FIT Globe

15/03/2016

FITNESS PROFESSIONALS AND THE FIGHT AGAINST OBESITY

Fitness professionals on the front line in the war against obesity struggle every day too; they struggle to develop tips, strategies and programs to help their clients achieve a healthier weight.
While the mantra of "eat less and move more" works in practice, the struggles that clients face are much more complicated, ingrained and difficult to change. However, an emerging body of science combined with increased motivation to improve on multiple levels has invigorated the effort to reverse the obesity epidemic within the next generation. Fitness professionals are in a unique position to significantly contribute to reversing the weight problem across the world. With that said, in order to be effective, they must stay on top of the latest research and scientific advances, emerging trends, and community collaborations and partnerships.

Much of what we thought we knew about weight loss may not be accurate, such as the common teaching that to lose a pound a week you should create a 500 calorie deficit each day, which will add up to 3500 calories - about the number of calories in a pound of fat. In the long term, this never plays out. While initial weight loss may more or less follow this principle, subsequent loss is frequently stalled despite large caloric deficits. A group of scientists at the National Institutes of Health developed a mathematical model to account for changes in metabolism that occur with weight loss.

The study estimates that for every 10-calorie decrease in intake, the average overweight adult will lose about 1 pound with half of the weight lost by one year and 95% of the weight change by three years. For example, a woman who decreased her daily caloric consumption from 2,200 calories to 2,000 calories per day would lose about 10 pounds in one year and about 10 more pounds by the end of three years. If she had created a 500-calorie deficit each day, she would lose 25 pounds in the first year and about 25 more pounds by the end of three years. This is a lot slower weight loss than one would expect from the simple calculation of 3,500 calories in a pound. The research concludes that we don't do dieters any favors by telling them weight loss is easy and simple.

Despite an intensive physical activity regimen, nutrition changes or behavioral rewiring, many struggle to achieve their weight loss goals. While individuals are responsible for their behaviors, community and policy-level factors can greatly influence eating and activity patterns. Earlier this year the Institute of Medicine released a report titled "Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention: Solving the Weight of the Nation." In the report, authors outlined several goals that, if implemented collectively, would make significant strides in obesity prevention. They included:
• Make physical activity an integral and routine part of daily life.
• Create environments that ensure healthy food and beverage options are the routine, easy choice.
• Transform messages about physical activity and nutrition, making healthier options more desirable and accessible.
• Expand the roles of health care providers, insurers and employers to better support physical activity and nutrition.
• Make schools a national focal point by increasing physical activity opportunities and strong nutritional standards.

Ultimately, the price of obesity is very high for not only individuals and families but communities and the nation as a whole. With the exorbitant number of overweight and obese Americans, and the importance of exercise in reversing the epidemic, fitness professionals must take a leading role as exercise experts. With the most up-to-date knowledge and the right tools, they can each day make small steps to promote weight loss, ensure weight loss maintenance and prevent weight gain through both one-on-one coaching and community interventions.

13/02/2016

10 Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle

Choosing to follow a healthier lifestyle can promote a life full of quality and longevity. A variety of factors to implement into a healthier lifestyle include proper diet and exercise, stress reduction and consistent sleep patterns. By practicing these 10 methods to better health, you can reduce your health risks and enjoy a life full of value.

Exercise Your Heart

Performing cardiovascular exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system and over time lowers your resting heart rate. Forms of cardiovascular workouts include running, swimming, biking or using machines such as an elliptical or an indoor rower. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests performing a moderate intensity cardio workout 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or a vigorous cardio session for 20 minutes daily, three days a week.

Build Strength

Resistance training is another healthy lifestyle method that will potentially increase metabolism. Since muscle tissue requires calories to survive, the adaptation of new muscle creates a demand for greater calorie burn. The American College of Sports Medicine also recommends sticking to a twice-weekly resistance program consisting of eight to 10 exercises, keeping repetitions around eight to 12.

Play Sports

A way to get moving again can come from enjoying your favorite sport. Games or leagues in your area provide a way to receive adequate exercise.

Involve the Family

Involving the whole family is another method to create group support and quality time with loved ones. Create games that include the entire family for a workout filled with fun.

Control Your Weight

Reducing calories in your diet creates a way to increase overall health and lower body weight. Understand your daily caloric needs by using the basal metabolic rate formula. Basal metabolic rate refers to the amount of calories burned at resting levels. An average BMR for women is typically around 2,000 to 2,100 calories a day, and for men, 2,700 to 2,900 calories daily.

Avoid Processed Foods

Avoiding processed foods can increase overall health and prevent unwanted weight gain and illness. Processed foods have been blamed for behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, weight gain and certain cancers, reports the Puristat Digestive Wellness Center.

Control Cravings

Eliminating nighttime eating will also assist in weight reduction and health improvement. Keep yourself occupied and be aware of times when cravings are highest.

Sleep

Getting adequate sleep is crucial for weight reduction and health. According to the University of Chicago Medical Center, “Sleep deprivation triggers the release of unwanted hormones such as cortisol, which alters glucose metabolism resulting in fat storage.” Sleeping at least eight hours a night will help promote regular glucose metabolism and limit weight gain.

Reduce Stress

Controlling stress is another method of creating a healthy lifestyle. Like sleep deprivation, high levels of stress activate hormone release, including cortisol, which modifies glucose metabolism. Unwanted food cravings typically occur during high levels of stress. Control your daily stress by first identifying certain causes and create steps to reduce stress levels. One method could be performing deep-breathing techniques for five to 10 minutes when stress levels are heightened. Yoga can be an outlet for levels of stress and relaxation from your stress-filled life

06/01/2016

Weight Lifting Benefits for Women

Perhaps because of its association with ripped bodybuilders and other male-dominated arenas, weightlifting has yet to fully catch on as a form of women’s exercise. Only 21 percent of women participate in strength training, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Despite its relative lack of popularity, however, weightlifting is actually highly beneficial for women’s health.

Build Muscle Mass
The most obvious benefit of weightlifting is that it allows women to increase their muscle mass. In older women, this increase can help to offset the decline in muscle mass that occurs as women age. Women of all ages, however, enjoy several additional benefits as a result of building muscle mass.

Improve Everyday Performance
Greater muscle mass can make it easier to complete your everyday activities. As you might expect, muscles play a role in many of the tasks that we do every day, such as climbing stairs, carrying a child, or completing housework. Building muscle through weight lifting will make it easier to go about your day to day life.

Maintain or Lose Weight
The improved muscle mass that you gain through weightlifting can also help women achieve or maintain a healthy weight. According to the CDC, muscle burns a lot more energy than fat, so increasing your muscle mass will also allow your body to burn more calories throughout the day. Weightlifting will also give your new slimmer body a firmer appearance, since weightlifting sheds fat tissues while toning muscle tissues.

Build Strong Bones
Weightlifting can also help women build and maintain strong bones, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Weightlifting during the teen and young adult years helps women’s bones reach peak bone density. Weightlifting by older women can help prevent the losses in bone density that occur as women age.

Reduce Symptoms of Disease
Weightlifting among older women is effective in reducing the symptoms of certain diseases. Strength training has been shown to reduce pain and other symptoms associated with arthritis and can help diabetics better control their blood glucose levels. Strength training has also been shown to be beneficial for women suffering from depression.

Protect Against Injury
Weightlifting improves your balance and builds muscles that help protect your joints, both of which will help protect you from injury. Particularly among older women, preventing injuries helps ensure that you can maintain an active and fulfilling lifestyle as you age.

06/01/2016

05/01/2016

What Are the Benefits of Stability Ball Exercises?

The American Council on Exercise considers the stability ball an effective tool for strengthening your abdominals and other core muscles. Stability balls, also known as fit balls, are used in fitness classes, weight rooms and home gyms. They can make any exercise more challenging and provide many benefits when used regularly.

Improve Spinal Stability
Using a stability ball may lead to improved stability of the spine and reduce the risk of back pain in sedentary individuals, according to a study published in the May 2006 edition of "The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research." In that study, 20 sedentary individuals were randomly assigned to an experimental group that did stability ball training twice a week for 10 weeks, or to a control group. The group that used the stability ball on a regular basis saw improvements in spinal stability. Researchers concluded that use of a stability ball might benefit individuals who spend a lot of time sitting or who are prone to back pain.

Increase Muscle Fibers Used
John Porcari, professor of exercise and sport science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, claims that by doing traditional exercises -- such as crunches -- on a stability ball, you work more muscle fibers than you would performing those exercises on the floor. Porcari, writing for "Fitness Magazine," claims more muscle fibers are activated as you struggle to maintain control on the ball's unstable surface.

Aid in Sports Performance
The soft, inherently unstable surface of the ball activates the entire core structure. This strengthens the muscles of your core, improves proprioception -- or awareness of your body as it moves through space -- and improves posture, balance and coordination. These are skills that translate into improved sports and fitness performance and better protection from injury

01/01/2016

wishes you all happy and prosperous New Year 2016..

24/12/2015

20/12/2015

“Wearable devices also provide immediate feedback that can make the wearer more aware of their level of activity and can motivate the user to achieve their fitness goals.”
The top 10 fitness trends for 2016 are:
1. Wearable Technology: includes fitness trackers, smart watches, heart rate monitors, and GPS tracking devices.
2. Body Weight Training: Body weight training uses minimal equipment making it more affordable. Not limited to just push-ups and pull-ups, this trend allows people to get “back to the basics” with fitness.
2. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): HIIT involves short bursts of activity followed by a short period of rest or recovery. These exercise programs are usually performed in less than 30 minutes.
4. Strength Training. Strength training remains a central emphasis for many health clubs. Incorporating strength training is an essential part of a complete exercise program for all physical activity levels and genders. (The other essential components are aerobic exercise and flexibility.)
5. Educated and Experienced Fitness Professionals. Given the large number of organizations offering health and fitness certifications, it’s important that consumers choose professionals certified through programs that are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), such as those offered by ACSM. ACSM is one of the largest and most prestigious fitness-certification organizations in the world.
6. Personal Training. More and more students are majoring in kinesiology, which indicates that they are preparing themselves for careers in allied health fields such as personal training. Education, training and proper credentialing for personal trainers have become increasingly important to the health and fitness facilities that employ them.
7. Functional Fitness. This is a trend toward using strength training to improve balance and ease of daily living. Functional fitness and special fitness programs for older adults are closely related.
8. Fitness Programs for Older Adults. As the baby boom generation ages into retirement, some of these people have more discretionary money than their younger counterparts. Therefore, many health and fitness professionals are taking the time to create age-appropriate fitness programs to keep older adults healthy and active.
9. Exercise and Weight Loss. In addition to nutrition, exercise is a key component of a proper weight loss program. Health and fitness professionals who provide weight loss programs are increasingly incorporating regular exercise and caloric restriction for better weight control in their clients.
10. Yoga. Based on ancient tradition, yoga utilizes a series of specific bodily postures practiced for health and relaxation. This includes Power Yoga, Yogalates, Bikram, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Kripalu, Anurara, Kundalini, Sivananda and others.

20/12/2015