Best Fitness Blog

You are busy, and when you are busy you exercise less and don’t eat as well as you should. But the key to weight loss is burning more calories than you take in, but also eating healthy. You may think you eat fine, but if you take a few minutes to evaluate what you eat, you may start to notice some unhealthy habits. The first question that you should ask yourself is: What types of processed foods do you eat?

Processed foods have added fats and sugars to make them taste better, last longer and cook faster. This hidden extras add on the calories more quickly than most of us realize. Because of this, the typical American diet is loaded with sugar, fat, and sodium, often leading to high blood pressure, low energy, and poor digestion. The best way to reduce your risk for many diseases and health issues is to choose natural and minimally processed foods. Often called “eating clean”.

If you want to eat clean, you need to eat the least processed food with the most nutrients. How? No more fast foods, no more frozen food aisle at the grocery store, choose fresh vegetables and fruits over canned or frozen.

Choose foods that are low in fat, high in fiber, with essential vitamins and minerals. This will control blood sugar, give you more energy for exercise and give you the fiber that you need for better and healthy digestion.

Eating a less processed, healthy diet along with increased exercise can boost your metabolism and help you lose weight. Replacing fast foods and processed foods can help you eat less calories overall and increase the amount of fiber you eat. Additionally, high-fiber whole grains, vegetables, and fruits will help you feel fuller longer causing you to eat less. Did you know that people who eat an additional 14 grams of fiber a day eat 10% less throughout the day.?

...By Karli Taylor

You have heard it before -- if you want to know the state of your health, turn your attention to your waistline. Waist circumference is getting a lot of attention as the new risk factor for future health problems, even becoming more popular than the old standard of BMI. Why? It’s because belly fat is thought to be more dangerous than fat that pads other parts of your body. Even people who look to be “skinny” should be concerned if they hold any extra baggage around the middle.

Your body needs some fat, but where the fat is on your body makes a big difference. Fat can behave differently in different places, and the stuff that lies along your midsection has been proven to be the most unhealthy. There are two types of fat that can live around your waistline, the first is subcutaneous fat, or the fat just under your skin. This is the fat that you can pinch with your fingers. Though it is what most of us concern ourselves with, it’s actually the lesser of the two evils. It’s the visceral fat, the belly fat that hides deep inside, around your inner organs, that may pose a silent health threat if there's too much of it.

There are four keys to losing visceral fat: exercise, diet, sleep, and stress management.

Though there are no specific moves or activities that lessen visceral fat, by including both cardiovascular and resistance exercise into your daily routing you will be able to burn off fat while you are exercising and add lean mass that will continue to burn fat while you are at rest.

It has been proven that 30 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, done four times per week, reduced subcutaneous and visceral abdominal fat. Resistance training alone reduced only subcutaneous fat. However a stronger, leaner body burns more calories at rest so it is always best to do cardio as well as strength training to accomplish your weight loss goals.

Contact Best Fitness in your area for assistance in creating a weight loss plan that incorporates the loss of belly fat.

Visit one of our Best Fitness Clubs to learn even more about this topic. We have locations in Albany,NY, Tonawanda, NY, Schenectady, NY, Erie, PA, Nashua, NH, Chelmsford, MA, and Drum Hill, MA.

...By Karli Tayor

Being active is an important part of any weight-loss or weight-maintenance program. When you're active, your body uses more calories. When you use more calories than you take in, you lose weight. It really is that simple!

Because 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound. So if you cut 500 calories from your diet each day, you'd lose about 1 pound a week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories). Similarly, if you eat exactly the same amount, but burn an extra 500 each day, you will see the same results.

I’m sure you know where I’m going with this right? Now if you were to cut 500 calories a day AND burn 500 calories a day, you would be able to lose 2 pounds a week and reach your goals even more quickly! Though weight loss can be achieved through diet alone or from exercise alone, it is much more efficient, and much better for the health of your body in the long run to combine the two.

While it is recommended that most healthy adults follow the guidelines set below, your specific goals may impact the amount and type of exercise that will work best for you. The general guidelines are:

• Do at least two hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity (think brisk walking or swimming) or one hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity (such as running) — preferably spread throughout the week.
• Strength train at least twice a week.

The chart below shows the estimated number of calories burned while doing various exercises for one hour.

Mayo Clinic

Keep in mind that this chart does not take into consideration a number of individualized factors that may impact caloric burn- it should be used only as an estimate. For a more individualized number, seek help from a fitness professional to learn your rate of calorie burn.

Visit one of our Best Fitness Clubs to learn even more about this topic. We have locations in Albany,NY, Tonawanda, NY, Schenectady, NY, Erie, PA, Nashua, NH, Chelmsford, MA, and Drum Hill, MA.

...By Karli Tayor

If you are a woman over 40 who wants to lose weight, you may have realized that it is a totally different ball game than it was when you were in your 20’s.

Not only do you have a slower metabolism; you may also be experiencing a hormone imbalance which can cause fluid retention, bloating, poor thyroid functions and weight gain. Though these things may seem like you are beginning a losing battle, all hope should not be lost! Weight loss is still possible, the process is just a bit different.

Over 40, dieting may no longer provide the best results. As you age, your body will not respond to quick fixes and short term plans like it may have at one time. When you are over 40, rather than dieting, you need to change your lifestyle to make it healthier. An over 40 diet needs to be different than your diet was when you were younger. Choose foods with higher nutrient value that provide more of the things you need for energy with fewer calories while avoiding eating out and pre-packaged meals which are common to the lifestyle of woman today.

Keep in mind that labels can be deceiving. Many foods labeled low-sugar often contain extra fat or salt instead of sugar to help the taste and texture. Similarly, many “low-fat” foods are loaded with excess sugar for the same reasons. Though life may get hectic, taking the time to prepare fresh foods will not only help keep your weight in check, but will also help keep you healthy.

"No time to exercise” is often a mantra of women over 40. But middle aged women must incorporate physical activity into their schedule. In fact, if you want it to fit in, you can fit exercise into your schedule. But you can add little things to your daily routine, such as parking farther away, take the stairs rather than the elevator and walking on your lunch hour. Increasing physical activity in your daily routine can have a large impact on your weight loss goals.

Believe it or not, a good night's sleep is essential for weight loss. Unfortunately, many women don’t get an adequate amount of sleep because of their busy lifestyle. It is important to get 6-8 hours of sleep a night, so if you want to lose weight, learn techniques to relax so you can sleep at night.

Lastly, don’t forget about the power of drinking enough water. Make a habit of keeping a water bottle with you at all times. Drinking water is one of the best things you can do for your health and it help your kidneys, helps your body detox, and it improves bowel movements. Keep a water bottle on your desk at work.

If you are a woman over 40 and you want to lose weight, contact Best Fitness in your area for help.

Visit one of our Best Fitness Clubs to learn even more about this topic. We have locations in Albany,NY, Tonawanda, NY, Schenectady, NY, Erie, PA, Nashua, NH, Chelmsford, MA, and Drum Hill, MA.

...By Karli Taylor

It is one thing to change your attitudes toward food and exercise when you are actively trying to lose weight, but those habits need to remain intact once the weight is off in order to maintain your weight loss. In short, permanent behavior change is necessary to effect long lasting physical change.

One of the best gifts you can give yourself whether you want to lose weight or not, is the gift of a personal trainer.

A personal trainer can create a program for you with your current fitness level and goals in mind. But more importantly, a personal trainer can help you stay motivated. Trainers provide education, support, and accountability. Just the fact that you have paid money for a personal trainer will help you keep your appointments.

Personal trainers will help you exercise at a level that is right for you, and can help push you to new levels. A good personal trainer can help you target the areas you want to work on and provide the right combination of machines, cardiovascular activity, and functional strength exercises for you.

Goals like building strength, improving posture, decreasing body fat, and staying fit, flexible and healthy are ones that can be capitalized on with a personal trainer. Clear goals keep you focused and moving steadily forward every day. Contact Best Fitness in your area to schedule personal training for weight loss.

Visit one of our Best Fitness Clubs to learn even more about this topic. We have locations in Albany,NY, Tonawanda, NY, Schenectady, NY, Erie, PA, Nashua, NH, Chelmsford, MA, and Drum Hill, MA.

...By Karli Taylor

The best way to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit by burning calories through exercise while reducing the amount of calories that you eat each day. Understand that losing weight takes time. Don’t try to lose more than 1/2 pound to 1 pound each week, and don’t eat fewer than 1,200 calories per day. If you are not too excited about the thought of eating less, there is a way to lose weight without cutting back on your intake- just burn more!

To burn one pound of body fat per week try creating a deficit of 500 calories per day, 3,500 calories per week. There is 3,500 calories in one pound of body fat. To do this, fuel your body with high nutrient food and burn off the 500 calories through high intensity cardio.

How Cardio Helps You Lose Weight

You already know that you lose weight when you burn more calories than you eat. Cardio is a key component because you burn many calories at one time by getting your heart rate into your target heart rate zone. You can increase the calorie burn by increasing the intensity of the workout: Go faster, climb hills or change exercises. And since cardio exercises add to your overall calorie deficit by burning calories, you don’t have to cut as many calories from your diet. But one large advantage to cardio is that you can do it anytime, and every day. There is no rest day required to allow your muscles to repair themselves.

Which cardio exercise is best?

Which cardio exercise is the best to lose weight? The one you will do regularly and consistently. Choose some that you enjoy and mix them up. A great idea is interval training. Interval training can be done on any machine that you like, and involves simply changing the intensity for short periods of time called intervals. You can speed up a minute and then return to a comfortable pace for 2, or you can keep your pace the same and add resistance for 1 minute before decreasing it back for 2.

Another way to spice up your cardio is cross-training. Cross- training is simply using different machines either over the course of a week, or even in the same day. If you are someone with a short attention span, try this: Use an elliptical for 15 minutes, then use a stair climber for 15 minutes and finish on the treadmill for 15 minutes.

Cross training is a fun way to keep it new and fresh!

To get an idea of just how much cardio can do for you, check out the following list of common exercises. Below is the number of calories burned for a 150-pound person in 30 minutes:

• Step aerobics: 340 calories
• Stationary bike: 238 calories
• Swimming: 270 calories
• Walking 4 mph: 170 calories
• Running 5 mph: 270 calories
• Mowing the lawn with a push mower: 200 calories

Contact Best Fitness to see how a cardio workout can help you lose weight.

Visit one of our Best Fitness Clubs to learn even more about this topic. We have locations in Albany,NY, Tonawanda, NY, Schenectady, NY, Erie, PA, Nashua, NH, Chelmsford, MA, and Drum Hill, MA.

... Karli Taylor

Maybe it’s bad business for me to make the statement that I’m about to make, but here I go. Regardless of how hard you work in the gym, you will never get the results you desire if you are not mindful about what you are eating. Though we could spend days discussing nutrition, let’s start with a few easily fixed mistakes that may interfere with getting the most out of your training time.

• Drinking a Protein Shake Before a Workout. Protein is digested much more slowly than carbohydrates, so too much pre-workout can give you stomach cramps and prevent the carbs you need for fuel from getting absorbed and becoming available to your working muscles. Instead of a high protein shake, reach for a meal replacement drink with more carbohydrates than protein before you hit the gym.
• Exercising on an Empty Stomach. It's physiologically impossible to burn pure body fat during exercise. No matter what you eat (or don’t eat), you burn a combo of carbs and fat. When carbs aren't readily available, your body is forced to break down its own muscle mass and convert it into blood sugar. That means by skipping a meal, you may end up eating away at your own muscle instead of building it! If you don’t like the feeling of exercising with food in your system, try that meal replacement shake next time.
• Overusing Energy Bars. Too many of these can cause you to consume all of the calories you burned exercising, preventing you from seeing results. Though someone competing at a pro-athlete intensity may be able to grab a bar post workout and eat a meal a few hours later, that may be overload for the average exerciser when you consider that many bars are the equivalent of a turkey sandwich — and most people wouldn't eat a turkey sandwich, then sit down to chicken stir fry a few hours later.
• Not Eating Enough Good Fat. Every cell in the human body is partially made out of fat, including muscle, so "good" fat, or unsaturated fat, is needed to heal and repair post workout. Without it you may not only stay sore and fail to see an improvement in strength and muscle tone, but you will have a hard time losing body fat. Try to include small portions of foods like extra virgin olive oil, avocado and almonds at every meal and you will see a difference very quickly.

Visit one of our Best Fitness Clubs to learn even more about this topic. We have locations in Albany,NY, Tonawanda, NY, Schenectady, NY, Erie, PA, Nashua, NH, Chelmsford, MA, and Drum Hill, MA.

Visit one of our Best Fitness Clubs to learn even more about this topic. We have locations in Albany,NY, Tonawanda, NY, Schenectady, NY, Erie, PA, Nashua, NH, Chelmsford, MA, and Drum Hill, MA.

...By Karli Taylor

Each and every winter, many people visit their doctors complaining of back pain. Often, they blame the last snowfall. After shoveling the sidewalk or driveway, their backs feel stiff and achy.

In some cases, people have sudden pain the moment they pick up a shovel. Shoveling snow can cause anything from muscle strain to slipped disks and even serious bone fractures.

But if you follow these simple tips, you can help prevent low back pain related to snow shoveling:

• Check with your doctor. Because this activity places high stress on the heart, you should always speak with your doctor before shoveling. If you have a medical condition or do not exercise regularly, consider hiring someone to remove the snow.
• Dress appropriately. Light, layered, water-repellent clothing provides both ventilation and insulation. It is also important to wear a hat, mittens or gloves and thick, warm socks. Avoid falls by wearing shoes or boots that have slip-resistant soles.
• Choose a proper shovel. Consider two types of snow shovels. One lifts loads of snow. The other - with a wide, curved blade - is used as a "plow." Make sure both types of shovels have curved handles with plastic, lightweight blades. The curved handle helps you keep your back straight when lifting the snow-filled blade off the ground - or when you push snow aside with the plowing shovel. Make sure the handle of your snow shovel reaches your chest to avoid hunching over while “plowing” or scooping up snow.
• Try to clear snow early and often. Begin shoveling when a light covering of snow is on the ground to avoid dealing with packed, heavy snow.
• Be sure you can see where you are shoveling. Do not let a hat or scarf block your vision. And make sure the area s well lit so you can safely spot icy patches and uneven surfaces.

Shoveling technique:

• Warm-up your muscles. Shoveling can be a vigorous activity. Before you begin this physical workout, warm-up your muscles for 5-10 minutes with light exercise- even walking around the house and up and down the stairs a few times will do the trick.
• Pace yourself. Snow shoveling is an aerobic activity. Take frequent breaks and prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids.
• Try to push the snow instead of lifting it. If you must lift, do it properly. Squat with your legs at least hip-width apart, knees bent, and back straight. Lift with your legs. Do not bend at the waist. Scoop small amounts of snow into the shovel and walk to where you want to dump it. Holding a shovelful of snow with your arms outstretched puts too much weight on your spine. Never remove deep snow all at once. Do it in pieces.
• Do not throw the snow over your shoulder or to the side. This requires a twisting motion that can put undue stress on your back.