LA Fitness Pro Results® Master Trainer, Stone T., and get his advice on how long is an optimal amount of time to spend in the sauna.
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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...
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.
As I cut down on my meat consumption, I am eating a lot of peanut butter. What is the big difference comparing, say Skippy and 100% peanut butter? Does natural and organic matter? How about calories?
– Kevin
Great question, Kevin! There are a lot of peanut butters to choose from. Traditionally, PB has a smidge of oil, sugar, and salt added for flavor and processing to get that super creamy, easily spreadable quality. Some food stores have a pre-loaded grinder for you to make the peanut butter yourself without adding anything, and the result is a bit grainy. Nutritionally, there is little difference per 2 tablespoons serving between commercial and homemade PB. Now, if you eat almost a cup of conventional jarred PB per week, you would be getting more salt and carbohydrates, but fewer calories and protein than PB made straight from ground peanuts*.
There are sugar-free and salt-free jarred options available, you just have to look for them. One natural brand I like now offers PB pre-stirred “smooth” so the natural oils don’t separate out to the top and it’s not grainy. Organic peanut butter probably has less pesticide residue, but there is little nutritional difference, depending on the brand.
*According to the USDA Food Composition Database for Standard Reference Legacy Release, April 2018, for 200 grams (first brand listed for last 2 columns descriptors):
| Smooth Peanut Butter (conventional) | Unsalted Creamy PB (peanuts only) |
Organic Unsalted Creamy PB (peanuts only) |
| 1176 Calories | 1312 Calories | 1250 Calories |
| 43.9 gm protein | 50 gm protein | 50 gm protein |
| 99.1 gm fat | 100 gm fat | 106.3 gm fat |
| 48 gm carbohydrate | 37.5 gm carbohydrate | 37.5 gm carbohydrate |
| 11.4 gm fiber | 12.4 gm fiber | 12.4 gm fiber |
| 13 gm sugar | 6.3 gm sugar | 12.5 sugar |
| 952 mg sodium | 0 mg sodium | 32 mg sodium |
– 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...
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...
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.
If you had asked me a year ago if I knew what a Body Works Plus Abs class was, I would have told you it sounds like something to avoid at all costs. Now, I’m a moderate gym user who goes a few times a week. But I’ve had a lot of non-starters when it came to regular exercise; canceled gym memberships, workout clothes gathering dust in my dresser, yoga mat stashed in the back of the closet. I had to literally drag myself to the gym and I would go alone, put my headphones in, and chug dully along on the elliptical.
It was a sad sight.
Then, I discovered group workout classes, and I finally found a fun and challenging exercise experience that I actually felt motivated to do. Whether it’s Yoga, Zumba®, or Pilates, Group Fitness classes are mini-communities that are forces of positivity and personal growth.
That’s what led me to the Body Works Plus Abs class at my local LA Fitness one Tuesday night. I had skipped a few sessions, so I was ready to work hard and push myself. The class opened with some light stretching, followed by digging in with everyone’s favorite – squats. Upbeat tunes blasted through the speakers as we moved up and down, followed by lightly jogging around the room to stretch our legs; our sneakers pounding against the floor to the beat of the music.
Then, our instructor broke us into pairs and had us work out together. My partner and I high-fived our way through a series of exercises: planks, sit-ups, lunges, and everyone’s second favorite – burpees. Fully feeling the effects of the high-energy leg workout, we had just conquered, we sat down on our mats and moved onto the second part of the class, the abs. For this section, our instructor took us through 10 ab exercises in 10 minutes, one minute per exercise.
This section of the class is the true test of how much you push yourself. We grinded through the fifth exercise, working to maintain the same amount of energy we had in the first exercise. It was exhilarating and hard, yet I felt empowered. What makes Group Fitness classes so appealing is that you have the energy of the rest of the room working with you to push yourself towards the finish line.
And by the finish line, I mean a good long stretch as soon as the last crunch is done. We laid on our stomachs and arched our backs into Cobra pose; slower, more relaxing music played above us then.
There is truly no greater satisfaction than the feeling after an intense workout; I now understand why cats and dogs love doing it so much.
What I love most about group workout classes is the camaraderie that comes with them and the LA Fitness experience is no exception. The instructors are energetic and supportive, you get to meet more of the LA Fitness community, and it’s a solid workout whether you’re looking to relax with some Yoga or shake it out with Zumba®.
So, what are you waiting for? Check out the schedule here.
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...
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.
Hello, I have a question about whey protein. I’ve been using a powdered whey protein. However, I also make my own cheese at home. A byproduct of cheese production is whey after separating the proteins with heat and a mild catalyst like lemon juice or vinegar. I’m generally wary of processed foods. My thinking is a less processed protein will be of a higher quality and a drastically low cost. It is in liquid form and kept refrigerated. What should I consider from a spoilage and nutritional standpoint? My thinking is whey protein that is less processed.
– Eric D.
So glad to hear you’re not washing your whey down the drain! Nutritionally, homemade whey protein is fully intact and not denatured like high-heat pasteurized powdered products. The liquid contains fewer chemicals and acid byproducts than commercially produced whey powder. It is also a source of vitamins A and several B vitamins and minerals original to the source milk/yogurt. In addition, there would be some vitamin C from the lemon juice used. One cup of fluid acid whey contains about 2 grams of protein, 13 grams of carbohydrate and less than 1 gram of fat, providing a total of nearly 60 calories.*
If you’re going for protein though, liquid whey isn’t that concentrated, which necessitates quite a volume of it to make an impact. Since it keeps well (lasting several months in the refrigerator) you can use the tart liquid in cooking various foods and recipes over time. Clarity or cloudiness doesn’t matter – cloudiness indicates that some of the residual casein protein may have passed through the cheesecloth. For supplementing your diet to support exercise, convenient alternatives to powdered whey protein include hard-cooked egg whites and canned tuna in water.
*National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release April, 2018
– 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...
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...
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.
From the time she was born, Dana R. of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, struggled with an illness that her parents and doctors were trying to figure out. At the age of 4, Dana was taken to the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia where she underwent genetic testing and was diagnosed with Prader-Willi syndrome. A few of the key characteristics of this disease are weak muscle tone, poor growth, and chronic overeating due to lack of an enzyme signaling that the body is full. In some cases, children can eat themselves to death.
Because of this, Dana has struggled with weight her entire life.
For a young girl, this can be particularly devastating. Now at 17 years old, Dana has managed to find a way to combat the disease by incorporating fitness into her life.
A New Approach
Dana and her mom, Darlene, had searched around their local area at several different gyms but still hadn’t selected one. Shortly after their initial search, an LA Fitness team member was passing out 1-week guest passes at a school event. Dana decided to take advantage of the opportunity and gave it a shot for a week. She immediately fell in love with the Zumba® classes and signed up for a membership.
Dana started attending group fitness classes regularly along with watching her diet and has succeeded in losing a remarkable 20 lbs. since she first started her journey towards a healthier life!
“Going to L.A. Fitness has made me feel so much better. I have gone from 140 pounds down to 120. I had surgery on my leg several years ago and it feels much better when I exercise and stretch it. I also have scoliosis and will most likely have to have surgery within the next year. The classes and machines make my back feel much better, and they also get me prepared for surgery by strengthening my core and muscles.”
Dana’s excess weight came from a body fighting itself, but Dana has found a way to fight back harder. With the motivation she receives from group fitness classes and encouragement from those around her she now “has more confidence, looks great, and smiles more often!” shared her mom, Darlene.
Advice from Dana
Dana’s advice to all is never give up. She may have more difficulties than most, but that hasn’t stopped her from accomplishing remarkable achievements. Dana is an honors student who secured straight A’s last semester. She plays clarinet in the concert band and sings in the chorus at her school. She has her driver’s permit and has now lost 20+ lbs.! She never gives up, has defied many odds, and continues to surprise others with her steadfast hard work and optimism. Dana plans to attend college within the upcoming years.
With all of these accomplishments under her belt and many more still to come, we can’t wait to see just how far Dana will go!
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...
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.