Why Strength Training is Beneficial

There’s a common misconception that muscle is heavier than fat, so why bother with strength training? The truth of the matter is a pound of muscle weighs exactly the same as a pound of fat. Muscle just happens to be leaner than fat and looks a whole lot better on the body. This isn’t the only reason to incorporate strength training into your workout routine. In this article, we’ll take a look at more reasons why strength training is beneficial to those that wish to improve their overall health.

Beneficial for Weight Loss

Strength training is a very important factor in weight loss because the metabolism is increased as muscle is increased. The metabolism is the rate in which calories are consumed, and the rate and efficiency of the metabolism is greatly increased depending on how much muscle is present in the body. Simply put, the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn. It has been estimated that for every pound of muscle, the body will burn 35 to 50 more calories a day. This not only helps reduce fat, but helps keep it off.

Helps Prevent Osteoporosis

Not only can strength training help with losing weight, it can also help prevent osteoporosis, which is especially important for women. Strength training can help prevent loss of bone density, which can lead to brittle bones and a host of other health issues. Not only can strength training help prevent the disastrous effects of osteoporosis, but those that are already suffering from osteoporosis and benefit from it as well, as strength training not only helps prevent bone loss, but it can also help increase it.

More Good News

While helping with weight loss and preventing osteoporosis are two big advantages to incorporating strength training into your fitness routine, there are many other benefits as well. It can help with cardiovascular health, prevent Type II Diabetes, and even make great strides in protecting joints. Perhaps the greatest advantage is that it can help reduce the bane of many a woman’s existence – belly fat.

Believe it or not, abdominal fat is often the result of not just overeating but stress. Our bodies produce a hormone called cortisol when we are under stress, and this hormone can increase the appetite and convert calories into abdominal fat. This fat is possibly the most dangerous of all the fat the can develop on the body because it is so close to several vital organs, putting undue pressure on them and perhaps causing them to malfunction. Not only does strength training use up cortisol, but it helps reduce the appetite and also helps reduce the dreaded belly fat.

Incorporating strength training into your fitness routine has so many benefits that it would be foolish to dismiss it. If you don’t know where to start in your strength training, why not consult with one of our personal trainer to get you started? Anyone can take advantage of a personal trainer’s expertise to make sure they are making the most of their sports and strength training, and to ensure they are working out safely and effectively.

If you are in New York City and interested in joining an all women boot camp or fitness boxing classes please visit NYC ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP, mention that you found us through our blog for and extra 15% off a membership. Come work out like a GIRL!!!

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Does the word exercise cause you to cringe?

If so, you are not alone! It is estimated that 75% of Americans get less than the recommended amount of exercise. Not only is exercise important for good health, it is also crucial when it comes to weight control. While you can lose weight without exercise, it is very difficult to keep the weight off without being physically active.

Here are some of the benefits of exercise:

• Reduced risk of heart disease.

• Improved blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

• Improved heart functionReduced risk of osteoporosis.

• Improved muscle mass (this is important for those people on a weight loss diet!)

• Lowers blood pressure

• Improves blood sugar control in diabetics.
• Aides in stress managementEnhanced self-confidence and self-imageHelps to speed the metabolism.

How much exercise should you be doing?

The basic recommendations from American College of Sports Medicine and American Heart Association for healthy adults under age 65 are: Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week Or Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week And Do 8 to 10 strength-training exercises, 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week. Moderate-intensity physical activity means working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat, yet still being able to carry on a conversation. It should be noted that to lose weight or maintain weight loss, 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity may be necessary. The 30-minute recommendation is for the average healthy adult to maintain health and reduce the risk for chronic disease.

Tips for incorporating exercise into your life.

I’m sure most of you city girls have very busy lives with work, family, social obligations, dating, etc. I bet the above recommendations can sound almost impossible. If you are trying to lose weight, do you really have 60 – 90 minutes a day 5 times a week to spend exercising?

Just tell your boss that you’ll be needing 90 minutes each day to spend at the gym. I’m sure you will receive a lot of support (wrong!). So how can you increase your activity levels in a realistic manner?

1. Start by setting realistic goals, otherwise you’ll feel overwhelmed and will only set yourself up for failure. If your current activity level is very low, your goal should be to increase it slowly. Maybe start out by walking 3 times a week for 20 minutes. Or get off the bus one stop earlier. Do not go to the gym telling yourself you will need to be on the treadmill for 60-90 minutes. You know what will happen … you won’t even go! Start with 15 minutes.Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park your car in the far end of the shopping market parking lot. It all adds up – 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there.

2. Do it in short bouts. Research shows that moderate-intensity physical activity can be accumulated throughout the day in 10-minute bouts, which can be just as effective as exercising for 30 minutes straight. This can be useful when trying to fit physical activity into a busy schedule. So walk 10 minutes to work, walk an extra 15 blocks on the way to get your salad at lunch, take a 15 minute walk after dinner.Try to walk at a good pace.

3. Mix it up. Combinations of moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity can be used to meet the guidelines. For example, you can walk briskly for 30 minutes twice per week and jog at a higher intensity on two other days. This also helps to prevent boredom as well as injury. Take a spinning class one day and a brisk walk on your lunch hour the other day if you don’t have time to get to the gym.

4. The gym isn’t a necessity. It doesn’t take an expensive gym membership to get the daily recommended amount of physical activity. A pair of athletic shoes and a little motivation are all you need to live a more active, healthier life. Just get out and walk! However if you do go to a gym, take advantage of the different machines and classes. Try a spinning class, a kickbox class or a body conditioning class. Yoga and pilates classes are great for toning and stretching, however they don’t really count as aerobic exercise.

5. Put your exercise into your daily planner just like another appointment. Maybe it’s easier for you to walk during your lunch hour, or perhaps hitting the pavement right after dinner is best for you. The key is to set aside specific days and times for exercise, making it just as much a regular part of your schedule as everything else.

6. Get your family and friends involved. Take your spouse, your children, or a friend with you during exercise to add some fun to your routine. This is also a good way to encourage your kids to be physically active and get them committed early to a lifetime of health.Many of the above recommendations came from this link (ACSM)

Set some goals for this week:

1. How many times a week are you exercising on a daily basis?

2. If you are trying to lose weight, your ideal goal is at least 5 times a week for 60 minutes.

3. Think about several ways you can increase your activity and write these thoughts down.

4. Set specific goals, such as:-I will walk for 30 minutes on my lunch hour on Monday and Wednesday with my co-worker Mary-I will walk 30 minutes after dinner twice a week with my husband-I will take a kickboxing class at my gym every Wednesday- I will walk Jack (my dog) briskly every day for 15 extra minutes.

If you are in New York City and interested in joining an all women boot camp please visit NYC ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP, mention that you found us through our blog for and extra 15% off a membership. Come work out like a GIRL!!!

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How to Get and Keep Healthy Skin

Not only is our skin the largest organ of our bodies but it also plays an important role in our appearance. Our skin is typically the first thing that other people notice about us. Moreover, our skin plays a vital role in our health, protecting our bodies and inner organs from harmful substances and injury. For some of us, however, our skin is often ignored when it comes to taking care of ourselves. Here are some ways to take care of your skin no matter your age:

• Diet and Exercise – It should be no surprise that diet and exercise have a profound impact on how your skin looks and feels. Exercise increases the circulation of blood and nutrients to your skin. Furthermore, diet plays an important role. For healthy skin, make sure you are getting plenty of foods with vitamin A like carrots and low-fat yogurt. Foods high in antioxidants, like berries, are critical as well. Selenium and essential fatty acids found in foods like walnuts, turkey, tuna, and flax seed are good for the skin, too.
• Stay Hydrated – Getting enough water to stay hydrated every day, about eight glasses, goes a long way towards keeping your skin young and looking great.
• Take Time to Relax – High levels of stress can produce all kinds of problems for your skin. When you are stressed out, your body releases cortisol, which could lead to breakouts of pimples. Control your stress by taking time to relax. You might even consider meditation, as some studies have shown that it helps clear up troublesome skin conditions.
• Keep Your Skin Protected – No matter what time of the year it is, be sure to use sunscreen and reapply it often when outside. Sunscreen can keep you from developing skin cancer and other issues as you age.
• Use a Simple Skin Care Regimen – Instead of buying bags full of skin products, the only ones you really need are a cleanser, moisturizer, and a retinoid. Retinoids improve the production of collagen and reduce the appearance of brown spots and fine lines.

If you are in New York City and interested in joining an all woman’s boot camp please visit  NYC ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP, mention that you found us through our blog for and extra 15% off a membership. Come work out like a GIRL!!!

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Staying Active in the Winter

As the seasons change and those of us in the northern hemisphere start to experience wet, cold weather, it can be more and more difficult to stay active. When the days start getting shorter and the weather grows increasingly colder, it is not easy to get outside in order to exercise or enjoy fun recreational activities. Furthermore, our bodies tend to slow down and we have the propensity to consume more calories during the winter in order to stay warm. This lack of exercise and the abundance of food during the holidays typically lead to weight gain and unhealthy habits.

In order to fight the wintertime bulge and overeating during the holidays, it is critical to stay active. Even though it is difficult to get outside for physical activities, here are some ways to get enough exercise during those bleak winter months:

• Try Different Winter Sports – The winter offers all sorts of opportunities to get outside, even though it is cold. Recreational activities like downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, ice skating, and snowshoeing are all great aerobic activities that burn lots of calories. The key is too not overdo it when you head back to the lodge for something warm to eat and drink.
• Head Inside to the Gym – Gym membership typically increases in the winter months because people are trying to stay active. Joining a nearby gym or club will give you an option for indoor workouts whether it is the cardio machines or weight lifting. Many gyms also have pools so that you can swim indoors in the winter.
• Join a Class – Many gyms or clubs also have group exercise classes like fitness boot camp, yoga, Pilates, strength training, cycling, and water aerobics. If your gym does not offer group exercise, many independent instructors offer their own classes in the area. The key is to find physical activities you enjoy and stick with it, even though it is harder to do so in the winter.

Besides the physical benefits, staying active in the snowy months can also help with beating the winter blues. So this winter stay motivated to get out and be active!

If you are in New York City and interested in joining an all woman’s boot camp please visit  NYC ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP, mention that you found us through our blog for and extra 15% off a membership. Come work out like a GIRL!!!

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Eating Better for the Holidays

As the holiday season draws closer, one of the hardest ways to maintain your healthy lifestyle during this time of year is to eat right. Even if you have been doing great on your diet, the holidays can still lead to overindulgence and weight gain. One of the reasons for is this is that food seems to be extra plentiful during celebrations with plates and plates of delicious goodies. Plus, the majority of food served during the holidays is usually loaded with fat, calories, and sugar. If you are not careful, your health can suffer.

In order to stay healthier over the holidays, here are some tips for eating better:

• Make Wise Choices – Instead of reaching for things like pie, stuffing, gravy, eggnog, bread pudding, and ham or beef, choose healthier options like turkey, chicken, fresh salads, and steamed vegetables. It’s OK to have some holiday treats, but it is important to choose your calories wisely. Keep track of your calories as much as possible so you know how much you are eating.
• Bring Your Own Food – During many holiday celebrations, there is often not many healthy choices. By bringing a healthier dish of your own, you can give yourself and others that option. Plus, there are plenty of traditional recipes that can be modified in order to be healthier.
• Control Your Portions – Smaller portions allow you to sample many different foods while keeping the amount of calories down. Also, it is best to chew your food slowly and take small bites to avoid overindulging. When you are done with your meal, it might be helpful to leave the room in order to keep from going back for more.
• Avoid Excessive Alcohol Consumption – The holidays are notorious for alcohol but alcoholic drinks are high in calories and have hardly any nutritional value. Plus, it dehydrates your body. Practice moderation, if it is impossible for you to avoid alcohol then try and drink a glass of water in between drinks. But the safest bet is to stick to plain water and your body will thank you for it.
• Stay Active – Moderation is critical when it comes to eating over the holidays but so is staying active. Keeping exercising regularly and get moving!

Join the Sexy Black Dress Project that will help you get into the dress size of your choice in 30 days.  If you are in New York City and interested in joining an all women’s boot camp please visit  NYC ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP. Come work out like a GIRL!!!

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