exercise

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SPRING IS IN THE AIR IN NEW ENGLAND

by Donna on April 21, 2009

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?

by Donna on January 11, 2009

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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It’s New Years Resolution Time Again…

by Donna on January 1, 2009

Well it’s here - 2009 - What will we resolve to do this year? Will it be the same as last year? Will we be able to actually follow through on our resolutions?

If it’s to exercise, eat healthy, live healthy - then you should follow through. How else will you feel better, have more energy and live a longer, better quality of life?

I say: "Just do It ". You know you can. You can do anything you put your mind to…seriously. If you need help doing it call a personal trainer. Even for just three sessions to get you started, or to show you how to get started. Anything to make it happen. Otherwise, it’ll be like every other year. Resolutions come and go with no result unless YOU MAKE THEM HAPPEN.

Here’s to a healthy and Happy New Year!

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What about setting fitness goals?

by Donna on September 19, 2008

When you really think about it, getting ready to start an exercise program should be like starting up any serious change in your life. If you were starting a new business, you would set goals and if you were starting a project around the house, you would set goals. Sometimes they would be formal and written down, other times they would just be a thought process you went through in your mind. Either way, it should be done when beginning an exercise regimen.

Goal setting 101 teaches us to think in terms of short term goals and long term goals, and they are both important to keeping an exercise regimen going.

First, in the short term, you could say in 30 days, I’m going to be down five pounds or my waistband will be much loser than it is today. You need to set either a date or state the number of days, weeks or months specifically. This way you have your ‘check in’ points along the way. Also, you want to be more specific than saying ‘lose weight’. You want to state the number of pounds, or a marker such as your waistband tightness. You don’t need to think in terms of weight loss only. You could say, since I can use the five pound dumb bells today, in 30 days I want to be strong enough to use eight pound dumb bells.

Now, once your time frame and specific goal is set, it’s time to put a plan in place on achieving that goal. So if your plan is to lose five pounds, it’s time to set parameters on your eating habits, as well institute an aerobic routine with some resistance training for toning too. If your goal is to increase to eight pounds dumb bells, it’s time to institute a plan for getting stronger through resistance training.

Now, at the first check point, whether it be 30 days, or some other time frame, you take a look to see if you’ve achieved your short term goal. If yes, it’s time to set the next goal, if no, then go back to your plan and find out why it failed. Was it the plan or was it you not following the plan?

Second, you need to add in a long term goal. Now thinking in terms of months and years - what do you want to be doing, or what do you want to be wearing? This could be a wedding date, a vacation date or just that you want to be in shape to keep up with your grandchildren.

With having that long term goal in mind, you are able to continue to set short term goals to reach it.

Can you do this on your own? Do you need help? Remember I’m here to help you.

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Couples Training…

by Donna on June 6, 2008

When you think of personal training, it’s usually one-on-one with client and trainer, as opposed to group training which is a group of people with one trainer in the front of the room. But what about a couple? You and your significant other working out together with a personal trainer. I’ve always had at least one couple to work with. I find it both fun and challenging. It would be impossible to do if each needed an individual workout routine, but when their conditioning is similar, I can manage to provide an excellent workout in our one hour session. Lately I’ve been getting more and more inquiries about it. Most ask if there is a discount, which there is, and others want to do it to spend more time with their spouse, or to be sure their spouse is doing some exercise. The only drawback I’ve found is the space. Sometimes we’ll need to move some furniture to have enough room for both to be exercising at the same time without bumping into one another. I see that it’s enjoyable for married couples who rarely spend time together. They get some needed discussions in about the kids, or the upcoming vacation. I feel like I develop a closer relationship with my long term couples since I’m involved in some of these discussions. But in the end, I’m there to see them attain their fitness goals, so while their talking, I’m pushing them on to the next exercise in the sequence, or making sure the level on the elliptical is high enough.

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Yet another reason to exercise…

by Donna on May 16, 2008

I just finished reading an article in Time magazine that described a study that proved exercise improves memory. The article began by explaining that the memory loss we all experience beginning in middle age is normal (I’m happy to hear). Initially it was a research completed on rats that showed exercise produced new neurons in the brain. The research was then tried on humans, one hour on the treadmill four times per week proved to increase blood volume in the brain. Those same people went through memory tests before and after, and there you have it - better memory! It was aerobic exercise specifically, so get your heart rate up often.

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WALKING AS EXERCISE - USE A PEDOMETER

by Donna on April 3, 2008

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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Burn Those Calories

by Donna on December 20, 2007

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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