Archive for Personal Training
Measuring Fitness
Posted by: | CommentsAsk your personal trainer “How do you scale your fitness progress”? If you have been working out tirelessly to achieve that body of your dreams, then most likely you keep track of your progress and probably, you do this by simply standing on the scale. But don’t you know that this is the most ineffective way to track your fitness progress? The fact of the matter is that, scales only measure pounds and it has no ability to distinguish between muscle weight and body fat weight.
Scales generally weigh muscle, internal organs, bone, fat, water and lumps of the body. It does not necessarily mean that when you lose weight, you have lost body fat. Sometimes, after an aggressive workout, when you scale, it shows that you have lost two pounds or so, but once you are rehydrated, all the pounds are back. So, this literally means that the scale is not an accurate fitness indicator – the numbers can fluctuate by 3 to 5 pounds per day and this can be brought about by fluid gain or loss or the food you have consumed.
If you are personal training and doing intense strength work, like 2 to 3 times a week, it is most likely that you are building lean muscles and the scales may show you are gaining weight. The fact is; you are actually losing fat. With this being said, there is really no sense relying on scales to track your fitness progress.
The big question now is how can you measure your fitness progress? Well, there are basically two common methods that most fitness goers use – the body fat testing or body girth measurements. However, these two are also not 100% accurate. So how can you really know that you have lost or have gained weight? The answer actually is simple! Stand in front of the mirror and observe: Has your body changed? Are your clothes looser? How do you feel? Are your muscles firmer? Do you feel stronger? Is your blood pressure or blood sugar lower? If your answer to all these is yes, then congratulations as you are making fitness progress!
When tracking your fitness progress, your focus should be losing body fat weight and not scale weight. It is also essential that your fitness program should include strength training as this increases lean muscle tissue. Lean muscle tissues speed up your metabolism and this means that you can burn more calories. Muscle tissues are more compact than body fat thus, you can lose body fat without changing the numbers in the scale, but you can see a big difference in your pant size. So, how much do you care about your weight – ask your personal trainer!
Personal Training Keeps Joints Healthy and Strong
Posted by: | CommentsSometimes personal training can’t solve one of the prevalent signs of aging – an aching joint. If you are at your prime and you are suffering from this debilitating condition, you are not alone. About 21 million US adults suffer from osteoarthritis. This is a disease characterized by an excruciating pain in the joints due to the wear and tear of the tissues in it.
A majority of adult visits to a doctor deals with musculo-skeletal problems. They are the commonest health condition hitting adults according to Sharon Ko-lasinski, M.D. and associate professor of clinical medicine at University of Pennsylvania. Achy joints can attack people from all ages, but for the majority, age is what causes osteoarthritis. This is because, due to aging, the cartilage thins out, heightening its vulnerability to break.
It is a fact that osteoarthritis can attack anyone but this does not mean that it cannot be prevented. To understand this disease better, you need to know that it can be caused by many conditions. Aside from aging, it can also be brought about by previous injuries, inflammation, loss of muscle mass, and excess weight. These conditions can impact the mechanics of the joint, thus weakening it.
It is natural that as one ages, loss of muscle can occur, which is the prime cause of osteoarthritis. But with good personal training this can be prevented via resistance or weight training. This will allow your muscles to absorb the pounding instead of the joints. The pounding that you receive in your daily life is what weakens the thin cartilage in your joints. More than that, the weight that your joints carry contributes to joint damage too. Specifically, your knees suffer from everyday wear and tear.
If you are seeking the best solution to prevent joint aches and osteoarthritis, talk to your persoanl trainer and follow these common-sense steps. You can follow these to reduce the pain associated with osteoarthritis.
Perform a variety of exercises. Don’t just stick to a single exercise routine. Vary your exercise by using low or no-impact cardiovascular exercises such as cycling, swimming, elliptical, and walking. Keep a resistance training regimen that emphasizes motion and flexibility. By doing a variety of exercises, you do not overtax one body area.
Keep muscles healthy. Rigid resistance training will help strengthen the muscles and ligaments in your joints. Therefore, joints are prevented from damage.
Keep a healthy weight. Keep your weight on a healthy level and you can preserve your joints. Maintaining an ideal weight can reduce the strain in your joints.
Healthy diet. Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acid found in fish and other pharmaceutical grade oil can help lessen osteoarthritis symptoms. It minimizes levels of inflammation thus eating foods rich in omega-3 can be a big help.
Supplements. Dietary supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin hydrochloride are known to be the best supplement to treat osteoarthritis. For patients with moderate to severe arthritis, some sort of pain relief should be given.
In conclusion, anyone who is suffering from joint pain, specifically osteoarthritis, should consider the benefits from a complete wellness program – a program that is packed with a variety of solutions. Joint and muscle deterioration prevention, proper nutrition and quality supplementation. Would you believe that with proper wellness programs, disability risk is lessened by 47%? This is a great benefit and should be enough reason for you to seek a complete wellness program, with good personal training, that will lead you to a better life.
