• Exercise reduces the risk of stroke
• Exercise reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases
• Exercise reduces the risk of having a second heart attack in people who have already had one heart attack
• Exercise lowers both the total blood cholesterol and triglycerides (“bad” cholesterol) and increases high-density lipoproteins (HDL – “good” cholesterol)
• Exercise lowers the risk of high blood pressure
• Exercise helps reduce high blood pressure in people who already have hypertension
• Exercise lowers the risk of developing non-insulin-dependent (Type 2) diabetes
• Exercise reduces the risk of developing colon cancer
• Exercise reduces feelings of depression and anxiety
• Exercise helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints

Pretty impressive! Makes you wonder why anyone wouldn’t want to exercise seeing as it does so much good.

Naturally, it’s important to understand how to exercise correctly and at the right level for you – the sexy, fit, muscular and tanned bodies we see in television commercials promoting fitness products make it seem like exercise is in the realm of the already super-fit and lean. Not so. Exercise is for everyone with a body no matter their starting point and no matter their age or size. There isn’t anyone alive who would not benefit from some kind of exercise.

Let’s not forget that less than 50 years ago people did a lot more physical activity than they do today. They walked more than they drove; simple things like cleaning the house and washing clothes required a lot more energy use than today with all our energy-saving gadgets, and people didn’t have computers back then so they didn’t tend to sit as much as we do today.

The trick is deciding on where to start and not getting overwhelmed. Break it down into achievable goals; small pieces and build on your achievements. It’s helpful to have a guide in this adventure and hiring an experienced and capable personal trainer is an investment that could quite literally save your life and will certainly make the journey safer and more efficient.

Tracey Thatcher

Personal Trainer

Writer for gofitnow.com

A balanced fitness program should include a cardio (aerobic) component, strength training and flexibility training and there are so many ways to mix it up that, knowing what you’re doing, it would be very difficult to get bored (a complaint many have after a few months of going to the gym).

Here’s a small sample of what could be done to keep the spice going in your regular workouts:

CARDIO FITNESS - Now, you could keep doing the machines for cardio fitness or you could take the advice of Rudi Marashlian, veteran fitness coach and author who recommends choosing an activity you like to do for fun (soccer, basketball, roller blading, running, tennis, dancing, aerobic class – the list goes on and on) and doing that at least three times a week to improve cardio fitness.

STRENGTH - Instead of spending an hour on the cardio machines, use them to do a 10-minute warm-up then get into some strength training (absolutely essential for long-term muscle-mass maintenance; did you know people lose about 10% of their muscle mass each decade after the age of 30 if they don’t do activities that increase muscle?). What activities constitute strength training? Try using the weight training machines, free weights or even your own body weight with exercises like chin-ups, push-ups, lunges, squats and so on. It’s usually a good idea to get expert coaching to make sure your form is correct (you don’t want to be doing strength exercises improperly because then you risk injury).

FLEXIBILITY - Once you’ve done your strength (and even during the strength part of your training session) you can add in some stretches. This is an often neglected part of fitness but critical to eliminating those tight spots and making sure you can still reach down and tie your shoelaces or look over your shoulder to reverse your car no matter how old you are. Again, a good idea is to get expert help to make sure you are doing your stretches correctly (poor form in this part of fitness can also cause injuries). You can, alternatively, take a yoga or pilates class – both excellent methods of increasing flexibility.

Why not make 2012 the year you change out your workout routine and make all that time spent in the gym more interesting and more profitable for your overall fitness and health?

Tracey Thatcher

Writer for www.gofitnow.com

Here are the top ten rules for proper gym etiquette according to Rudi Marashlian, veteran health and fitness specialist. Not surprisingly, the first few involve keeping the space clean and orderly. Feel free to comment on this article if you feel anything else should be on the list.

• Clean off equipment after you use it – not only is it bad manners to leave equipment greasy and sweaty, it’s also unhygienic. There are plenty of spray bottles full of an alcohol solution and cloths at Foothill Athletic Club to help with this. Oh yes, and try not to spray near someone else’s face.
• Bring a towel – this could also come under keeping the equipment clean. A towel protects you by creating a barrier between you and the surface so it’s a win-win for everyone. It also signals others that your equipment is being used (in case you have to rush off to fill your drink bottle or something).
• Put your weights away. This one is a no-brainer. Think about the next person – what happens if the next person after you is a 70-year-old lady who wants to use the leg press machine but it’s loaded with 45 pound weights? Potentially dangerous, right?
• Avoid singing loudly to the music only you can hear. It’s annoying and distracting, not to mention usually out of tune.
• Keep cellphone use to a minimum. Long and loud conversations fit into the same category of “annoying” as singing (see above).
• Try not to bang your weights to the floor after a set. It can be surprising to the people on the floor below and it’s not very good for the weights or the floor.
• Keep your gym bag off the floor as it creates a safety hazard for you and for other people. Either put it in a locker or somewhere safely out of the way.
• While in the locker room, be mindful of other people – pick up after yourself and don’t be wasteful. Bring a towel and try not to leave water on the floor.
• If you notice a piece of equipment is broken, let the staff know immediately. This will ensure it’s back in action quickly and help prevent possible injury to others using it after you. On the other side, if you see an “out of order” sign on something, don’t use it. The sign is there for a reason.
• Always make sure a piece of equipment is not being used by someone else before you step in to use it, especially if you see it’s loaded with weights or there’s a towel on it. This goes the other way too, don’t leave your gear on equipment if you’re not using it and try not to hog – if it looks like someone else is waiting let them know when you’ll be done or let them work in with you.

Tracey Thatcher

Writer for www.gofitnow.com

Scientific research suggests that consistent long-distance running improves cardiovascular health. Running lowers blood pressure by maintaining elasticity in the arteries. When you run, your arteries expand and contract more than usual, which keeps your arteries elastic and blood pressure low. This is important for all people, especially people with high blood pressure. Running also maximizes the lungs’ potential. Normally, people only use fifty percent of the lungs’ capacity, but while running, you use the entire capacity. It has been shown that some smokers have fully recovered their lungs’ working capacity from doing long distance running or marathons. Aside from the cardiovascular system, it has been shown that long distance running also lowers the risk of disorders of the eye and prostate, among other organs.

Marathon runners have said that they experience intense exhilaration and euphoria after running, so you can see that it is also a huge morale booster. Surveys show that running marathons brings energy into daily life. It helps the body function better by improving sleep and brings about relaxation. Another nice benefit is that is does not increase appetite. Instead it acts a sort of suppressant and helps bring about a better eating schedule.

As you can see, long distancing running has many incredible benefits that not only help your body, but also keep you relaxed and give you more energy. Of course, to get ready for a marathon or any long-distance event, you have to work up your tolerance levels. Working with a knowledgeable trainer is a good idea to make sure you’re running correctly and strengthening any areas of weakness to avoid possible injury.

Tia Marashlian and Tracey Thatcher

Writers for gofitnow.com

Unfortunately, however, a lot of people give up on going to the gym regularly after about a month. At the start, they’re very diligent and work out at least an hour every second day (some work out for two or more hours every day), they sweat, eat better (sometimes) but… no supermodel body appears in the mirror and this can be disheartening – the change from frumpy to fabulous is often way too slow.

Could there be a reason many people don’t lose much fat, change shape or get ripped and buff despite religiously going to the gym and working out? Yes, there is. It comes down to WHAT is being done at the gym. WHAT is being done is actually more important than how long it’s done for. In other words, QUALITY is more important than QUANTITY (although quantity certainly does come into it – having a great workout once a month isn’t going to do much). There are people spending maybe 15 to 30 minutes a day working out and getting better results (burning more fat, losing weight, sculpting and toning) than other people who work out for a couple of hours at a time every day of the week.

It’s possible that the people spending less time but getting great results might be doing what’s known as high intensity interval training. It’s been around since 1937 but up until now, has been used primarily by athletes and not regular people. There are lots of ways to do it and a good personal trainer is probably your best bet at getting the most out of it but the idea is that you exercise at a very high intensity (if you’re running, you’d sprint as fast as you can) for between 30 seconds to a minute then you’d slow it down (jog) until you recover a bit, but not all the way, then you’d up the intensity again.

You could try it next time you’re on the stationary bike, stepper or treadmill – instead of sitting on a set speed, try playing with the effort and speed levels – increasing then decreasing, increasing then decreasing and so on. If you do it right you can fast-track your fitness. Remember, it IS intense, so make sure you have a doctor’s OK before adding it to your routine.

Tracey Thatcher

Personal Trainer

www.gofitnow.com

People who exercise regularly are 43% less likely to suffer from colds and sore throats according to a study at the Appalachian State University in 2010.

Being fit can increase self confidence. This self-confidence allows you to challenge yourself and aim for higher levels of achievement in your career.

Fitness helps you to take on more leadership roles. Due to the various positive benefits of a fit lifestyle, a fit person tends to become a good leader.

People who are fit are better able to set their goals and achieve them.

Generally, fit individuals feel good. They can balance their physical and emotional feelings, which can lead to a more positive attitude in general.

Fitness helps you to experience less stress. Regular physical activity diminishes the physical and emotional tensions that life and work can bring, allowing you to focus on what’s important.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the estimated annual medical cost of cardiovascular disease or stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity is $423.2 billion! Most of these diseases can be prevented by being fit—exercising and eating correctly.

Tracey Thatcher

www.gofitnow.com

www.ufitnow.com

With a small amount of quality effort invested, you can get huge dividends! Let’s look at some facts.

FACT: There are 168 hours in 1 week.

FACT: To classify as active, a person should be doing at least 3 hours of somewhat vigorous activity each week. That might be a 1 hour workout every second day (3 days a week).

FACT: Investing 3 hours in 1 week is only 1.78% of your weekly time for incredible returns in health.

FACT: There are 168 hours in one week, multiply this by 52 weeks and there are 8,736 hours in a year.

FACT: Do 3 hours a week of somewhat vigorous activity, multiplied by 52 weeks, is 156 hours per year of activity. 156 hours divided by 8,736 again equals 1.78% of your time.

Bottom line: you only have to work out for 1.78% of your time to get fit and into shape. Most people spend more than that amount of time eating or watching TV. So next time you’re trying to help a friend by suggesting he or she comes to the gym and his or her excuse is, “I don’t have any time,” just remember that it really doesn’t take that much time to get fit.

Tracey Thatcher

Writer for gofitnow.com

Why should a woman’s body be so fragile and her strength so weak that she has to crawl up steps? Women are living longer than ever before – imagine reaching 60 to find your body no longer works as it should and then living for thirty or so more years and being unable to move your body properly without a fear of doing major damage or simply not having the strength to lift yourself anymore.

Muscle mass is an important part of the cause and the solution as it naturally diminishes as we age. Osteoporosis (decreasing of bone density so bones appear almost sponge-like and lose their strength) is a disease many women face as they age. These two factors are major reasons why a lot of older women find themselves doing so poorly physically  that they often can’t do the everyday activities most people take for granted.

These conditions (muscle wasting and osteoporosis) can be avoided but not without some honest hard work and it’s best to begin as early in your life as possible – leaving it until you suffer a broken hip or your muscle mass is seriously low gives you a much smaller chance of recovery. The idea is to completely avoid these situations in order to stay active for as long as possible. In other words, NOW is a good time to start.

It has been scientifically proven that strength training, increases muscle mass and so improves bone density (you can read the article, Healthy Bones, for more information). Rudi Marashlian, long time fitness trainer, had a client at one time who had been diagnosed with fairly advanced osteoporosis. The woman was in her fifties and was advised by her doctor to get a good strength training program. After about three months into her training program she went back to her doctor to have her bone density retested. Her bones were back to normal – a big relief!

Another scientific fact is that muscle burns used more energy than other body tissues so the more toned your body is, the better it burns fat even when it’s resting.

Strength training is the most efficient way of building muscle mass and burning calories to lose weight. Wouldn’t you rather be a slim, toned grandma who can leap up steps with grandkids in hand rather than an overweight, frail grandma who (sadly) has to crawl up steps to go to bed?

Tracey Marashlian

Writer for www.gofitnow.com

QUESTION 1: Are sit-ups and crunches the best way to reduce belly fat?

One pound of human fat has about 3,500 calories. Sit-ups burn only 3 to 5 calories per minute. That means (if we use 5 calories per minute) it takes 700 minutes of sit-ups to burn one pound of belly fat. A regular program of abdominal exercises will tighten the muscles and make your waist look smaller but the layer of fat over those muscles won’t change unless you start putting fewer calories into your body than you burn exercising.

ANSWER 1: No, the best way to reduce belly fat is to reduce the amount of food you eat so that your body has to burn some of its stored fat while maintaining a regular exercise program.

QUESTION 2: Is the morning the best time of the day to exercise?

A study was done in 1990 with one half of the subjects exercising in the morning and the other half exercising in the afternoon. Improvements in physical fitness, disease risk factors and psychological health were the same for both groups.

ANSWER 2: Good news, it doesn’t matter what time of the day you exercise.

QUESTION 3: Is aerobic fitness more important than muscular fitness for health?

This is a myth dating back to the 1960s that said brisk walking, jogging or cycling was enough to maintain good fitness and health. What we know now is that these aerobic exercises need to be supplemented with exercises directed at muscle strengthening (for instance, weights and strength training). Muscular fitness is critical for prevention of osteoporosis. The American Heart Association (a long-time advocate of aerobic exercises) has been recommending strength training for people with and without cardiovascular disease since 2000, “The potential benefits, not only to cardiovascular health but also to weight management and the prevention of disability and falls, are becoming more widely appreciated.”

The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans state that, “adults also should do muscle-strengthening activities that are moderate or high-intensity and involve all major muscle groups on two or more days a week, as these activities provide additional health benefits.”

ANSWER 3: No, aerobic fitness is not more important than muscular fitness for health. You need to also do strength training for good health.

Having muscle mass becomes more critical the older you get. Strength training helps improve balance (reducing the incidence of falls), it naturally strengthens bones to overcome osteoporosis and it fights the natural muscle wasting that occurs as the body ages so you can continue to stand up straight and get yourself up from a sitting position quickly and easily.

These are but a few of countless questions people have about health, fitness and exercise. Joining the gym is a great first step towards getting into shape and living a healthy life so make the most of the facilities on offer as part of your membership and don’t be too shy about asking questions.

Tracey Marashlian

writer for www.gofitnow.com

The human body is a machine that operates at its best when physically used. Just like a fine automobile – imagine owning a beautiful sports car and leaving it sitting somewhere, never driving it. Eventually it would deteriorate through lack of use, batteries would die, lubricants would dry up and tires would eventually crack and flatten. Human bodies get double the abuse most of the time – not only do people not use them enough but they also feed them full of so-called food that helps to speed up decay and disease.

Diet and nutrition are definitely important but we’re focusing on fitness and exercise in this article. The benefits of physical activity are often under-appreciated and in many cases ignored. So what exactly is exercise?

Exercise is defined as movement done to improve one or more of the parts of fitness. The parts of fitness are:

Cardio-respiratory fitness: This can also be called aerobic fitness and it increases the ability of the heart, lungs and blood vessels to deliver oxygen to all the cells of the body. The kinds of exercises you can do to improve this part of fitness would be those using any of the cardio machines (stepper, treadmill, elliptical machine, bike or rower).

Muscle endurance: Refers to a muscle’s ability to perform repeated contractions without tiring. Someone who can do 24 push-ups in a minute has excellent muscle endurance, for example. For this part of fitness you could use any of the weights machines, free weights or do a body sculpting class.

Muscle strength: This is the one-off use of muscular force to move or lift something very heavy. Someone with very little muscle strength will have trouble lifting their own body from a sitting position on the floor whereas someone with a lot of muscle strength might be able to lift a small car. Mostly people who are working on their muscle strength will use the weights room.

Flexibility: This has to do with the ability of the joints to move – range of motion. Someone with poor flexibility at the shoulder joint, for example, might have trouble putting their arm straight up above their head or even scratching between their shoulder blades. Different joints will have different levels of flexibility. You can use the stretching cage for this part of fitness or do some yoga classes.

Body composition: This is the one most people focus on when they want to “lose weight”. It is really the ratio of lean tissue (bones, blood, muscle) to fat tissue (fat sitting under the skin or internally, around the organs and within blood vessels). This part of fitness also takes into account what you’re eating as well as making sure you’re doing a balance of the other parts of fitness to get great results.

So you see, getting fit means doing a combination of activities. Luckily, if you’re a member of the gym, you have access to all the different ways to get fit. Make sure you find out how to use the cardio equipment and the weights as well. Take advantage of the classes – yoga is a great way to improve flexibility and aerobics classes help with improving cardio-respiratory fitness.

Tracey Thatcher

Writer for gofitnow.com