Tag: fitness

Cardio for Fun

Jul 04, 2014

We already know how great aerobic activities are for your heart, body and mind. After all, regular cardio exercise has been shown to reduce body fat, decrease total cholesterol, boost mood, lower resting heart rate, and improve heart and lung function but how can we add to traditional cardio fitness to keep your workouts interesting.Try something fun, something that you wouldn’t really think is a cardio workout. Get your trainer involved too. They will keep your cardio routines fresh so you don’t start dreading it. You may not realize that a lot of the activities you may do around the house, or do with your kids are great cardio workouts.

There are hundreds of cardio options out there. The trick is picking a few that you like and then doing them at an intensity that is high enough to count as cardiovascular exercise. To be considered a cardiovascular workout, you need to meet two principles. 1) Intensity has to be high enough to elevate your heart rate into an aerobic zone which is 55% to 85% of your maximum heart rate. 2) For any activity to count as cardio, it has to last at least 10 minutes per session. And for best results, you need to do at least 3 days of cardio (with no more than 2 days off between sessions) per week.

There are fun activities that we did as kids and may do now while playing with our kids. Try some out to get your heart rate pumping and those lungs working.

  • Walking the dog
  • Playing Dodge Ball
  • Tag
  • Hula Hooping
  • Obstacle Courses
  • Jump Rope
  • Water games
  • Skipping
  • Hop Scotch
  • Jumping Jacks
  • Trampoline Jumping

There are many other forms of cardio activities that you can add to your regular fitness routine including classes or group training so speak with your trainer to discuss what’s available.

Have fun finding some new favourite cardio exercises. There are so many choices now, there’s no excuse to get bored or dread cardio ever again.

For more articles go to http://lifesportfitness.lifestyleezine.com

Exercise Addict

Jul 01, 2014

Remember the old adage, too much of anything in life can be a bad thing? Even something as simple as drinking water can be dangerous if you consume excessive levels. Exercise is a really important part of a healthy lifestyle – but make sure you build a healthy addiction to exercise. Exercising regularly is a major component in leading a healthy lifestyle. To get into the habit of exercising on a regular basis, you may need to set aside time in your schedule to visit the gym and find a type of exercise you can genuinely enjoy. At other times, you may have difficulty becoming addicted to exercising if you feel as if you aren’t reaching your goals in terms of fitness or weight loss. This is where a personal trainer can really keep you motivated and keep your enthusiasm and interest in your workout while changing things up and staying on track of your goals. Take a positive approach to exercise and making specific changes to your lifestyle, you can become addicted to exercising and improve your health in the process.

Here are some tips to become a Healthy Exercise Addict.

  1. Select a type of exercise best aligned with your interests.
  2. Recruit a friend or family member to exercise with you.
  3. Set aside time in your day for exercise.
  4. Exercise at your pace.
  5. Set fitness and training goals.
  6. Keep yourself entertained while you exercise.
  7. Reward yourself (clothing, jewelry, shoes).

Recovery time is an important aspect of physical training and without it you are likely to eventually experience physical symptoms, such as muscle or joint damage, prolonged fatigue, and be more prone to infections. Again, working with a trainer will make sure you aren’t over doing it and prevent you from doing more damage than good.

Don’t let exercise start to take over your life. Have it be an important part of your week, but ensure that you take some recovery time and don’t forget about spending time with those that are important in your life. Liking what you do, will make you want to continue to do it. Make exercise your healthy addiction.

For more articles go to http://lifesportfitness.lifestyleezine.com

Fitness Walking – A Complement to Any Fitness Program

May 16, 2014

Walking for Fat LossI’ve been a personal trainer in Willow Glen for over 25 years.  In those 25 years I’ve suggested a lot of strength training and interval cardio workouts for my clients, because most of my clients come to me to help them get rid of unwanted body fat.  I’ve always felt that “plain old walking”, while valuable as a stress reducer,  just wasn’t enough to improve someone’s fitness level.

I’m going to change my tune on this.  Sort of.  I think walking can be part of a great fat loss program. I think we need to establish how and where walking  fits into a fat loss program, though.

 

 

First, let’s talk about the general benefits of walking:

  • Walking is an incredible form of exercise that can be carried out by most people.
  • It’s a low impact workout which carries a very low risk of injury.
  • It is an activity that requires no equipment (just good shoes, really!).
  • Walking is a great “entry” form of exercise for a new exerciser.
  • Regular walking can help improve some health markers such as blood pressure and blood glucose.

 

Now, let’s move on to how walking can be a valuable part of  a fat loss program.  Because walking is low impact, it’s a great form of recovery exercise in between the high intensity interval workouts I design for my clients.  It’s also a great form of recovery in between strength training days.  So, for my money, walking is the last piece of the fat loss puzzle.  Walking is the longer, lower intensity cardio exercise that you can do on your off days.  You don’t work out as hard, but you go for a longer time.  For me, this is where walking for fat loss is best used.

So, here’s my breakdown of where our efforts lie for the best fat loss program:

Nutrition first, strength training second, intervals third and finally …..walking.

If you’ve been walking  for awhile, you may want to try walking hills on occasion.  If you live near a hilly area, your basic fitness walk may turn into an interval training session as you huff and puff up the hills!

Whether fat loss is your goal, or you’re simply wanting to feel better, lace up your shoes and get yourself out for a walk.  It’s a solid way to support your fat loss efforts!

 

Committed to your success,

Becky

 

Getting the Most From Your Personal Trainer in San Jose

Apr 04, 2014

Selecting a Personal Trainer in San JoseAre you thinking of  hiring a personal trainer to help you lose unwanted fat or improve your fitness? Working with a personal trainer, even if only for a few sessions to get you started, is a great way to achieve goals that can be pretty tough to achieve on your own. The right fitness coach can guide your efforts safely and effectively and re-design your program as your body evolves.  How many successful business owners and athletes do you know that have coaches to propel them further in their business or sport?   Many successful business owners and athletes have solid coaching behind them.  Why shouldn’t YOU have a fitness coach to achieve your goals?

One of the most important things to do at the start is  select the right personal trainer for the job.  The personal training situation is just that—personal.  Make sure that you pick a personal trainer with whom you feel comfortable.  Having a good rapport and good communication with your coach is vital.

Another important aspect when choosing a personal trainer is experience and education.  I’ll be honest, though,  I’ve been a personal trainer in San Jose for many, many years, and only a few people have asked for my credentials when I interview them.  Experience has made me a better trainer, but a formal education in kinesiology was a great foundation.  I don’t think a college degree is necessary to be a great trainer, but I do believe it’s a great foundation.

Before signing on with a personal trainer, interview them a bit and ask questions.   Find out if you’d be comfortable with this person for 2-3 hours a week.  Find out if they’ve worked with people like you before.  Some trainers specialize in certain types of clients (e.g., women only, seniors, high level athletes, figure competitors, etc).  The more they’ve worked with people like YOU, the better they will be able to help you get results.

Once you’ve decided on the personal trainer that fits your needs the most, have a frank discussion with him or her about your goals. This is the only way to ensure that you get the most appropriate training. The more specific your goals, the more specific your training program can be.

Once your training with your new coach has started, make sure that you are doing all that is required of you outside of your coached sessions.  In order to see results you may need to exercise outside of your personal training sessions.  You may need to modify your eating habits or your sleep habits.  Be fully transparent with your trainer regarding your food intake, additional exercise and hydration outside of your personal training sessions. Hydration and rest are exceedingly important because they help the muscles rest after the exercise.

As you can see, getting the most from  your personal trainer isn’t just about the workout he/she gives you.  It’s about what you do the other 165+ hours a week outside of your sessions 😉

Here’s an easy check list to follow as you begin your search for a personal trainer in San Jose:

  1. Establish what you want a personal trainer for. Healthy weight loss, building muscle mass, or becoming a faster runner will all require different expertise.
  2. Interview potential trainers to make sure you connect well and have good rapport before signing on with someone
  3. Find out if a trainer has the right qualifications and experience to help you with your specific goals 
  4. Make sure a trainer you’re interested in is available during the timeframe that is convenient for you to work out.
  5. Ask for references
  6. Be very specific when communicating your goals
  7. Ask about rates, cancellation policies and any contracts that might need to be signed

 If you’re interested in interviewing lifeSport Fitness to see if we’re a good match, please give us a call at 408-265-1540 to set up a complimentary consultation!

We currently offer on-site/in-home personal training in most areas of San Jose (Willow Glen, Cambrian and Almaden), and 8-week small group training programs in the Cambrian area of San Jose.

5, 6, 7, 8, Dance

Mar 01, 2014

A dancer’s body looks so fit – they must get a good workout. There must be some tricks of the trade that can be applied to our every day workout to get some of the same effects. Dance-type exercises will focus more on muscle development and flexibility. Dancers are serious athletes that are continually working out to improve strength, agility, speed, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance in order to prevent injuries. Most people know that they have to exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but it is getting motivated to exercise that is the difficult part. Exercise need not be boring – try dancing!

Pole Dancing
Using pole dancing moves is a great way to get a good workout. It’s a fun activity that will burn tons of calories and give you a toned body. One of the basic moves is climbing which is a perfect beginning exercise to prepare you for learning many others. The basic climbing move is excellent for giving you added strength and flexibility. There are a few different climbing moves and all of them are good for toning the back, legs and arms. The basic climbing move is to use the same concept that you learned in climbing ropes. Feet are together at the base of the pole with arms stretched high above your head, then by alternating the movement of hands and feet, work your way up the pole. Once you’ve master that move, you can try leg hooks, inversion moves and climbing down.

Jazz Dancing
Jazz dancing can spice up any workout because you don’t have to have a partner and you can learn basic moves in a short period of time. One basic move is the Jazz Square. Jazz Square is a fluid, easy dance move where you can complete a square in four short steps. Stand with your feet together and your arms at your side. Begin to step your right foot across your left foot. You then step back, but this time with your left foot. Follow that by stepping to the side with your right foot. Finally, step forward with your left leg. At this juncture, you are ready to step your right leg across your left leg to start yet another Jazz Square. Repeating this can add up to a really good workout routine. Add it to your exercise regime to spice up your cardio exercises.

80s Dance Moves
If you want to really spice up your workout routine, you can go “old-school” and head to the 80s for inspiration. Some of this decade’s biggest dance moves came from popular singers. Try the Fairy Dance, made popular by the group the Smiths. Simply hold out your hands in front of you loosely while you also lower your arms. Begin to wave both hands and arms about as you sway your body to music. Have music going that will keep time to your moves.

A workout routine does not have to be boring. Incorporate some dance moves with your favourite upbeat music and have some fun. You’ll get a great cardio workout while strengthening, toning and developing your muscles while increasing flexibility. With all the physical activity of an intense nature that dancing provides, it is clear that dancing is a great opportunity for you to burn off a lot of calories in any one session. The added bonus of using dance moves to exercise or weight loss is that it doesn’t feel like exercise because you will likely be too caught up in the fun of the dancing activity and therefore be enjoying yourself too much to see that your actually working out.

For more articles go to http://lifesportfitness.lifestyleezine.com

New Trends in Fitness

Jan 07, 2014

A new year, may mean a new workout, something to freshen up your drive to get out and get exercising. Hot fitness trends for 2014 include high-intensity interval training like CrossFit and P90X and body-weight training such as push-ups, pull-ups and planks. Also, yoga is expected to get even more popular. A more detailed list of the top 10 predicted fitness trends is listed below.

The Top 10 Fitness Trends Predicted for 2014

  1. High-intensity interval training, which involves working out as hard as you can for a short burst of time, followed by a short, less-intense period, jumps to the top of this year’s list. These exercise programs are usually performed in less than 30 minutes.
  2. Body weight training uses minimal equipment making it more affordable. Not limited to just push-ups and pull-ups, this trend allows people to get “back to the basics” with fitness.
  3. Kettlebell workouts are definitely one of the hottest fitness trends on the rise right now. Developed in Russia in the 1700s, kettlebells are just starting to gain real momentum in Western gym culture. Kettlebell training can reduce pain in the neck, shoulders and low back by improving their strength, can help you burn additional calories than a workout without them, and can increase your aerobic workout.
  4. Strength training remains a central emphasis for many health clubs. Incorporating strength training is an essential part of a complete physical activity for all physical activity levels and genders. (The other essential components are aerobic exercise and flexibility).
  5. Exercise and weight loss. In addition to nutrition, exercise is a key component of a proper weight loss program. Health and fitness professionals who provide weight loss programs are increasingly incorporating regular exercise and caloric restriction for better weight control in their clients.
  6. Personal training. More and more students are majoring in kinesiology, which indicates that they are preparing themselves for careers in allied health fields such as personal training. Education, training and proper credentialing for personal trainers have become increasingly important to the health and fitness facilities that employ them.
  7. Fitness Programs for Older Adults. As the baby boom generation ages into retirement, some of these people have more discretionary money than their younger counterparts. Therefore, many health and fitness professionals are taking the time to create age-appropriate fitness programs to keep older adults healthy and active.
  8. Functional Fitness. This trend toward using strength training to improve balance and ease of daily living. Functional fitness and special fitness programs for older adults are closely related.
  9. Group Personal Training. In challenging economic times, many personal trainers are offering more group training options. Training two or three people at a time makes economic sense for the trainer and the clients.
  10. Yoga. Based on ancient tradition, yoga utilizes a series of specific bodily postures practiced for health and relaxation. Includes Power Yoga, Yogalates, Bikram, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Kripalu, Anurara, Kundalini, Sivananda and others.

If you’re bored with your usual fitness routine, spice it up. Try something new. Keep yourself excited to continue to exercise to help you boost your weight loss.

For more articles go to http://lifesportfitness.lifestyleezine.com

Finding the Time

Dec 04, 2013

Still wondering how to fit exercise into a busy schedule? Your days are filled from the time you get up until the time you fall into bed exhausted at night, but believe it or not, you still have time to fit some exercise into your day. Here are six ways that you can use to fit exercise into your already busy schedule.

  1. Make Time.
    Just make the time. Initially, it will be a change, but if you can fit in two or three workouts of just 30 minutes a week, you’ll be well on your way to fitness.

  2. Make lunch hour exercise hour.
    Take a half an hour to do some exercise. You can even make it a social affair and invite your work friends to join you in a walk.

  3. Get a buddy.
    Studies show that when you have an exercise buddy, you exercise more. The thinking is that we will go and exercise so we don’t let the other person down.

  4. Exercise early in the day.
    The easiest way to ensure that you’ll exercise for the day is by getting the exercise in early, usually the first thing in the morning. After a little while, it will become a habit and won’t be as difficult having to get up a little earlier.

  5. Combine activities.
    You can exercise and do something else at the same time. Read, watch t.v., even chat on the phone with a friend, all while you workout.

  6. Involve the family.
    Instead of exercise taking you away from family time, make family time a time for some fitness for all. Go for a walk, play soccer at the park, play a game of baseball in the backyard. You and your family will feel much better.

If you still don’t think that you have time for any of the above, you definitely have time to fit some type of activity in to get you fit. Here are three easy tips: do your exercises during commercials, while you cook and before using the bathroom.

You can easily get in two or three minutes of exercise each time with this method. Do this all throughout the day. Keep doing it day after day and you’ll notice the cumulative effect. And for the most part, you won’t even break a sweat. To top things off, short spurts of exercise are proven to do a better job at speeding up the rate of your metabolism than longer workouts. You can try jump rope, doing situps, pushups, wall squats, body weight squats, or jump on a mini-trampoline.

Do high intensity, short interval exercises for five minutes straight. A great exercise for this would be body weight squats. See how many you can do in five minutes. If you manage to make it through this, you can call it a day for exercise after that. Another option is running up and down the stairs for five minutes straight. Five minutes of this and you’ll know you’ve done something, which explains why you only need to do five minutes of this a day.

It doesn’t have to take a lot of exercise or a lot of time to achieve results. Fit a little something into your busy days and you will be well on your way to getting fit.

For more articles go to http://lifesportfitness.lifestyleezine.com

Fitness After Pregnancy

Dec 01, 2013

You have just gone through one of the most stressful processes your body will ever go through. Your body has gone through significant changes during pregnancy and after birth. It is definitely not ideal to engage in diet restrictive weight loss programs during the early days of motherhood. Remind yourself that the weight did not come on in a day;it will take time to lose the weight you’ve gained. You will need all the additional energy and nutrients to meet the extra requirements of feeding and generally looking after your baby. Lose your weight and get fit gradually. Do not use fat burning pills to get the baby fat off. You need to lose weight and tone up through natural methods.

Fitness regime after delivery should include the right amount of exercise along with healthy food habits. Before embarking on your new fitness plan, ensure you talk with your doctor first, discussing when to start, what to eat, and what limitations you have for your situation. Do not try to exercise too much, too soon, as this will ultimately damage your health. It is generally recommended that women wait up to two months before exercising properly. At first, try methods such as going for walks around the neighborhood with your baby in a stroller. You may then begin a regime consisting of simple leg stretches, as well as exercises specifically targeted to tightening the pelvic floor muscle. Sit-ups and planks will also target the abdomen and help you regain strength in your stomach and back muscles and ultimately helping you gain a flatter stomach. Try to work out for about a half an hour each time, aiming to do this around three times a week. It is important to make getting fit after pregnancy fun, so shorter, resistance training exercises can be enjoyable. Relentlessly lifting weights at the gym is monotonous, grinds you down and can end up being counterproductive. Among the best exercises to include in your weight loss regimen are jogging, walking, swimming and playing sports such as tennis and volleyball.

Try the following steps to get your body back:

  1. Start with the right diet. Eat balanced meals and snacks with low fat and sugar counts.
  2. Don’t skip meals. Skipping a meal will lead to snacking and eating more at the next meal.
  3. Eat frequently. Eat several small healthy meals frequently throughout the day.
  4. Drink plenty of water. It’s recommended that you drink at least 10 glasses of water daily. Water will flush toxins from your system and keep you feeling satisfied a full between meals.
  5. If you’re breastfeeding, breastfeed as long as you can. Many mothers find it easier to lose weight while breastfeeding. You can easily burn up to 500 calories daily while breastfeeding.
  6. Adequate sleep is essential. Hard to do with a new baby, but if you sleep when the baby sleeps it will help. Sleep deprivation de-regulates the hormones that control appetite and signals hunger to your brain.

For the last 9 or more months you have been caring for your baby. Now it’s time to shift some of your attention onto yourself. Give yourself some time each week to do something for you. You’ll get your body back and also feel healthier, giving you more energy to help with caring for your new little one.

For more articles go to http://lifesportfitness.lifestyleezine.com

Coming Back From Injury

Nov 10, 2013

If you’ve been inactive for a while due to injury you have to plan your re-entry into a fitness routine carefully. Make sure you have the approval of your Doctor before you start back into any workout routine. Start slow – it will probably feel like you are starting from square one again – and you are, but it won’t take you as long to get back to where you were before the injury. Give yourself time to get back into it. If you lost a month, plan on giving yourself a month to get back on track. You’ve likely lost some strength from being out of your regular workout regime. Start slowly and get reacquainted with your body. Allow your body to tell you how hard to push and when to pull back. For the first couple of weeks back, err on the side of caution. Focus more on getting healthy than losing weight or being able to do what you used to.

Even though your Doctor may have given you the green light to go and return your workout routine, you may feel a little afraid to it in the beginning, worried about re-injury. A great way to get started again is a workout routine in the swimming pool. Start using the resistance of the water to start redeveloping your strength and confidence in your healed injury. Once you feel confident you can start doing activities out of the water.

Get your motivation back. Find a friend to workout with you. A workout partner can help provide you with the encouragement you need to keep up with the everyday or every other day routine. They can also spot you when doing certain exercises so you don’t re-injure yourself.

7 Recovery Steps:

  1. Nutrition – Eat right. A good diet of low starch and sugars, high protein and fiber.
  2. Rest – Get enough sleep so your body can recover.
  3. Warm-up and Cool-down – stretch before and after your workout.
  4. Stick to it – stay motivated and keep up with your routine.
  5. See your Doctor – continue with your appointments and check-ups with your Doctor and any therapy you are receiving.
  6. Mentally Prepare Yourself – stay positive. Tell yourself you will get better and get stronger.
  7. Hire a Trainer – trainers will be able to help you adapt your workout routine to help in the strengthening of your injured area and what to do to prevent re-injury.

With a little commitment and time, you will be pleasantly surprised with how quickly the body will respond to the increase in activity. Soon you will back to your fit and energetic self.

For more articles go to http://lifesportfitness.lifestyleezine.com

Exercise Widow

Oct 19, 2013

There are plenty of women out there who have become ‘exercise widows’. This is because they feel as though their partners are spending too much time out there getting fit instead of spending time at home with the family. This is going to cause a number of problems in the relationship. Thankfully though, there are various ways that you can cope if you believe that you are an exercise widow.

Firstly, tell your partner how you actually feel about them exercising a lot. More often than not, they do not realize what they are doing and will be more than happy to spend some time with you. It is absolutely vital that you do not actually tell them to stop exercising. This is unfair. Just tell them that you miss them. You could talk to them about setting aside a day a week where you two can spend time together.

One of the best tips is to workout together with your partner. You do not need to do it every time, but every once in a while may help. A number of studies have shown that those who exercise with their partners are much more likely to stick to their exercise regime. In addition to this, those that exercise with their partners are much more likely to enjoy a good sex life! Crazy right? Talk to your spouse and see if there is a time of week where you can plan to exercise together. If they do not wish to exercise with you then find out why. There may be a deeper problem with your relationship.

Of course, there will be times when they will need to exercise, and you cannot go with them every time right? In these cases, one of the best things to do is to find your own hobby. It doesn’t matter what you do, you just need to find something that interests you and that you’ll enjoy. Remember, you do not need to spend every waking moment with them.

Spending time exercising with your partner or keeping busy with your own hobbies are great ways to overcome being an exercise widow. Instead of fighting with your partner or trying to get them to cut back or stop exercising, work out a plan with your partner to create a better balance.

For more articles go to http://lifesportfitness.lifestyleezine.com