Cardio interval training

Cardio interval training

Cardio interval training can be a very effective way to increase calorie burn and fat burning, not to mention, it’s great for your cardiovascular system. It can be done with any type of cardio equipment, whether it is a treadmill, a bike, a row machine, or simply walking outside with varied speeds or inclines. The important thing is the timing and intensity of the work being done. Below are three different interval protocols starting with the most simple and progressing with complexity. My suggestion is to pick your favorite form of cardio and try one of these protocols. Just remember there are two ways to change intensity, speed and resistance. Have fun.

Interval Variation I: Standard
The following is a typical interval workout. You alternate the same period of low intensity with the same period of higher intensity.

1. 3 - 5 minutes warm up (light jog, low intensity, gradually increasing at the end of the warm up period)

2. 1 minute moderate or high intensity followed by 1 minute low intensity (repeat 6 - 8 times)

3. 3 - 5 minutes cool down (light jog, low intensity, gradually decreasing by the end of the cool down period)

Interval Variation II: Pyramid
This pyramid structure allows you to start with short bursts of speed, and then you'll peak at the longest surge of energy in the middle of your workout before coming back down.

1. 3 - 5 minutes warm up

2. 30 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity

3. 45 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity

4. 60 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity

5. 90 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity

6. 60 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity

7. 45 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity

8. 30 seconds high intensity

9. 3 - 5 minutes cool down

Interval Variation III: Sports Conditioning
Sports are unpredictable. This interval simulates some of that unpredictability by having you doing different times and different intensities. You can mix and match the orders and repetitions as much as you want. Rest longer after the periods in which you use the most energy.

1. 3 - 5 minutes warm up

2. 2 minutes moderate or high intensity followed by 2 minutes low intensity (repeat once

3. 30 seconds high intensity followed by 30 seconds low intensity (repeat four times)

4. 60-yard sprints (or 10 seconds if not running) followed by 90 seconds rest (repeat 6 - 10 times)

5. 3 - 5 minutes cool down

Read more at Men's Health: http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/interval-training-workouts#ixzz1uJ1w2t4E

Up Coming Event’s At Fitness Together

Belmont Town Day

May 19

9 – 4pm

Come see us at our booth. We will also have a raffle, information on ways to stay active during summer, and you can test your knowledge with our nutrition quiz.

Open House

May 22

5:30 - 8:30pm

We will have wine and cheese, and other snacks from Spirited Gourmet

Armed Forces Day Celebration

For those that make a donation of more than $65 will receive a free session

Great Jeans Challenge Closing Ceremonies

We will be measuring all of our client’s waist participating in the challenge, and handing out gift certificate to all the winners.

There will be a Group nutrition session all are welcome to come free of charge.

All that attend will receive goodie bags with items from local business.

Last but defiantly not least we will be kicking off our summer training programs for all current clients.

One-third of US workers don’t get enough sleep

Hey
Check out this article. Are you getting enough sleep?



One-third of US workers don’t get enough sleep

Mother's Day!

Still looking for the perfect Mother's Day gift? Look no further!

The Great jeans Challenge

We are now entering week five of our eight week great jeans challenge. All of you are doing great, and now is the time to pick up the intensity! The finish line is coming up fast and we are looking forward to giving gift certificates to all of you. Which is more than possible if you can tie up any lose ends in terms of your nutrition and exercise over these last three and a half weeks. So let’s finish strong and sprint to the end!  Just remembe,r whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you're probably right ;) 

Brian Knowles  

What's Happening at FT Belmont....

I'd like to start by thanking everyone who contributed to the food drive over the last few weeks! I'm sure your donations will be greatly appreciated by the people of Belmont who are not as fortunate as most of us. The drive will be coming to a close tomorrow, so if you find any other spare cans of tuna, bring them down.

Also a reminder to all of you who are doing the Great Jeans Challenge, this is measuring week, so please make sure you get measured this week in order to avoid being disqualified from the challenge. We can't wait to hand out the gift cards!

Lastly, despite the rainy Sunday forecast, we are still running/walking the Run for Charlotte in Braintree. If you are interested in joining us or just cheering us on, please contact us for details!

Hope you're having a healthy and happy day!

~Amy

Diet Fad of 'Eating Through the Nose' Could Be a Nightmare, Nutrition Expert Says

ScienceDaily (Apr. 16, 2012) — What should be a fairy-tale day -- a woman's wedding -- could turn into a nightmare for a bride-to-be who goes on a new feeding-tube diet to lose 20 pounds fast, says a Baylor University professor and a former chair of a public policy committee for the American Dietetic Association.

The diet of about 800 calories a day for 10 days has a potential to be even more harmful and less long-lasting than the so-called liquid "starvation diets," of fewer than 1,000 calories a day -- far below standard recommended weight-loss diets, said Suzy Weems, Ph.D., chair of Baylor University's family and consumer sciences and a consulting dietitian who has worked for hospitals and extended-care facilities. Most recommended diets call for a combination of exercise and eating that create a 500-calorie deficit from normal needs.

Some doctors -- over the vigorous protests of others -- have promoted the diet as a quick, hunger-free way to shed pounds by delivering protein, fat and water through a nasal feeding tube.

"It seems very extreme because of its potential for infections and irritation," Weems said. "It seems to be illogical to do this for one fairy-tale day when most brides have plenty of time before their weddings to lose weight in a healthy way. The long-term solution to maintain a good weight is eat right and exercise."

What's more, healthier diets provide "more energy for intimacy," she said.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120416150117.htm

This is a really bad idea, and is possibly the worst way one could lose weight. Maybe I am wrong but a big reason to lose weight is to become healthier and look good. Neither of which would happen form this diet. It really upsets me to see people try to make short cut, which do more harm than good and then market them. What do you think?

Brian Knowles

Client of the Month!

Caitlin McKenna

Training Frequency: 5x a week (3 1 on 1 sessions and 2 PACK)

Cardio Frequency: 5-6x a week for 45-60 minutes

Results:

I’m down 60lbs… so far!

How Fitness Together has helped:

Fitness Together has helped me gain more confidence. When I first started at FT, I physically could not do more than two minutes on the elliptical… now doing an hour is nothing. I have a goal now of wanting to do a 5K.

FT Belmont Food Drive

Hi Everyone!

Just a reminder that the food drive is running until April 20th so help us to help those in need! Please drop off your perishables and personal items across from the front desk.

Thanks for helping our community,
Amy

5k Walk/Run Only 2 Weeks Away!

Hey gang,

Don't forget to join us in Braintree on April 22nd for the Run for Charlotte 5k Walk/Run. You can sign up online at www.praryersforcharlotte.org. Join the runners and walkers or cheer on your favorite trainer (AKA JoJo) as we race through the streets to the nearest bar ummm.... I mean finish line!

Hope to see everyone there!

Joe

After Exercise, Relax

New research suggests that about 30 minutes of daily moderate activity can help you sleep better. Just don’t do it within three hours of bedtime, because the energizing effects of exercise might keep you up. For more information on physical activity for older adults, download: health.gov/paguidelines/pdf/paguide.pdf.       

Gentle activities an hour or so before bed — yoga, stretching — can also help relax the body: “It could be as simple as breathing slowly and deeply for 60 seconds,” said Michael Rogers, an exercise scientist and the clinical director at the Center for Physical Activity and Aging at Wichita State.

Establish a before-bed routine: “It could be taking a bath, reading, listening to soft music,” Mr. Rogers said. “I have even heard of people doing their diary entries before they go to bed.”

This is a good article because it’s really important to relax after working out. We harp on this all the time at Fitness Together for good reason.  If you can’t relax and fall asleep soundly, that can be detrimental to what you’re trying to achieve with the workout itself.

Brian Knowles

       

FT Belmont Food Drive

Help us to help the Belmont Food Pantry by donating to those in need in and around the Belmont area. Come by the Studio and drop off donations in our food drive box. The food drive runs from April 4th thru April 20th. Stop by anytime.


Paul Kostopoulos
FT Belmont

Stand Up: Your Life Could Depend On It

Standing up more often may reduce your chances of dying within three years, even if you are already physically active, a study of more than 200,000 people published in Archives of Internal Medicine shows.

The study found that adults who sat 11 or more hours per day had a 40% increased risk of dying in the next three years compared with those who sat for fewer than four hours a day. This was after taking into account their physical activity, weight and health status.

"These results have important public health implications," said study lead author Dr Hidde van der Ploeg, a senior research fellow at the University of Sydney's School of Public Health.

"That morning walk or trip to the gym is still necessary, but it's also important to avoid prolonged sitting. Our results suggest the time people spend sitting at home, work and in traffic should be reduced by standing or walking more."

The results are the first landmark findings to be published from the Sax Institute's 45 and Up Study, the largest ongoing study of healthy ageing in the Southern Hemisphere.

They showed physical activity is still beneficial: inactive people who sat the most had double the risk of dying within three years than the active people who sat least. And among the physically inactive group, those who sat the most had nearly one-third higher chance of dying than those who sat least.

The study's size and focus on total sitting time make it an important contributor to the growing evidence on the downsides of prolonged sitting. The average adult spends 90% of their leisure time sitting down and less than half of adults meet World Health Organization physical activity recommendations.
An accompanying editorial in the journal said the evidence was strong enough to support doctors prescribing "reduced daily sitting time" to their patients.

The research was commissioned by the Cardiovascular Research Network and supported by the NSW Division of the National Heart Foundation Australia. It is one of more than 60 projects underway using data from the 45 and Up Study, Australia's richest information source about the health and lifestyles of people 45 and over.

Heart Foundation NSW CEO Tony Thirlwell said being inactive was a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is responsible for more than 17 million deaths a year worldwide.

"Watching TV, using computers and electronic games can involve sitting for long periods and have become a big part of leisure time," he said. "But we know that people who spend less time on these things have better health than those who spend too much time on them."

A major five-year follow-up of 45 and Up study participants has just begun and will ask 265,000 men and women more about their health, lifestyle, and the medications and health services they use. Such large-scale research will help governments face the challenges of an ageing population.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/243427.php

This is a great article because it really hits home on how important it is to not sit for an extended period of time.  All things aside, if your over 45 and sit for more than 11 hours a day your chances of dying in the next 3 years increases by 40%. That’s astronomical!! So I implore you to get up and be active, it could save your life.

Brian Knowles

Great Jeans Challenge!!!!!

 Week 2 of the Great Jeans challenge!! Hope everyone is getting militant about they're exercise and diet! If you think you're doing enough to reach your goal,.......do some more!!!! Gotta turn it up as high as possible and then turn it up some more. 8 weeks isn't long so you're gonna have to put it all on the line. When your legs are twitching and your lungs are on fire, and you just wanna give up? You gotta push on for that extra mile! If anyone needs help stop by or call us here at Fitness Together, and we will gladly help you reach your goal.


Paul Kostopoulos
Trainer-Fitness Together Belmont

'Broga' caters to guys wary of yoga

'Broga' caters to guys wary of yoga

By Cari Nierenberg

Tired of hearing a wife, girlfriend, mother, sister or female friend sing the praises of yoga, some guys will eventually man up and tag along to a class. Once there, in many studios, he might be one of few downward facing dudes. Being the only man surrounded by a room of limber ladies in tight-fitting yoga pants might sound like paradise. But it gets rough when the gal on the next mat can touch her nose to her knees and the guy can barely bend over to reach his toes. Feeling self-consciousness and possibly embarrassed, a guy may retreat to his man cave convinced that yoga is not for him. It's too New Age-y or hippie-ish. Or not macho enough. Or too damn hard.

We're a yoga class geared for guys, but open to all," says Adam O'Neill, president and co-founder of Broga, which is based in Somerville, Mass. Although women are welcome in class, it's designed with a man in mind.

"We chose the name broga because it's funny, catchy, and familiar. It lets men know this is for them," O'Neill explains.

"On the one hand, we don't take ourselves too seriously. But broga is a real thing with real integrity," points out O'Neill. Classes, he says, work from the familiar to the unfamiliar.

Familiar language is used and little, if any, Sanskrit. There's familiar music in the background, maybe some Radiohead, Bob Dylan and The Black Keys -- and not an Eastern soundtrack. And there's a different vibe: There's little reference to the spiritual side of yoga, although more advanced classes may go there if participants are ready for it. Classes combine traditional yoga postures and athletic movements. "The class focuses on balance, building strength and an awareness of breath," says Robert Sidoti, the "Brogi," who developed and teaches the classes and co-founded broga. "A side benefit becomes increased flexibility." There might be more push-up variations you might not find in a traditional yoga class designed to strengthen the core, and different kinds of athletic movements and series to get the heart rate up, explains Sidoti. "If an athletic or fitness-type move is done, it's countered by a yoga stretch and a balance move, like tree pose."

"A lot of guys come here after years and years of sports, but their bodies are out of whack -- some have cement shoulders or really tight hips," Sidoti points out. They might not be able to do those flexy, bendy poses that a woman can, he suggests, so we work on poses and movements that are more relevant to their lives, whether he's a carpenter or he sits all day in an office.

"Many guys would rather go play tennis or a sport because it feels like exercise," says Sidoti. "Yoga hasn't been a place that feels fun."

But then men get to that point or to that age when things in their body start to hurt them, and that's often what gets them in the door to try yoga, he admits.

"I think a yoga class geared for men is a great idea," says Matt Carpenter, who teaches hatha yoga and yoga nidra classes at The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY.

"Men often bring a competitiveness, an intensity, and a seriousness to their yoga practice," says Carpenter. "We try to balance that by helping them grow in the direction of softness [flexibility] and openness," he says.

Carpenter thinks that yoga can become more male friendly by acknowledging the qualities that men bring to the practice and speaking to those qualities directly. "A good way to connect is to appeal to the strength aspects of yoga, the focus on discipline, or the quiet mindfulness -- that Zen Samurai mindset," he suggests. Whatever it takes to get men to practice yoga, ultimately, "broga is about men feeling better in their bodies," says O'Neill. "And taking an active, preventive role in their own lives." Right now, there are seven weekly broga classes in Massachusetts. But O'Neill and Sidoti hope to grow the brand so they offer instructor training certification (for men only) to bring the practice elsewhere, and online classes or DVDs. They also plan to work with men's sports team on the collegiate and professional level. In the meantime, Sidoti encourages men to go to an introductory level yoga class, even if they're fit and athletic. "If you're a fast-moving person, that will be your work to slow down," he says. "Take the time to learn the breath and the poses, and grow it from there."

http://todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/27/10762079-broga-caters-to-guys-wary-of-yoga

This is a very interesting idea, and I really wounder how well it will work. So when you guys go and try it let me know how it goes!

Brian Knowles

Hot to Best Help Your Child Lose Weight

How to Best Help Your Child Lose Weight: Lose Weight Yourself

ScienceDaily (Mar. 14, 2012) — A study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and The University of Minnesota indicates that a parent's weight change is a key contributor to the success of a child's weight loss in family-based treatment of childhood obesity. The results were just published in the advanced online edition of the journal Obesity.

"We looked at things such as parenting skills and styles, or changing the home food environment, and how they impacted a child's weight," said Kerri N. Boutelle, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at UC San Diego and Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego. "The number one way in which parents can help an obese child lose weight? Lose weight themselves. In this study, it was the most important predictor of child weight loss."

Recent data suggests that 31 percent of children in the United States are overweight or obese, or between four and five million children. Current treatment programs generally require participation by both parents and children in a plan that combines nutrition education and exercise with behavior therapy techniques.

"Parents are the most significant people in a child's environment, serving as the first and most important teachers," said Boutelle "They play a significant role in any weight-loss program for children, and this study confirms the importance of their example in establishing healthy eating and exercise behaviors for their kids."

The researchers looked at eighty parent-child groups with an 8 to 12-year-old overweight or obese child, who participated in a parent-only or parent + child treatment program for five months.

The study focused on evaluating the impact of three types of parenting skills taught in family-based behavioral treatment for childhood obesity, and the impact of each on the child's body weight: the parent modeling behaviors to promote their own weight loss, changes in home food environment, and parenting style and techniques (for example, a parent's ability to help limit the child's eating behavior, encouraging the child and participating in program activities).

Consistent with previously published research, parent BMI change was the only significant predictor of child's weight loss.

The researchers concluded that clinicians should focus on encouraging parents to lose weight to help their overweight or obese child in weight management.



http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120314170749.htm



This makes sense, kids tend to follow after their parents, especially the younger they are. So this means it’s extremely important for the parent to establish healthy behaviors. So they can pass those behaviors on to their kids.   



Brian Knowles

Turn On Your Lean Genes

What’s the biggest nutrition breakthrough for the next 25 years? Our vote goes to nutrigenomics—the study of the interaction between what you eat and your DNA. Researchers have recently uncovered a handful of common foods that crank up your fat burning genes.

Here’s how it works: Each cell contains the DNA for your entire genetic code. This master cookbook of proteins, hormones, and molecules remains relatively unchanged through your life. What does change is the recipes (or genes) your body is using. Drugs, foods, hormones, and other molecules can tell your body what recipes to use to create more of the specific enzymes, hormones, and compounds that you need.

So what foods can crank up your body’s natural fat-burning power?

Green tea. Green tea—both as a supplement or the brewed leaves—turns off genes that are responsible for fat cells’ sugar uptake and turns on genes that mediate sugar uptake by muscle cells. The result: smaller fat cells and more active muscle cells. A review from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that drinking green tea every day will trim up to an extra inch off your waistline in 12 weeks. (Caffeine and the antioxidant EGCG are also part of green tea’s fat-fighting arsenal.) Click here to learn whic tea beat out 14 others and was named the best green tea when we analyzed the antioxidant content of popular brands.

Fish oil. Touted for its many health benefits, the fats in fish oil—EPA and DHA—activate a group of specific proteins in your cells called Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). PPARs interact with your genes and can increase the burning of fat for energy as well as improve insulin sensitivity. Researchers from University of South Australia showed that when men combined a supplement of 1.9 grams of EPA and DHA each day with regular aerobic exercise, they lost 4.5 more pounds compared to men who just did regular aerobic exercise during the 12-week study. (That’s one reason why fish oil was named one of our 18 Best Supplements for Men.)

Pistachios. Pistachios fight inflammation—a driving force of weight gain—by reducing the expression of the inflammatory gene IFN-stimulated response element by a whopping 78 percent. Researchers from UCLA showed that snacking on 1.5 ounces of pistachios per day instead of 2 ounces of pretzels helped subjects lose 2 extra pounds over 12 weeks. (Pistachios—which are higher in fat and protein—are also more satiating than pretzels, which could have helped subjects eat less overall.)

Pomegranates. Pomegranates are packed with high levels of a potent class of antioxidants called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are famous for having beneficial effects on your blood vessels and your heart, and they are now also being show to be fat-cell killers. When exposed to anthocyanins, the growth of premature fat cells to full-blown fat cells is stopped. How? The anthocyanins down-regulate the expression of the pro-obesity and diabetes gene plasminogen activator inhibitor-1.

Olive oil. Subjects in a study ate on different days a high-carbohydrate meal and a meal high in monosaturated fats—including 2 tablespoons of olive oil. The high-carb meal suppressed the genetic sequence that creates adiponectin, a hormone that helps your muscles use sugar. The meal with olive oil, however, had the opposite effect.

These are all really good healthy foods with yet another good reason to have them in your diet. So if you don’t have these in your diet already then give them a try.

Brian Knowles    

Training to Run Your First 5K

With our first studio 5k run/walk event coming up, many clients have approached me wondering how they should prepare for it. I found this article on the ACE Fitness website that I thought might be helpful. Check it out! ~Joe

So you’ve started a walking program and, after a few weeks of consistent improvement, you feel you’re ready to pick up the pace and run your first 5K race.

A 5K—a 3.1-mile race—is the perfect length to aim for as a beginner. Begin by setting a realistic training schedule to keep you motivated and give yourself ample time to move to the next level. Beginning a running program may improve many facets of your life, as it builds your cardiovascular system, may boost your self-esteem and may strengthen ties within your community while also allowing you to appreciate the outdoors.

From the novice to the expert runner, a local 5K race is a great way to get in shape and improve your sense of health and well-being.

Set Attainable Goals

While the length of a 5K may be a relatively easy goal to achieve as a novice runner, designing the training program can present quite a challenge. Start out with a simple program that allows you to succeed and move forward only when you feel comfortable with your current stage. To avoid burnout or injury, do not push your limits.

Remember that your main goal is to reach the finish line. For your first race, you should enjoy the run and feel good for having reached your goal, rather than going for a certain time.

Take Your Time

Depending on your training base, a five-week program should be just enough time to have you running for the full 3.1 miles. Your first step should be a complete medical exam to make sure it is safe for you to begin a running program.

Begin with a walk/run program four times per week for 20 to 25 minutes. Plan to add a little variety to your training by alternating every other day with 20 to 30 minutes of an aerobic cross-training activity to build your cardiovascular fitness.

Select a starting distance that you are comfortable with. Perhaps it is 1.0 to 1.5 miles. Increase the distance (and duration) by approximately 10 to 15% each week. For example, increase the duration of your walk/run from 25 minutes to 28 minutes in week 2.

Vary your runs during the week to break the monotony. Choose one or two days a week to run your distance, and use the remaining days to focus on shorter, harder runs or interval-type sessions. Make sure to take one to two days off per week to let your body recover. Gradual training is the key to long-term success and rest time is just as important as the time you spend training.

Be Smart and Safe

Be sure to have proper running shoes that suit your individual needs, and be aware of the surface on which you are running. The best running surface is a rubber track. If you do not have access to a track, asphalt is better than concrete, and dirt or silt alongside the road is even better.

Nutrition and Hydration

Never run on an empty tank. Consume a light carbohydrate snack one to one-and-a-half hours before your runs and be sure to adequately hydrate. Drink plenty of fluids, but make sure you drink at least16 ounces two to three hours before your run. Plan to drink 7 to 10 ounces of fluids every 15 minutes during your run and eat a light carbohydrate and protein snack soon after the run if possible. Monitor your hydration by weighing yourself before and after the run, making sure you drink enough fluids after your run to replace the weight lost.

Race Day

If you aren’t familiar with the race course, check it out on one of your training runs or do a drive-by. It’s easy to get mentally and physically fatigued when you don’t know where your run ends and how much farther you have to go. Also, be sure to avoid running at a pace that is faster than your training pace.

For your first race, there is some running etiquette that you should be aware of:

 •Don’t cut someone off unless you’re at least two paces in front of them.

 •Make sure there is no one behind you if you’re going to spit or throw away a cup from the water stations.

 •When you cross the finish line, don’t stop moving. Keep walking down the chute to prevent a traffic jam.

 •If you’re on a team, cheer on teammates that finish behind you. That extra encouragement may be the boost they need to finish hard.

Support Your Community

Since running is relatively inexpensive and a great way to stay in shape, the popularity of 5K races has dramatically increased over the past few years. By running a 5K and donating money through your entry fee or raising money through donations, you are supporting a larger cause and meeting new people who share similar interests and goals.

For more articles like this check out www.acefitness.org.

Wanna run a 5k? Here ya go!

 

5K run: 7-week training schedule for beginners

By Mayo Clinic staff Doing a 5K run can add a new level of challenge and interest to your exercise program. A 5K run is 3.1 miles. Don't be daunted by the distance. A 5K run is a great distance for a beginner. And you can prepare for a 5K run in just two months.
Consider using this seven-week 5K run training schedule as your guide. This 5K run training schedule was created by Olympian Jeff Galloway. It's tailored for beginners or anyone who wants to complete a 5K race. You don't have to use this training schedule only for a 5K run — you can also adapt it to walk a 5K.

How to use the 5K training schedule

This 5K training schedule incorporates a mix of running, walking and resting. This combination helps reduce the risk of injury, stress and fatigue, while boosting your enjoyment of physical activity. Remember, you can run or walk slowly to help your body adjust to this 5K training schedule.
Under this 5K run schedule, even runners spend a portion of their training walking. For instance, during week one on run/walk days, a runner runs for 15 seconds and then walks for 45 seconds, repeating that cycle for 30 minutes. As the weeks progress, runners gradually increase the amount of time running and reduce the amount of time walking. If you're strictly a walker, you always walk. On walk days, both runners and walkers walk. One day a week — Friday on this 5K schedule — is a day of rest from exercise, giving your muscles time to recover. On Sunday, you can either take a second day of rest or you can enjoy a walk at your choice of distance. On this 5K run training schedule, race day falls on Saturday of your seventh week.

5K run: 7-week training schedule for beginners

Printable 5K training schedule (PDF file requiring Adobe Reader)

Week 1	On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 15 seconds/walk for 45 seconds.
Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Rest	Run/walk 3 miles (4.8 km)	Rest or walk
Week 2	On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 15 seconds/walk for 45 seconds.
Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Rest	Run/walk 3.5 miles (5.6 km)	Rest or walk
Week 3	On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 20 seconds/walk for 40 seconds.
Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Rest	Run/walk 2 miles (3.2 km) with Magic Mile*	Rest or walk
Week 4	On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 20 seconds/walk for 40 seconds.
Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Rest	Run/walk 4 miles (6.4 km)	Rest or walk
Week 5	On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 25 seconds/walk for 35 seconds.
Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Rest	Run/walk 2 miles (3.2 km) with Magic Mile*	Rest or walk
Week 6	On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 25 seconds/walk for 35 seconds.
Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Rest	Run/walk 4.5 miles (7.2 km)	Rest or walk
Week 7	On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 30 seconds/walk for 30 seconds.
Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Run/walk 30 minutes	Walk 30 minutes	Rest	5K race day	Rest or walk

Source: Galloway, J. Galloway’s 5K/10K Running. 2nd. ed. Aachen, Germany: Meyer & Meyer Sport; 2008:38. Used with permission.

Nutrition: Brainpower Tied to Omega-3 Levels

Low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids are associated with smaller brain volume and poorer performance on tests of mental acuity, even in people without apparent dementia, according to a new study.

In the analysis, published online Monday in the journal Neurology, scientists examined 1,575 dementia-free men and women whose average age was 67. The researchers analyzed the fatty acids of the subjects’ red blood cells, a more reliable measurement than a plasma blood test or an estimate based on diet. They used an M.R.I. scan to measure brain volume and white matter hyperintensities, a radiological finding indicative of vascular damage.

People in the lowest one-quarter for omega-3 levels had significantly lower total cerebral brain volume than those in the highest one-quarter, even after adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking and other factors. They also performed significantly worse on tests of visual memory, executive function and abstract memory than those in the highest one-quarter. There was no significant association with white matter hyperintensity volume.

“We feel that omega-3’s reduce vascular pathology and thus reduce the rate of brain aging,” said Dr. Zaldy S. Tan, the lead author and associate professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Few in the study were taking omega-3 supplements, Dr. Tan said. The main reason that some had higher blood levels of omega-3’s was that they ate more fatty fish.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/health/research/omega-3-fatty-acid-levels-linked-to-brain-performance.html?ref=nutrition

We all knew that omega-3’s were good for you, and this is just another reason. Keep eating fatty fish.

Brian Knowles

How Women Build Muscle

There are more myths and misconceptions about strength training than any other area of fitness. While research continues to uncover more and more reasons why working out with weights is good for you, many women continue to avoid resistance training for fear of developing muscles of Herculean proportions.
Other women have tried it and been less than thrilled with the results. “Don’t worry,” people say. “Women can’t build muscle like men. They don’t have enough testosterone.” This is, in fact, only partly true.
Many women, believing they wouldn’t build muscle, hit the gym with a vengeance and then wondered why, after several weeks of resistance training, their clothes didn’t fit and they had gained muscle weight.
The truth is, not everyone responds to training in quite the same way. While testosterone plays an important role in muscle development, the answer to why some men and women increase in muscle size and others don’t lies within our DNA.
We are predisposed to respond to exercise in a particular way, in large part because of our genetics. Our genetic makeup determines what types of muscle fibers we have and where they are distributed. It determines our ratio of testosterone to estrogen and where we store body fat. And it also determines our body type.

A Question of Body Type

All women fall under one of three body classifications, or are a combination of types. Mesomorphs tend to be muscular, endomorphs are more rounded and voluptuous and ectomorphs are slim or linear in shape. Mesomorphs respond to strength training by building muscle mass much faster than their ectomorphic counterparts, even though they may be following identical training regimens.
Endomorphs generally need to lose body fat in order to see a change in size or shape as a result of strength training. Ectomorphs are less likely to build muscle mass but will become stronger as a result of resistance training.

Building Just Your Heart Muscle

One of the fundamental principles of strength training is that if you overload a muscle, you will increase its size. With aerobic training, the overload is typically your body weight. Activities such as step training or stair climbing result in changes in the size and shape of the muscles of the lower body. Increasing the height of the step or adding power movements increases the overload.
For those concerned about building muscle, it would be better to reduce the step height or lower the impact of the movements. While this may reduce the aerobic value of the workout, it also will decrease the amount of overload on the muscles, making it less likely that you will build more muscle.

Training by the Rules

When it comes to strength training, the old rule still applies: To get stronger, work with heavier weights and perform fewer repetitions. To promote endurance, use lighter weights and complete more repetitions.
It’s encouraging to note that just like men, most women will experience a 20 to 40% increase in muscular strength after several months of resistance training.
Understanding your body type and how you might respond to exercise can help you set realistic goals and expectations. Avoid comparisons to others you see, at the gym or elsewhere, and remember that no two people are alike.
Focus on how good exercise makes you feel rather than how you would like to look. Accepting our bodies for what they are is a great way to get rid of the guilt or pressure we often feel to look a certain way.

Where Our Salt Comes From: Top 10 Foods

Where Our Salt Comes From: Top 10 Foods

The Centers for Disease Control has come out with a list of the top 10 “salt culprits” in our diet. You might be surprised to learn that the number one food source is bread!
Even I went “Hunh” … I wasn’t expecting that … Here’s the list of the top ten salty foods:

1. bread and dinner rolls
2. cold cuts and cured meat
3. pizza
4. poultry
5. soups
6. sandwiches
7. cheese
8. pasta dishes
9. meat dishes
10. snacks like potato chips and pretzels

The CDC also said the average American consumes 3,266 milligrams of salt daily and that’s before we pick up the salt shakers on the dinner table. Our goal should be no more than 2,300 milligrams a day and, if you are over 51, or have high blood pressure or diabetes, it should be no more than 1,500 milligrams.
One in three adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure, which can lead to issues like heart disease and stroke. We really should be paying attention here. So how do we cut down on salt intake? Easy …
Limit starches to no more than four servings a day. You don’t need the starch anyway; it has relatively few nutrients, but you knew that already.
Increase fruits and veggies. Sub out starches for something healthier; produce has zero salt, lots of vitamins and minerals, and is quite tasty.
Ditch the salt shaker. My parents took the salt shaker off the table in the 1970s and I’ve never looked back. Salt is an integral part of cooking and taste, but you don’t need to add a lot to get good flavor and you don’t need it on the table.
Cook from scratch. You will always add less sugar, fat, and salt to a recipe than a commercial food manufacturer will. They doctor up ingredients with palate-pumping substances so we don’t realize we’re eating crap. The more you cook from scratch, the healthier your diet will be overall.
Start reading labels. Salt sneaks up on you; it’s in all kinds of things you wouldn’t think of, from pasta sauce to ice cream. Read the labels to make sure you’re within safe limits for you.
Consider these easy changes and live a better life. Do you check your salt intake? Do you read labels but glance over the salt? What’s your favorite salty treat?
Cheers,
Lisa

http://www.lisajohnsonfitness.com/where-our-salt-comes-from-top-10-foods/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LisaJohnsonFitness+%28Lisa+Johnson+Fitness%29

 We as a country eat way too much bread and that is why its number one on the list.

Brian Knowles  

Move Over H2O! Drink Coconut Water for Exercise Recovery!

Move Over H₂0! Drink Coconut Water for Exercise Recovery

Your body needs water, particularly when you break a sweat. But you don’t need to sip from the tap to satisfy your hydration replenishment needs, especially if you’re looking for something tasty and nourishing.
Instead, look to coconut water for exercise recovery. Why? A few small studies by researchers in Malaysia suggest that coconut water can rehydrate the body a little better than plain water, reports the LA Times. Read on to find out more.

• Why coconut water for exercise recovery?
• Where does coconut water come from?
• How is PHENOM™ different?

Why coconut water for exercise recovery?
In about one hour of physical exercise, the body can lose up to 3 quarts of water through perspiration. Therefore, you can’t deny your body needs water after a workout, and coconut water is about 95% water. Plus, some research has found coconut water can rehydrate better than water.
How? Electrolytes in coconut water facilitate the body’s water uptake. And did you know coconut water is a natural isotonic beverage with the same level of electrolytic balance as we have in our blood? Besides water, coconut water contains the following electrolytes:

• Sodium
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Phosphate

It also has small amounts of essential amino acids. Because of its composition that helps replenish the minerals and electrolytes lost in sweat, coconut water has become a popular, natural alternative to sports drinks for exercise recovery.
In fact, compared to sports drinks coconut water contains:

• More potassium (equivalent to about two bananas’ worth)
• More chloride
• Natural sugars, instead of altered sugars

However, the benefits of coconut water are nothing new; people who live where coconut palms grow have long-sipped coconut water.


Where does coconut water come from?
It’s name gives away its origin somewhat, but specifically, coconut water is the juice found in young, green coconuts. Coconut water differs from coconut milk in that it’s the liquid that comes straight out of a cracked coconut; coconut milk, on the other hand, is a thick liquid made by extracting high-fat, grated, mature coconut meat.
Coconuts are the fruit of the coconut palm, native to Malaysia, Polynesia, and southern Asia. Because of the coconut’s ability to drift across the sea, coconut palms are also prolific in South America, India, the Pacific Islands, Hawaii, and Florida.
And while coconut water has been enjoyed for centuries by natives, a switch to PHENOM™ coconut water will prove beneficial.


How is PHENOM™ coconut water better for exercise recovery?
The #1 reasons consumers are reluctant to try coconut water is the belief that it will taste like coconut. In actuality, coconut water doesn’t taste like coconut at all, rather it has a refreshing, mildly sweet flavor, and doesn’t taste anything like coconut.
Still worried about the taste? The flavor experts at PepsiCo have come up with delicious, natural flavors that are part of the PHENOM™ coconut water line. Flavors include Pineapple Punch, Lemon Mojito, Orange Guava Passion, and others. Each variety is formulated with 100% natural coconut water.
The PHENOM™ line takes things further thanks to the nutrition experts from GNC. Previous studies conducted on other GNC products were analyzed to determine which key ingredients should be added to provide that extra exercise recovery “boost” – such as antioxidants, electrolytes, caffeine, and more – to carefully craft the most enhanced coconut water.
The 7 different varieties are in 4 distinct families to be tailored to your unique needs:

1. PHENOM™ Hydro – simply pure, natural, and unflavored
2. PHENOM™ Mega V (3 flavors) – contains electrolytes and multivitamins
3. PHENOM™ Antiox – contains electrolytes, multivitamins, and Vitamin C
4. PHENOM™ Energy (2 flavors) – contains electrolytes, multivitamins, and energizing ingredients

Next time you break a sweat, which PHENOM™ coconut water variety will you grab for exercise recovery?

http://phenomwater.com/move-over-h20-drink-coconut-water-for-exercise-recovery

Group Nutrition Sessions!

Hey Guys and Gals!

Just a quick FYI, keep your eyes open for the Group Nutrition Schedule for the month of March. We will now be offering multiple classes for those of you with super busy schedules! Also, feel free to bring a family member or a friends to the Group Nutrition Classes. The more the merrier!!

Joe

New Guidelines Planned on School Vending Machines

WASHINGTON — The government’s attempt to reduce childhood obesity is moving from the school cafeteria to the vending machines.

The Obama administration is working on setting nutritional standards for foods that children can buy outside the cafeteria. With students eating 19 percent to 50 percent of their daily food at school, the administration says it wants to ensure that what they eat contributes to good health and smaller waistlines. The proposed rules are expected within the next few weeks.

Efforts to restrict the food that schoolchildren eat outside the lunchroom have long been controversial.

Representatives of the food and beverage industries argue that many of their products contribute to good nutrition and should not be banned. Schools say that overly restrictive rules, which could include banning the candy sold for school fund-raisers, risk the loss of substantial revenue that helps pay for sports, music and arts programs. A study by the National Academy of Sciences estimates that about $2.3 billion worth of snack foods and beverages are sold annually in schools nationwide.

Nutritionists say that school vending machines stocked with potato chips, cookies and sugary soft drinks contribute to childhood obesity, which has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that about one in every five children are obese.

No details of the proposed guidelines have been released, but health advocates and snack food and soft drink industry representatives predict that the rules will be similar to those for the government’s school lunch program, which reduced amounts of sugar, salt and fat.

Those rules set off a fight between parents and health advocates on one side, who praised the standards, and the food industry, which argued that some of the proposals went too far. Members of Congress stepped in to block the administration from limiting the amount of potatoes children could be served and to allow schools to continue to count tomato paste on a pizza as a serving of vegetables.

Nancy Huehnergarth, executive director of the New York State Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Alliance in Millwood, N.Y., said she expected a similar fight over the vending machine rules.

“I think the food and beverage industry is going to fight tooth and nail over these rules,” Ms. Huehnergarth said.

But representatives of the food and beverage industry say they generally support selling healthier snacks and drinks in schools.

“But we are a little concerned that they might make the rules too stringent,” said James A. McCarthy, president of the Snack Food Association, a trade group in Washington.

Mr. McCarthy said the industry supported nutritional snacks and was working with the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, headed by the former president, in an initiative called the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to establish voluntary guidelines for healthier foods in schools.

The foods include baked rather than fried potato chips, dry-roasted nuts and low-sodium pretzels, Mr. McCarthy said.

Christopher Gindlesperger, director of communications for the American Beverage Association, whose members include Coca-Cola and Pepsi, said his industry had also worked with schools to reduce or eliminate sugary drinks and replace them with healthier alternatives.

“Our members have voluntarily reduced the calories in drinks shipped to schools by 88 percent and stopped offering full-calorie soft drinks in school vending machines,” Mr. Gindlesperger said.

But a study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine released this month shows that despite industry efforts and those of others, snacking behavior among children remains largely unchanged. One reason is that healthier snacks were being offered alongside less nutritious offerings.

Between 2006 and 2010, the study found, about half of the schools had vending machines, stores and cafeterias that offered unhealthy foods.

The availability of high-fat foods in schools followed regional patterns. In the South, where rates of childhood obesity are the highest, less nutritious food was more prevalent. In the West, where childhood obesity rates are lower, high-fat food was not as common, the study found.

Health advocates say the study points to the need for national standards.

Jessica Donze Black, director of the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project at the Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, gave the food industry credit for trying to reduce sugary drinks and fatty snacks, but said the voluntary guidelines did not go far enough.

“What we have is a fragmented system where some schools do a good job of limiting access to junk food and others don’t,” she said. “We need a national standard that ensures that all schools meet some minimum guidelines.”

Still, some school districts question whether students would buy healthy foods offered in vending machines and school stores. Frequently vending machines with healthy alternative snacks are ignored, and children bring snacks from home or buy them at local stores off-campus during lunch periods. Roger Kipp, food service director for the Norwood school district in Ohio, said children could be persuaded to eat healthy foods and schools could still make a profit.

Two years ago, Mr. Kipp eliminated vending machines and school stores in his district and replaced them with an area in the lunchroom where they could buy wraps, fruit or yogurt. Children ate better, and the schools made some money.

“It took a while, but it caught on,” Mr. Kipp said. “You have to give the kids time. You can’t replace 16 years of bad eating habits overnight.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/us/politics/new-rules-planned-on-school-vending-machines.html?_r=1&ref=nutrition

This is a good article. The only problem is just because you have better food in schools does not mean kids will eat it. The best way to combat nutrition is at home where they eat most of their meals. It is a good start thought. What do you think?

Brian Knowles

Exercise as Housecleaning for the Body

When ticking off the benefits of physical activity, few of us would include intracellular housecleaning. But a new study suggests that the ability of exercise to speed the removal of garbage from inside our body’s cells may be one of its most valuable, if least visible, effects.

In the new research, which was published last month in Nature, scientists at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas gathered two groups of mice. One set was normal, with a finely tuned cellular scrubbing system. The other had been bred to have a blunted cleaning system.

It’s long been known that cells accumulate flotsam from the wear and tear of everyday living. Broken or misshapen proteins, shreds of cellular membranes, invasive viruses or bacteria, and worn-out, broken-down cellular components, like aged mitochondria, the tiny organelles within cells that produce energy, form a kind of trash heap inside the cell.

In most instances, cells diligently sweep away this debris. They even recycle it for fuel. Through a process with the expressive name of autophagy, or “self-eating,” cells create specialized membranes that engulf junk in the cell’s cytoplasm and carry it to a part of the cell known as the lysosome, where the trash is broken apart and then burned by the cell for energy.

Without this efficient system, cells could become choked with trash and malfunction or die. In recent years, some scientists have begun to suspect that faulty autophagy mechanisms contribute to the development of a range of diseases, including diabetes, muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s and cancer. The slowing of autophagy as we reach middle age is also believed to play a role in aging.

Most metabolism researchers think that the process evolved in response to the stress of starvation; cells would round up and consume superfluous bits of themselves to keep the rest of the cell alive. In petri dishes, the rate of autophagy increases when cells are starved or otherwise placed under physiological stress.

Exercise, of course, is physiological stress. But until recently, few researchers had thought to ask whether exercise might somehow affect the amount of autophagy within cells and, if so, whether that mattered to the body as a whole.

“Autophagy affects metabolism and has wide-ranging health-related benefits in the body, and so does exercise,” says Dr. Beth Levine, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at U.T. Southwestern. “There seemed to be considerable overlap, in fact, between the health-related benefits of exercise and those of autophagy,” but it wasn’t clear how the two interacted, she says.

So she and her colleagues had lab mice run. The animals first had been medically treated so that the membranes that engulf debris inside their cells would glow, revealing themselves to the researchers. After just 30 minutes of running, the mice had significantly more membranes in cells throughout their bodies, the researchers found, meaning they were undergoing accelerated autophagy.

That finding, however, didn’t explain what the augmented cellular cleaning meant for the well-being of the mice, so the researchers developed a new strain of mouse that showed normal autophagy levels in most instances, but could not increase its cellular self-eating in response to stress. Autophagy levels would stubbornly remain the same, even if the animals were starved or vigorously exercised.

Then the researchers had these mice run, alongside a control group of normal animals. The autophagy-resistant mice quickly grew fatigued. Their muscles seemed incapable of drawing sugar from the blood as the muscles of the normal mice did.

More striking, when Dr. Levine stuffed both groups of animals with high-fat kibble for several weeks until they developed a rodent version of diabetes, the normal mice subsequently reversed the condition by running, even as they continued on the fatty diet. The autophagy-resistant animals did not. After weeks of running, they remained diabetic. Their cells could not absorb blood sugar normally. They also had higher levels of cholesterol in their blood than the other mice. Exercise had not made them healthier.

In other words, Dr. Levine and her colleagues concluded, an increase in autophagy, prompted by exercise, seems to be a critical step in achieving the health benefits of exercise.

The finding is “extremely exciting,” says Zhen Yan, the director of the Center for Skeletal Muscle Research at the University of Virginia, who is also studying autophagy and exercise. The study, Dr. Yan says, “improves our understanding of how exercise has salutary impacts on health.”

The implications of Dr. Levine’s results are, in fact, broad. It’s possible that people who don’t respond as robustly to aerobic exercise as their training partners may have sputtering or inadequate autophagy systems, although that idea is speculative. “It’s very difficult to study autophagy in humans,” Dr. Levine says. Still, it’s possible that at some point, autophagy-prompting drugs or specialized exercise programs might help everyone to fully benefit from exercise.

In the meantime, the study underscores, again, the importance of staying active. Both the control mice and the genetically modified group had “normal background levels of autophagy” during everyday circumstances, Dr. Levine points out. But this baseline level of cellular housecleaning wasn’t enough to protect them from developing diabetes in the face of a poor diet. Only when the control animals ran and pumped up their intracellular trash collection did they regain their health.

“I never worked out consistently before,” Dr. Levine says. But now, having witnessed how exercise helped scour the cells of the running mice, she owns a treadmill.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/01/exercise-as-housecleaning-for-the-body/#more-70557

This is yet another really good reason to exercise.
Brian Knowles