Exercise | Balanced Life Fitness - Jack Kenefick Certified Fitness Trainer

Posts Tagged ‘

exercise

Friday, October 1st, 2010

Walking in the gently, falling snow, running in the cold rain, cross country or downhill skiing, ice skating on a frozen pond; there is something special about exercising in the winter that is exhilarating! Exercising anytime is great, but special care needs to be taken during the cold weather to avoid health hazards. We all know about layering our clothing when engaging in outdoor winter activities. We should use a base layer, a mid layer and an outer layer. Each layer has a purpose. The layer closest to your skin, the base layer should provide warmth and insulation. You don’t want it to absorb and hold perspiration, such as cotton would do. You actually want to “wick” the moisture away from your body. Best choices for base layering are silk, polyester and wool. The mid layer’s purpose should be to insulate and to wick moisture from the base layer to the outer layer. Polyester, fleece, wool and down are best choices for mid layering. The outer layer’s purpose is two-fold; block the wind and release the wicked moisture. Water repellent materials are best for the outer layer. Depending on the weather conditions, just add or remove the layers as needed. Once you have your layers planned, be sure to include a wind blocking hat that will keep your head dry and warm, a face mask or scarf, moisture-proof gloves and insulated, water proof boots and socks. All of these precautions are necessary to avoid frostbite and hypothermia which can be severe and life-threatening. The first sign of a health problem when exercising in the winter cold will be shivering. If you can’t get warm, get out of the cold. Adequate hydration is also important. Water is the best choice, as caffeinated products tend to dehydrate. Leave the alcoholic drink for later while sitting around the blazing fire after the outside exercise. Alcohol not only impairs your judgment but because it dilates the blood vessels it increases the chance for hypothermia. Teaming up with a buddy is always a good idea in case of an emergency and be sure to bring your cell phone. When planning for your winter exercise program, use your best judgment, make the best choices and savor the beauty of the winter season.

Tags: exercise, Winter

{ 2 Comments » }

Fad Diets and Why They Don’t Work

Sunday, September 26th, 2010

Over sixty percent of Americans today are overweight or obese and Americans spend between 30 and 40 billion dollars a year on diets and diet products. The majority of these diets can be classified as fad diets. Fad diets are those diets that promise quick and lasting results with minimal effort, minimal exercise, or are nutritionally unbalanced and unsound. A nutritionally unbalanced diet is one that typically eliminates entire foods or food groups.

Many of the fad diets on the market today promise weight loss results of thirty pounds or more in two to four weeks. While people with a lot of weight to lose may lose it quickly in the beginning stages of a diet, a healthy rate of weight loss is no more than a half a pound to a pound per week. Diets that promise significant weight loss in a short amount of time probably cannot deliver in a healthy way. Most fad diets will only help you lose water weight, which will quickly be gained back, usually plus some excess.

If you are serious about losing weight and keeping it off, there are some things that you can do in place of a fad diet that can get you results that will be much easier to maintain in the long run. Losing weight is simple math: calories in minus calories burned. In order to lose weight you must burn more calories than you ingest. Since healthy weight loss is about a pound per week, and one pound of body fat equals about 3500 calories, you must burn 500 more calories than you eat each day for a week. Exercise for 45 minutes a day and control your portions and you will be losing weight and keeping it off in no time!

Tags: exercise, Fad Diets, Proper Eating Habits

{ 0 Comments » }

How To Stay Fit While Pregnant

Monday, September 20th, 2010

Some women use pregnancy as an excuse to eat whatever they want, whenever they want, and spend all of their free time on the couch. While there definitely are some extra calories that need to be consumed and times when rest is warranted, overall women should try to stay relatively fit when they are pregnant. It will not only help them feel and look better during the pregnancy, but it will also help them regain their pre-pregnancy shape and size easier after delivery.

Pregnant women are known for their uncontrollable cravings, and while these cravings can be very real, it is important to understand that there are other ways to manage the cravings. If it is something sweet being craved, a piece of fruit may satisfy the craving. Eating five or six smaller meals throughout the day may help in consuming too many unnecessary calories as well.

When it comes to exercise, it is important for every pregnant woman to consult with her doctor first. There are some cases where pregnant women should not exercise in extreme situations. However, if there is no medical reason to abstain from exercise, then pregnant women should get moving, literally. Walking, jogging, yoga, and even light aerobics are great ways to stay in shape while pregnant. A pregnant woman should never over-exert herself, but exercise moderately. In fact, women that exercise during pregnancy tend to feel better overall and seem to recover from delivery quicker as well. Although pregnancy is a good excuse for a woman to gain reasonable weight, it is also a great reason to stay fit, for both the health of the mom and the precious baby she is carrying.

Tags: exercise, Pregnancy

{ 0 Comments » }

« Older Entries Newer Entries »