at a desk? It's time to break out of this sustained inertia; with intervals.
Replace snack intervals with workout intervals. Step out onto the stairs during breaks or just prior to lunch, and perform a handful of interval climbs (taking 2-3 steps at a time) up a few flights of stairs. Walk back down and repeat. Put spunk into your movement when going up the steps.
Start with a few intervals, but gradually build up to 6-8 intervals per break. |
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JP Clifford gain-weight-muscle-fast.com: Posted on Sunday, January 09, 2011 4:43 PM
You have probably heard the saying, "Muscle weighs more
than fat." While a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat, the
volume is different. Muscle is denser than fat.
A pound of fat will take up about 18% more space then a
pound of muscle. If squeezed into cans, you would need a can 18% bigger to contain
the pound of fat.
In addition to volume differences, keep in mind that muscle
wraps tightly to the skeletal structure whereas fat hangs loosely. So,
all total, you can find two people of the same build and height who weigh the
same appearing vastly different based on their lean body mass (LBM). |
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Posted on Thursday, December 30, 2010 4:36 PM
Are You Ready to Exercise?
Studies have shown that seven out of
10 people who start an exercise program drop out within a few months. One
problem is that most people jump into exercise without doing any planning up
front.
Are you ready to
make exercise part of your lifestyle? Sherri McMillan, MSc, discovered that people who stick with
exercise buy into the following four “Laws of Success.”
1.The Law of Self-Efficacy: “If I
think I can or I think I can’t, I’m probably right.” If you immediately start questioning whether you can make
the changes required to live an active lifestyle, you are going to have a
difficult time. |
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HealthDay News: Posted on Thursday, December 16, 2010 1:34 PM
To
Best Fight Cancer, New Guidelines Urge Exercise
People undergoing cancertreatment traditionally have been told to
rest as much as possible and avoid exertion, to save all their strength to
battle the dreaded disease. But a growing number of physicians
and researchers now say that people who remain physically active as best they
can during treatment are more likely to beat cancer.
The positive evidence for exercise during and after cancer treatment has
piled so high that an American College of Sports Medicine panel is revising the
group's national guidelines regarding exercise recommended for cancer
survivors. |
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Jeannine Stein, Los Angeles Times: Posted on Thursday, December 02, 2010 5:10 PM
Even a little extra weight can be
detrimental An extensive, 10-year study of white
nonsmokers shows that every 5-point increase in BMI translated to a 31% higher
chance of dying.
Doctors and public health officials
have been admonishing us for years that it's unhealthful to carry around extra
pounds. A new study quantifies just how much that additional weight increases
one's risk of death and finds that being even a few pounds overweight makes a
measurable difference.
Researchers analyzed the body mass index, or BMI, of 570,000 white men and
women who had never smoked and followed them for an average of 10 years. |
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NSCA: Posted on Saturday, November 20, 2010 9:32 PM
Holiday
Weight Management Strategies The holiday season brings about many emotions and actually
can be a time for heightened stress. The pressure to please, managing schedule
arrangements, and travel are all too demanding; but seeing loved ones enjoying
festive environments and letting loose on the buffet, add back in the reason
people enjoy the holidays. Following the approximate month and a half between
Thanksgiving and the Bowl games it becomes time to pay back for all the caloric
exploits. |
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Posted on Friday, November 19, 2010 4:17 PM
It’s the time of the year when
people on average gain 5 to 10 pounds. The next two months will bring ample
opportunity for you to indulge, to enjoy and to expand your waistline. Of
course the choice is yours. Most will wait until January to begin a new
training program, but there are a few who will hedge their eating and increase
cardio to make up for the holiday food surplus. Now is the time to begin re-establishing your fitness program so that by the
time January 1st rolls around, you will already be in good shape. |
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