February Flu Prevention: At the Gym and at Home

February Flu Prevention: At the Gym and at Home

by | Jan 31, 2020 | All, Home, Wellness

 

Flu season reaches its peak right around February,1 and February is almost here! Some of us have already fallen victim to the sneezing, the aching, and the overall misery of the flu. Before it strikes (or strikes again), you can prepare yourself for a good fight. First, let’s differentiate between some easily confusable symptoms so you know what you’re up against. 

Flu Symptoms vs Cold Symptoms 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) breaks it down quite simply. The flu is different from a cold because: 

  • It comes on abruptly (as opposed to a cold which comes on gradually) 
  • You’ll usually have a fever that lasts 3-4 days 
  • It’s common to experience the chills 
  • You may have a headache 

A cold typically won’t involve these four symptoms unless you have a rare case. Symptoms commonly shared between the cold and flu include: 

  • Aches 
  • Fatigue/Weakness 
  • Sneezing 
  • Stuffy Nose 
  • Sore Throat 

Now that we know what we’re trying to protect ourselves from, let’s get into some prevention tips. Here are some measures you can take to help ward of the flu this February: 

Take Precautions in Crowded Places 

You don’t need to boycott your favorite theme parks or stay home from the store, hockey game, or the gym to protect yourself from the flu. You just need to be mindful of where your hands have been. If you’ve touched something contaminated with flu germs, you’re probably going to be okay unless you got those germs into an open wound. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth until you’ve washed your hands. If you don’t have access to water and soap, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer will do the trick until you can wash up.  

>> At the gym, wash your hands before and after your workout. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth during your workout. 

 

Keep Commonly Used Surfaces Clean

The kids are bringing home everything they touched while they were at school, and you’re bringing home everything you touched at work, at the grocery store, and everywhere else you’ve been. Encourage handwashing at home and keep commonly touched surfaces, like doorknobs, the television remote, game controllers, and refrigerator doors, clean and disinfected.  

>> At the gym, use the available sanitizing foam and paper towels to wipe down your equipment before and after use. 

Prepare Your Immune System for Battle

Your nutrition, hydration, sleep, and exercise habits all factor into your immune system’s preparedness. Even your stress levels have a part to play. Fortunately, sleeping enough, exercising, and eating healthily all help reduce stress levels and keep your body strong against germy invaders. To help your system further, read our registered dietitian’s article on Spices That Boost Immunity and Fight Inflammation.  

>> At the gym, incorporate moderate exercise a few times a week to boost your immunity. Studies show that doing so can drastically reduce the number of colds you catch each year. 

If it All Fails, Stay Home Until Your Fever Breaks

You may take every precaution and somehow still get sick, because life is unpredictable that way. If you catch the flu, the CDC recommends staying home for at least 24 hours after your fever has gone away. You can help stop the spread of the flu and take some much-needed rest and recovery time at home. Of course, if you need to see a doctor, you should go. 

>> At the gym, consider that your flu (or your child’s) can spread quickly in a public setting like the gym or Kids’ Club.

For more immune boosting foods, check out this article on Fermented Foods. To stay in-the-loop about our fitness and nutrition articles, subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly highlights from the LA Fitness blog! 

Sources

  1. “The Flu Season.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12 July 2018, www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season.htm.

Compound Movements and Why You Should Do Them

Compound Movements and Why You Should Do Them

by | Jan 30, 2020 | All, Exercises, Fitness, Home, Workouts

What are Compound Movements? 

What if I told you that doing compound movements in the gym burned more calories during your workout; would you know which exercises to do?  

What if I also told you that compound movements burn more calories post–workout than any other exercise, would you believe me? 

Imagine learning that this type of movement maximizes your time in the gym, helps you lose weight, and helps you burn more fat; would you do more?  

Compound Movements, also known as Compound Exercises, are multi-joint movements that work several muscle groups at one time, compared to isolation movements that work one muscle at a time.  

An example of a compound movement would be a squat. A squat works your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and core. An example of an isolation movement is a bicep curl, which only works the bicep. See the difference? One muscle versus many muscles. The more muscles you are working at one time the more calories and fat you will burn. Cool, right?  

Compound movements are not only for the gym but also can be a great home workout. You don’t necessarily need heavy weights. You just need a little bit of time and a little bit of space to get in some good compound exercises. 

Benefits of Compound Movements

One of the biggest benefits of compound movements is that they make effective use of your time. When you are short on time but want to put in a quick weight–training workout, think compound movements. Other benefits include:  

+ more calories burned 

+ improved coordination 

+ improved flexibility and range of motion 

+ gaining more muscle  

+ improved strength

Best Compound Movements 

The following list is derived from an article by the American College of Sports Medicine. While these 7 items are personally my favorite, there are unquestionably other compound movements that might work better for you. It all depends on your level of fitness. Give them a try! 

  1. Squats 
    • Areas of Focus – quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and core 
  2. Deadlifts 
    • Areas of Focus – almost the entire body but especially the hamstrings, glutes, arms, core, and back (trapezoids)  
  3. Bench Press 
    • Areas of Focus – chest, shoulders and triceps 
  4. Pull-ups 
    • Areas of Focus – entire back region (emphasis on lats), forearms and biceps 
  5. Bent-over barbell rows (reverse grip) 
    • Areas of Focus – back region (emphasis on upper back; rhomboids, trapezoids), and biceps 
  6. Shoulder Presses 
    • Areas of Focus – entire deltoid region: front, medial and rear (emphasis on front deltoids) 
  7. Lunges (static) 
    • Areas of Focus – entire leg region (emphasis on glutes and hamstrings) 

Combine Compound Movements with Isolation Movements

Combining both types of movement makes for a great workout. For example, a squat to a bicep curl or a squat to a bicep curl to a shoulder press.

It’s important to keep good form while performing exercises. Squatting may seem safe but when weights are added and the exercise is done improperly, it could result in injury.

Always consult your doctor before starting an exercise program. Have an LA Fitness Pro Results® trainer help you with the basic principles of weightlifting and proper form when exercising.  

Bottom Line  

Next time you are in the gym or doing a home workout, incorporate a few compound movements. Get your heart–rate up and boost your metabolism. Since compound movements engage several muscles at one time, it requires more energy from you. In turn, you burn more calories by spiking your metabolism and increasing your heart rate, which make you stronger.  

Check out this workout routine “The 2 Week Workout Finale for the Your Best Beach Body Ever!” This 2 week workout routine combines plyometrics, compound movements and integrated intervals so you can strut your stuff with confidence. For more articles like this one, subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly highlights from the Living Healthy Blog.

Top 10 Positive Health and Fitness Trends for 2020

Top 10 Positive Health and Fitness Trends for 2020

by | Jan 29, 2020 | All, Fitness, Home

Trends vs Fads

Health and fitness trends sweep the nation every year, and many of them are either a waste of time or, quite contradictory to their intention, are dangerous for your health. Not to be confused with fads, trends indicate a change in behavior that develops gradually among members of a population. Fads seem to crop up out of nowhere and are fueled with a lot of hype, but they don’t last as long. 

We’re looking into the expected trends for 2020, based on a worldwide survey by the American College of Sports Medicine. Over 6,000 participants, 60% of whom have 10+ years of experience in the health and fitness industry, have identified these items as positive trends!  

The survey did not make room for any of these items to be critically evaluated, so that’s up to you, but it does help recognize some new and emerging trends for the coming year. 

That being said, this is what you can expect to be trending in 2020: 

Wearable Tech

Wearable technology can mean a lot of things now. In the fitness industry, one of the first tracking kits came about in 2006 when Nike+ embedded a tracker inside a pair of shoes.1 It measured the things you would expect it to measure: time, distance, pace, and calories burned. You would see your stats on the, then popular, iPod Nano screen. Obviously, people loved the idea of seeing a representation of their hard work. So today, wearable tech continues to increase in popularity.  

High Intensity Interval Training

HIIT involves bursts of high intensity exercise mixed with brief periods of rest. Research has done a lot to prove the effectiveness of HIIT workouts, especially when it comes to improving cardiovascular health and even in its effectiveness in changing your body composition. In fact, in his research on the relationship between HIIT and fat loss, Stephen H. Boutcher explains that HIIT “may be more effective at reducing subcutaneous and abdominal body fat than other types of exercise.”2 

Group Training

Your cycling, Pilates, yoga, swim, and dance classes (to name a few) may see a spike in attendance this year. More people are learning about the benefits of group training! Not only do class members have the advantage of group support, motivation, and accountability, they have the benefit of a certified instructor leading the way. Your group instructor can amp up the energy to help you push harder and knows when to scale things back to give you a chance to catch your breath. You may also get instruction on correct form, so you don’t have to guess whether you’re moving in ways that are safe for your body.

Training with Free-Weights

This method of training is picking up steam. Strength training and functional training have been in the top 10 fitness trends since 2007. Training specifically with free weights, however, now holds the 4th spot in the top 10.3 This includes working out with everything from dumbbells and barbells, to medicine balls and weight plates. Working out with free weights happens to have a lot of benefits. If you’re looking to make the switch, check out our article on how to transition from machines to free weights. 

Personal Training

Because of the customization personal training provides, many people turn to it to reach their health and fitness goals. Clients get one-on-one attention, a personalized workout plan, progress tracking, and plenty of guidance and support as they move towards their goals. It’s no surprise that this one has been a top 10 trend for the last 14 years.3 

Exercise is Medicine® 

This one is a global health initiative that encourages healthcare providers to assess a patient’s physical activity, recommend treatment, and refer patients to exercise professionals.3 As this becomes more commonplace, you may start to notice your provider taking more of an interest in your fitness regimen. This is an exciting development because it further acknowledges the importance of an active lifestyle and can help patients monitor their activity in more than one place. 

Body-Weight Training

Training without (or with minimal) equipment started getting popular around 2013.3 This type of exercise focuses on what you can do using your own weight to train. This involves exercises like lunges, squats, push-ups, planks, crunches, and more. It’s inexpensive, easy on the body, and can be done almost anywhere. It’s a great segue to more involved types of exercise or to help you ease back into things if you’ve been away from the gym for a while. Body weight exercises are also a great way to warm up your muscles before you start doing your weighted reps. 

Fitness Programs for Older Adults

This is an awesome trend to see taking a foothold in the top 10 this year. Coming in at #8 is fitness for older adults! The reason we’re excited is because this trend indicates that people are living longer and remaining healthy and active longer!3 Many healthcare providers now prescribe strength training to older adults as it helps them maintain their independence and more easily perform activities of daily living. Check out our article on Strength Training for Aging Bodies to learn more about how strength training helps older adults, and to view some helpful exercises.

Health/Wellness Coaching

Health and Wellness Coaching is a behavioral approach to achieving health and fitness goals. You can sit down with a coach (one-one-one or in a small group setting) to share your unique health goals. In return, you receive guidance with goal setting, support and encouragement,3 and if you’re in a small group, a sense of community with others who share similar goals or struggles. This is a nice one to see take a place in the top 10 as it focuses more on the mental and emotional process of tackling health-related change.

Certified Fitness Professionals

Last, but not least, a quickly growing trend is in the preference of certified fitness professionals. More and more people are trusting certified professionals over those who are not. We know it’s important to our members which is why our Pro Results® Personal Trainers are all certified! We also seek expert knowledge for our blog posts and podcasts, hosting guests like Registered Dietitian Debbie James, Family Physician Dr. Bob Davari, Master Trainer Geoff Fox, Certified Psychiatrist Dr. Neel Doshi, and more.

Honorable Mentions

The following items made the top 20 and are still pretty awesome trends to see emerging (or sticking around) for 2020.  

  1. Functional Fitness Training 
  2. Yoga 
  3. Circuit Training 
  4. Exercise to Combat Childhood Obesity 

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about all the up-and-coming trends! Do you plan to commit to anything on this list? Let us know in the comments below! To stay in-the-loop about our fitness and nutrition articles, subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly highlights from the LA Fitness blog! 

Sources

  1. Rogers, Andrea. “Wearable Technology: A History.” SPLITFIT, 1 Nov. 2018, splitfit.com/fitness-technology/wearable-technology-history/. 
  2. Boutcher, Stephen H. “High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise and Fat Loss.” Journal of Obesity, Hindawi, 24 Nov. 2010, https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jobe/2011/868305/.  
  3. Thompson, Walter R. “WORLDWIDE SURVEY OF FITNESS TRENDS FOR 2020 : ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal.” LWW, 9 Jan. 2020, https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2019/11000/WORLDWIDE_SURVEY_OF_FITNESS_TRENDS_FOR_2020.6.aspx. 

10 Nutritious Ingredients for Your Green Juice

10 Nutritious Ingredients for Your Green Juice

by | Jan 24, 2020 | All, Home, Nutrition

National Green Juice Day is practically here, and we’ve got some green ingredients that would be perfect for your juicer or blender. Speaking of which, what’s the difference between juicing and blending and is there a best method? 

Juicing vs Blending

Depending on what you want to get out of your beverage, or rather, what you want to leave in, you will have to make a choice between juicing and blending.  

Juicing extracts the liquid from the fruits or veggies and leaves the skin, the pulp, and pretty much everything else behind. According to our registered dietitian, Debbie James, juicing allows you to reap the benefits of drinking up more vitamins and antioxidants, but because it’s a less filling beverage, you’ll also likely consume more (which means more calories).1 She also notes that juicers work best with produce that contain water. For example, you’ll have quite a hard time juicing an avocado or sweet potato which you’re more likely to see in blended drinks. 

Blending essentially pulverizes the whole fruit or vegetable. This means that you have the benefit of consuming nutrients and fiber that are often stripped away when you’re juicing. James explains that blending can create a more satisfying beverage which may lead you to consume fewer total calories. When using a blender, you’ll also be able to add ingredients like “ice, yogurt, protein powder, [and] peanut butter.”1 These types of ingredients can help mask flavors of veggies you wouldn’t normally enjoy. If you’re planning on substituting a meal with your beverage, this approach is probably better suited for you.1  

Creating the Perfect Recipe

The perfect recipe is in the preferences of your taste buds. However, there are some tricks to making a more nutritious drink no matter which method you choose. Whether you’re juicing or blending, James recommends incorporating a ratio of 3 vegetables to 1 fruit. This is one way to lower the sugar content and increase the nutrient content.2  

Ready for some ideas? We’ve got a number of green and nutritious ingredients that you can add to your beverage: 

Nutritious Add-Ins*

  1. Cucumber – Cucumbers contain fiber and are a good source of:  
  • Vitamins: especially Vitamin C and Vitamin K 
  • Minerals: especially Magnesium, Potassium, and Manganese 
  • Antioxidants 
  • Water 

2. Mint – Mint contains fiber and is a good source of: 

  • Vitamins: especially Vitamin A and Folate 
  • Minerals: especially Iron and Manganese 

3. Lime – Limes contain fiber and are a good source of: 

  • Vitamins: especially Vitamin C, B6, and Thiamine 
  • Minerals: especially Iron, Calcium, and Potassium 
  • Antioxidants 

4. Green Apple – Green apples are a good source of: 

  • Vitamins A and C 
  • Antioxidants 
  • Fiber  

5. Avocado – Avocados are full of healthy fats and are a good source of: 

  • Vitamins: especially Vitamin K, C, E, B5, B6, and Folate 
  • Minerals: especially Potassium 
  • Fiber 

6. Pear – Pears are packed with soluble and insoluble fiber and are a good source of: 

  • Vitamins: especially Vitamin C and Vitamin K 
  • Minerals: especially Potassium and Copper 
  • Antioxidants 

7. Celery – Celery is a great source of fiber and water and contains small amounts of: 

  • Vitamins: like Vitamin C, K, A, and Folate 
  • Minerals: like Potassium 
  • Antioxidants 

8. Kale – Kale is highly nutritious as it is a great source of:

  • Vitamins: especially Vitamin A, K, C, B6, and smaller amounts of B1, B2, and B3 
  • Minerals: especially Manganese, Calcium, Copper, Potassium, Magnesium, and smaller amounts of Iron and Phosphorous 
  • Antioxidants 

9. Watercress – Watercress is a great source of: 

  • Vitamins: especially Vitamin K and to a lesser (but still significant) extent, Vitamins A and C 
  • Minerals: especially Calcium and Manganese 
  • Antioxidants 

10. Spinach – Spinach is high in insoluble fiber and is a good source of: 

  • Vitamins: especially Vitamin A, C, K1, and Folate 
  • Minerals: especially Iron and Calcium 
  • Antioxidants 

*Nutrition information is from various sources. Click the link for each item to view the source and to read additional details.

For more information on fresh juice, read our registered dietitian’s answer to the question: How Long Does Fresh Juice Hold Its Nutritional Value? Or, read up on what you need to know if you plan to Substitute Meals with Your Juice or a Smoothie. To stay in-the-loop about our fitness and nutrition articles, subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly highlights from the LA Fitness blog! 

Sources

  1. James, Debbie. “How To Get The Most From Juicing: Q+A.” Living Healthy, 31 Mar. 2017, http://bloglafitness.azurewebsites.net/2017/03/30/get-the-most-out-of-juicing/.  
  2. James, Debbie. “Is It Safe to Substitute Two Meals a Day with Juice or a Smoothie?” Living Healthy, 16 Jan. 2014, http://bloglafitness.azurewebsites.net/2014/01/16/is-it-safe-to-substitute-two-meals-a-day-with-juice-or-a-smoothie/. 

Fitness Changes: By Age

Fitness Changes: By Age

by | Jan 22, 2020 | All, Fitness, Home

Our bodies manage a lot. They bear a lifetime of stress, fall into and recover from illness, battle chronic ailments, take bruises, breaks, falls, and burns, and power through long workdays on 2 hours of sleep. Our bodies take it all, and eventually, our system tells us it’s time to take it easy.  

When does the body really start to experience physical limitations, and how does our age affect our fitness endeavors? Let’s find out and talk about some ways to keep your body going strong. 

In Your 30’s

By age 30, and despite the fact that we just barely made it out of our 20’s, many of us get a head start on the “I’m getting old” complaints. Perhaps jokingly and perhaps not. According to a study on aerobic capacity in aging adults, fitness levels begin to decline 3% to 6% every decade starting around age 20.1 So, by age 30, you may technically have experienced a mild age-related change in your physical fitness, but not enough to make a noticeable difference.  

However, age is not the only factor. Our reduced physical fitness often has to do with changes to our lifestyle habits or diseases.2 As we age, we encounter life changes and assume responsibilities we never had, which can potentially lead to a lot more sedentary time. Naturally, the less active you are, the more difficult many physical activities will feel.  

That being said, Tip #1 is to take a moment to recognize any decrease in physical activity and to commit to reintroducing some of it into your life.  

From Age 40 to 69

Here, we embark on that part of our lifetime we know as “middle age.” Commonly associated with mid-life crises, hair loss, and a slowing metabolism, it’s not typically a very welcome stage. Allow us to assuage your fears.  

This study examined the performance of marathon runners ranging from the ages of 20 to 79. The results show that “no significant age-related decline in performance appears before age 55.”2 This is about halfway through your period of middle age.  

Once you hit 55, you don’t suddenly begin to struggle. The same study reveals that only a moderate decline is observable in their runners after this age. In fact, “25% of the 65- to 69-year-old runners were faster than 50% of the 20- to 54-year-old runners.”2 Even more impressive is the fact that the same percentage of 65- to 69-year-old runners began marathon training within the previous 5 years.2 This should prove that their success was not a result of a lifetime of conditioning. Despite starting their training around age 60 or later, their bodies were capable of outperforming younger runners.  

Tip #2: It’s never too late to start, so start! Need more incentive? Another study found that even untrained individuals, who had never taken up sports until after reaching the age of 50, “were able to halve their mortality risk compared with their non-active peers.”2 

Age 70 and Up

Now we enter older adulthood where our aerobic capacity declines more quickly. Most older adults will see a decline of about 20% every 10 years starting around age 70.1 Fear not, however. Even if your maximal oxygen uptake is reduced, you are still capable of improving your aerobic fitness and of improving your muscle strength, balance, and flexibility.  

For example, this study on balance training in older adults found that regular balance and strength training was capable of restoring performance to a level like that of someone 3 to 10 years younger.3  

Not to mention, the power of exercise remains highly beneficial for the body and is often prescribed to older adults. In fact, this study found that “the life expectancy of active seniors was 3.8 years longer than that of their non-active peers.”2 

Tip #3: Don’t allow yourself to believe that your age means you cannot be physically active. Many of our older members are living proof that age is just a number. Check out #3 of our Workout Excuses article to see exactly what we mean. Additionally, many workouts are tailored specifically to older adults who need a safe and gradual starting point. A doctor can help you make the right activity choices if you’re looking to take up exercise but have felt unable to do so. 

For more articles like this one, click to subscribe to our newsletter and receive monthly highlights from the LA Fitness blog! 

Sources

  1. Fleg, Jerome L., et al. “Accelerated Longitudinal Decline of Aerobic Capacity in Healthy Older Adults.” Circulation, 25 July 2005, https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.105.545459.  
  2. Leyk, Dieter, et al. “Physical Performance in Middle Age and Old Age: Good News for Our Sedentary and Aging Society.” Deutsches Arzteblatt International, Deutscher Arzte Verlag, Nov. 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2999945/. 
  3. Wolfson, Leslie, et al. “Balance and Strength Training in Older Adults: Intervention Gains and Tai Chi Maintenance – Wolfson – 1996 – Journal of the American Geriatrics Society – Wiley Online Library.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd (10.1111), 27 Apr. 2015, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1532-5415.1996.tb01433.x.