Category Archives for "fitness"
How much is enough?
It’s important to make sure you’re getting enough exercise, but how much is enough? In 2008, guidelines were published that explained how much physical activity Americans should be getting. The results showed that the minimum amount of activity was 75 minutes of vigorous activity or 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.
Interestingly enough, the leisure time activities of individuals were also studied. This showed that those with an activity level below the recommendation had a 20% lower mortality rate. Those that met the guidelines saw a 31% decrease in mortality and those that exceeded the guidelines by three to five times saw a 39% decrease in mortality.
Most people recognize that there are health benefits of exercising regularly. Now there is proof showing that engaging in regular physical activity will lower cancer risk and risk of cardiovascular disease. As the studies have shown, every little bit counts, even activity at a moderate level.
So how can you tell the difference between moderate and vigorous physical activity? If you can carry on a conversation while being active, you’re moving at moderate pace. When the intensity increases such that the heart rate climbs into the 130 to 180 range, this is considered a vigorous mode. However, you should not be doing that for extended periods of time, as it is hard to keep pace. One example of this is high-intensity interval training or HIIT. With HIIT, you push yourself to that max limit and then let yourself recover. This not only improves cardiovascular fitness but will also count toward vigorous activity.
A mix of moderate and vigorous activity is recommended for most people. Try to pair moderate activity with stress reducing activities, such as talking a walk outdoors. This will allow you to relax, lower your cortisol, stimulate your senses, and give you an overall sense of well-being. If you’re still wondering how much is enough, a good target is four to six hours per week of exercise, with the type and style being based on what is important to you.
Have you mastered the art of intensity
Intensity is an important part of your workout. But how do you know when it’s appropriate to increase the intensity so you’re getting the most benefit while still being efficient?
To increase your intensity is really about progression. You will want to apply intensity in the areas where you really want to see fitness improvement. With cardiovascular fitness, you will see progression in the increased speed or distance of travel. In strength, applying further resistance so the muscle is challenged, then allowed to rest and recover, will create a greater intensity. This is usually accomplished through adding additional weight. Adding intensity with endurance involves adding more reps, which will increase your performance. And with muscle mass, increased intensity is achieved through greater volume, which should be added over time. A few areas where it does not make sense to increase intensity include mobility, balance, speed, and agility.
To evaluate whether you should increase intensity in your workout, the key is to benchmark yourself to get a clear picture of where you are right now from fitness perspective. Early on in your program, you may see great strength gains. Know that you can add incremental weights of two to five pounds over time and see progress.
Are you worried about overtraining? Your body actually gives you feedback to help prevent this. If you have much pain after a workout or feel weaker at your next performance, it may be an indication that you need more rest. If you’re not sleeping well, this may indicate that your body is not recovering well. Having blood work done is also a good way to get feedback on how your body is responding to your training.
With adding intensity, it’s important to remember to get plenty of rest and maintain your form. This will help in avoiding injury. Have a goal in mind of what you’d like to achieve and occasionally rotate your program to allow your body to destress. Following these steps will ensure that you are successfully able to master the art of intensity.
Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music
Defining success in health and fitness
How do we define health and fitness success? It’s simply about being better than you were yesterday, though a life-altering change may occur as a result. This is clearly seen in the success of previous guests.
Take, for instance, Todd from Episode 15. Todd experienced a phenomenal change when he lost 300 pounds solely through altering his diet and nutrition. Mike from Episode 30 is another great success story. Mike began biking and hiking to increase his fitness. In the process, he developed a deeper passion for those activities, as he is now able to share them with his son. Patty from Episode 35 was determined to not only lose weight, but also quit smoking. She chose to lose the weight and then attacked her smoking habit. While she did gain some weight as a result of quitting her smoking habit, she has improved her health tremendously. Finally, in Episode 55, Mel described her transition from couch potato to running enthusiast. Now in her 50s, Mel is set to run an ultramarathon. Her progress is incredible and truly opens one’s eyes as to what is possible at age 50 and beyond.
While many begin with a goal to lose weight, this is not the goal that will sustain progress. It can even be discouraging when it becomes difficult to lose that last bit of weight. There will always be a plateau. The body will eventually get to its set point, will want to stay there, and will fight you to go any lower.
This is why it is important to have deeper goals with what you want to achieve in regards to your health. Remind yourself about your “why.” Why are you doing this? Family matters or key relationships are often a driver and can help to push you forward in your health and fitness journey. Figure out what drives you and keep that in mind to help propel you to health and fitness success. Don’t limit yourself based on what you see around you. Know that anything is possible with patience, persistence, and progression.
Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music
Learning to run, running to learn
A recent meta-study entitled, “Neuromodulation of Aerobic Exercise: A Review” revealed interesting findings on how aerobic exercise such as running can affect the brain. First, running and aerobic exercise can help to regulate cortisol, a stress hormone. Engaging in running or another aerobic style of exercise can also trigger the release of endorphins. This is often seen when runners are able to achieve the “runner’s high” and experience a relaxation effect. When this is coupled with cortisol regulation, it creates a great opportunity to reduce the individual’s stress.
The study also revealed that aerobic exercise increased brain-derived neurotrophic factors. When the brain is in a beta state, it is highly alert and poised to deal with high-stress situations. However, you don’t want your brain to be in such a situation for long. In the alpha state, the brain is still alert, yet this is more of a flow state. The mind and body know what to do and are able to relax as they complete their functions. This is the state that is achieved.
It was also found that aerobic exercise prompted production of serotonin, which affects emotion and memory. The serotonin is actually converted to melatonin, which aids in sleep. This may help the brain in its ability to recall memories or information. Additionally, dopamine was also increased, which has benefits with short-term memory, motor control, and cognition.
The benefits of aerobic exercise are clear, but how can you find the right level of intensity for you? Find the happy medium of where you can say a few words while running or exercising, but yet you can’t comfortably carry on a conversation. The key is to monitor how you are feeling. Of course, you will want progression, but it is important not to overdo it. An enriched environment is also beneficial to your results, as it can lead to greater longevity, according to one study. In the end, adopting running or other aerobic exercise has great health benefits and is certainly worth consideration for inclusion in your fitness routine.
Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music
Deanna gets momentum
Deanna is a homeschooling mom of six who lives a very busy lifestyle. However, she’s also a runner who has gained momentum and improved her health and fitness. She wasn’t always this way though. In fact, she used to feel as though she was in a rut. She didn’t get out of the house a lot and wasn’t involved in anything. She felt frumpy and lacked motivation.
Over the years, she would work out on and off. She would walk every day or do fitness videos, but nothing really stuck. At the beginning of 2013, Deanna didn’t want to be a “frumpy hermit” anymore. She logged into My Fitness Pal and the rest is history. Since then, she has logged into My Fitness Pal each and every day. She had always known what she needed to do, but never really set her mind to it until 2013.
She started running and doing strength training. Deanna also did the Couch to 5k program. She remembers it as being difficult to run for one minute. If one week of training was too difficult, she repeated it. She felt it was important to listen to her body. She didn’t want to overtax herself and risk injury, so she took it slow. Though she continued to wonder—what else can I do? Her positive momentum and drive to succeed was still pushing her forward.
For Deanna, it all started with a decision and commitment. She pushed through and continued to challenge herself with a progressive program. She has seen fundamental changes in her body composition and health as a result. Though she never imagined this level of fitness, she knows it is a lifelong pursuit. She advises others to find something they’re passionate about. Try different fitness routines until you find what you like. Have patience and persistence, and soon you will create a momentum that will lead to progression. To connect with Deanna, send her a message on My Fitness Pal as RunningForeverMama.
Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music
What is high intensity interval training?
What exactly is HIIT or high intensity interval training? HIIT is an intense workout where you are giving a full 100% during your intense sessions. However, the intense sessions are followed by a recovery session that usually lasts three times the length of the intense session. HIIT is designed to put a metabolic challenge on your body, which helps to rev up your metabolism. HIIT is a quick and easy way to get an intense workout while improving your cardiovascular fitness and boosting your metabolism.
With HIIT, it’s important to focus on your diet first. When you do intense work, you burn certain calories and set up your metabolism for a post-workout burn. This increased metabolism can last as long as 24 hours. It’s important to know how your body will react, and then monitor what you’re eating. You will need enough fuel to fully recover before your next high intensity interval training.
In the work phase, you need to hit 100% effort. Move and work hard, but only do it for 30 seconds or less. An example of a good work phase would be doing sprints. Remember, the rest interval that follows will last three times the length of the work phase. This allows the body to hit recovery. During the work phase, a heart rate can go up to 190. Once the heart rate is back to 125, then it’s time for the next work phase.
When first starting high intensity interval training, you may only be able to do three or four rounds. That is normal. You want to take it slow at first. With HIIT, it is possible to over train and stress yourself. Because of this, you will never want to do more than 10 rounds in a session.
When trying high intensity interval training or HIIT, the key is to start slow and work hard. Try one session per week. If you’re recovering fully, add another. Give it a try and see what you think!
Mel goes from couch to infinity
Mel, a 54 year-old married, mother of two, has a very inspiring story of how she was able to go from couch to 5K and beyond. She has even run an ultra-marathon! However, Mel wasn’t always so active. At one point, Mel weighed 275 pounds and was very inactive. She was on medication and oxygen 24/7. After moving to Mississippi, she saw a new doctor who had started to wean her off her medications, when she suddenly went toxic. Though she was OK after that incident, she lost 30 pounds during the process. She soon started to wonder if she could lose even more weight.
Mel began taking action. She started cooking recipes from diabetic cookbooks. She joined a gym and began participating in water aerobics. After making these initial changes, Mel dropped 65 pounds and was feeling better than ever. However, she still looked ahead to what else she could accomplish.
Mel’s sister asked her to do a Couch to 5K, as she didn’t want to do it alone. Mel agreed and promised her sister she would complete the Couch to 5K. Though it was challenging, Mel recognizes that it was one of the best ways to learn to run. At that point, Mel caught the running bug. Four years later, Mel has stuck with it. She ran her first 5K, then a 12K, then a 10K, half-marathons, full marathons, and even an ultra-marathon, which is any distance past 26.2 miles.
With running and using My Fitness Pal, Mel has lost a total of 170 pounds. She now has her life back. Though she worked her way up to running ultra-marathons, Mel really credits that initial Couch to 5K as being the game changer for her. Her biggest tip includes having patience with yourself. Forgive yourself for the days in which you don’t eat well. The weight will not come off overnight. It’s going to take time. Have patience and persistence, and don’t get caught up in the gimmicks. Eat smart and move more. To connect with Mel, find her on My Fitness Pal as MelisRunning.
Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music