Be Fit NH » cardio

SPRING IS IN THE AIR IN NEW ENGLAND

Donna — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:45:40 +0000

After another long winter, it’s time to get outside! The best way to get exercise is, by far, outside in the open air. Whether it be running, jogging, bicycling, kayaking or just walking. The sights, sounds and smells take your mind off what you’re doing, so exercise is actually easier and time just flyes by. If you’re away from the city and the air is clean, you’ll be doing a great favor to your lungs. Breathe deeply to blow out that wood burning or oil burning residue from your heating system and that stale air from your office building.

Don’t limit it to cardio either, add in some resistance training by dropping down on a soft spot and doing some push ups or sit ups. Use a rock or park bench for some tricep dips or step ups. Get in your calf raises and squats too. Bring a band with you and wrap it around a tree for some rows and chest presses. Don’t forget to stretch, too. Be imaginative and have fun, Spring is short in New England.

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How is YOUR stress level these days?

Donna — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 12:19:31 +0000

There’s no denying it, stress is high these days. All around us people are having financial problems. Some people we know have lost their jobs, others have even lost their homes. How could we NOT be stressed out about it?

In December, the American Psychological Association reported that 80% of Americans feel stressed by the economy. When those people head to their doctor, what will happen? You know the answer to today’s health problems – prescription drugs. When the prescription drugs are started, who knows when they can or will be stopped. Will it be lifetime of taking daily pills? Who knows! On top of that, there is the cost of those drugs and the doctor visits to follow up and continue the renewal of those prescriptions. How much does your medical coverage pay and how much will you pay out of your own pocket? The financial worry that put you in that position will become a vicious cycle in itself of doctor bills and pharmacy costs.

Well there is another option! One that you may already be paying for, that monthly automatic payment to your gym. Start using it – especially on those cardio machines. Burn up calories and burn up stress at the same time. Studies have shown that exercise reduces stress. It actually helps our bodies, physically and mentally to deal with stress. So before turning to your doctor because you feel stressed out, take a trip to your gym everyday for a week. After five to seven days of exercise, you’ll feel better about yourself and you’ll be able to clearly make a decision as to whether you really need to see your doctor, or if you can deal with this economy without those drugs.

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WALKING AS EXERCISE – USE A PEDOMETER

Donna — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:00:32 +0000

Walking is great exercise, it’s gets you out doors to (hopefully) fresh air, it strengthens your legs and calves, it keeps your hip, knee and ankle joints well lubricated, it improves circulation, it builds stamina, improves your mood by reducing stress, you can meet new people, and it BURNS CALORIES – that’s the important part. Since you’re burning calories, you’re losing weight, you’re increasing the strength of your heart muscle and you’re getting healthier and healthier.

Using a pedometer can really be a benefit to getting exercise through walking. Studies have shown that we walk an average of 5000 to 5500 steps per day, and that 10,000 steps per day is where you see the most benefit. 10,000 steps is equal to about 5 miles for the average stride. Just having the pedometer hooked to your belt loop will be the reminder to keep moving, or to take the stairs, or to go out and walk during your lunch break at work.

I advise my clients to keep a log of the information their pedometer gives them at the end of each day. It includes the date, number of steps, miles, calories burned and a space for any notes for that day. The notes area can be helpful to track why there was a significant difference, either fewer or more steps on a given day.

Here are some ways to add steps to your day – remember your goal is 10,000:

Park in the far back of the parking lot at work, or at store lots
If you take a bus, get off the bus a few stops before your usual stop and walk the rest of the way
Take the stairs
Pace while waiting for meetings to start or while making phone calls
Get up and walk around during commercial breaks
Do not use drive throughs, park and walk in – better yet stay away from places that have drive throughs the food is no good for you
Dedicate a few minutes to walking each hour
Walk during your lunch break
Form a workplace, neighborhood or friends walking group
Make a family habit of walking in the morning or after dinner (or both)
Take advantage of 5k charity walks so you have company while walking
Take an extra trip up and down your stairs, just for fun
Bring your groceries into the house one bag at a time
Take the dog for a walk, they’ll love you for it. Take your neighbors dog for a walk if you don’t have one!
Pace while waiting for a meal to heat in the microwave
Use the lavatory at work that is furthest from your desk

Go ahead, add more bullet points, there are plenty of ways to add walking to your daily life!

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The Three Major Elements of Exercise

Donna — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:41:11 +0000

A well balanced exercise program needs to include three major areas of fitness: Resistance or strength training, aerobic or cardio training and stretching or flexibility training.

Resistance (strength) training 20 minutes of resistance training with dumbells, barbells, body weight, resistance bands or using weight machines twice a week. All the major muscle groups of the legs, abdomen, arms, chest, back and shoulders should be worked.
Aerobic (cardio) training 30 minutes of exercise at about 60% to 85% of your maximum heart should be done at least 3 times per week, more often is best. The 60% to 85% is known as your the aerobic range, which is calculated by subtracting your age from 220, then multiplying that number by .60 and .85 to obtain your heart rate range.
Stretching (flexibility) training 15 minutes of stretching, after you’re fully warmed up, to include all the major muscle groups at least 3 times per week.

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Burn Those Calories

Donna — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:25:52 +0000

I recently read a study which determined that just tapping your foot while sitting will burn more calories than just sitting. In fact, a completely sedentary person burns between 800 and 1,500 calories per day, creating the energy for the daily functions of all the cells in the body. This is called our basal metabolic rate, or BMR. Researchers also found that exercise burns calories not just while you are doing the workout, but also in the hours following the exercise. You use energy and burn calories to bring your body back to its normal resting state.

So that’s the good news, you burn calories when you’re not exercising and you burn calories after your exercise session is over, but, you burn the most calories while you are actually exercising.

Researchers found that the two most important contributors to burning calories during exercise are the contracting muscles and the increased work of the heart and lungs. The frequency and power of muscle contractions are by far the major factors in determining the number of calories burned during exercise. Faster heart rate and breathing also burn calories, but not nearly as much as movement of legs, arms, abdominal and back muscles. In fact, moving the biggest muscles in your body – your back, legs and abs – burn the most calories.

Over time, your metabolism changes as you convert your flabby muscles into firmer and leaner muscle mass. The more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your basal metabolic rate, the higher your BMR the more calories you burn even when you’re NOT working out.

It takes resistance or strength training to get this calorie burning benefit from exercise. However, cardio exercise will not only burn calories it will strengthen your heart muscle, the best way to avoid a heart attack. A good exercise regimen includes both resistance training and cardio training.
You can determine how many calories you should take in on a daily basis with the following formula:

Activity Level Calories per Pound
Very light (sedentary) 14

Light (if you walk) 15 – 17

Moderate (if you jog) 17 – 19

Heavy (if you’re a gym rat) 20 – 23
Use your “ideal” body weight, the weight you want to be, not the weight you are.

Example:
120lb X 18 (Moderate) = 2160 calories per day are needed to maintain 120 pounds of body weight daily
But choose those 2000+ calories wisely – keep this in mind:

Carbohydrates = 4 calories per gram

Protein = 4 calories per gram

Fat = 9 calories per gram

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