Best Fitness Blog

...By Travis Webb, CPT

From what I can tell there is enough information on the shelves about carbohydrates to confuse any eager researcher. Much of the information lacks consistency across the board, as many are based solely on the opinion and personal experience of the writer. So how do we all figure out what to pay attention to? What are the positives and negatives of Carbohydrates?

The consistency of information involving carbohydrates are actually quite basic. When it’s all said and done carbohydrates eventually become energy. There are different kinds of carbohydrates but the end result is the same, it just depends on how fast your body can utilize this energy. Simple carbohydrates can be utilized as energy faster. Complex Carbohydrates take longer to break down for energy. Therefore if you want quick energy you need simple carbohydrates such as fruits or certain pastas. If you want to make your body to take longer to get that energy you should be consuming complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal or whole grain foods.

In relation to body fat there are many myths and facts in relation to Carbohydrates. These myths make carbs out to be quite evil to the body. Thankfully the facts shine the light on the topic and prove they are quite good. As time has gone on the reality that fat burns in a carb fire has surfaced. You need energy to burn energy, as basic as that sounds its true! The problem is in how much you’re eating. Put simply if you are eating more calories than you are burning you will gain body fat. In order to have the energy to move around you need carbohydrates in your body. Therefore to burn the calories you are taking in to stay healthy you need carbohydrates in your diet. The amount depends on you as an individual!

It is more beneficial to your body and your goals to eat a balanced and personalized diet. Do your best not to limit any types of food unless your body has a different opinion on the matter.

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

I can’t think of a day that has passed that I haven’t uttered the words "I’m tired” at least once. I can’t help but get frustrated. I consider myself to be a relatively fit and healthy woman, but I always feel like I need more energy. Does this sound familiar?

Experts say that a large pat of the problem is that we have unrealistic expectations of how much we can squeeze into one 24 hour period. It seems that the pressure we put on ourselves to squeeze in one more meeting or errand is overwhelming, and it can actually drain a significant amount of energy. By over-extending ourselves on Monday, research shows that we are actually less productive on Tuesday. It’s kind of like that old saying “Hurry up to slow down”.

Studies on productivity in the workplace show that people who take short breaks during their work day actually get more done then people who schedule themselves back to back all day.

Not only should we try to perform fewer task in a day in order to get more done, we should stop trying do accomplish 2 or 3 things at once . A study that compared single- and multi-taskers found that those who focused on one chore at a time were more energy efficient. So reading your email while on the phone or sending texts while on the treadmill will drain your brain faster than doing each task by itself.

It sounds too good to be true, right? If we slow down and do a little less each day, we will feel less tired AND get everything done? I’m game...