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.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Guest Fitblog: Val
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!
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!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Fitcorp Members of the Month: March
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.
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.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Interval Training Can Cut Exercise Hours Sharply
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."
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."
Monday, February 8, 2010
Forever Young - You Can Be Fit at Any Age
“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.”
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.”
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