Leisure Fitness Equipment

Juicing for Pre-workout

May 18th, 2012 by smitchell

Article by active.com, Recommended by Sara Mitchell – Leisure Fitness Wellness Outreach Team

There’s a common myth out there that you should refrain from eating before working out. This notion stems from the belief that your body will tap into its fat reserves if there is no fuel available to burn first.

Although this can be the case, the truth is that your body needs fuel to provide energy for your workout–whether it be cardio or weightlifting. Juicing and blending the right foods can be a quick and easy way to get the right, energy-boosting fuel that your body needs for an effective workout.

There are numerous types of foods that can be juiced or blended. Foods with complex carbohydrates provide some of the best energy-producing fuel, as they supply glucose and are able to convert glucose into energy slowly, giving your muscles a consistent energy supply throughout your workout. Complex carbs are also better for your body because they’re typically found in foods that are loaded with vitamins, minerals and nutrients, such as fruits, vegetables and grains.

Your body takes about five hours to digest fat, three hours for protein and two hours for carbohydrates. For this reason if your workout is a few hours away your meal should consist of a combination of low fat, high carb foods with moderate protein. If your workout is about 90 minutes away–have a snack to energize.

This is where juicing enters the picture…

Enjoy the Great Outdoors During Allergy Season

May 17th, 2012 by Tyler Bastianelli

Written by Barbara Loecher, of prevention.com

Don’t stay stuck inside during allergy season. Here’s how to enjoy the great outdoors without suffering from allergies.

It’s starting! At this very moment, the trees around your home are mobilizing for their first major assault of the season. That’s allergy season, those sneezy, itchy-eyed, congested months from early spring to late fall when trees, then grasses, and finally, weeds bombard the air with pollen. If that weren’t irritating enough, it’s also the time of year when outdoor molds start to release airborne spores. If you’re one of the more than 35 million Americans with seasonal allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, you may already be feeling nostalgic for sleet and slush. You needn’t. The truth is, you can still venture outdoors, and enjoy it too. Here’s how to stay outside, active and virtually symptom-free, all allergy season.

7 Quick Tips to enjoy the outdoors during allergy season…

The Truth About Toning Shoes Do these shoes help you shape up?

May 17th, 2012 by hseador

Article by WebMD.com, Recommended by Hannah Seador, Leisure Fitness – Wellness Outreach Team

Health and fitness experts size up toning shoes.

Can a pair of shoes help you burn more calories, tone your butt, banish cottage cheese thighs, and curb joint pain?

The answer depends largely on who you ask.

Rocker sole shoes started as more of a specialty shoe for people with diabetes or ankle problems, but they are increasingly marketed as toning shoes, and many shoe companies are now in on the game. There are some technical and design differences between shoe brands, but the basic principles remain the same.

These shoes have an unstable, strongly curved sole. Walking in them is akin to exercising on a balance or wobble board in the gym or barefoot along a sandy beach. Advocates say that this instability forces you to use muscles that you otherwise would not — namely those in your feet, legs, butt, and abs — which could lead to weight loss. The shoes can also change your posture and gait and take pressure off of achy, overused joints.

But don’t stop paying your gym dues just yet…

Shape Up Safely for Summer

May 16th, 2012 by dsivak

Article by Abc-7.com– Recommended by Dana Sivak, Leisure Fitness – Wellness Outreach Team

Being healthy and losing weight are not only about crash diets, clothing sizes and numbers on the scale, experts say. Incorporating fitness into your life can boost your confidence and make you feel better inside and out, said the experts, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“Start by throwing away all clothing catalogs with skinny models in skimpy bikinis on the front,” Beth Kitchin, assistant professor of nutrition sciences, said in a university news release. “Then buy a bathing suit that flatters your shape. Going to extremes for weight loss leads to yo-yo dieting and makes you feel bad about yourself.”

“The goal is to be a healthy size for you, so focus your attitude and energy on becoming the best version of yourself and enjoy the journey to health,” added Lauren Whitt, wellness coordinator at the university.

The UAB experts said it’s important to shape up for summer safely, and offered the following tips on how to reach your weight-loss goals:

Smash Your Stress: It’s no secret that stress beats up your body.

May 14th, 2012 by hseador

Article by MensHealth.com – Recommended by Hannah Seador, Leisure Fitness – Wellness Outreach Team

But is the way you deal helping you—or hurting you?

YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD TAKE A FEW DEEP BREATHS WHEN you feel stressed. Instead you inhale a doughnut”(or five). Strange? Not at all. Your strained brain craves instant gratification, often in the form of a quick fix like food or alcohol, says James Herman, Ph.D., a neuroscientist at the University of Cincinnati. “These things activate reward pathways while quieting the amygdala—the emotional, overwrought area of your brain.”

The trouble with the Krispy Kreme cure—besides the inevitable risk of obesity and the powdered sugar on your neckties—is that it’s really just a stress Band-Aid. In the long term you may feel more mentally steamrolled than ever. And when your psyche suffers, so does your body. In fact, in a new Oregon State University study, researchers found that chronically stressed middle-aged men were almost 50 percent more likely to die during an 18-year period than those who experienced fewer stressful events. Which of these guys do you want to be?

Good choice.

Now follow this plan for replacing your current so-called coping strategies with techniques that’ll feel like a shiatsu massage for your mind.

Build Muscle for Better Health: Strength training is about more than getting buff

May 8th, 2012 by hseador

Article by WebMD.com, Recommended by Hannah Seador, Leisure Fitness – Wellness Outreach Team

We all know how important cardiovascular exercise is — how it’s great for your heart, cholesterol, and blood pressure. And whether you choose to walk, bicycle, or jog, you know that any exercise that increases your heart rate helps you burn calories and melt away unwanted pounds.

But that’s only half the equation.

For a balanced fitness program, strength training is essential. It can slow the muscle loss that comes with age, build the strength of your muscles and connective tissues, increase bone density, cut your risk of injury, and help ease arthritis pain.

“Strength training is very important, not just for your muscles but for your bones,” says certified fitness trainer Debbie Siebers. “It’s preventative for [bone-thinning] osteoporosis and other problems.”

Yes, Running Can Make You High

May 7th, 2012 by egardiner

Article by nytimes.com, Recommended by Erin Gardiner, Leisure Fitness – Wellness Outreach Team

THE RUNNER’s HIGH: Every athlete has heard of it, most seem to believe in it and many say they have experienced it. But for years scientists have reserved judgment because no rigorous test confirmed its existence.

Yes, some people reported that they felt so good when they exercised that it was as if they had taken mood-altering drugs. But was that feeling real or just a delusion? And even if it was real, what was the feeling supposed to be, and what caused it?

Some who said they had experienced a runner’s high said it was uncommon. They might feel relaxed or at peace after exercising, but only occasionally did they feel euphoric. Was the calmness itself a runner’s high?

Often, those who said they experienced an intense euphoria reported that it came after an endurance event.

Hit the Surf With Beach Workouts

May 4th, 2012 by smitchell

Article by active.com, Recommended by Sara Mitchell, Leisure Fitness – Wellness Outreach Team

It’s that time of year when we all flock to the beaches. There’s nothing better than hanging out by the ocean, enjoying the sun, the surf and taking it easy. Believe it or not, this place we generally look to for a little relaxation can also be great place for a fun, calorie-burning and heart-pumping workout.

I’ve been teaching boot camp classes for 15 years now and love to take my clients at least once a month for an enjoyable little Gut Check “Hit the Surf” Workout. It breaks it up for me and makes it interesting and exciting for them. You may be asking yourself, “How can a boot camp-style workout be fun?”

Here’s how…

6 Reasons to Start Running

May 3rd, 2012 by ablandine

Article by Women’s Health Magazine, Recommended by Alexis Blandine, Leisure Fitness – Wellness Outreach Team

Though running may not cure everything, it’s been linked to all sorts of health benefits, emotional perks, and even disease prevention.

Here, six reasons to hit the road or hop on the treadmill during your next lunch break:

The Best Time for Your Workout

May 2nd, 2012 by lscheetz

Article by Lindsay Scheetz, Leisure Fitness – Wellness Outreach Team

What is the best time of day to work out?

These days, hardly anyone has a typical nine-to-five day at his or her job. Working night shifts, overtime, or from home are all common occurrences in today’s industrial world. Having errands to run and families to take care of outside of work makes people’s schedules even more different. The busier the day gets, the more difficult it can be to schedule time for physical activity. However, exercising is still important and should remain a top priority, even on a hectic day.

Planning a time to work out can ensure that exercise does happen. Setting aside time for a bike ride or a run will post a mental note, which will help you remember that you have committed to physical activity just like you committed to that meeting in the office at 10 a.m. Also, establishing a routine will promote the efficiency of your workout. Research conducted by the University of North Texas found that working out around the same time every day helps train the body to have the most energy for physical activity at that time.

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