The Encore Fitness Blog Resources and information from top Las Vegas personal trainers, fitness and dietary experts. Carol Strom.

November 5, 2010

10 Minute Yoga Stretch

Filed under: Uncategorized — Encore Personal Training @ 4:01 pm

If you have tight hamstrings (and what runner doesn’t?), the problem may have as much to do with the front of your legs as the back. Tight hip flexors can pull your pelvis forward, putting stress on the hamstrings and lower back. These muscles, which connect your back and hip to your femur bone, become especially inflexible after long periods of sitting. So if you have a desk job or a long commute, you’ll find this series of stretches—which targets the hip flexors and the hamstrings—especially beneficial. Do this routine after a run once your muscles are warm. Hold each pose for at least 30 seconds.

1. Dancer

The Dancer

Start in a classic quad stretch. Then, hinge forward, kicking your right foot back. Extend your left arm for balance.

Learn the 10 rules of injury prevention, and spend more time running and not in rehab.

2. Downward-Facing Dog with Leg Lift

Downward facing dog with leg lift

From downward-facing dog, lift one leg. Lower. Repeat on the other side.

3. Flipped Dog

Flipped dog

From downward dog, lift your right leg, and rotate upside down. Reach your right arm out. Flip back. Repeat lifting left leg.

Iron Yoga: For increased flexibility and strength, try weight training with your yoga routine.

4. Lunge with Side Stretch

Lunge with side stretch

From downward dog, bring your right foot between your hands and come to a lunge. Reach your left arm overhead.

5. Lunge with Quad Stretch

From a low lunge position (right knee on the ground), reach your right hand back and hold your foot.

Running on softer surfaces like grass and trails might help protect your body. Here are 5 safety tips for trail running.

6. Bow Pose

Lie face down. Bend your knees and bring your feet toward your glutes. Reach both arms back and grab hold of your feet.

November 4, 2010

Diabetes Rates To Soar Unless Americans Get Weight Under Control

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Encore Personal Training @ 6:59 pm

Without more trips to the gym or a serious shedding of those extra pounds, up to one-third of American adults are on the way to becoming diabetic by 2050.

The number of people with diabetes has soared in the past 10 years

That’s according to a new projection out today from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

One in 10 American adults already have Type-2 diabetes — that’s 24 million people whose bodies don’t process insulin – the blood sugar regulator- very well. That in turn can lead to other, more serious health problems, like heart disease and stroke.

 
Most at risk are the obese, those who don’t exercise or have poor diets, those with a family history of the disease, and racial minorities. Also, the risks increase as we age.

The treatment for this kind of diabetes is bringing weight down, and eating a better diet, in many cases. And health apps can help, although we’re not really using them much.

As we now know, there’s no quick fix. Some pills boost our risk of more health problems.

The projected jump in diabetes cases has health officials worried about the country’s bottom line — and an already stressed health care system.

“Diabetes, costing the United States more than $174 billion per year in 2007, is expected to take an increasingly large financial toll in subsequent years,” the report says.

November 3, 2010

Healthy Living Can Temper Breast Cancer Risk That Runs In Family

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Encore Personal Training @ 2:30 pm

Some simple steps for healthier living appear to reduce a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer later in life, even if a close relative has already had the disease.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is key

Moderate exercise five days or more each week is one ingredient for reducing breast cancer risk.

Researchers found women had a lower risk of breast cancer when they exercised regularly (20 minutes of moderate or vigorous intensity at least five days a week), drank modestly (7 or fewer drinks a week) and kept a normal body weight.

This isn’t the first study to support the notion that taking these steps can help stave off cancer. And the American Cancer Society already recommends women take these steps.

 
But the researchers also took a look at how the preventive measures worked when a woman’s mother or sister got breast cancer at age 45 or older. About 15 percent of post-menopausal women in the U.S. are in that boat.

The researchers found the good behavior lowered risks for women even when a close relative had already been diagnosed with breast cancer later in life. The effect was about the same as for women without the family history.

Still, the cancer risk remained higher for those with a family history — about 5.94 breast cancers for every 1,000 years lived by those women compared with 3.51 breast cancers for the healthy-living women without the family history.

The findings come from the experience of 87,000 women, ages 50-79 at the beginning of a study looking at breast cancer risks. They answered questions about their cancer risks and health behavior back in the 90s. The researchers checked on who got breast cancer and who didn’t through 2003.

The results were just published online by the journal Breast Cancer Research.

November 2, 2010

FDA Questions Diet Pill in Latest Setback for Weight-Loss Medicines

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Encore Personal Training @ 4:30 pm

Here’s a little piece of friendly advice. If you’re waiting around for a diet pill to solve your weight problem, forget about it.

Diet Pills are under intense FDA scrutiny over their claims

On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration sent drugmaker Vivus what’s blandly called a “complete response letter,” detailing the shortcomings in the company’s application to sell a prescription diet pill called Qnexa.

The upshot is the agency isn’t going to approve Qnexa for a long time, if ever.

The once-a-day pill is a combination of phentermine, a stimulant and appetite suppressant, and topiramate, sold mainly to help control epilepsy seizures.  While those drugs have risks, the side effects are pretty well understood at this point.

But are the risks worth the modest improvement in weight loss? That remains the big bugaboo for the field. It’s been tough for the makers of medicines to show they can help people lose just 5 percent of their weight.

Given the obesity epidemic in this country, millions of Americans might turn to  a new diet pill for help. So even rare side effects could end up causing problems for a lot of people.

That’s one reason not to expect FDA — or doctors — to embrace any of these medicines anytime soon.

October 19, 2010

Spritz Away!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Encore Personal Training @ 2:30 pm

You are defeating the purpose when you fix yourself a low-calorie, healthy salad and then add a salad dressing full of calories, fats, and carbs.

Unlike what Ke$ha says, don't brush you teeth with a bottle of Jack!

Try eating your salad “au natural” or with a light virgin oil and vinegar dressing. There is a new product on the market that you may want to check out…
Try using Salad Spritzers!

There are several benefits, such as:

  • only one calorie per spritz
  • only 1 gram of fat in most flavors
  • 0% or 1% carbs depending on the flavor
  • more than 8 flavors to choose from
  • cost less than $2.00 per Spritzer

    • The next time you have a low-calorie, healthy salad, reach for the Spritzer!

    October 18, 2010

    Lose Weight at Work

    Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Encore Personal Training @ 1:45 pm

    Technology has eliminated as many as 2,000 of the calories that office workers used to burn each day, says James A. Levine, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic and author of Move a Little, Lose a Lot. No wonder the average American is 26 pounds heavier today than a generation ago. To start burning calories at work, Levine suggests you embrace these four work-based strategies.

    trim that fat with these small adjustments to your day

    1.) Meet on the Move
    Instead of booking a conference room, ask colleagues to join you on a walk. Seriously. Just make sure the topic is relatively informal—brainstorming, not budgets, for example. Even an easy pace burns 10 times more calories than sitting for an hour—150 vs. a measly 15.

    2.) Get on Your Feet
    Stand up while talking or typing. (You may need to request a headphone or long cord, or a podium for your keyboard.)

    3.) Find a Partner
    A co-worker with similar fitness goals won’t push for fast-food breaks and will help you stay motivated. Maybe you can both buy pedometers and see who gets in the most steps each day. If you have iPhones, there’s a free app called Walk ‘n Play that tracks your movements and pits you against a friend or a simulator.

    4.) Tackle Takeout
    If you eat with your co-workers, offer to order lunch for the group. That way, you’ll control your options. In fact, you’re probably not the only one who would appreciate the healthier choices.

    October 15, 2010

    Choosing a Safe Weight-Loss Program

    Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Encore Personal Training @ 1:30 pm

    The not-so-secret secret to weight loss is to burn more calories than you eat. This can be done safely and effectively by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, according to the Weight-Control Information Network, part of the National Institute ofDiabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

    safety first

    Although many people can lose weight on their own, others believe they’ll be more successful if they enroll in a weight-loss program that provides support, information and diet and exercise guidelines.

    Keep the following suggestions in mind when checking in to weight-loss programs.

    Essential elements

    All weight-loss programs should encourage healthy behaviors that help you lose weight and maintain the weight loss over time.

    They should include:

    • Eating plans that reduce calories
    • Guidelines for regular physical activity and/or exercise
    • Tips on how to make healthy behavioral changes
    • Slow and steady weight loss of about 1 to 2 pounds a week
    • Medical care if you’ll be following a very low-calorie diet
    • Plans to help you keep the weight off after you have lost it

    Questions to ask

    Gather as much information as you can before deciding to join a program, and seek answers to the following questions.

    What does the weight-loss program consist of?

    • Does the program offer individual counseling and/or group classes?
    • Do I have to follow a specific meal plan or keep food records?
    • Do I have to purchase special food, drugs or supplements?
    • Does the program encourage me to be physically active?
    • Does the program help me make healthful behavioral changes?

    What are the staff qualifications?

    • What types of weight-management training, experience, education and certifications does the staff have?
    • Does the product or program carry any risks?
    • Are there risks related to using recommended drugs or supplements?
    • Does a medical professional oversee the program?

    How much does the program cost?

    • Are there recurring costs, such as weekly attendance fees, or costs of food and supplement purchases?
    • Are there additional fees for a follow-up program or to reenter the program for follow-up after you lose weight?

    What results do participants typically have?

    • How much weight have average participants lost and how long have they kept it off?

    Losing weight with the help of a program can be expensive but may be more effective than trying to do it on your own. Having answers to your questions can help you decide the best way for you to reach a healthy weight.

    October 14, 2010

    NHS should use term fat instead of obese, says minister

    Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Encore Personal Training @ 7:45 pm


    GPs and other health professionals should tell people they are fat rather than obese, England’s public health minister says.

    Anne Milton told the BBC the term fat was more likely to motivate them into losing weight.

    She said it was important people should take “personal responsibility” for their lifestyles.

    But health experts said the word could stigmatise those who are overweight.


    Using 'fat' may encourage people to take more personal responsibility, says Anne Milton

    Ms Milton, who stressed she was speaking in a personal capacity, said: “If I look in the mirror and think I am obese I think I am less worried [than] if I think I am fat.”

    She said too many staff working in the NHS were worried about using the term, but suggested it could help encourage “personal responsibility”.

    “At the end of the day, you cannot do it for them. People have to have the information,” she added.

    The minister spoke to the BBC after setting out the coalition government’s vision for public health.

    A white paper is expected to be published in the autumn, which she said would stress the combined role of the individual, state, business and society.

    The comments come after Health Secretary Andrew Lansley last month attacked the “lecturing” of recent public health campaigns, such as the drive on school meals that followed Jamie Oliver’s TV shows.

    ‘More brutal’

    Professor Steve Field, of the Royal College of GPs, said he agreed with Ms Milton and already tried to use the term fat as much as he could.

    “I think the term obese medicalises the state. It makes it a third person issue. I think we need to sometimes be more brutal and honest.

    “You can be popular by saying the things people want to hear and in the NHS we too often do that when we should be spelling things out clearly.”

    But Professor Lindsey Davies, president of the UK Faculty of Public Health, which represents public health professionals, warned against using ‘fat’ when dealing with patients.

    “People don’t want to be offensive. There is a lot of stigma to being a fat person.”

    She said health professionals started using the term obesity to encourage patients to think about the condition in a different way.

    “Obesity is something that happens to people rather than something they are. The language you use all depends on the relationship you have with a patient.

    “I would probably be more likely to say something like ‘can we talk about your weight’ rather than obesity, but that is a judgement you make on a patient-by-patient basis.”

    October 13, 2010

    6 Ways to Keep the Weekend From Wrecking Your Diet

    Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Encore Personal Training @ 3:30 pm

    During the week, it’s not too tough to maintain my weight by watching what I eat and exercising regularly. However, when the weekend comes along, I’m more likely to splurge on my diet and slack on my workouts. Sometimes it’s as if on my weekends I undo everything I worked hard to achieve during the week! My goal is always to stay on track but to still have fun, so I use some tips and tricks to maintain my Feel Great Weight. Here’s a look at how I handled this past weekend.

    avoid eating the entire buffet no matter the temptation! image courtesy of health.com

    Friday

    On Friday night, my husband and I arrived in Newport, R.I., ready to relax and unwind with a drink. We stopped by the convenience store and picked up a six-pack of beer and a box of Vermont White Cheddar Wheat Thins. Of course, this wasn’t the healthiest happy hour I’ve ever participated in, but there were slim pickings at the store!

    Plan a Saturday morning workout
    I was in the mood to unwind with a few pumpkin beers. However, a long marathon training run the next day prevented me from drinking too much. Plus, the more I drink, the more I want to snack, especially when faced with a box of cheddar crackers! Planning an early morning workout kept me in check. I drank only two beers over the course of the entire evening and paced myself with multiple glasses of water. Also, knowing that I’d burn some extra calories in the morning made me enjoy my Friday night splurges a lot more.

    Move the snacks
    Once I have a couple of beers, I’m immediately drawn to snack foods. If they are nearby, I’ll continue to munch away mindlessly. I found myself going back for more and more crackers, so I put a napkin over the bowl to remind me to stop munching. I ended up sneaking a few bites, but I definitely ate less than I would have otherwise!

    Saturday
    Saturday morning, my husband and I woke up for a 9-mile run, which required a pre-workout snack for fuel. We stopped by a local café for a pistachio-chocolate muffin and an iced coffee.

    Share the fun stuff
    I absolutely love the special muffins at this particular café. Still, they’re nearly as big as my head! Instead of denying myself one of my favorite treats, I shared it with my husband. I needed some food in my stomach to have enough energy to run for more than an hour, but I didn’t need as many calories as the muffin provided. Splitting it with my husband and eating only half was the perfect solution.

    Enjoy a drink after dinner
    After running 9 miles and a long day of shopping, my husband and I stayed in Saturday night. We ended up ordering pizza, which is not necessarily a low-calorie meal. Still, when my husband returned with a pizza and a 6-pack of beer, I didn’t let myself go crazy. I’m all about enjoying a drink with dinner. But instead, I drank some water with dinner and enjoyed one beer after dinner for “dessert.” This way, my inhibitions weren’t lowered when faced with an entire cheesy pizza!

    article by Tina Haupert

    October 12, 2010

    Vegetables v.s. Grains

    Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Encore Personal Training @ 5:00 pm

    Trying to decide what is the best type of carbohydrates to eat can be confusing. Are you better off eating vegetables or grains? The general consensus is both vegetables and whole grains are healthy but if your goal is to lose some weight, I would choose vegetables.

    image courtesy of Eat N Play

    Now, I’m not saying that all whole grains are bad for you. If you are an endurance athlete spending hours training every day you might need to eat calorie dense foods like grains to keep you going. But if you are the average person interested in losing some weight or just keeping your weight under control, eating fewer grains and more vegetables could be a good idea for you.

    The main problem with grains compared to vegetables is that for the same amount of calories, you get much more nutrition and food volume with vegetables. For example here is a comparison of 140 calories of whole wheat bread vs. 140 calories of broccoli:

    Two Slices of Whole Wheat Bread

    • 140 calories
    • 1 gram fat
    • 300 mg sodium
    • 4 grams fiber
    • 6 grams protein
    • 24 grams carbohydrates
    • 2 grams sugar
    • 8% of your daily calcium
    • 8% of your daily iron
    • 12% Thiamin
    • 12% Niacin
    • 12% Folic Acid
    • 4% riboflavin

      • 4.5 Cups of Broccoli:

    • 139 calories
    • 1 gram fat
    • 135 mg sodium
    • 9 grams fiber
    • 27 grams carbohydrates
    • 9 sugars
    • 13.5 grams protein
    • 49.5% of your daily Vitamin A
    • 607% of your daily Vitamin C
    • 18% of your daily calcium
    • 18% of your daily iron
    • 18% Thiamin
    • 13.5% Niacin
    • 27% riboflavin
    • 522% Vitamin K

    When you look at the numbers, a vegetable like broccoli is far more superior than whole grain bread in its nutritional content based on calories. In general, vegetables give you the most amount of nutrition for the least amount of calories. In addition, broccoli is even higher in protein and lower in sodium.

    When you are looking to eliminate calories from your diet to lose weight, try to pick foods that are calorie dense with the least amount of nutrition. Unfortunately grains can fall into this category. Just think you could eat 4.5 cups of broccoli that is loaded with nutrition or two slices of bread. What you should do is skip the bread and just eat two cups of broccoli and you just eliminated over 70 calories from your diet and ingested more nutrition then the 140 calories dense bread.

    This also holds true for most vegetables. They will beat out grains almost every time. I know conventional wisdom keeps telling you to eat multiple servings of whole grains every day but eating too many grains can get you into trouble in your quest to control your weight.

    If you want to look into whether grains are really healthy for you at all, check out this article by Mark Sisson titled Why Grains are Unhealthy.

    Try reducing or eliminating the amount of grains in your diet for just two weeks and let me know how much weight you have lost and how much better you feel.

    Article Courtesy of Mike Cola, Fitness Contrarian

    « Newer Posts — Older Posts »

    Powered by WordPress