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Take a peak at your local department or sporting good store flyer and I bet you’ll see plenty of “sales” for fitness equipment this time of year. This isn’t by accident. We’re in the midst of “weight loss resolution” season where people are usually on the lookout for exercise shortcuts in order to lose weight and “tone-up” – minus the hard work of course.
[Honestly ladies? Would you wear fitness accessories at the expense of your coordinated outfit?]
A fitness item trying to make a “Brett Favre-esque type comeback” is the wrist and ankle weights we left in 1980s. Back on the market and attempting to be more stylish and functional with a new name to boot -wearable body weights – they promise to burn off all those calories you consumed between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
But how well do these “new” exercise accessories measure up to their fat loss claims?
I spoke to some users at my gym and surfed the online forums to get a sense of how effective these accessories really are. Now I’m no Chris Hansen of 20/20 fame, but here’s what I found in my travels. (more…)
Today’s post comes to us all the way from Italy. My good friend Oscar Del Ben is a personal development blogger who writes about really cool lifestyle topics such as productivity and business, and he’s also a martial arts fan. I asked him to share some of his thoughts with us on alternative activities to achieving a healthy lifestyle – hence the topic of martial arts.
[Nothing like a side-kick-to-the-chops to get someone's attention]
Oscar is usually very quick to point out his lack of English writing skills because it’s not his native language but rest assured I think he has a very good handle on it and does a fine job expressing his points of view. You can find his blog at FreestyleMind.com and feel free to leave comments for Oscar or myself below.
Martial Arts as a Way to Stay Healthy – Guest Post by Oscar Del Ben
Martial arts became famous in the western culture as a way to defend ourselves by doing a series of – sometimes complex and bizarre – movements. In reality, martial arts is more then just Bruce Lee bicycle kicks – it’s quickly being linked to keeping our body healthy and balanced in various modern research studies. (more…)
If you’ve visited a Skechers retail store or flipped through a health magazine in the last six months you may have noticed a funny looking shoe called Shape Ups hitting the weight loss marketplace.
[Nothing makes me feel more comfortable then walking barefoot.]
According to Skechers, Shape Ups were designed to promote weight loss, firm calf and butt muscles, improve posture and strengthen your back with several styles and colors available for men and women.
Now it’s not often weight loss and fashion are combined into one tangible product but during a recent visit to a Skechers retail store I decided to give these bad boys a try because you can never have enough butt muscles, right? (more…)
Rafi Bar-Lev, a former combat medic and founder of the community fitness site Passionate Fitness, has stopped by today to discuss ways to help you stay motivated when you just don’t want to exercise. Before you skip over this information because you don’t think it applies to you, STOP!
It eventually happens to us all but the important part is to recognize the workout rut you’re in so that you can climb out and continue reaching for your fat loss goals.
[Climbing out of a workout rut seems pretty easy when you compare it to this type of climbing...Yikes!]
5 Ways to Stay Motivated When You’re in a Workout Rut – Guest Post by Rafi Bar-Lev
We’ve all been there when you just get tired of hitting the gym and want to stop working out. Luckily, the feeling is natural and there are ways to get around it.
Here are 5 tips to help you get motivated when you’re in a workout rut: (more…)
With the NFL season well underway (Lions’ and Browns’ fans, my condolences) and the Fall TV programming schedule in full swing (high-five for House and Glee anyone?) it’s very easy to get cozy on your sofa and do some mindless channel surfing.
[Ever had days where you didn't change out of your pajamas and wonder what the hell did I do today? Not a good feeling is it?]
Throw in the fact that life is a hell of a lot busier during this time of year – school, social gatherings, volunteer commitments, or an increased work schedule, now competing for our time – it’s not that difficult to pull a 180 and return to your lazy self and stop your regular exercise regimen. Not so fast… (more…)
I can still remember sitting at a table with two wanna be bodybuilders in University and listening to their conversation as they ate three pieces of leftover grilled chicken with a large side of cottage cheese (This after-workout eating menu should have been hint #34 to change my approach with regards to fitness but I was a sucker for trying to get lean and mean back then).
The terms and language thrown around in discussing their current workout routine made them sound like they attended a private middle school on Mars. I felt intimidated to jump in and tell them I did 50 push-ups and sit-ups last night before bed.
[You don't need to be a smarty pants to understand fitness lingo... Kinda of looks like Jennifer Love Hewitt in disguise?]
For those who watch The Biggest Loser, read through the latest Fitness magazines, or follow one of the fat loss programs reviewed here, you’ll be familiar with this language. For others just starting out, it’s time to stop feeling embarrassed – read through the glossary below to help you decode some popular gym jargon. (more…)
All too often I hear war stories about guys who had their back go out numerous times during free-bar squats. It may be because their body is not built for it or more likely it is due to their idiotic obsession with squatting 500 pounds and being proclaimed a “huge monster” for doing so. Forgive me for going
with the later assumption.
[Even the King of the Jungle needs a rest. Traditional squats move over, it's time you had some company on lower body exercises]
Now I’m no doctor but having that kind of weight straddling your neck and shoulders just screams serious injury and compression damage to you spine. But let’s dig into the research because it’s somewhat surprising…
Do Squats Lead to Back Injuries?
For such a basic exercise movement, squatting sure stirs the pot regarding its risk to lower back injuries with personal trainers and scientists alike.
Yes, it’s the summer season and there isn’t much on the tube. And yes, everyone’s favorite sitcoms will be back in the fall so the list above could look remarkably different. But people like, really like watching dance shows!
[No dumbbells required! Mastering their own body weight is what produces the lean and sleek look of these artists.]
The entertainment production value of these shows, sprinkled with a little reality TV for good measure, really helps in attracting viewership. Choreographed routines combined with matching outfits makes the viewer feel like they are watching a rock show in a big city arena.
Who am I kidding?
Women, and men, are watching these lean cut bodies pulsating and gyrating to different musical stylings because they are aesthetically pleasing!
Excuse me ‘mam… You have something dangling between your elbow and your armpit?
Ah, yes, it’s under arm flab!
Some women I know with a wicked sense of humor refer to it as “their wings” because their arm flab flaps and jiggles (say that 5 times fast) when they walk or jog. Cool, now I’m up to speed on what females call certain body parts when their talking amongst themselves.
Then… as I’m channel surfing I happen to see this infomercial:
[I know what your thinking and I want you to stop it! We're a PG-13 group here. By the way, who approved commercials for adult toys during the day?]
If products like the one above are making it past the cutting room floor then there must be some serious concern out there from the ladies about getting rid of their wings? (more…)
