FitBlog

Get T.O.N.E.D at Longwood Fitcorp

2010-07-21T14:35:00.005-04:00

Class: Toned
Date & Time: Thursday 12:05-12:55pm
Instructor: Rachel Coleman

T.O.N.E.D is a class that will benefit anyone from fitness enthusiasts, novice exercisers, to former and current athletes. While this class may seem intimidating. everyone who frequents T.O.N.E.D. leaves completely satisfied.

Warning:

Regularly participating in T.O.N.E.D may result in cardiovascular health, strength, and a new found passion for exercise. Here is what one particular patron of T.O.N.E.D had to say about the class”

"Classes like T.O.N.E.D are few and far between. I look forward to it every week. Rachel sure knows how to push me to my limits. I love how she keeps it fresh every week. Just when I think I’m getting in good shape, she challenges me a little more. I‘ve been an athlete all my life, and been going to the gym regularly for 15 years; I’ve tried my fair share of Group Fitness classes. All I can say is that T.O.N.E.D is the best of the best. It’s also FREE for members! My only complaint is that T.O.N.E.D isn’t held more than once a week!”

Best and Worst Cookout Foods

2010-06-17T12:36:00.002-04:00

Did Your Favorites Make the Cut?
Summer is almost here, and that means outdoor parties and cookouts with friends and family. If you’re trying to eat healthier, it can seem hard to find good choices at the picnic table. But you don’t have to hide out until September just to resist temptation. Whether you're a host or a guest, you can enjoy the best of barbecue season without padding your waistline. Use this guide to choose food that's light, healthy and refreshing at any backyard blowout.

Burgers 'n Dogs
Hamburgers and hot dogs are a big part of summer eating but they don’t have to be a diet disaster. Start with a 100% whole wheat bun instead of white for a healthy dose of fiber and watch the fat content of the meat. The average beef and pork hot dog contains about 180 calories and 17 grams of fat before you add a bun and toppings. Turkey dogs are tasty and won’t sabotage your diet—you can have two of them for less than100 calories. If you’re going for a burger, stay away from the high-fat toppings like cheese, mayo and bacon. Choose cheese slices made with skim milk to reduce the fat content and load your burger with mustard and fresh veggies instead.
To read more.

2010-06-15T09:38:00.000-04:00

Diet:
Problem: Eating three big meals a day.
Solution: More meals (5-6 per day), less food per meal. Most people still stick to the outdated advice of 3 big meals per day. The problem with that advice is most people stagger their meals too far apart often resulting in overeating at each meal. Whatever your body isn’t using for energy gets stored as fat. Eating this way is also metabolically inefficient for calorie burning. By eating before you’re starving at regular 2-3 hour intervals you keep your metabolism working throughout the day often resulting in more energy and more calories burned per day and less food stored as fat.

Problem: Eating processed foods and simple sugars
Solution: Don’t eat anything that comes in a box and avoid simple sugars/carbohydrates. Complex carbs such as those found in brown rice, whole wheat bread etc help regulate glycogen and insulin levels in the body leaving us with more energy for longer periods of time, and tricking the body into feeling fuller longer. Simple carbs such as those found in white bread, white rice, soda etc are processed quickly resulting in quick bursts of increased energy and the subsequent crash. Furthermore if those simple carbs are not being used for energy as you eat them your body will store it as fat! Processed foods have so many negative effects and short comings compared to their non processed counterparts it would take pages to explain. For brevity’s sake, try to only eat foods that ran on land, swam in water, or grew from the earth, minus the human additives. Organic is good.

To learn more about what to eat to fuel your workouts, please contact one of our registered dietitians.

Men Keep Bone Benefits From Early Exercise

2010-06-03T18:42:00.001-04:00

by Joy Keller
Men who participate in sports activities in their late teens enjoy bone-building benefits that stick around for years. This is the case even if they stop training, according to a study published in the August issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (2006; 91 [7], 2600–2604).
Physical activity is known to increase bone mineral density (BMD), which reduces the likelihood of fractures in later life. While people achieve peak BMD after reaching puberty, there is evidence that exercise has the greatest bone-building effect during childhood and early puberty. These researchers wanted to examine the effect of physical activity on BMD “after puberty in men” (something that has not been well investigated) and to explore whether the benefits of early-life exercise for bone strength persist if a person stops training.
To investigate, the scientists followed 63 athletes and 27 nonathlete control subjects for 8 years. The average age was 17 when the study began. At the outset, all the athletes, who were either ice hockey or badminton players, had been training for an average of 10 years and were actively training about 9 hours a week. Their workouts included soccer, long-distance running and strength training. This group had a higher average BMD than the control group.
More than 2 years into the study, the athletes showed increases in BMD compared with the control group. At the second follow-up, about 51/2 years into the study, 27 athletes had ceased training and showed BMD losses compared with their active counterparts. By the third follow-up, almost 8 years after the start, an additional 13 athletes had stopped training. This group showed greater BMD losses than either the controls or the athletes who were still active. However, at this last follow-up, even the athletes who had stopped training had higher BMD measurements than the control group—with gains sufficient to cut their future fracture risk by 50%. Of particular interest to the study authors: the men retained their training benefits in the hip area, where fractures in later life can be particularly crippling.

To maximize your fat loss, try these workouts. For assistance in designing effective, safe workouts, consult with a certified personal trainer.
Go Hard
A great way to perform high-intensity exercise and decrease your body fat percentage is through interval training, which breaks up the work with periods of rest. Not only does interval training allow you to improve your fitness quickly; it is also more effective than continuous exercise for burning lots of calories during exercise and increasing your postworkout metabolic rate. Try one or two of these workouts each week:
•5–6 x 3 minutes at 95%–100% maximum (max) heart rate (HR) with 2-minute active recovery periods
•4 x 4 minutes at 95%–100% max HR with 3-minute active recovery periods
•8–12 x 30 seconds fast with 1-minute active recovery periods
Each of these interval workouts should include a warm-up and a cool-down.
Go Very Long Long runs or bike rides (≥ 1.5–2 hours at 65%–70% max HR) that stimulate mitochondrial synthesis and promote the depletion of glycogen threaten the muscles’ survival, since carbohydrates are muscles’ preferred fuel. In response to this threat, muscles “learn” how to use fat more effectively and over time become better fat-burning machines.

Challenge Question Answer

2010-05-25T09:11:00.002-04:00

True or False: Do you really need to drink sports drinks when you workout?

No, not really. Most people who drink them haven’t worked hard enough to need them. Plain water is great, but I know not as tasty as the variety of sports drinks and flavored waters available on the market. When considering these drinks, be careful. You want to ensure that you are not taking in too many calories, sugars and or carbohydrates. To learn more, read this article.

ANSWER: False

Challenge Question Answer

2010-05-12T09:10:00.002-04:00

Static stretching is often not effective for knots in your muscles. Knots in your muscles don’t stretch because they are stuck. But when you foam roll, WOW, I know it’s painful, but it hits the knot and helps to release it. To learn more about foam rolling or for a list of specific foam roll exercises and to learn proper use and technique contact: sberry@fitcorp.com
To learn more about the benefits of foam rolling, visit http://ow.ly/1IcA5

ANSWER: TRUE

Fattest Cities in America

2010-05-10T10:18:00.000-04:00

You can rest easy. Boston Massachusetts is not the fattest city in America. That accolade belongs to Corpus Christi, Texas. Boston is the 52nd fattest city in America according to Men's Health Magazine.

To arrive at their rankings, they calculated the percentage of people who are overweight, the percentage with type 2 diabetes, the percentage who haven't left the couch in a month (CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System); the money spent on junk food (Bureau of Labor Statistics); and finally, the number of people who ate fast food nine or more times in a month (Mediamark Research). What are the top ten "fat cities" behind Corpus Christi Texas? Charleston, W. VA, El Paso, TX, Dallas, TX, Memphis TN, Kansas City, MO, San Antonio, TX, Baltimore, MD, Houston TX and Birmingham, AL.

Next time you are contemplating your ninth meal of the month at McDonalds, think again. You don't want to be responsible for MA rising in the "Fat City" rankings. If you haven't lifted your bottom of the sofa lately or started working out, make today the day you are going to commit to being a better you... healthier, stronger and thinner. Fitcorp is here to help.

More sobering statistics about smoking, drinking and lack of exercise

2010-05-04T12:22:00.003-04:00

It’s not shocking to learn that smoking, drinking heavily, poor diet and lack of exercise is devastating to your health, but the level of devastation might be. A recent study that tracked 5,000 British adults for 20 years found that these four common bad health habits, combined, can age a person by up to 12 years! The study was reported in a recent Boston Globe article.

A person is considered to be practicing these bad habits if they smoke cigarettes, drink more than three alcoholic beverages a day for men (two for women), exercise less than two hours per week, and eat fruits and vegetables less than three times a day, the study said.

Another sobering statistic from the study showed that, of the 314 people who had all four unhealthy behaviors, 91 died (29 percent), compared to only 8 percent of those who didn’t practice any of the bad habits.

To learn more about the study, read the article, and let us know what you think: http://ow.ly/1Fg4N

Challenge Question Answer

2010-05-03T09:16:00.001-04:00

Interval training alternates fast and slow speeds and can be performed on a variety of cardiovascular equipment, including: stairmaster, elliptical, rowing machine or treadmill. A 2005 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed 6 of 8 individuals doubled their endurance with just 2 weeks of interval training. Give it a try! To discuss an interval training program with a Fitcorp Trainer, contact: Sam Berry (sberry@fitcorp.com).

ANSWER: TRUE

Challenge Question Answer

2010-04-26T11:46:00.003-04:00

The American Council on Exercise recently published a study, which showed that a specific kettlebell workout burned as many calories as running at a 6-minute mile pace. You can get your strength and aerobic workouts in simultaneously. Now that’s efficient! Yes, of course the kettlebell workout was a challenging one and something to work up to, but you can start with learning the basics, and before you know it, you’ll feel like you just ran your fastest mile since college. Many Fitcorp locations have group kettlebell training sessions available as well as one-on-one instruction.

ANSWER: TRUE

Click the link to learn more about the study http://ow.ly/1CbKM

Challenge Question Answer

2010-04-20T09:52:00.001-04:00

According to a recent study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, people who exercised with partners lost at least 5 percent of their body weight while those who exercised alone lost less than 5 percent. Not only can working out with a friend be fun, help keep you consistent and motivated, it also develops healthy competition, which can help you reach your fitness goals. So grab a gym buddy you already know at Fitcorp, or bring a new workout buddy to Fitcorp so you can reach your goals together!

ANSWER: TRUE

Read more about the study and let us know what you think http://ow.ly/1zkQh

Challenge Question Answer

2010-04-12T11:57:00.001-04:00

For years, we’ve been hearing our members say they don’t want to challenge their muscles by lifting heavier weights because they want to achieve a lean, toned look. So instead, they choose to lift lighter weights and do extra repetitions, thinking it is the best way to get the physique they have been longing for. The fact is, lifting heavier weights only makes you big and bulky if you combine it with a heavy daily calorie consumption.

Multiple studies in the past decade have concluded that challenging your muscles and doing fewer repetitions is the best way to get the lean muscle tone that so many people are looking for (combined with a well-balanced healthy diet, of course).

The New York Times set the record straight last week on this old exercise myth. Read the article and let us know what you think. http://ow.ly/1wDrv

ANSWER: False

Challenge Question #1 Answer

2010-04-05T12:15:00.002-04:00

Although cardiovascular exercise can be a good warm up for strength training, you may consider reversing the order if you are doing a particularly challenging cardio session that day so you don’t deplete all of your energy stores. It takes some experimenting to determine what works best for you based on the intensity and style of the cardio and strength workouts you plan to do. A Fitcorp Trainer can help you determine the best order based on your work-out program, contact: Sam Berry (sberry@fitcorp.com), he can set you up with a trainer that will help you meet your workout goals.

Answer: It’s up to you.

For more information visit: http://ow.ly/1uFbr

Study: Women Need an Hour of Daily Exercise to Stay Fit

2010-04-02T09:02:00.003-04:00

A new study from The Journal of the American Medical Association came out last week saying that women need to exercise one hour a day to keep their weight stable as they get older. But we want to know how many hours per day men have to work out as they get older to remain fit? The Boston Globe wrote a story about this last week, but we want to hear from you. Read the article and let us know what you think. http://ow.ly/1sMFu

3rd Annual Fitcorp Company Challenge

2010-03-29T12:48:00.013-04:00

The 3rd Annual Fitcorp Company Challenge was held at the Boston Racquet Club on Saturday, March 20th. With the defending champions, One Beacon St., walking in with the trophy in-hand, teams were geared up and ready to bring the trophy home to their club!

The Company Challenge was born to bring the entire company of Fitcorp together for an evening of food, games and fun. With busy schedules and other center happenings going on all the time, it is difficult to get together and interact with other Fitcorp peers. The Company Challenge boast games such as sumo wrestling, jousting, ping pong, four square, and an obstacle course, among many others.

The competitive side of everyone always shines through at this event to see which team will prevail in the end. The last event of the night is always a “Spirit Competition” where each club performs a skit in front of the owners to be judged. With tight competition throughout the night, the BRC went into the Spirit Competition in first place. After some great laughs and hysterical mannerisms, Longwood came from behind to pull out the overall victory and walk away with the trophy!

In the end, it was a successful night, with great friends and coworkers. It’s days like these that make a person glad he/she works for Fitcorp.

The Workout Distractions Debate

2010-03-22T10:20:00.001-04:00

Have we gone too far with our iPods, Kindles and portable DVD players while we exercise?

Don’t get us wrong, any workout is better than not working out at all, but if your fitness goal is to have six-pack abs or cross the finish line on Marathon Monday, these distractions could be slowing your pace, taking the focus off your form, and limiting your true potential.

But for many people around the world, it is these electronic distractions that single-handedly give them the motivation to go to the gym on a regular basis. So, are they good or bad? Wow. … This is a tough one.

The New York Times touched on this interesting debate in an article last week. So, where do you weigh-in? Read the article and let the arguments begin.

Guest Fitblog: Val

2010-03-19T09:50:00.001-04:00

Hey fitness lovers! My name is Val and I’m a 22-year-old student at Northeastern University who leads a busy life both in and outside of Boston. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been overweight. But unlike most overweight people, I have never lost my confidence. While I am ashamed of how unhealthy I became, I am proud that I have embraced the opportunity to fix it. In the past, I have tried going to the gym but just couldn’t stick with it. After reevaluating my life towards the end of last year, I decided that when I started this final co-op cycle, I was going to start something else too: my new life.

After leaving my job interview last fall at Reservoir Place in Waltham, I noticed that there was a FitCorp right in the building, which sparked my interest. And after starting my job in January, one of the first emails I received was to sign up for FitCorp’s “Ultimate Loser Challenge.” Instantly, I was intrigued. I knew that having a fire lit under me and having teammates depending on my weight loss would motivate me. I started this challenge at the heaviest weight I’ve ever been and have lost 20 lbs in two months, which has already brought my BMI down nearly 3 percent. My goal for this six-month co-op cycle is to lose at least 40 lbs (hopefully more!) and my long-term goal is to lose 70 lbs by the end of the year (of course toning myself along the way).

Since the challenge started, I have been attending two training classes a week along side other Ultimate Loser competitors, but have also been meeting with the trainer on my own once a week. The trainers/staff at FitCorp in Waltham are great and always willing to help! I’m at the gym Monday through Friday every week. On days when I’m not in a fitness class (and even some days when I am) I try to do at least 45 minutes to an hour on an elliptical and then various weight training on machines.

Throughout the weeks of the Ultimate Loser Challenge, I have attended these classes: Power of Speed (spinning and weights), Circuit City (circuit weight training), Highway to Bell (kettlebell training), Do you think you can ply? (plyometrics), and Core til you Crawl (core training). I love it! Having different classes every week that focus on different aspects of fitness has been really informative for me. I now know that when these classes are through, I’d love to take a spinning class and that if I want to burn a quick 600-800 calories, I can swing around a kettle bell for 30 minutes.

I’ve also started the “Couch to 5K” running training program. Running is something that I’ve never been good at due to a knee problem. This program starts you off slow and gradually introduces running for long periods of time, something that seemed realistically achievable to me. Eventually, once I start to become a better runner, I would love to set my sights on completing a half marathon.

Being a part of this challenge has changed my life. I decided early on that exercising was not enough and that I needed to count calories and eat healthier too. I found some online tools and started a new life of eating right and exercising. Every week I shop for fresh foods and cook healthy meals that I weigh out and portion correctly. I have learned about how to get out of plateaus and zig-zagging calories. And the most informative thing of all was the knowledge that eating too little can stunt your weight loss and ultimately slow down your metabolism. I’m finally losing weight the healthy way and I feel good about myself and have a lot more energy!

Fitcorp Members of the Month: March

2010-03-17T08:00:00.001-04:00

We are proud to announce the March 2010 “Fitcorp Members of the Month.” This honor is just a small tribute to these members’ dedication to fitness, positive attitudes, and embodiment of what it means to be a Fitcorp member.

Cindy Jones (Prudential):

Cindy has been a dedicated member of Fitcorp for 19 years. She has participated in Fitcorp’s Book Club and also recently took part in our Ultimate Loser competition. Within the last few months, Cindy has lost over 20 pounds and has an amazing new attitude towards life and fitness. Fitcorp would like to congratulate Cindy on all of her accomplishments, as well as her determination to achieve her fitness goals.

Thank you Cindy for your continued involvement and for all of your hard work!

Sulpicio Soriano (Longwood):

Sulpicio has been a member at Fitcorp since 1989! He regularly participates in many of our group fitness classes as well as a strength training every morning before work! He is a prime example of how exercising on a regular basis can keep you healthy and allow you to live a longer and fuller life! He is a great representative of what every member of Fitcorp is trying to achieve.

Interval Training Can Cut Exercise Hours Sharply

2010-03-01T09:12:00.001-05:00

By MARIA CHENG
The Associated Press
Thursday, February 25, 2010; 12:28 AM

LONDON - People who complain they have no time to exercise may soon need another excuse.

Some experts say intense exercise sessions could help people squeeze an entire week's workout into less than an hour. Intense exercise regimens, or interval training, was originally developed for Olympic athletes and thought to be too strenuous for normal people.

But in recent years, studies in older people and those with health problems suggest many more people might be able to handle it. If true, that could revolutionize how officials advise people to exercise - and save millions of people hours in the gym every week. It is also a smarter way to exercise, experts say.

"High-intensity interval training is twice as effective as normal exercise," said Jan Helgerud, an exercise expert at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. "This is like finding a new pill that works twice as well ... we should immediately throw out the old way of exercising."

Intense interval training means working very hard for a few minutes, with rest periods in between sets. Experts have mostly tested people running or biking, but other sports like rowing or swimming should also work.

Helgerud recommends people try four sessions lasting four minutes each, with three minutes of recovery time in between. Unless you're an elite athlete, it shouldn't be an all-out effort.

"You should be a little out of breath, but you shouldn't have the obvious feeling of exhaustion," Helgerud said.

In Britain and the U.S., officials recommend that people get about two and a half hours each week of moderate exercise.

Helgerud says that time could be slashed dramatically if people did interval training instead. He said officials have been too afraid of recommending intense training, fearing it might be too much for some people.

"I'm much more afraid of people not exercising at all," he said. "Inactivity is what's killing us."

When compared to people on a normal exercise routine, like jogging, research has shown those doing interval training can double their endurance, improve their oxygen use and strength by more than 10 percent, and their speed by at least 5 percent. Even studies in the elderly and in heart patients found they had better oxygen use and fitness after doing interval training.

Still, most studies have been done in young, healthy adults, and experts advise people to consult a doctor before starting any fitness program.

For Adamson Nicholls, a 36-year-old Londoner and martial arts enthusiast, interval training is a way to boost his endurance so he can outlast sparring opponents. "It's a shortcut to explosive fitness," he said, adding the training results in snappier and heavier punches.

Using interval training, Nicholls got into top shape last year in about six weeks, using weekly 45-minute sessions. He estimates the same level would have taken about three months via regular training.

Experts say that's because intense bursts of activity are precisely what the body needs to build stronger muscles. Traditional workouts lasting an hour or more simply don't push the body enough.

"A lot of the (benefits) from exercise are due to a stress response," said Stephen Bailey, a sports sciences expert at the University of Exeter. "If you disturb your muscles, there's an imbalance created and your body will start signaling pathways that result in adjustments."

Bailey said intense bursts of exercise help the body to convert one type of muscle fiber into another type that uses oxygen more efficiently and is capable of exercising a lot longer. Even though interval training only takes a few minutes, its effects last for hours.

"You've exercised at such a high intensity that you're going to create a massive disturbance in your muscles," Bailey said. That creates a higher metabolism for several hours afterward, which the body will bring down by burning fat and carbohydrates.

Helgerud and others predicted that as further studies confirm interval training is safe for wider populations, authorities will include it in their exercise guidelines.

"This is definitely the way forward to save time on your exercise," Nicholls said. "The results are worth it."

Forever Young - You Can Be Fit at Any Age

2010-02-08T12:37:00.003-05:00

“Determination is why mentally I feel like I am 25, physically I am 35 and, I bet, no one in here could guess my real age. Shhhh, my 80th birthday was Thursday, (January 28th. 2010)”

Tony Costa is a life long Boston resident and a recent member here at Fitcorp. At nearly 80 years old, we had to know where he finds his strength and motivation to spend up to three hours a day here, 5 – 6 days a week, doing everything from spinning to free weights. Recently, we got a chance to sit down with Tony to ask him how he does it.

Tony’s fitness path started out when he was just 12 years old. In the years that followed, his active lifestyle grew quickly and soon Tony was an avid boxer. As his fitness level developed, so did Tony’s interest in other activities. After spending over 20 years cycling and walking 10 miles a day, Tony’s dedication level grew when he purchased a spin bike so he could continue to spin and walk 10 miles while being a companion to his wife, Helen.

Tony’s dedication to fitness is an example for everyone to follow. “When I walk in here I am half asleep but I do it to stay active. Fitness is all about determination and drive. Love yourself and do something to keep your heart alive. I appreciate Fitcorp for its energetic staff, which makes sure to wake me up most days. Most importantly I value its positive attitudes. Without a positive attitude I would have never made it to 80, never mind 25 or 35.”

Tony continues to be a positive influence on all of us here at Fitcorp and acts as an inspiration to other members by reminding everyone to “keep it up”. His fitness plan is something that should not only be admired, but also practiced. Tony’s commitment to staying fit reminds everyone, “If I can do it at 80, you have no excuses.”

Americans Excercising Less In 2009 Than 2008

2010-01-20T14:16:00.002-05:00

Though it might seem like Americans are becoming more health conscious every year, we at Fitcorp recently came across some interesting, yet disappointing findings.

Last Friday, the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index revealed that Americans (overall) exercised less in 2009 than they did in 2008. While the percentage of Americans who said they exercised for at least one day a week for 30 minutes or more was only down one percentage point for the year (68.1% in 2009, down from 69.1% in 2008), the more troubling statistic came from the year-over-year comparison, which showed it was down from the previous year in 10 out of the 12 months.

With so much evidence today about the mental and physical benefits of getting regular exercise, we at Fitcorp are confused as to why it took a back seat in ’09?
Is this statistic going to be the same this year or are we going to make up the lost ground in 2010?

Read the article and let us know your thoughts: http://ow.ly/YbSa

Pregnant and Fit: Andrea Goldstone

2010-01-12T10:21:00.005-05:00

I’ve always been passionate about health and fitness, and as a high school and college athlete, exercise science was a clear path for me. I not only love working out and feeling healthy, but I also enjoy helping others accomplish their goals and changing their lives – which led me to Fitcorp. I worked as a trainer at our BRC location for 4 years, followed by 2.5 years as Client Service Manager at Fitcorp’s Summer Street location, and am now a General Manager at our Copley location. I’ve enjoyed every position I’ve held at Fitcorp and love working with a group of people who share the same passion for fitness as I do. It’s also a nice perk to have fitness equipment in your office, as there are no excuses for not exercising.

Last spring I decided that I wanted to get back on track with running and really focus on speed and less on long distances. I can honestly say through the Cardio Transformation group training program at Summer Street Fitcorp, I got myself into the best running shape of my life in a matter of 12 weeks. I recently ran a timed mile faster than what I did in college. At 29, I was pretty excited about this accomplishment! I also was able to run 7-8 miles comfortably. Previously 4 miles was about my distance limit. Speed and interval work was a huge missing link in my past running programs, and this program really brought the pieces together for me. In addition to 3 days of running per week and 2 days on the Stairmaster for cross training, I also strength trained 3 days a week.

On my one-year wedding anniversary in September, I found out I was pregnant and was very excited! I knew this would bring some changes to my work-out program but vowed that I would still continue to work out and have always said that I would exercise until the day I gave birth (We’ll see if I can keep that promise!). The first 2 months of pregnancy presented its challenges because I was so tired and not quite up to par, but I continued to exercise anyway. I subtracted the intervals and speed work from my program but continued running 3-4 miles a few days a week. I continued this until about 8 weeks of pregnancy at which point I found my running endurance was more of a challenge and my posture/gait was starting to change. For the next 4 weeks I split up my miles and incorporated them with my strength training (run a mile, do a circuit of strength work, run another mile, etc.). At 12 weeks, I decided running just wasn’t as enjoyable now that I’m pregnant and decided to work on the Stairmaster and elliptical for the rest of my pregnancy. Some people can run through their entire pregnancy and I envy them.

I’m currently 21.5 weeks and due on May 17. With the exception of battling a recent cold, I’ve stayed pretty consistent on my 5-day-a-week workout plan (5 days cardio and 2 days strength training). On the days I do strength training, I do 30 minutes of cardio, and on other days, I try to do 45 minutes - 1 hour. Exercise is definitely more challenging, but I feel so much better after I do it! Stretching is a bit more challenging now that I can’t lie on my back, but I find ways to do it. Stepping on the scale and seeing the numbers climb despite my efforts in the gym has been something I’ve had to adjust to. It really bothered me at first, but now I understand that it’s out of my control and I’m gaining weight because my baby needs it. I’ve realized that, even with this happening, I can still be fit!

I’ve read so many positive articles on exercising and pregnancy and I am keeping my fingers crossed that my labor will be short and sweet since I’ve kept my body strong and fit (Stay tuned for that update in May!). There’s not question about it, exercising while you are pregnant is harder, but you feel SO much better…it’s well worth the extra sweat. On that note, I’m heading to the Stairmaster! Stay tuned for next week’s workout…

Fitcorp is proud to help Women's Resource Center in Boston

2009-12-17T16:16:00.002-05:00

Fitcorp is committed this year to helping the families from the Women's Resource Center in Boston have one gift under the tree this year for each of the family members. Help us help them. Gift cards are always great.

Please review the list of items. Let us know who you can purchase a gift for and what Fitcorp you can drop the gift off. Please bring your marked (with name of person the gift is for) and wrapped gift to any Fitcorp by Dec 22. Email cindy@otwadv.com or call us at 781-729-7229 for more details.

• Lexis Age 10. Toys”R”Us gift card
• Faith Age 2. Gift card to Toys”R”Us or age appropriate toy
• Marie Age 18. Gift card for a winter coat
• Female Age 3. Doll Set
• Chris Age 16. Clothing gift card
• Richema Age 18. clothing gift card
• Alexis Age 16. Clothing Gift card
• Caleb Months old. toys for infant or gift card to Target, Walmart or Toys”R”Us
• Male Age 14. Gift Card
• Samantha Age 17 College Dorm supplies

Did This Doctor Break the Law?

2009-12-16T10:08:00.001-05:00

Just when it seems like things can’t get any worse for Tiger Woods, the whirlwind of speculation and rumors surrounding him have now become sports-related.

The New York Times website reported Monday that a Canadian doctor who treated Woods at least four times after his knee surgery in 2008, is now being investigated by the FBI for allegedly supplying professional athletes with performance-enhancing drugs.

The Canadian sports medicine pioneer, Dr. Anthony Galea, was found with Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and Actovegin, a drug extracted from calf’s blood, in his medical bag at the U.S.-Canadian border in late September, and was later arrested on October 15, the report said. Prescribing HGH is legal in Canada, and is acceptable for some purposes in the United States, but using, selling, or importing Actovegin is illegal in the United States.

Galea became famous in the professional sports world for his development of a blood-spinning technique called platelet-rich plasma therapy, which is an FDA-approved injection-based therapy that speeds up a person’s recovery after surgery. He said he has been using HGH for personal use for 10 years but has never given it out to any professional athletes.

So, we at Fitcorp are wondering if the law is actually being broken here?

Read the article, and let us know what you think?

What do you have to lose but some weight?

2009-12-09T03:00:00.000-05:00

We spend our days here at Fitcorp trying to convince the 60% of American's who are overweight that joining Fitcorp will make their lives better. They will feel better, look better and be healthier. It is so hard to see people choose an inactive lifestyle over a healthy lifestyle when the benefits of a regular fitness routine are so profoundly beneficial to everyone.
What makes our jobs here have significant meaning is when we hear back that we did "make a difference". It is the gas that keeps our engines going.
I mean we see folks every day making new and better choices with their lives but when it is validated, it is an amazing feeling.
Below is a letter that we received from a member who has tasted her own personal victory and she feels better now because of it.
We want everyone to feel the benefits of a healthier and more active lifestyle. That is why we are offering a once in a lifetime deal. It's our way of helping you get in better shape. Take the plunge at Fitcorp and you too can start feeling better each and every day.

What do you have to lose but some weight?
Gary Klechenski
President. Fitcorp.

Dear Scott:
As we wind up our Challenge this morning (I'll be there for the weigh-in soon), it seemed the appropriate time to offer some words of praise for Brendon and for the Challenge itself. While my team is finishing last (or, as Brendon in his typically positive way puts it, "tied for third"), and while I didn't lose as much weight as I'd hoped, I'll still come away a winner. Why? Because I'm wearing clothes I haven't been able to wear in 3 years. Because I am sleeping better and have more energy. Because my commitment to getting in peak condition and then staying healthy has been renewed. And because I have learned an amazingly broad range of new ways to work out. All of this is due to Brendon and his Challenge.

I've known Brendon for years now, through my membership at Fitcorp, and I have always liked him and had high regard for him (as I do for all of you who work here at Reservoir Place Fitcorp; your team is exceptional.). However, the experience of going through all these classes with Brendon has given me a new and profound respect for his knowledge, his professionalism, and his ability to inspire. Brendon demonstrated in every class his command of physical conditioning, and his ability to adapt exercises to accommodate individual needs. I am the oldest participant in this project, and I have rotator cuff issues, joint issues and I managed to break a toe in the last week, but Brendon never let my issues slow the class down nor allowed me to slack off. He seamlessly adjusted whatever we were doing (weights, core work, "boot camp", whatever) to make it possible for me to learn, get a good workout and remain a good team member, and he did so without interrupting the flow for the others.

Perhaps most importantly, Brendon has the gift to inspire his pupils. He may be demanding (that's the point of the Challenge, I think), but he is ceaselessly positive, too. He never, ever makes anyone (even me) feel inadequate or foolish, and he is endlessly encouraging, making us feel we actually cando it. And so we do. That's a gift.

The proof of all this is that I (and everyone I've talked to who participated) can't wait for Round Two. We know we're going to learn, that we're going to challenge ourselves, that we're going to be smarter and stronger and healthier, and that regardless of where we place in the contest, we're going to be winners. I'll never be able to adequately thank Brendon for all of that. We-and Fitcorp- are lucky to have him!

Best regards,
Laurie

Fitcorp Hosts Seminar for Boston’s Corporate Community on the Economic Benefits of Fitness and Wellness Programs

2009-11-11T02:00:00.002-05:00

Last Friday, November 6, 2009 Fitcorp conducted a seminar for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce on the economic benefits of corporate fitness and wellness programs. Over the past 12 months the economic climate has made companies think long and hard about wellness initiatives. What has been interesting to us at Fitcorp is that for the most part, after careful consideration, our clients have opted to continue with the wellness and fitness benefits they provide their employees through Fitcorp. They determined that the up-side far outweighed the financial burdens. It is a proven fact that many of the health problems that are driving up health care costs can be avoided through diet, exercise and other preventive health measures. By promoting exercise, nutrition, smoking cessation and other health promotion programs we can improve the quality of one’s life and dramatically reduce healthcare costs. With the increase of healthcare initiatives in discussion in our legislature, this was a hot topic that we knew would be an interesting topic for many companies.
The seminar consisted of a panel discussion led by Mike Parent, Fitcorp’s Senior Vice President. The panelists were James Blue, President and CEO of The Bostonian Group, Helen Durkin, Director of Government Relations for the International Health, Racquet Assoication, and Tina Wiskow, Sr. Benefits Project Manager, John Hancock Financial Services.

Mr. Blue discussed how companies have seen their health insurance premiums increase by over 80% since 2000. Much of these costs are attributed to illnesses that are preventable. Clearly, there is a need for employers to help their employees establish healthy lifestyles. What money that is invested in preventative healthcare and wellness is paid back exponentially.

Ms. Wiskow described the types of health promotion programs that the John Hancock Financial Services has implemented over the past 10 years. Subsidized health club memberships, health risk appraisals, walking clubs and weight loss programs have been implemented. The result has been a win/win situation for the employee and John Hancock. As a healthier workforce has had a positive impact on the company’s bottom line resulting in lower health care costs, improved productivity, fewer medical claims and reduce absenteeism.

Finally, Ms. Durkin discussed two of the legislative bills that have been proposed on the federal level. The first is the Workforce Health Improvement Program (WHIP) Act. Under current law, employers and employees may be discouraged from offering or using a health benefit of membership to a health club. That's because while employees are not taxed for the benefit of using an in-house workout facility, they are forced to report the benefit of a membership to an off-site fitness facility as additional income. This forces employers to deal with more IRS paperwork and increases employees' taxes for using their benefits. This act would resolve this tax inequity.

The second bill proposed in Washington is the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act, which will significantly reduce physical fitness costs for the American public, giving them a greater incentive to join a fitness facility or purchase exercise equipment. This will help individual fitness facilities by making fitness facility memberships even more affordable.

The discussion was lively and gave us all pause to consider the real benefits we provide our employees when we bring wellness and fitness into our workplaces

Fitcorp has been helping Boston’s Business Community reduce their health care costs for over 30 years. For more information on how we can help your company call Mike Parent at 617 375-5600 x114.

Four Reasons You’re Not Losing Fat

2009-08-05T10:52:00.003-04:00

Effective Fat Loss Programs:Dr Berardi’s Precision Nutrition System Dr Walsh’s Fat Is Not Your Fault Program
Fat loss can be a complicated subject to teach, because there are so many possible limiting factors in a person’s ability to lose fat.

There’s the exercise part – which plays a huge role.
There’s the diet part – another major player.
There’s the psychology – which is a stumbling block for many recreational exercisers.
And there’s the social part – which many believe plays a massive, but under appreciated role.

But what happens if you’ve got the diet and the exercise part down pat; if your social support is great; your psychology on track… and you still can’t lose fat?
Well, that’s when you’ve gotta dig deeper physiologically. That’s when you have to look to the 4 major physiological systems that could be holding you back. These include:
1. Your oxygen delivery system
2. Your blood sugar management system
3. Your adrenal system
4. Your digestive system
Now, I want to be real honest here. 85% of those folks who follow Precision Nutrition, those folks who nail down the exercise, diet, psych, and social parts of the fat loss equation, do very well. Under normal physiological situations, the body has no problem giving up the fat, as long as the basics – discussed above – are covered.
However, there’s always that other 15%: folks who seem to be doing everything else right but still can’t lose fat. What’s up with them?
Well, assuming they really are on track, they’re likely experiencing abnormal physiological situations where fat loss is quite difficult because the body isn’t functioning as it should.
It’s kind of like planting a garden. Sunshine and water are requirements for a garden to grow, just like diet and exercise are necessary for fat loss. But even with all the sunshine and water in the world, your garden won’t grow if the soil is unhealthy.
In other words, you can diet and exercise all you want, you can develop a strong social support circle, and you can get your head screwed on right. But if your body — your soil — is not working properly, neither will your weight loss program.
So let’s dig a little deeper and discuss the big 4 physiological situations that might be preventing you from losing fat.

Fat Loss Barrier #1: The oxygen delivery system

The cells of your body run primarily on two things: oxygen and glucose. If either one of these is deficient in any way, hundreds of trillions of cells in your body will not work correctly.

Oxygen -- The cells of your body produce something called ATP or, adenosine triphosphate. ATP is the basic energy source for your body and allows each cell of your body to do what it does. Without ATP, nothing works correctly. In fact reduced ATP production is one of the hallmarks of the aging process.

While there are many nutrients that help with the production of ATP, one of the most fundamental components is oxygen. If your cells are not receiving adequate amounts of oxygen, nothing in your body will work correctly… including weight loss.

In conventional medicine, a decrease in the ability to deliver oxygen to cells is often called anemia, a condition referring to a quantitative and/or qualitative deficiency in red blood cells’ ability to deliver oxygen to the tissues and organs of the body.
While a full discussion on anemia and your body’s inability to deliver oxygen to cells is too extensive to cover here, you can start by getting your doctor to run standard blood work, which should include RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCH, MCHC, iron, ferritin and transferrin.
You can view more about this topic, including an important video on blood chemistries here.

Fat Loss Barrier #2: The blood sugar management system

Blood sugar balance is the focus of virtually every diet book from The Pritikin Diet to The Atkins Diet. And with good reason: imbalanced blood sugar levels are at the crux of many health issues, including being overweight.
When talking about blood sugar balance, for simplicity’s sake, there are two possibilities:
1. Insulin resistance - chronically elevated blood sugar levels
2. Hypoglycemia - blood sugar fluctuations – sometimes it’s high and sometimes it’s low.
Both of these imbalances result in elevated insulin.

Insulin resistance -- When someone is insulin resistant, glucose can no longer effectively enter into the cell. Because blood sugar is not adequately entering the cells, it stays in general circulation rather than being stored. As a result, the body produces higher levels of insulin to remove glucose from the blood stream, which causes even greater metabolic dysfunction.

Hypoglycemia -- Individuals with hypoglycemic tendencies will have periods of low blood sugar and therefore surges of insulin, rather than chronically elevated levels. During periods of low blood sugar, adrenaline is often used to elevate blood sugar, causing a sharp rise in glucose and insulin. The table below highlights some of the symptoms associated with each imbalance.

Hypoglycemic tendencies Insulin resistant tendencies
Feels better after meals Feels tired after meals
Sugar cravings before meals Sugar cravings after meals
May have difficulty staying asleep at night May have difficulty getting to sleep at night

There are numerous problems with insulin surges. You can read more about them here. Blood sugar imbalances are typically assessed through routine blood work run by your doctor.

Fat Loss Barrier #3: The adrenal system

The adrenal glands are your body’s primary defense for managing stress.
When the adrenal glands are activated, they produce a number of hormones that help your body deal with both acute and chronic stressors. One such hormone is cortisol.
Cortisol’s primary function is to increase blood sugar levels so your brain, muscles and organs have enough fuel to get you through a stressful situation. Problems occur when stress becomes chronic.

Chronically elevated cortisol levels increase blood sugar levels, which then elevate insulin levels. This, among other things, will stop you from burning fat no matter what exercise or diet program you follow.
There are many chronic stressors in today’s society including mental/emotional stress, food sensitivities, blood sugar imbalances, infections (i.e. parasitic, bacterial), excessive exercise… basically anything that is a perceived stress on the body.
The most effective way of assessing adrenal gland function is the Adrenal Salivary Test. This test uses four salivary samples throughout the day and assesses levels of salivary cortisol and DHEA.
Most integrated and holistic doctors run this test and you can learn more about it, as well as a more thorough discussion on adrenal physiology here.

Fat Loss Barrier #4: The gastrointestinal system

A properly functioning gastrointestinal system is critical for overall health and well-being. In fact, we should start treating our gut with care if we are interested in weight loss.
How do you know if you have a dysfunctional digestive system? Any of the following symptoms can indicate gastrointestinal issues:
• gas
• bloating
• burping after meals
• inadequate digestion (feeling like you have a brick in your stomach after you eat)
• undigested food in your stools
• foul smelling stools
• constipation
• diarrhea
• burning in the stomach
• bad breath
• nausea
Additionally, hormonal imbalances, migraines, allergies, eczema, and autoimmune disease all have links to the gastrointestinal system.
A dysfunctional gastrointestinal system can virtually ruin your chances of weight loss. From a compromised immune system, to a stress hormone imbalances, to an altered sex hormones, to blood sugar irregularities — many of these problems start in the gut.
One of the best ways to stop a vicious GI-related cycle is to control inflammation and identify food sensitivities. A strict elimination diet for a period of 3-6 weeks has helped countless people alleviate their gastrointestinal issues. Talk with your doctor for more information or visit this link for the many different ways our gastrointestinal system impacts the rest of our body.
Summary
Despite what you might hear, fat loss is NOT just about diet and exercise. Physiology plays a very important role. And today, our physiologies are more out of whack than ever in human history.
If your diet and exercise program is not working for you, do yourself a favor and tend to your garden. The better your physiology works, the healthier you will be and the better your program will work for you.

About Dr Walsh’s Fat Is Not Your Fault
Dr Walsh’s new program is designed for those folks doing everything right - but are experiencing sub-optimal health and body composition. All because of some underlying physiological problem. Fat Is Not Your Fault provides everything you need to test for - and correct - the most common - but under treated hormonal and foundational health problems. So if you think you might be experiencing “abnormal physiology” - and would like to get to the bottom of it - Fat Is Not Your Fault is definitely for you.
Categories: Advanced Diet and Sports Nutrition Blog, Newsletters, Research Reviews
© 2000 - 2009, Precision Nutrition Inc.

One Step at a Time: The David Wheeler Story

2009-05-06T13:07:00.005-04:00

“Before, I would go work out, and when I finished I would feel hungry. That hunger made me scared, and after leaving the gym I’d run down the street and get a burger. Any weight that I had lost at the gym was put back on, and probably more,” said Professor David Wheeler of Suffolk University. Before, Dr. Wheeler weighed 274 lbs.

Before, he had a cholesterol level of 229 mg/dL (too high) and triglyceride level of 242 mg/dL (also too high). Before, he was running a risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Before was just two years ago, in February of 2007, when Dr. Wheeler decided to get serious about his health. His transformation started off slowly, knowing that “a lot of people will come into the gym trying to get it all done in one day. They have a bad experience and end up not coming back,” he said. Dr. Wheeler began tracking his weight with a digital scale. He continued to exercise at Fitcorp, already a member here, going on walks with a digital pedometer clipped to his pants, and eating less “bad” foods.

“Giving up four donuts in the morning wasn’t easy,” said Wheeler, “and it sounds like it wouldn’t be that hard but when you’re used to that routine it is.” And that is why the first ten pounds are the hardest to get rid of. “You feel like you’re going to die,” he said. “You get nervous because sometimes that feeling of light headedness makes you think you need to eat to live, but your body can live on its fat. I could have lasted on my fat for a while at 274 lbs,” he said, laughing.

After the first ten pounds, the next ten, and the next, are easier and easier. Dr. Wheeler started walking further, using Fitcorp’s resources, and eating healthier. “The trainer, Ryan, was phenomenal. He was good at showing me exactly how to use the machines and tell me what I was doing wrong. And Maria is my and my wife’s favorite. She has that personality that makes you want to come back,” he said. Inside the gym, Dr. Wheeler likes to use the stationary bike so he can read screen plays that he’s working on at the same time. And, after injuring his bicep in an accident, the adjustable weight machines have been helpful in building back his strength.

He is also now participating in Fitcorp’s, “Commando Krav Maga,” Israeli self defense class, which he feels is really pushing his endurance, but says yoga is still out of his limits. “I’m almost 70,” Wheeler said, “it’s hard for me to stretch like that.” Outside the gym, Dr. Wheeler has been pushing the distance of his walks. “Once the endorphins get flowing,” he said, “I feel like I can glide along.” In one instance he walked from Beacon Hill over to Brighton and upon returning felt good enough to ride Fitcorp’s stationary bike for a while. Throughout the month of October, Dr. Wheeler recorded that he walked a total of 150 miles.

Now instead of a burger, Dr. Wheeler recommends stopping in at Kinsale Irish Pub for a caesar salad topped with salmon. He also enjoys cereal with Whole Foods orange/banana juice, and has given up meat. Now Dr. Wheeler weighs 219 lbs. Now his cholesterol and triglyceride levels are perfect. “The biggest change is how I feel,” he said, “It’s good for your body and your mind. I’m more prolific in my writing and activities and my thinking has improved. I no longer feel like a sloth.”

He has published a best selling book called, “Journey to the Other Side, Life After Death”, has a sailing license, a pilots license (which he mentions is good until you kill somebody), has traveled the world, has taught in Thailand, and participated in a two week “walk-about” with Aborigines in the Australia outback. “I don’t want to grow old,” he said, “I can’t do much about growing old… but I don’t have to be stodgy.” And so far, he’s not slowing down.

FITCORP ADVICE ON HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT HEALTH CLUB

2009-04-06T18:25:00.003-04:00

As the President and CEO of Fitcorp, I have seen thousands of people join our network of fitness centers over the past 30 years. I’m pleased to say that most of these people have had a very pleasurable experience and have succeeded in accomplishing their fitness goals. However, the key to success lies in choosing the right health club, one that fits an individual’s specific fitness needs.
Many people hope that joining a health club will provide them with the motivation to exercise on a regular basis. But all health clubs are not the same. Take a deeper look at what each club offers so you will be joining the club that has the best chance of helping you develop a steady fitness habit. Make sure you include a visit to Fitcorp. For over 30 years, Fitcorp has been a leader in the fitness field, and our experience and professionalism has stood the test of time. Here are the factors you should be looking for before you make your final choice.

Convenience and Hours of Operation
I rate convenience as the most important factor that a person must consider when choosing a health club. Your attendance will steadily decline if your health club is not located near your home or place of work. If it takes longer than 10 minutes to walk or drive to your health club, you will not likely attend on a regular basis. What hours and days of the week is the club open? Does it open early enough or stay open late enough to accommodate your anticipated workout schedule?
Facilities and Services
Make sure the health club has the kind of equipment and facilities you most want. Do they have enough cardiovascular equipment, strength training machines and free weights? Do they have a functional training area for you to stretch and use a stability ball, foam roller, etc? Do they have group fitness classrooms, a basketball court, squash, racquetball, or handball courts? Do they have a sauna, steam room or whirlpool? Ask about the other services that they might offer. Do they offer massage, physical therapy, nutrition services, acupuncture, etc.?
Staff
How friendly are the club’s employees? When you walk in the door, are you greeted with a warm hello from the front desk staff? Do all the Trainers have degrees in Exercise Science? Do they act like knowledgeable fitness professionals? Are they fully familiar with the equipment and able to give you help and direction? Do they display their credentials? Are they wearing name tags? Are the Trainers available to meet with you when you join to show you how to properly us the equipment? Does the club charge extra for this service? If you plan to hire a Personal Trainer, what hours are they available?
Overcrowding
Is the club packed with members during the hours when you expect to workout? How difficult will it be for you to find an open piece of cardiovascular equipment or to participate in your favorite group fitness class? Almost all health clubs experience heavy use during January, but there still needs to be room for you.
Group Fitness Classes
It’s very important that you review the club’s group fitness schedule if you plan to participate in classes like yoga, Pilates, Zumba or spinning. Does the club offer these classes at times that work for you? How crowded are the classes? How often does the club change it class schedule? How long has the instructor been teaching the class? Does the club charge an extra fee for these classes?
Cleanliness
Is the club clean? Check out the locker rooms. How clean are the showers? Are dirty towels lying all over the floor? Is the equipment kept in good repair (check to see how many pieces of equipment have out of order signs on them)? How clean are the exercise mats? Is their dust underneath the exercise equipment?
Safety
Are you going to be safe in case you have a medical emergency? Are all of the staff members certified in CPR and First Aid? Does the club have an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator)? How many staff members are certified to use it? Does the club have an emergency plan?
Members
Do the members look like the type of people that you would feel comfortable around? Will you feel intimated when you are wearing your gym clothing? Ask a staff person how long the average person remains a member at the club.
Guests
Find out what guest privileges you have -- is there a fee for bringing a guest, and are you limited to certain hours or numbers of guests?
Cost
Purchasing a health club membership can be confusing. Be sure you understand the basics:

Joining fees
Are you buying a month to month or a contract membership?
If it is a contract, how long is its duration?
How it will be billed, and whether it automatically renews if not actively stopped
Can you put your membership on freeze? If so, for how long? Is there a fee for this service?
Are there extra fees for classes, personal training, child care, and parking?
Can the membership be used at other locations?
Are there any time limits on using any bonus items such as personal training sessions?
Will the fees go up after an initial discount period?
Are the fees refundable if you decide to terminate the contract?
Do they offer corporate or health insurance discounts or discounts for family members? Can you receive any membership credit for referring friends?

Trial Memberships
The best way to test out a health club is to try it out for free. Any good and reputable health club should be more than willing to let you try them out for free!

Fitcorp Fitness Centers by far exceed all the expectations you may be looking for in a health club. Over the years, Fitcorp has continued to provide the ultimate in cleanliness, safety, convenience, customer service and state of the art programs and equipment. For over 30 years, the Fitcorp staff has continued its professional excellence. They are carefully selected from the most outstanding in Boston, and they come with the credentials that will ensure your safety and success in reaching your fitness goals.

Deciding what health club to join is a little like deciding where you want to live. Ultimately, you want to be in a clean, safe, convenient location, surrounded by pleasant people and a professional, knowledgeable and accessible staff. When you walk into any of our fitness centers, ask any Fitcorp member, and they will tell you that you are in the right place.

So do your research before joining a health club. It may mean the difference between a great experience at a Fitcorp Fitness Center and a disastrous one elsewhere!

Take to the Mat Like a Pro with Power Vinyasa Yoga

2009-04-01T13:40:00.000-04:00

In the past few years, Yoga has become a staple class offered at gyms everywhere. A standard, yet complex stretch routine centered around breathing practices, yoga is a relaxing but challenging way to get in a solid work out. In fact, everyone is jumping at the opportunity to get in on the Yoga craze. However, not many can say that they have had the opportunity to experience what Fitcorp Cross Point yoga instructor Darlene Pina calls, "the body's nature rhythm."

What Pina is referring to is Vinyasa Yoga, or a form of yoga that concentrates on your body's fluid flow through poses. It also doubles as a great muscular and cardiovascular endurance work out. It is something completely different and anyone at any fitness level can benefit from it. The class combines core strength, flexibility, balance and a meditative aspect that you reap the benefits of when you have finished the class. It is an intense hour of power class but once that hour has passed, you will feel relaxed but yet had a great workout from the inside out.

Offered Tuesday and Thursday nights at 5:30pm at Fitcorp's Cross Point location, Power Vinyasa Yoga is quickly becoming one of the gym's most popular classes. The class is designed to help each individual seek stillness of the mind so that the inner body can heal and strengthen. When you focus on your inner body, the outer body will naturally shine. Even though you are focusing on the inner you, make sure the outer you is ready to feel the burn!

"The room is mildly heated, so be prepared to sweat!" Pina says. "But don't worry, the first class is the hardest because you are there to learn what your body can and can’t do at that present moment."

Despite the challenge, most members who take this class once become permanent members.

Says a member of the class, "It is a very rigorous workout and for someone who has not taken yoga before or may have a biased opinion of a yoga class. They will be very pleasantly surprised and hooked after their first class experience. You will also see where the word “power” comes in to play and why it is called “power yoga”. Darlene is a great instructor and even if it is your first time she will make you feel right at home. All you have to do to prepare for her class is to show up, find a space and take it at your own pace."

Pina explains, "The best part of the class is not doing everything perfect but to just explore the possibilities of strength, endurance and inner peace. You will leave the class feeling toned, stretched and completely free in spirit. Namaste and see you on the mat!"

Jump Rope Is More Than Child's Play

2009-03-15T20:19:00.000-04:00

Sure, everyone spent their childhood jumping rope at recess, but who would've ever thought that it would come to be one of the best ways to stay fit as an adult?

Rope'n, a group exercise class offered at Fitcorp Prudential, combines childhood roping with plyometrics, and strength training to help participants burn up to 700 calories in an hour.

This high energy class is a great anerobic work out. By pairing exercises that cause your heart rate to rapidly rise and fall, one is able to burn more calories than a basic cardio work out.
Jump roping also tones muscles in the entire body and maximizes athletic skills by combining agility, coordination, timing, and endurance.

"Not only is this class efficient, but it is fun," says Jackie Glandon, Group Fitness Director. "It is my favorite class to teach."

And don't worry, if your not a jump roper, practice makes perfect. - Says Group Fitness Teacher Corinne Donovan, "Don't get nervous if you haven't jumped rope since you were 12 years old. It's easy to pick it up again, it's addicting.. And most importantly, it's a great work out!"

[Both Jackie and Corinne teach ROPE'N at Fitcorp Prudential; Mondays from 12pm-1pm, and Thursdays from 6:45pm-7:30pm - For more information visit www.fitcorp.com]

Study: Experiences make us happier than possessions

2009-03-05T20:15:00.002-05:00

By Elizabeth Landau

CNN
Even in tough economic times, you may find yourself with a bit of cash to spare. You've been working hard, and you want to treat yourself. Should you spend it on an experience, such as a baseball game or concert, or a material object?

An experience may generate positive memories that outlast the allure of a new material possession. Psychological research suggests that, in the long run, experiences make people happier than possessions. That's in part because the initial joy of acquiring a new object, such as a new car, fades over time as people become accustomed to seeing it every day, experts said.

Experiences, on the other hand, continue to provide happiness through memories long after the event occurred. Ryan Howell, assistant professor of San Francisco University, presented his findings this week at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology annual meeting. The study looked at 154 people enrolled at San Francisco University with an average age of about 25. Participants answered questions about a recent purchase -- either material or experiential -- they personally made in the last three months with the intention of making themselves happy. While most people were generally happy with the purchase regardless of what it was, those who wrote about experiences tended to show a higher satisfaction at the time and after the experience had passed.

The most striking difference was in how participants said others around them reacted to either the purchased object or experience. Experiences led to more happiness in others than purchases did. A sense of relatedness to others -- getting closer to friends and family -- may be one of the reasons why experiences generate more happiness.

"When people spend money on life experiences, whether they also take someone with them or buy an extra ticket or whatever, most of our life experiences involve other individuals," Howell said. People were fulfilling their need for social bonding while having these experiences, he said.
Visit CNNhealth.com, your connection for better living.

Another reason for increased happiness in experiences, the researchers found, was that people felt a greater sense of vitality or "being alive" during the experience and in reflection, Howell said.

"As nice as your new computer is, it's not going to make you feel alive," he said. Most psychologists who study the phenomenon say people adapt to a new purchase in six to eight weeks, up to a maximum of three months, Howell said. That means the initial pleasure we get from a new possession generally fades in a matter of months. Howell's study builds on earlier work by Thomas Gilovich, professor and chairman of the psychology department at Cornell University. Gilovich and colleague Leaf Van Boven's seminal 2003 paper "To do or to have: That is the question" found similar results about possessions bringing less happiness than experiences.

Experts also point out that people are less self-conscious when comparing experiences than they are about possessions. It will probably bother you more that your friend's home theater is better than yours than if your friend saw more sights on her South Seas vacation, Gilovich said. Experiences form "powerful and important memories that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world," Gilovich said.

It's not just individuals who should be thinking about investing in experiences when making purchasing choices -- policy makers should also keep this reasoning in mind for their communities, he said. "If you create municipalities with more parks, bike trails, more hiking trails that make experiences easier, then I think you're going to have a happier population," he said. With Valentine's Day coming up, does this research mean you should give your honey a nice dinner or weekend getaway rather than a material present, such as a necklace or watch?

The issue of happiness conferred to others has been studied less, so the answer is unclear, experts said. While Howell would expect this principle of experiences over possessions to still apply, Gilovich agreed that it may, but also points out that the act of giving or receiving an object as a gift is an experience in itself. "Gifts of material possessions often become keepsakes and have sentimental value that increase with time, instead of diminishing like most material goods," Gilovich said.

Get Fit in 15 Minutes!

2009-03-03T14:30:00.003-05:00

Feeling holi-dazed? Our fast firm-up will help you shed a size naturally in only one month. Do Workout A and Workout B on alternate days, six days a week. Happy honing!

By Caroline Bollinger

From the December 2008 Issue

Workout A: Sculpt all over in six moves

These multitasking toners leave no body part unfirmed—in only 15 minutes flat. Without resting between moves, do the indicated reps for each exercise, designed by fitness expert Sue Fleming, author of Fashionably Buff (Random House). Repeat the series. You'll need a set of 5-, 8- or 10-pound weights, depending on your strength, and a stability ball (select a size that lets you sit with knees bent at a 90-degree angle). Try this tune-up three times a week for the tight, trimmed physique you seek.

Workout B: Torch calories with cardio

Our lightning-quick drill can pack the same fat-burning punch as does biking or jogging for one hour, a new study from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, finds. Perform four 30-second sprints on your favorite piece of cardio equipment or outside, then do easy movement (a recovery pace) for four minutes between bursts. Push yourself during the speed intervals. You may huff, you may puff—but your new bod will blow them all away. Go easy on the rest portion. Slog (translation: jog slowly), pedal at a snail's pace or walk. Do this workout three days a week and you'll look superfine in 2009.

Article from Self.com

Yoga Is a Great Cross-Training Option for Athletes

2009-02-10T15:44:00.004-05:00

Golf. Running. Swimming. Basketball. Football. Cycling. It's hard to find a sport for which yoga hasn't been suggested as a performance or injury-prevention aid. While there's not yet a whole lot of scientific research to quantify or qualify the benefits of yoga for athletes, it's easy to find sport-specific yoga DVDs, books, and testimonials from star athletes like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Sasha Cohen. (More common is research examining how yoga can help the elderly or people with diseases or disabilities.) So absent a pile of studies to thumb through, I thought it might be instructive to talk to a handful of experts about how yoga might spill over into the rest of your workout life. They said yoga:
Katherine Hobson
U.S. News & World Report
To read more of this story, click here.

Fitcorp is offering a 6 week Yoga/Pilates membership for only $150, click here for more information.

February 09, 2009 01:49 PM ET | Katherine Hobson | Permanent Link | Print

Making Your New Year's Resolutions

2009-01-01T15:41:00.002-05:00

Making Your Resolutions Work All Year Long

I love a new year. It almost seems like we can start all over, finally become that wonderful, productive, healthy, happy person we've always wanted to be. The trouble is, the enthusiasm to make changes, especially with exercise and diet, tends to fade once we realize we can't change everything overnight. If you want to make lasting changes, there are three things you can do to make your resolutions work all year long: Adjust your attitude, change your lifestyle and come up with a plan for success.

Adjust Your Attitude
If you have the wrong attitude about fitness, you're already setting yourself up for failure. Most people look at exercise as:

* Punishment for bad eating
* An obligation
* Painful
* Time consuming
* Impossible to sustain over a long period of time
* Boring

If any of these sound familiar, how long do you think you'll stick with your program? Nobody wants to do something painful, boring or obligatory. Before you throw yourself into weight loss, suss out your attitudes about exercise and figure out whether these attitudes are true or just lies you've been telling yourself for years. Then, try a different perspective and look at exercise as:

* A break from a stressful workday
* A way to boost energy and mood
* The only time you'll have to yourself all day
* A chance to get totally physical and let your mind rest
* A chance to reward your body for working so hard
* A way to improve your quality of life immediately

And here are some more key points about exercise that you must understand:

1. Willpower won't work. Willpower is for short-term success. Long-term success requires planning, discipline and finding ways to motivate yourself every day.

2. Motivation will not magically happen. What motivates you will change from day to day. You have to recommit to your goals each day, tweak them to fit changes in your lifestyle and attitude and find new ways to motivate yourself over the course of your life.

3. You will not always want to exercise and eat healthy. Even the most committed exerciser doesn't always want to do it. Know that you will have to work on it every day.

4. Diets don't work. Stop wasting your time following someone else's plan for you. Make your own plan based on realistic changes--if you can't follow your chosen diet for the rest of your life, you're wasting precious time.

Adjust Your Lifestyle

The facts about being overweight:

* You can't be overweight unless your lifestyle is set up to encourage it.
* You can't be overweight if you haven't allowed yourself to eat too much.
* You can't be overweight if you've made a daily schedule that doesn't allow time for exercise.

Never forget that losing weight and maintaining that weight loss is a lifetime prospect. You will never stop working to maintain your fitness and weight. So, before you start that same old diet or exercise program, ask yourself this question: Can I sustain this diet for the long term? Is this exercise program something I can do every day?

Once you recognize the gravity of permanently losing weight, you'll need to change your lifestyle to accommodate this goal.

* Figure out your bad habits. Keep a food/activity journal for an entire week. Do it without judgment or shame--you're simply trying to figure out what you're doing every day that may be hurting your weight loss goals.
* Replace those bad habits, one at a time, with different habits. Experts know that you can't break bad habits without forming new ones. If you take away your daily Egg McMuffin and don't replace it with something else you'll drift right back into the old McDonald's habit.

This may sound simplistic, and it is. Giving up something yummy for something healthy isn't easy. You have to change your environment to make it impossible to have or even want that Egg McMuffin. Get started with these ideas:

* Decide what you'll eat instead of fast food. Stock up on breakfast foods you like, keep meal replacement bars in the car or try healthy fruit shakes or smoothies.
* Eat before you get in the car so you won't be starving and, therefore, tempted to hit the drive thru.
* Change your driving route to work so you don't even pass by McDonald's.
* Don't carry cash in the car (even if you DO have the urge to indulge, you won't be able to), write down your weight loss goal and tape it to your steering wheel or your glove compartment so, when you're reaching for your wallet, you're immediately reminded your goals.

Your best chance at making your resolutions last is to make a plan for success. A few simple steps taken ahead of time can save you time and energy.

Make a Plan

You've figured out how to change your bad eating habits by replacing them with good ones and you've learned to create an environment that doesn't allow those bad habits to exist. Now, you need to make a plan for what you really want.

Set Your Goals

Write down specific goals you have (not just 'I want to lose weight.'). List everything, for example:

* How much weight you want to lose. Make sure the amount of weight you want to lose is reasonable for your height and frame. This Ideal Weight Calculator will give you a starting point for setting your goals.
* A target date to reach your goals. Make sure you've given yourself a reasonable time to reach that goal - (a safe bet would be to lose a pound a week)
* Why you want to lose this weight (i.e., I want to look good in a bathing suit for summer)
* What you think will happen if you reach your goal
* How you'll maintain your weight loss once you reach your goal (remember, it's a lifetime thing--even when you reach your goal, you can't quit!)

For more, check out Setting Realistic Fitness Goals or How to Set Weight Loss Goals to make sure you're setting goals you can really reach.

Set Up Your Program

To set up a good routine, you'll need to know the basics of a complete program. You're program will involve cardio, strength training and stretching.

Ensure Your Success

Success involves using every resource you have to keep you going. Do whatever it takes to be consistent including:

* Enlist all family members to get involved. If everyone eats healthy, you won't have to fight to avoid that bag of chips your spouse munches on every night
* Hire a personal trainer
* Get a friend to exercise with you
* Take time every week to schedule your exercise routines
* Keep a workout bag packed so you don't have to scramble for your gear
* Keep a fitness journal to track your workouts and progress
* Reward yourself often with massages, new clothes or a vacation
* Change your program every 6 weeks to avoid plateaus
* Re-visit your goals every six months and gauge your progress. If you're not reaching your goals, maybe you should change them to something more accessible

The important thing to remember is that losing weight requires that you change your lifestyle. You have to change the way you think about exercise and eating, change the way you schedule your day and how you prioritize your tasks. It's easy to lose a few pounds, but it's hard to keep them off for good. Being prepared for what's ahead is your first step in the right direction.

By Paige Waehner, About.com

Updated: December 9, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Expert: Don't Allow Money Woes To Affect Health

2008-12-02T18:04:00.001-05:00

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) ― Worrying about your financial future can have a real impact on your state of mind. CBS station KYW-TV's medical reporter Stephanie Stahl has advice on how to deal with your anxiety.

With big swings in the market and high-profile bank closings, Americans are worried about the bottom line. The market is down, and anxiety is up.

"I would say at the end of my day, it's one more thing to keep me up at night," said Adrienne Marks.

"I don't have the time to make up the money. I can't recoup what I lost," lamented Betsy Williams. "I think I'll be working forever."

"It is more on my mind that it was before," said Anthony Foy.

With the news everywhere, and with President Bush warning we could experience a long and painful recession, it's hard to ignore.

Therapist Ruthy Kaiser said, "It's probably not an overstatement to say that people are in a state of panic."

That includes therapists like her.

"I, being human, called my financial advisor this morning and said, 'Do I need to panic?'" said Kaiser.

But Kaiser knows how to approach her anxiety.

First step: take what actions you can take. "Just sit down and look at the concrete things that can actually be done," said Kaiser.

Then find a way to deal with your anxiety. "Would it help to go for a walk or run? You've done the steps that need to be taken, so now what do you do with your anxiety?" said Kaiser.

Your stress over a troubled financial future can have a domino effect on your life. "It impacts marriages and families and individuals in every way, because people are frightened," said Kaiser.

Kaiser also told us it's important to recognize what you have to worry about today, because sometimes the big picture can be overwhelming.
CBS News Interactive: Healthwatch

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

2008-11-01T14:51:00.000-04:00

Keeping It Positive

Too many times I have heard people mutter, “I’m not here because I want to be here….but because I have to be here.” The first step to success is changing that losing attitude to a winning attitude. A negative mindset is automatically going to set you two steps back from where you are and is only going to make it that much harder to achieve your goals, whether they be fitness oriented or not. Do not forget that no one likes a Negative Nancy anyways.

I myself do not like to fluff anything or anyone up so I have a tendency to shoot straight from the hip. Performing moderate to vigorous exercise whether it be some sort of resistance, flexibility or cardiovascular training, is commonly referred to as working out. Now ask yourself this; do you truly enjoy going to work? If you are one of the few able to confidently answer “yes” to that question then consider yourself one of the lucky ones. Can you see where I am going with this yet? To make the point again, exercising is called working out. My point is this: Yes, it is hard. Yes, you will be doing things that you may not want to do and no, you will not necessarily enjoy doing it at times. It still needs to be done and at the end of the day it makes you a better person for doing so.

The first step, and probably the most important one, towards accomplishing your goals is by making the effort to smile while you are working out. Now I do not mean that one needs to maintain an ear-to-ear grin the entire time they are sweating to the oldies, but make the effort and find some enjoyment from the activity. I dare everyone to try this little experiment out….bust out a wall squat or an intense plank and attempt to hold the pose for at least a minute. As the pose really begins to get difficult, do your best not to cuss me out, instead put on your happy face and watch how your misery slowly lessons and you push on through the time stronger than anticipated.

Do you want more reasons to keep it positive? When we exercise we are not just making our heart and muscles stronger, we are actually reversing our bodies aging process instead of slowing it down. How is this possible you ask? According to Dr. Henry Lodge, our entire body constantly goes through a cycle where each cell dies and is replaced with a new one. Roughly we replace about 1% of our body with new cells from our blood cells to lung tissue each and every day. Here we have the choice of whether this new tissue is stronger than the original or will continue its path of early decay. Honestly, I myself am not one who is interested in living 140 years but what ever my life expectancy is, I want my body to be as strong as possible for whatever obstacle I may come across.

By Angelo Gala, Elite Trainer, Fitcorp, RKC Level II

The “Core Group”

2008-09-25T13:51:00.009-04:00

One day about five years ago, I was making my way through a boring workout when I noticed Mike Parent, Senior VP at Fitcorp, working out with two members. It looked like a tough ab workout. It actually looked like Mike was trying to drive them into submission. I joked with him and asked if he was doing some type of fitness survival test. Shortly after, I was invited to join them.

When we started this, there were four members. We’d meet once or twice a week for an hour and do a core workout created by Mike. Looking back, we would do a plank routine where we held a single plank position for 60 seconds, which seemed like an eternity back then. We would set up spin bikes and alternate between doing three different exercises and riding spin bikes. These exercises weren’t done with heavy weights, but they pushed us to our limits. At the end of each session, we felt exhausted and thoroughly worked over, but we kept coming back for more. Each time, a new wrinkle was thrown in… a new piece of equipment, a different exercise or a completely new routine. The challenge was always taking us to the next level.

Over the past five years, this workout has morphed into a circuit of exercises with a ten-minute plank series that will test anyone’s mental stamina. The class is constantly changing and always creates a new challenge.

We meet at 5:30am in the Fitcorp at Prudential Center’s group exercise room. There is a $10 fine and heckling if you are late, so I am always on time. Our initial five-person “Core Group” has grown to 12-15 members, both men and women, from twentysomethings to older guys like me. Occasionally, “newbies” comes in, full of vim and vigor, and they are rewarded with constant taunts that are peppered with words of encouragement.

A major reason I come back is because of the camaraderie and support that has been built up. We commiserate over particular exercises, and lament over coming back to class next week, but no matter how grueling the workout may seem at the time, we wouldn’t miss it for the world!

As a parent of a 14-year-old, the best part has been the ability to actively coach him and his soccer team. I recently attended a coaches’ clinic where they showed us different exercises and routines to do with the kids. I smiled to myself as I saw other coaches struggle to get through it, while I was able to keep up without a problem. At games, I watch these other coaches stand on the side and order their kids to do better push-ups, but I do the push-ups with my team.

Am I ready to turn pro? Not a chance, but I love not worrying about it anymore. I have worked up to the point where I can do more than ever before. Bike rides, power walks, yard work, snow shoveling… anything physical is no longer a struggle. Instead of feeling sore, I just feel a little drained, but in a good way. My doctor says my blood pressure, heart rate and general health is great. Overall, I feel fantastic, and I’ve made friends while getting physically fit.

Do I hate getting up at 4am? Yes. But I love how great I feel, both physically and mentally, after such a challenging workout. .So if you are not challenged by your usual workouts, I encourage you to try one of Fitcorp’s core training classes.

Prudential Center: Journey To The Core
Tuesday: 7:30-8:30am
Wednesday: 11am -12noon
Thursday: 7:00 – 8:00 am

Longwood Core Strength & Conditioning
Wednesday 11:30 am – 12:00 pm

One Beacon Street FitCORE
Wednesday 1:00 – 1:30 pm

Copley Core Fitness Challenge
Tuesday and Thursday 5:15 -6:00 pm

125 Summer Street Fitcorp Roll Call
Tuesday 6:00 am

Tech Square Core Team Training
Wednesday 6:30-7:30 pm

If Ted Can Do It, So Can You!

2008-08-22T14:29:00.001-04:00

Our members join Fitcorp for many reasons. Some have never exercised a day in their lives. Others are in great shape and their goal is to maintain their fitness levels. Many members desire to lose weight. However, a good percentage of our members join Fitcorp because they have serious health issues that they hope to cure or control through exercise. Over the past 30 years, Fitcorp has helped thousands of people with various health issues achieve their goals.

Ted is one such member who joined Fitcorp after experiencing a catastrophic health problem. Ted was overweight as a child. He never played sports growing up, and he admits to spending most of his childhood in front of a TV eating junk food. When Ted went on to college and law school, his bad health habits followed him into adulthood.

Five years ago, Ted’s life seemed to be out of control. He was 100 pounds over weight, his blood pressure and cholesterol levels were in the danger range, and the stress of his job was causing him to consume way too much alcohol. His co-workers were worried about him, and many were politely encouraging him to join Fitcorp by leaving guest passes and flyers describing new fitness classes on his desk.

Unfortunately, Ted ignored their pleas and then, three years ago, he experienced a massive heart attack. This was followed by a triple bypass operation to repair his damaged coronary arteries. The good news was that Ted finally got the message that he was unhealthy, and he realized that he needed to change his life. After going through a 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program, Ted’s doctor sent him to Fitcorp where he began to work with one of our Personal Trainers and our Nutritionist. On weekends, Ted went out on long walks. Ted’s three-day-a-week exercise program quickly increased to four days and then five days. The guy who had hated gym class as a kid was now hooked on exercise.

Today, Ted is 90 pounds lighter, and his cholesterol and blood pressure are normal. More importantly, his outlook on life has drastically changed, and he has become a very successful litigation lawyer for a large Boston law firm. When I see Ted around the gym, I am reminded why I started Fitcorp 30 years ago. Our mission is to help you achieve your health and fitness goals.

No Time For Exercise – That’s An Excuse That I Just Can’t Accept

2008-08-04T16:42:00.001-04:00

I’m always shocked at how many people tell me the reason they cannot exercise is because they just don’t have time. This just amazes me.

How can people not understand that regular exercise is the most important thing that any of us can do each day? It is what sustains us, keeps us healthy and helps us to live longer, more productive lives.

Over 14 million people have diabetes, and over six million of them are unaware that they currently have the disease. Cancer and heart disease are two of the leading diseases that kill adults each year. Many people would be alive today if they had taken the time to exercise 30 minutes per day and had maintained healthy diets.

So how is it that these same folks who cannot find one half hour per day to exercise have time to eat lunch, call their friends, shop, pay bills, do laundry and watch TV?

Thirty years ago when I started Fitcorp, I used to tell people that regular exercise may make you healthier and allow you to live longer. Today, research has proven that regular exercise will improve both the quality and quantity of your life. A 30-minute exercise program conducted five days per week will prevent heart disease and many forms of cancer, control your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, allow you to maintain a normal body weight, help you to sleep better, improve your sex life and help you cope with daily stress.

Exercise is the most important thing I do for myself, and I block out an hour in my schedule each day for it. I do not allow my workout to take a backseat to meetings, lunch dates, phone calls or TV.

So tell me, are you going to rethink committing one half hour per day to taking care of yourself?

by Gary T. Klencheski