Best Fitness Blog

...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

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.

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

In recent years, many studies have been published showing the benefits of weight training for women. Still, the number of women who take this recommendation to heart is still quite low. Most women who exercise are spending most of their gym time on cardiovascular exercise because they are afraid weight training will make the look bulky or they feel that walking on the treadmill is sufficient. Whatever your reasons for avoiding the weights, if you are a woman, here are some less obvious reasons reasons why you need to take strength training seriously.

In addition to getting stronger and leaner, adding weight training to your routine will help to decrease your risk of osteoporosis. Weight training can increase spinal bone density by up to 13 percent in just six months. This, coupled with an adequate amount of dietary calcium, can be a women's best defense against osteoporosis.

Did you know that heart disease is one of the leading causes of death among women in the U.S?: Weight training can improve cardiovascular health in several ways, including lowering LDL ("bad") cholesterol, increasing HDL ("good") cholesterol and lowering blood pressure. When cardiovascular exercise is added, these benefits are maximized, and your risk of heart disease is lowered!

If those reasons still aren’t enough to convince you to pump some iron, weight training will reduce your risk of diabetes. Weight training has been shown to improve the way the body processes sugar, which may reduce the risk of diabetes. Adult-onset diabetes is a growing problem for both women and men. Research indicates that weight training can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23 percent in four months.

Don’t you think that the benefits are worth the work?

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

After a long cold winter full of daydreaming of sunshine and warmth, we often run outside in our shorts the second the temperature breaks 60 degrees. However, as temperatures increase and humidity begins to become unbearable, staying active becomes tough. If not handled with care, exercising in the extreme heat can pose a serious threat, but by taking proper precautions, maintaining a regular exercise routine in the heat isn’t that difficult.

If you choose to exercise outdoors as the temperature rises, her are a few tips to keep you both fit and healthy:

• Increase your fluid intake. By consuming more liquids throughout the day, you will prevent dehydration and regulate your body temperature. Dehydration is your worst enemy. If the weather is hotter or more humid than you’re acclimated to, drink more fluids, even if you aren't thirsty. Bring water along with you if you are outside for more than 20 minutes. Drinking before and after isn’t good enough when the mercury rises.
• Adjust the schedule of your exercise regimen. The prime schedule for exercise is before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m., especially if the temperature is rising and humidity is high. No matter what time you are out there, remember to use sunscreen even if your workout only lasts 30 minutes.
• Wear appropriate clothing during your workout routine. What you wear makes a difference while exercising in the heat. Light-colored, loose-fitting materials that reflect the sun are recommended.
• Acclimate yourself. The body needs time to adjust to the change in environment. Allow yourself a good week to become acclimated to a new environment by gradually increasing the amount of time you spend in the heat and gradually increasing the intensity of your exercise. You may find that your intensity feels much higher than you think it should- your body is working harder to cool itself down, so don’t push to run at a speed or walk a distance that you could when it was cooler!
• FEED your muscles with nutritious foods. Heat often decreases the appetite, but it's important to make sure that you are taking in an appropriate amount of calories for the work you are doing.
• Know when to quit. Pay attention to the warning signs of your body. If you begin to feel light headed or dizzy, immediately stop exercising and find somewhere to cool down.

... By Karli Taylor

You’re on the treadmill walking at a nice easy warm-up pace. With nothing else interesting to look at, you start to read the heart rate chart that is printed next to the digital display. You find your age and follow the row over to find your current heart rate and… you are working too hard?

This is a classic example of why you should not believe everything you read. Yes, I know that this chart is printed on the cardio machines in every gym you have ever stepped foot in, and I’m sure it hangs on the wall in many group exercise studios across the globe as well. The simply truth is this: it is wrong. The numbers on this chart are based on a formula used to ESTIMATE maximum heart rate. This basic formula, 220-age= max heart rate, is inherently flawed. Don’t believe me? Keep reading.

Mrs. Smith is a 30 year old marathon runner. She runs approximately 40 miles a week, is an ideal weight and is in good health. Her friend, Mrs. Jones, is also 30 years old. The similarities end there. Mrs. Jones is a smoker. She has not exercised in over 10 years, and according to most guidelines for height and weight, she is morbidly obese. Based on the chart found on that treadmill, both Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Smith should be working in the same heart rate range to burn fat...

Sound right? At 75% of their estimated max heart rate (220-30= 190 * .7 ), or 133 beats per minute, one of these ladies is barely sweating while the other is gasping for breath. If these charts are all wrong, what do you do? There is a simple formula to find your target heart rate range (70-85% of your maximum heart rate), but to calculate it, you need to find your resting heart rate.

If you wake up without an alarm, take your pulse 3 mornings in a row before your feet hit the ground and take the average number to get your resting. If you do rely on an alarm, take your pulse if you get up on the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. If you do not wake up during the night, take your pulse right before you fall asleep. Try not to watch and scary or suspenseful television shows in bed though!

Once you get that number, plug it in to these formulas to get the high and low end of your target heart rate range:

220-age- resting * .70 + resting = 70% max heart rate.
220-age-resting *.85 + resting= 85% max heart rate.

It’s probably been a few months since your last golf outing.   What better training, you think, than getting out there and playing?  You're at the first tee, shaking the rust off your golf swing, and you feel a pull in your back or your hamstring. Sound familiar?  

While golf isn't a contact sport, it puts significant demands on your body which can easily lead to golf injuries. Before you hit the links this year, take a little while to prepare your body for what’s about to happen.

Understanding the mechanics behind your golf swing can help you prevent golf injuries.  Maintaining proper posture before and during your swing will keep your back healthy. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and distribute your weight equally on both feet to keep from tightening on one side. Avoid hunching over the ball, which may contribute to neck and back strain.

Think of your body as one unit and move smoothly through your swing. The power of your golf swing comes from force transferred through all of your muscles, from your wrists to your ankles.

If you depend on one part of your body for your hitting power, you may be more prone to golf injuries. For example, overemphasizing your wrists during your swing can lead to a strain of the muscles on the inside of the forearm which is commonly referred to as golfer's elbow.

Lastly, make sure you warm up before you take your first swing of the day.  Walk around a bit before making your way to the first tee, and take some practice swings without the club in your hands to get your body used to the motion.

... By Karli Taylor

Sure, we walk every day. We walk around the house, around the office and to and from our cars, but walking can be a great form of cardiovascular exercise as well. Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise that can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health without requiring extra equipment or technical training. It's safe, simple and doesn't require practice and just about anyone can do it.

Walking, like other forms of cardiovascular exercise, can result in a number of important health benefits. Simply by adding a 20-30 minute walk to your daily activities, you can lower your bad cholesterol, increase your good cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk for type II diabetes AND control your weight. Not bad right?

Believe it or not, you don’t need to be dripping in sweat to reap all of these benefits. Research shows that regular, brisk walking can reduce the risk of heart attack by the same amount as more vigorous exercise, such as jogging.

Even though walking isn't as likely to lead to injuries as more intense types of exercise, take time to prepare yourself to prevent injuries, such as blisters or muscle pain. Spend about five minutes walking slowly to warm up your muscles before you increase to a brisk walking pace. Be sure to wear shoes that fit and have proper arch support, a firm heel and thick flexible soles to cushion your feet and absorb shock. Before you buy a new pair, be sure to walk in them in the store.

Keeping a record of how many steps you take, the distance you walk and how long it takes can help you see where you started from and serve as a source of motivation. Just think how good you'll feel when you see how many miles you've walked each week, month or year. Like any exercise routine, a walking program takes commitment. When you think of the potential health benefits, you’ll see that the time you commit is well spent.

... By Karli Taylor

Heart rate monitors are in widespread use among all levels of exercisers these days. If you don't have one you may feel that you are missing critical information to get the most from your workout. While using a monitor is not necessary for everyone, it can be a great tool for all exercisers. Even if used temporarily, it will help you learn how you feel at a given heart rate and you will become a better judge of your own limitations.

You can learn so much about your body in just a few weeks with a heart monitor that even when you're not wearing it, you'll know whether you're working too hard, not hard enough, or are exerting just the right amount of effort for a particular workout. You may be surprised that sometimes your hard workouts are too hard, and often when you think that you are barely working, you are in fact working just hard enough.

Though it's especially helpful if you're new to exercise, a heart rate monitor can be a great tool if you're just bored with your current routine and want to try something new. Playing games with your heart rate not only provides you with something to focus on during longer or harder workouts.

Next time you want to shake up your workout with a heart-rate game, try changing the speed or incline of your run or walk while using your breath to keep your heart rate within a certain range- it’s a lot harder than it sounds. You can also challenge yourself with recovery time. How long does it take you after a hard interval to get your heart rate down to where it was before you started it? Can you shorten that time by focusing on your breath?

If you are not sure where your heart rate should be during exercise, stay tuned…

...By Karli Taylor

Even the healthiest of people get sick every now and then, but with a little fine-tuning you can help strengthen your immune system to fight off conditions like the common cold and the flu.

• Eat more fruits and veggies. Following a diet rich in antioxidants is essential to supporting your immune system by combating free radicals.
• Choose healthy fats like the omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish and flaxseed to help increase your body's production of compounds involved in regulating immunity.
• Add Garlic and ginger to your meals to fight virus’, kill bacteria and reduce inflammation
• Drink plenty of water to help fend off infection by flushing out your system.
• Working out regularly can mobilize your T cells, a type of white blood cell known to guard the body against infection.
• Take days off. You can have too much of a good thing. Excessive vigorous activity like running may weaken your immune function and leave you more susceptible to viral infections.
• Learn to relax. Prolonged exposure to stress can wear down the immune system and increase your vulnerability to germs
• Wash your hands. Simply keeping your hands clean is one of the best ways to ward off illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Make sure to wash your hands for 15 to 20 seconds (using warm water and soap) before preparing food or eating and after coughing, sneezing, using the bathroom, or touching public surfaces.
• Get your ZZZs. Getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night helps to regulate immune function.