I found this article last year about fall fitness written by Rob Williams of the Vancouver Province Newspaper. One of the things I have noticed this year is that I am really noticing the change of seasons and how it is affecting my attitude, energy, and workout patterns

Whether there are kids in the picture or not, September is a time when a lot of people do a mind-shift, putting the golf clubs, bikes and tennis rackets away for another year and establishing the habits and patterns that will shape their fall and winter schedules.

In fact, September is second only to January as a time when fitness springs to the top of the to-do list, with gyms and training studios buzzing with activity and motivated new members. At the same time, family and business commitments seem to increase, and the days get shorter and darker. Read the rest of this entry »

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Looking to make a change and lose some weight? I have reviewed the top diet on the internet and you can go and read over 200 comments people have made about why this diet has worked well for them, as well as some of the problems.

Walking to lose weight is a simple but powerful method that can help with your long term weight loss goals. Walking is a natural, safe and enjoyable exercise that can be done in almost any environment. While it doesn’t burn up calories as quickly as strenuous activities such as running, jogging or riding a bicycle, it can be surprisingly effective.

Walking is perhaps the most natural physical exercise you can do. Long before there were automobiles or bicycles -and even before humans domesticated horses to ride on- walking was the way people got around. In recent years, the sad fact is that many people only walk when they absolutely have to. They may see walking as something you do to get from your car to the store, or from your driveway to the house. If this describes you, and your goal is to lose weight and get healthier, it may be a good idea to change the way you see walking. Read the rest of this entry »

I have not been posting a lot lately being so busy with the move  so I missed telling you about a few interesting stories that I have seen lately. Here are just a few that seem to have been  underreported.

Cnet has reviewed their view of the top 5 iPhone apps. The iPod has long been a fitness mainstay and the iPhone is an extension of the the usability of the iPod except that you can download many applications to it. Cnet has done a good job of reviewing a few of the best apps for fitness for the iPhone.

More kids are getting hurt in gym class. The Diet Blog has the stats and the answers as to why more kids are getting hurt in gym class (hint: kids are not as coordinated as they used to be) The article was a real eye opener to me as I have a couple of kids that I push to exercise as much as possible but I worry that it may not be enough.

Fit Shack had a weight loss call that I missed. I was a day late in seeing this and maybe a couple days late in leeting you know. JoLynn at the Fit Shack had a free call where you could learn some weight loss secrets. I just checked and by signing up you can listen to a recording of the call (long distance charges may apply depending on where you are calling from), but the info should be really great.

How many fruits and veggies are enough? Pauls health blog has an article about why the USDA recommends 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Sounds like a lot but these are the key to a healthy diet

There are some who think they cannot get fit unless they hit the gym regularly. They think that one can become fit only when surrounded by an assortment of flashy workout equipments and a huge crowd jostling with each other in the battle of fitness. Then there are others like me who think that true fitness can only be achieved in one’s own home, since no other place could be more comfortable, warm and peaceful.

Personally I have more than one reason to prefer home-based workouts. You see, I am a guy who prefers to workout at flexible hours. I cannot hit the gym everyday at a set time because of my busy schedule and hectic lifestyle. Therefore, a home-based workout suits me best. I can workout even while watching television or listening to my favorite IPod. Moreover, I hate crowds.

As a matter of fact, many gyms work on outdated fitness principles and philosophy. Just like science, the principles of fitness also changes with time, but very few gyms are able to keep themselves up to date with the knowledge. Even if you hire a personal fitness trainer, there is no guarantee that you would learn all the latest and greatest fitness tricks from him. I have been fortunate enough to discover two easy ways to get fit and healthy in no time, all the while staying within the comfort of my home. I am going to share those three tips with you in this article.

1. Save time by doing high intensity workouts: Many people are afraid of doing high intensity workouts because they feel these workouts would break their bones or worse, kill them outright. Then there are others who believe that doing low intensity workouts for a long period of time is much better than doing highly intense workouts for a much shorter period. I would say that both groups of people are wrong.

Sure, if you wish to waste your time there is no better way to do it than indulging in low intensity workouts. But, if you really want to get fit, then low intensity workouts won’t be able to help you. This is the reason why I recommend that you select only workouts of high intensity, and lower your rest periods. This would ensure that you get fit in the shortest time possible.

2. Set time-specific goals: Another way to get fit quickly is by setting your actual workout session against a very tight schedule and increasing your rest period. This is one unique workout method that I can guarantee is not taught in many gyms. Under this method, you can pick up any three high intensity workouts you choose, and do each one of them for 30-40 seconds. After you are done with one workout, rest for about 10-20 minutes. What you are doing here is: you are giving very little time to your workouts compared to your resting periods.

When you are racing against time, your workout regimen would look much more exciting and challenging than ever. Keep in mind that a human mind gets bored with routine jobs, but would any day pick up something challenging and interesting. This principle equally holds true for workouts as well.

Apple and nike are working together to make big changes to the Nike+ program in the future.

If you are not yet aware of Nike+ it is a system where you have a sensor in your shoe (doesn’t have to be a Nike shoe) and and iPod. I do not have one yet but the idea is very exciting. You simply put the sensor in or on your shoe. Start up your iPod and start running. The sensor picks up your steps and distance and tracks your speed and when you finish you sync with iTunes to have it track your stats.

A little geeky but I am a sucker for the geeky stuff. Read the rest of this entry »

Another motivational list from Craig at Turbulence Training. I get these in my email and wow they are pretty good ideas to really get yourself going

There will be days (everyday?) when you don’t feel like doing your workout.

Sometimes you don’t want to get out of bed. Sometimes you don’t want to leave your office because you feel like there are too many deadlines (but this is when you need a workout the most!).

Sometimes you don’t want to end story time with the kids only to head down to the basement gym.

It even happens to me. Read the rest of this entry »

In good old times, when there was no video game, PSP, IPOD or computer, one needn’t worry about telling their kids to engage themselves in outdoor sports and exercises. Children would do it on their own, having no other (read better) choice. However, in this age of gizmos and gadgets, kids have become so much addicted to video games, TV and computers that rarely, if ever, do they venture out of home except for school classes, forget about exercising or playing sports.

As times change, parents need to change too. Now that kids no longer have any inclination for exercise, you, as a parent, need to be proactive about it, IF you want to ensure a healthy future for your kids, that is.

How would exercise benefit my kids, you may ask. Well, for starters, exercises would keep your kids fit, not only now but also forever, provided that they continue with the exercises. When kids are accustomed to leading an active life, there is little chance that they would become inactive as they grow into adulthood.

In fact, several studies have pointed out that people who lead active lives as kids usually continue with the same active lifestyle as adults; such people are much less likely to suffer from obesity, or obesity-related diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary diseases, sleep apnea, etc., than those who lead a sedentary lifestyle right from childhood.

Apart from making him physically strong and immune to diseases, exercises also make your child mentally healthy. A kid who exercises regularly is more likely to get good grades in exams, have more self-confidence, and be in a better position to socialize, than one who doesn’t exercise at all or exercises rarely. Again, these are not all lame speculations but rather proven scientific facts.

Now, here are some exercise tips for Kids:

a) Kids, being impatient by nature, won’t stick to anything, especially hard work, which lasts for more than half-an-hour. This is why kids shouldn’t be made to exercise for more than half-an-hour per day, unless they want to. If they exercise for too long, they are likely to become either bored or frustrated with their exercise routine, and that is something that you won’t want to happen.

b) Kids are least likely to be motivated to exercise if they have to go to a gym and do boring workouts. A much better alternative is to buy them a treadmill. Keep the treadmill at home and let your kids have fun with it.

c) Kids become bored very quickly, so make sure that you don’t force them to engage in the same workout day after day. For example, if your kids do the treadmill workout on the first day, have them do some hula hooping on the next day. Then send them on a scavenger hunt on the third day, tell them to play a sport like cricket or baseball on the fourth day, and engage them in relay race, swimming, skiing, or dancing on the fifth day.

With a variety of exercise activites for Kids to be done throughout the week, you can be rest assured that your kids would never become bored of exercises. Don’t forget to engage your kids in domestic chores too, as this would also help them stay fit.

If skiing is my first favorite exercise, working out using an elliptical trainer is my second favorite option. Now you maybe are wondering what it is about those elliptical trainers that I like so much. In case you are unacquainted with the elliptical trainer, this article will tell you what you are missing.

There are many, many advantages of working out using an elliptical trainer. First and foremost, it is much less intense than the traditional cardio. Unlike cardio, it puts very little strain on your body. If you have ever engaged in skiing, bicycling and rowing, you would know what it is like to exercise with elliptical trainer, for it is nothing but a combination of all these three exercises.

Elliptical trainers come at different price tags, and you don’t necessarily need to buy the most expensive one. Just make sure that the machine you buy shows stats on how long you have been riding on it, how many calories are burnt, as well as your mileage. An elliptical trainer which doesn’t offer these statistics is not worth your time or money.

Another thing you must look for is whether the elliptical trainer gives you a jerky feeling when you workout. Decent elliptical trainers won’t have this jerky feeling; rather, they are smooth and “natural” and won’t stress your body at all. Be sure to look for warranties, and trial offers, if any.

Okay, now here are the four main reasons why I love elliptical trainers:

1. Requires less involvement and concentration on my part: If you are a busy person like me, you would love the elliptical trainer. You would also love it if you are someone who is bored of workouts. Just imagine being able to watch TV or listen to your IPOD while working out. Well, that is exactly what you can do with an elliptical trainer. When you use it, you won’t even feel like you are working out. Plus, it helps you burn a lot of fat in a lot less time that cardios would.

2. Totally unobtrusive: Unlike some other workout machines, elliptical trainers are usually quiet by nature. In fact, if your family members stay at the other room, they won’t even know when you are riding on the workout machine.

3. Helps me workout at home: I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the idea of venturing out of home everyday and heading to the gym for workouts. Elliptical trainer helps me workout at home, at any time I want.

4. Burns fat from all parts of my body: You might have heard about those abs crunches machines which focus on burning only your abdomen fat. You know one thing, REAL weight loss occurs only when you burn fat from ALL parts of your body.

For one, you really cannot force your body to burn fat at any particular spot. For another, it is no use having a slim abdomen if your hips and chest are huge, and the opposite is equally true. Elliptical trainer is great because I can burn fat from all parts of my body, including chest, neck, face, hips, thighs, belly, etc., with it.

Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training sent this email about what to do to keep yourself motivated to workout even when you don’t feel like it.

There will be days (everyday?) when you don’t feel like doing your workout.

Sometimes you don’t want to get out of bed.

Sometimes you don’t want to leave your office because you feel like there are too many deadlines (but this is when you need a workout the most!).

Sometimes you don’t want to end story time with the kids only to head down to the basement gym.

It even happens to me.

But I knew how I’d feel like a million bucks after the workout.

And in the end, I know I can’t let myself become “soft” and start skipping workouts. I have to lead by example.

But if you are set on achieving a goal, then when it’s workout time, come heck or high water you’ve got to bear down and do the job.

Workout Motivation Tips

1) Reward yourself. Finish your workout and treat yourself to a magazine, a TV show, some extra time with your family, some new songs for your IPOD, or even a little extra time for yourself.

2) Or set up a punishment for missing workouts. Skip the workout, put $20 into a jar to spend on home repairs. Make sure your spouse controls the jar.

3) Review your goals everyday and every night. Keeping your goals fresh in your mind will help you stay on track.

4) Realize that the hardest part of the workout is often getting your butt to the gym. Once you get 5 minutes into the workout, you will be over the hump. So tell yourself, “I’ll just go in and do 1 set of the first 2 exercises, then I can go”. Next thing you know, you’ll have done the entire workout.

5) Visualize yourself doing a great workout and finishing strong. Get yourself mentally prepared and you will literally have better workouts each time.

6) Crank the tunes. Seriously, nothing motivates like music.

7) Get social support. If you have a workout partner, you’ll feel like crap if you let them down. Or become accountable to everyone in the Turbulence Training workout forums…if you don’t post your workouts, they’ll track you down and demand to know why you’ve fallen off track! So online or offline, get everyone on your side!

Now get out there and kick the fat to the curb,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Since at least the 80s people have been listening to music during their workouts while running and in gyms around the country hard rock music is always being played. If you are a runner I have just run across a piece of free software that will help you to choose music better for your workouts. The software is called Beat Scanner.

The idea behind Beat Scanner is that when you are running the music that you listen to may motivate you but also there is a switch in the pace of the songs and the pace of your running. Beat Scanner will analyze the beats per minute of the music that you have in MP3s on your computer so that you can make up a better playlist to listen yo on your ipod when you are out running. As I am not much of a runner i have nottried this software before but i would love to get some input as to how good people find Beat Scanner and whether it works well for them