LA Fitness Pro Results® Personal Trainer, Kayla V., shares some insider trainer tips on the best exercises to help strengthen the hips.
Do you have a fitness question? Ask one of our certified Pro Results® trainers here! Your question may be featured in an upcoming Ask Our Trainer video.**
**Selected submissions will be featured on the LA Fitness blog and possibly other LA Fitness digital media entities & websites. By making a submission, you hereby grant LA Fitness a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable license to use and make copies of the contents of such submission for any purpose and in any medium whatsoever, and you hereby waive and relinquish any copyright or other intellectual property right you may have in the contents of such submission and your right to pursue any claim for LA Fitness’s violation of those intellectual property rights.
Are you searching for “kickboxing near me”? Stop the search party because you’ve struck fitness gold with Kickbox Cardio classes at LA Fitness. These classes aren’t just a workout, but an experience. With classes designed to kick, punch, bob, and weave your way to...
The Holiday Season can get stressful, so we may stick to a routine for the sake of easy planning. Try any of these 10 simple ideas to bring new life to your Thanksgiving celebrations.
By now, you may have seen some donation boxes at your local LA Fitness. If you haven’t been entirely sure what those boxes are all about, you’re in the right place!
I’m hungry all the time, what can I do?
– Charlotte S.
As opposed to a specific craving or passing desire, true hunger is uncomfortable and is a strong message for our bodies to seek food. If you experience hunger throughout the day, it may be that you are not consuming enough calories. The easy answer is to eat more food.
If you have been maintaining weight or wish to lose, then modifying your diet to include satisfying foods at regular mealtimes may drive down hunger:
When to Eat
Your body uses energy throughout the day, so you need to fuel it regularly. Having consistent meals and snacks ensures that your fuel tank doesn’t go empty. Most people eat too little in the morning and consume the bulk of their calories in the evening when they’re less active. By having a substantial breakfast, medium lunch and smaller dinner, you’d better match your body’s energy use. A small snack to support your workout is also ideal.
What to Eat
Foods high in fiber, protein, fat and physical volume are the most satisfying. For example, a slice of 7-grain toast with almond butter, half a grapefruit, an egg, and a glass of milk would stave off hunger better than two toaster waffles with syrup, a cup of orange juice and mug of coffee. Including a healthy plant fat at each meal helps to lock in the complex carbohydrates and lean proteins eaten so they are digested more slowly. Vegetables are the most notable source of bulk and fiber with the least calories so they should fill up your plate!
Consult a physician if hunger is unabated, you’re also experiencing weakness or observe unintentional weight loss, as these may be due to an underlying medical condition.
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
Are you searching for “kickboxing near me”? Stop the search party because you’ve struck fitness gold with Kickbox Cardio classes at LA Fitness. These classes aren’t just a workout, but an experience. With classes designed to kick, punch, bob, and weave your way to...
The Holiday Season can get stressful, so we may stick to a routine for the sake of easy planning. Try any of these 10 simple ideas to bring new life to your Thanksgiving celebrations.
By now, you may have seen some donation boxes at your local LA Fitness. If you haven’t been entirely sure what those boxes are all about, you’re in the right place!
What is Functional Fitness?
Cardio and strength training usually dominate fitness talk, but what about the often-overlooked concept of functional fitness? At its core, functional fitness is really about focusing on building your body so that it can better handle everyday tasks such as bending over to tie your shoes, playing catch with your dog, or chasing after your kids without the added exhaustion, aches or pains.
Real Life Samples
Let’s think about this from a practical standpoint. Our daily habits cause us to turn, twist, bend, climb and lean to get things done. We’re using our whole bodies, so why not focus on exercises that use multiple muscle groups? Isolated weight training is great, but it doesn’t always help prevent strained backs or pulled muscles.
Exercises like kettlebell squats are a great way to stimulate a real-life scenario – you’re bending down (squatting) using your lower body, and at the same time picking something up (great with the added weight of the kettlebell) using your upper body. Try forward lunges with a twist to help work the lower body, upper body and help stabilize the core. Bent over rows can also help with upper and lower body strength. Bosu balls can also help aid in stability training!
Think about which muscle groups are actively being engaged when performing your desired exercise. If it feels like a move that mirrors real life movements, most likely you’re engaging in functional fitness.
The Benefits
To put it simply – fewer aches and pains! Less strain on your body, less worries about not being able to perform day-to-day activities and more confidence in moving around with a stronger body. If this all sounds like what regular or “normal” exercise does to improve the body, you’re right… sort of.
Functional fitness focuses on movements, rather than muscles.1 In your ordinary day-to-day routine, chances are you’re not doing an activity that focuses on the same muscle repeatedly. Think of lifting a semi-heavy grocery bag, similar to a bicep curl. Sure, you may do this a few times, but realistically you’re not going to be standing in your kitchen doing biceps curls with your grocery bags.
Depending on age and activity level of your life, the functional fitness exercises you’ll want to focus on will vary. If you’re uncertain what’s right for you or where to begin with this type of training, reach out to a representative in the personal training department.
Another alternative is sending your fitness related question to us for a chance for it to be one of our featured ‘Ask A Trainer’ questions on our LA Fitness YouTube channel or Living Healthy blog!
A better life starts with a decision that you deserve more for yourself. LA Fitness is here to help, and functional fitness is a great way to begin your training for the everyday!
Sources:
Are you searching for “kickboxing near me”? Stop the search party because you’ve struck fitness gold with Kickbox Cardio classes at LA Fitness. These classes aren’t just a workout, but an experience. With classes designed to kick, punch, bob, and weave your way to...
The Holiday Season can get stressful, so we may stick to a routine for the sake of easy planning. Try any of these 10 simple ideas to bring new life to your Thanksgiving celebrations.
By now, you may have seen some donation boxes at your local LA Fitness. If you haven’t been entirely sure what those boxes are all about, you’re in the right place!
I am lactose intolerant. Is whey protein bad for me? Is whey protein bad for people with lactose intolerance?
– Dan
“Whey protein” is a catch-all term referring to several proteins found in the whey of milk after solid caseins and moisture are removed. Whey protein is generally okay for those with mild lactose intolerance. Depending on the form, whey protein contains less than 5 gram of lactose per 100 grams dry product, which provides 80-90 of grams protein.* Compare this to the 12 grams of lactose per 245 grams (a cup) of fluid cow’s milk for 8 grams of protein or 1 gram of lactose per 30 grams (an ounce) of some cheeses for 7 grams of protein.
Whey protein as an ingredient or by itself as a supplement is usually found in concentrate or isolate form. Here’s the difference: the highest whey protein concentrate still includes some fat, cholesterol and lactose particles (up to 20%), whereas whey protein isolate has usually undergone microfiltration leaving only 10% as those particles.
Pure whey protein isolate may be tolerated by those with lactose intolerance, but individual response varies. Some whey protein isolates are further processed to be lactose-free. Keep in mind that if the final whey protein supplement product is a shake powder or bar, it has other ingredients that may contribute lactose.
For those with a very severe lactose intolerance much like an allergy, it is best to avoid all milk-derived products.
* From U.S. Dairy Export Council’s Reference Manual for U.S. Whey and Lactose Products. Composition of whey protein concentrate with 80% protein is typically 4%-8% lactose by weight. Composition of whey protein isolate with at least 90% protein is typically 0.5%-1% lactose by weight.
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
Are you searching for “kickboxing near me”? Stop the search party because you’ve struck fitness gold with Kickbox Cardio classes at LA Fitness. These classes aren’t just a workout, but an experience. With classes designed to kick, punch, bob, and weave your way to...
The Holiday Season can get stressful, so we may stick to a routine for the sake of easy planning. Try any of these 10 simple ideas to bring new life to your Thanksgiving celebrations.
By now, you may have seen some donation boxes at your local LA Fitness. If you haven’t been entirely sure what those boxes are all about, you’re in the right place!
What causes inflammation?
– Sandra
Inflammation is a situation where localized tissues of the body are swollen after the immune system kicks into gear. Most conditions ending in “itis” reflect an inflammatory condition such as gastritis and tendonitis. For acute inflammation, the instigators are usually an injury or infection and the inflammatory response is a defensive mechanism that we need to begin healing. For chronic inflammation, the culprits might be autoimmune disease, arthritis, or persistent foreign pathogens, and the inflammatory response occurs over a number of months or years instead of ending when it should.
Nutritionally, some foods may play a role in the development of chronic inflammation, while others help to prevent or resolve it. According to the Arthritis Foundation, sugar, saturated fat, trans fat, omega-6 fatty acids, refined carbohydrates, monosodium glutamate (MSG), gluten and casein are all notable food ingredients that can cause inflammation1. The publication Medical News Today recently advised that fried foods, white bread, pastry, soda and sugary drinks, red meat, margarine, and lard are foods that aggravate inflammation2.
Knowing what to avoid is half the battle in preventing chronic inflammation. Including these foods in your diet may help reduce the risk of inflammation: olive oil, tomatoes, nuts, green leafy vegetables, fatty fish (such as salmon and mackerel), and fruit.
References:
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
Are you searching for “kickboxing near me”? Stop the search party because you’ve struck fitness gold with Kickbox Cardio classes at LA Fitness. These classes aren’t just a workout, but an experience. With classes designed to kick, punch, bob, and weave your way to...
The Holiday Season can get stressful, so we may stick to a routine for the sake of easy planning. Try any of these 10 simple ideas to bring new life to your Thanksgiving celebrations.
By now, you may have seen some donation boxes at your local LA Fitness. If you haven’t been entirely sure what those boxes are all about, you’re in the right place!