Challenge Question Answer

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

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

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

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

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