Do you have a fitness goal? Let us know here! To learn more about Commit to fit, click here.
Commit to Fit is a program designed to help members stick to their fitness goals. In fact, studies show, those who write down their goals accomplish significantly more than those who do not write their goals.* Share yours with us today in the Commit to Fit form below!** You may even be featured in a future Commit to Fit post. Shown below, are some of our most recent members who have committed to their fitness goals.
Paige C.
Paige C. is working on toning up and shoulders! A goal can only be hit if you refuse to never give up!
Alicia H.
Alicia H. wants to keep active during her pregnancy! Way to go! Congratulations on your soon-to-be new addition.
Lucia F.
Lucia F. is maintaining her goal of keeping in shape – keep up the hard work! It pays off.
Ernst C.
Ernst C. wants to be a lean 260 lbs.! Nothing like hard work and determination to keep you focused on your goal, Erst – great job!
*Goals Research Summary conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews of the Dominican University of California, statistics retrieved, September 9, 2016.
**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...
Incorporating cardio exercises between sets, also known as ‘cardio-acceleration’, is a revolutionary way to maximize your workout efficiency. This technique involves performing short bursts of cardio exercises, usually lasting 30-60 seconds, in between your...
In today’s fast-paced world, finding balance and maintaining mental and physical health can be challenging. However, combining exercise and mindfulness offers a powerful approach to achieving holistic well-being. Let’s explore how these practices complement each...
Roast turkey that’s seasoned, moist and delicious. Roast turkey that’s seasoned, moist and delicious. Yes, I just repeated myself. What could be better than enjoying your Thanksgiving Day bird twice? By saving some for later, you’re less likely to over-consume (about ¼ pound of turkey meat is a serving) and you’ll have a healthy protein as the main ingredient for another time.
As you look forward to your holiday meal, think ahead to the whole weekend. Save some turkey for second suppers that are anything but dull leftovers. Here are six (3 hot, 3 cold) healthy entrée ideas that consist of six ingredients or fewer:
Enchiladas – shredded turkey with fajita vegetables, rolled in tortillas and topped with salsa and sprinkle of cheese, then baked.
Primavera – turkey strips with broccoli, peas, cherry tomatoes, boiled pasta, and parmesan (bell pepper/spinach/mushrooms or yellow squash/asparagus/sun-dried tomatoes also work).
Classic soup – cubed turkey with sautéed vegetables* (set aside some when making stuffing), broth, and either cooked brown rice or white beans.
*make your own mirepoix by dicing celery, onion, and carrot in a food processor then sautéing until onion is translucent and veggies are tender
Simple wrap – thin sliced turkey with lettuce, tomato, and avocado or guacamole in a flavored tortilla.
Traditional sandwich – sliced turkey with cranberry dressing, arugula, and Havarti on whole wheat bread.
Folded sandwich – turkey strips with roasted red pepper, cucumber, spinach and pesto on flatbread.
Don’t forget about those tasty side dishes! Whether starch or vegetable (or both), here are some ways to re-purpose the extras and create new nutritious meals for the days ahead:
Breakfast bake – mix mashed sweet potato with cinnamon, ginger and vanilla, then top with oats and pecans or pumpkin seeds before reheating.
Salad niçoise – add leftover green beans (cooked and chilled) to baby red potatoes, tuna, olives, and hard cooked egg on a bed of greens.
Stuffed mushrooms appetizer – add bacon bits or parmesan cheese and crushed garlic to leftover stuffing, then bake in mushroom caps.
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On this episode of the Living Healthy Podcast, we have a listener favorite on the show, Dietitian Debbie, who helps us better understand nutrition labels.
A well-balanced lacto-vegetarian diet can be sufficient to promote muscle growth and strength when paired with an appropriate workout plan.
Chef Brian Okada of Water Grill shares his recipe for Tomato Avocado Salad with a light Poppy Seed Dressing. It’s quick, it’s easy, healthy and tasty!
I have celiac and am lactose intolerant. I have just started working out with a personal trainer. My problem is that I’m not gaining weight (rather than not losing weight). My diet consists mainly of meat, vegetables, and fruit. Any suggestions as to how I should modify my diet in order to gain weight and muscle mass?
– Jerry
You’ve got the basics down, Jerry. Building lean mass means having the extra energy and building blocks to create new fibers. You may be eating the right foods, but not enough. Or you could be missing the high-calorie essentials that make gaining weight easier. Vegetables and fruit just aren’t energy-rich, save for avocados, olives and dried fruits. Meats, poultry and seafood can be lean or fatty depending on the cut/fish. Regardless of your present choices, adding sugar and fat are the primary ways to boost calories without straying from current foods.
Normally I’d recommend cheeses, and there are enzymes you can chew for lactose intolerance. Meats can be enriched with true gravies, oil-based sauces like pesto and chimichurri, and sautéed mushrooms or garlic. Complex carbohydrates are a staple for building muscle and there are several gluten-free options like potato, corn and rice. The bonus of these is that they go well with butters or margarines for extra calories.
Here are simple suggestions as to how one could bump up the calories from a basic diet of meat, vegetables and fruit:
plain oats → oatmeal w/ ground pecans, raisins, and honey
fruit or vegetable juice → smoothie consisting of avocado, banana, and coconut milk
grilled chicken breast, asparagus → light and dark meat chicken w/ BBQ sauce, bacon wrapped asparagus, homemade mashed potatoes made with dairy free margarine and unsweetened milk substitute
steak, peppers, onion stir fry → same, plus guacamole and roasted corn
fresh fruit salad → ambrosia-style w/ nuts, shredded coconut and gluten-free marshmallows
iced coffee → coffee soy dessert
– Debbie J., MS, RD
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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...
Incorporating cardio exercises between sets, also known as ‘cardio-acceleration’, is a revolutionary way to maximize your workout efficiency. This technique involves performing short bursts of cardio exercises, usually lasting 30-60 seconds, in between your...
In today’s fast-paced world, finding balance and maintaining mental and physical health can be challenging. However, combining exercise and mindfulness offers a powerful approach to achieving holistic well-being. Let’s explore how these practices complement each...
Julie W., of Phoenix, AZ, shared that in her “former” life she was a juvenile detention officer, PE teacher, and trainer/fitness instructor. Self-described as “being stronger than the average ‘joe’-sephine”, an aggressive Breast Cancer diagnosis threw this typically tough power woman into a spiral of depression and despair. Julie’s diagnosis couldn’t have come at a worse time, as she was already struggling with the recent loss of her two sisters, and now she was struggling for her own life.
Thankfully, the combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation worked. Unfortunately, it also resulted in a blood clot in Julie’s jugular, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and Neuropathy. Separately, Julie was also struggling with Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD), arthritic joints, and anxiety and depression. Still, Julie was determined to not give up. In her words, “death is an obvious eventuality, but healthily growing older is a better prognosis.”
Before Julie’s diagnosis she was a heavy lifter who spent most of her spare time in the gym, staying active. Since then she has turned into a different type of gym-goer, knowing that movement and exercise are now mandatory for healthy living, and not just a fun pastime. Julie was almost forced into changing her fitness routine once she started undergoing treatments. While she was no longer able to focus on heavy weights, she turned her attention to enhanced cardio and increasing her flexibility.
LA Fitness group fitness classes became the perfect fit for what Julie needed. She shared that the classes offered her “cardio-vascular improvement, coordination and control, brain and muscle memory, musicality and performance artistry, emotional outlet, camaraderie and so much more.” She enjoys classes like Body Works classes and Yoga, but one class stood apart from the rest – Zumba®. Julie shared that Zumba® is one of the primary reasons why she’s made LA Fitness her second home.
In fact, Julie enjoys the classes so much that she travels to various LA Fitness clubs within the Phoenix area to follow some of her favorite instructors! She’s even enjoyed participating in LA Fitness Zumba® classes while on vacation in other states! Julie shared that trainers like Justin, Natalie, Briana and Treena, should be applauded for their personable demeanors, motivating attitudes and caring mindsets. Each of the Zumba® instructors she admires has their own unique flavor and talent that they bring to their classes.
“Come dance with me, what do you have to lose besides the weight?”
“Zumba® allows me to bring a little bit of joy into someone’s life, one dance step, one song, one class at a time.”
“Don’t work out to escape your life, work out to embrace your life.”
“Music is the heartbeat to the soul.”
Julie found strength and fun in Zumba® group fitness classes. She found friends in some of the talented Zumba® instructors she’s met along the way, and she encourages everyone to try out a class near them. If Zumba® isn’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of other group fitness options to keep you active and feeling motivated. It’s a great way to keep in shape, have fun, and be encouraged from group fitness instructors. Find a class near you by clicking here!
Group fitness class schedules and offerings vary by location.
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...
Incorporating cardio exercises between sets, also known as ‘cardio-acceleration’, is a revolutionary way to maximize your workout efficiency. This technique involves performing short bursts of cardio exercises, usually lasting 30-60 seconds, in between your...
In today’s fast-paced world, finding balance and maintaining mental and physical health can be challenging. However, combining exercise and mindfulness offers a powerful approach to achieving holistic well-being. Let’s explore how these practices complement each...
Are you in the danger zone? Nearly half of all U.S. adults are identified as having high blood pressure, or hypertension, but what does this mean exactly? Imagine it like this, hypertension can easily be compared to having a piping system where the pressure is slowly increasing. Over time, this pressure wears on the machinery (“your heart”) and affects the overall system of equipment (“your body”). When blood pushes too hard against the blood vessels of the body, it damages the tissues of the arteries over time, weakening the heart and overall circulatory system. The good news is, there are ways to manage, and even prevent, this from occurring.
The American Heart Association (AHA) sets guidelines of what a healthy blood pressure should be. The new guidelines lower the blood pressure at which a person is considered to have high blood pressure. Under the previous definition, 32% of American adults were considered to have high blood pressure. The change to the guidelines changes the definition, with the result that 46% of U.S. adults are now identified as having high blood pressure. According to the AHA, “a blood pressure of less than 120/80 still will be considered normal, but levels at or above that, to 129, will be called ‘elevated’.”1 Having these new guidelines in place will allow doctors to better detect, treat and prevent hypertension in their patients.
The new guidelines can be thought of as a preventive measure. By monitoring and recognizing moderate to high blood pressure sooner, individuals will be able to take steps to control their blood pressure earlier. With implementation of healthy lifestyle changes, the risk of heart disease and stroke diminishes, giving those with hypertension a chance to get a better hold on their health. In fact, not only can early detection possibly help prevent stroke and cardiovascular issues, but it may also help prevent kidney failure. The new guidelines can help doctors detect, treat and prevent the results of hypertension.
The AHA’s journal, Hypertension emphasizes, “that doctors need to focus on a whole framework of healthier lifestyle changes for [their] patients,”2 which may be easier to do if they are able to start educating their patients earlier on. Paul Whelton, M.D., who chaired the guideline writing committee said, “I’m not saying it’s easy to change our lifestyles, but that should be first and foremost.”3
Paul Whelton, M.D., chaired the committee that wrote the new high blood pressure guidelines.
Oftentimes, people with high blood pressure may not even realize they have it, and because of this it has become known as the “silent killer.” There are usually no obvious symptoms, making hypertension the main culprit for “more heart disease and stroke deaths than almost all other preventable causes,”4 falling second only to smoking. Check out the guide below to see where you fall on the scale, and make it a priority to live a healthy life to help build a healthy future.
If you think you may be at risk of high blood pressure or hypertension, consult with your doctor. 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.
Sources:
Referenced:
http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/early/2017/11/10/HYP.000000000000006
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...
Incorporating cardio exercises between sets, also known as ‘cardio-acceleration’, is a revolutionary way to maximize your workout efficiency. This technique involves performing short bursts of cardio exercises, usually lasting 30-60 seconds, in between your...
In today’s fast-paced world, finding balance and maintaining mental and physical health can be challenging. However, combining exercise and mindfulness offers a powerful approach to achieving holistic well-being. Let’s explore how these practices complement each...