>Plan a Healthy Thanksgiving Meal
If you’re in charge of dinner or helping to plan, keep these tips in mind:
1) Schedule the meal earlier in the day. Having the big meal at noon or 2 PM will give your body time to digest it before bedtime. Also, if you’ve finished dinner before dark you can go outdoors for some fresh air and possibly a walk.
2) Serve small dishes every hour or so. Another suggestion, turn Thanksgiving into an all- day celebration this will spread the calories out throughout the day and you’ll be less likely to feel awful.
3) Take very small portions. As you fill your plate, remember there are typically a lot more dishes on the table to choose from compared to your ordinary meal. With this in mind, take very small portions. Treat dinner as you would a wine tasting…you TASTE each wine; you do not drink a whole glass of each wine.
4) Minimize the carb overload. Instead of preparing sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing and rolls choose only one or two of these dishes. It will save a ton of calories and you’ll feel less ‘stuffed!’ (pun intended!)
5) Serve appetizers. Prior to the main meal serve a colorful vegetable platter, delicious soup and/or a beautiful salad.
6) Serve lots of vegetables. Offer two or three different types of vegetables at the table (and they don’t have to be heavy-duty casseroles…just simple steamed vegetables).
7) Drink water. Set out water glasses for everyone with dinner.
22-Nov-2009
Comments Off on >Don’t Get Stuffed this Thanksgiving…Part 1
18-Nov-2009
Comments Off on >xo fitness thanksgiving training hours
>
You can schedule a personal training workout anytime during these hours…please call 339-0630 or email us at xofitness@gmail.com:
Wednesday, November 25: 5 am-8pm
Thursday, November 26: CLOSED
Friday, November 27: 7 AM-6 PM
Saturday, November 28: 8 AM-12 PM
Group Training Times:
Wednesday
8 AM Slow Flow Yoga
9 AM Cardio & Strength
5:30 PM Yoga Basics
6:30 PM Cardio & Strength
Friday
8 AM Slow Flow Yoga
9 AM Cardio & Strength
12 PM Cardio & Strength
Saturday
9AM Cardio & Core
Stay moving this Thanksgiving!!
05-Nov-2009
Comments Off on >Are you a Frog or a Toad?
>Are you a Frog or a Toad?
Category : Healthy Eating
>If you have children you are likely familiar with the Frog & Toad characters created by Arnold Lobel. One of my very favorite Frog & Toad stories is called “Cookies”. It is about cookies and willpower. It does an excellent job of illustrating how two different personality types react to the temptation of cookies.
It goes like this:
Toad bakes a huge batch of delicious cookies and takes them to Frog’s house.
Toad and Frog eat lots of cookies. (Read entire story)
FROG: You know, Toad, I think we should stop eating. We will soon be sick.
TOAD: You are right, let us eat one last cookie and then we will stop.
(There were still lots of cookies in the bowl.)
TOAD: Frog, let us eat one very last cookie, and then we will stop…we must stop eating!
FROG: Yes, we need will power.
TOAD: What is will power?
FROG: Will power is trying very hard not to do something you really want to do.
(Frog suggests putting the cookies into a box.)
TOAD: But we can open the box.
(Then Frog suggests tying a string around the box.)
TOAD: But we can cut the string and open the box.
(Frog suggests placing the box high upon a shelf.)
TOAD: But we can climb the ladder and take the box down from the shelf and cut the string and open the box.
(Frog agrees. He takes the box of cookies outside.)
FROG: Hey birds, here are cookies!
(The birds come, they eat all the cookies.)
TOAD (sadly): Now we have no more cookies to eat, not even one.
FROG: Yes, but we have lots and lots of will power.
TOAD: You may keep it all, Frog. I am going home now to bake a cake.
So, which are you? Frog or Toad?
TOADS:
If you identify with Toad you know you have to leave the chips & candy at the store…you should not even bring them into your home. So, Toads, get rid of that Halloween candy NOW!!
FROGS:
If you are fortunate enough to be like Frog you know that the “out of sight, out of mind” approach works for you and you will be OK with goodies in the house as long as they are not in plain sight. You also know that you can throw them away (or feed them to the birds) if you can’t resist a minute longer.
The message is: know thyself.
What works for Frog does not work for Toad and vice versa.
It goes like this:
Toad bakes a huge batch of delicious cookies and takes them to Frog’s house.
Toad and Frog eat lots of cookies. (Read entire story)
FROG: You know, Toad, I think we should stop eating. We will soon be sick.
TOAD: You are right, let us eat one last cookie and then we will stop.
(There were still lots of cookies in the bowl.)
TOAD: Frog, let us eat one very last cookie, and then we will stop…we must stop eating!
FROG: Yes, we need will power.
TOAD: What is will power?
FROG: Will power is trying very hard not to do something you really want to do.
(Frog suggests putting the cookies into a box.)
TOAD: But we can open the box.
(Then Frog suggests tying a string around the box.)
TOAD: But we can cut the string and open the box.
(Frog suggests placing the box high upon a shelf.)
TOAD: But we can climb the ladder and take the box down from the shelf and cut the string and open the box.
(Frog agrees. He takes the box of cookies outside.)
FROG: Hey birds, here are cookies!
(The birds come, they eat all the cookies.)
TOAD (sadly): Now we have no more cookies to eat, not even one.
FROG: Yes, but we have lots and lots of will power.
TOAD: You may keep it all, Frog. I am going home now to bake a cake.
So, which are you? Frog or Toad?
TOADS:
If you identify with Toad you know you have to leave the chips & candy at the store…you should not even bring them into your home. So, Toads, get rid of that Halloween candy NOW!!
FROGS:
If you are fortunate enough to be like Frog you know that the “out of sight, out of mind” approach works for you and you will be OK with goodies in the house as long as they are not in plain sight. You also know that you can throw them away (or feed them to the birds) if you can’t resist a minute longer.
The message is: know thyself.
What works for Frog does not work for Toad and vice versa.
07-Oct-2009
Comments Off on >Meet Angela Lydia, CPT
>Meet Angela Lydia, CPT
Category : Healthy Eating
>
PHILOSOPHY:
Better Function Leads to a Better Life.
I look at each person’s body like a puzzle, and through simple orthopedic testing, I can figure out which muscles need to be strengthened and which muscles need to be stretched. With this knowledge, we can begin to bring the body back into physical balance.
The body is an amazing machine and how it functions continues to challenge me to keep learning more about it. We each have our own unique physical makeup, with our own genetics, injury history, and compensatory movement patterns.
I am a firm believer in functional training and corrective exercise, where we not only strengthen and stretch appropriate muscles, but we correct and strengthen movement patterns. This allows us to function better in our daily lives.
EXPERIENCE
I began doing yoga when I lived in Telluride, CO over twelve years ago. It became a great complement to the high altitude, long distance running I was doing. I fell in love with yoga as I had the mountains.
Shortly after moving to Green Bay, I began teaching yoga at the YMCA and got certified as a personal trainer.
I have completed Precision Neuromuscular Therapy’s Form and Function seminar, and my goal is to become a certified NMT within the next year.
PERSONAL INTERESTS
Being a mom and a kitty mom
Animals / Door County Humane Society volunteer
Sewing
Macrobiotic cooking
Vegetable gardening
Baking
Classical music
PHILOSOPHY: Better Function Leads to a Better Life.
I look at each person’s body like a puzzle, and through simple orthopedic testing, I can figure out which muscles need to be strengthened and which muscles need to be stretched. With this knowledge, we can begin to bring the body back into physical balance.
The body is an amazing machine and how it functions continues to challenge me to keep learning more about it. We each have our own unique physical makeup, with our own genetics, injury history, and compensatory movement patterns.
I am a firm believer in functional training and corrective exercise, where we not only strengthen and stretch appropriate muscles, but we correct and strengthen movement patterns. This allows us to function better in our daily lives.
EXPERIENCE
I began doing yoga when I lived in Telluride, CO over twelve years ago. It became a great complement to the high altitude, long distance running I was doing. I fell in love with yoga as I had the mountains.
Shortly after moving to Green Bay, I began teaching yoga at the YMCA and got certified as a personal trainer.
I have completed Precision Neuromuscular Therapy’s Form and Function seminar, and my goal is to become a certified NMT within the next year.
PERSONAL INTERESTS
Being a mom and a kitty mom
Animals / Door County Humane Society volunteer
Sewing
Macrobiotic cooking
Vegetable gardening
Baking
Classical music
07-Oct-2009
Comments Off on >Yoga at xofitness
>Yoga at xofitness
Category : Healthy Eating
>This October we are pleased to begin offering Yoga…
Yoga Basics
Wednesdays at 5:30 PM
A new Basic Yoga class will begin the first Wednesday of each month.
We highly recommend that if you are new to yoga you sign up for this 4 week session. The focus will be on basic classical yoga postures, alignment principles, and breathing techniques that will help improve your strength, flexibility, stability and concentration.
Cost: $48 for one month (4 weeks)…no substitutions please! Clients may also deduct from their balance.
Slow Flow Yoga
Mondays 7:00 PM
Wednesdays 8:00 AM
Fridays 8:00 AM
This class is for those who are familiar with yoga. We will focus on linking poses with the breath in a slower paced, yet flowing class and will advance into more intermediate poses.
Cost: Punch Cards for 10 Small Group Trainings are $137 or $285 for 25 trainings. Clients may also deduct from their balance or purchase a separate punch card
Cardio Yoga
Thursdays at 7:00 PM
This class offers a 30 minute cardiovascular workout followed by stretching & relaxation. Combining cardio with yoga allows you to experience all the components of fitness in one hour by increasing strength, enhancing flexibility and improving body composition.
Cost: Punch Cards for 10 Small Group Trainings are $137 or $285 for 25 trainings. Clients may also deduct from their balance or purchase a separate punch card.
Yoga Basics
Wednesdays at 5:30 PM
A new Basic Yoga class will begin the first Wednesday of each month.
We highly recommend that if you are new to yoga you sign up for this 4 week session. The focus will be on basic classical yoga postures, alignment principles, and breathing techniques that will help improve your strength, flexibility, stability and concentration.
Cost: $48 for one month (4 weeks)…no substitutions please! Clients may also deduct from their balance.
Slow Flow Yoga
Mondays 7:00 PM
Wednesdays 8:00 AM
Fridays 8:00 AM
This class is for those who are familiar with yoga. We will focus on linking poses with the breath in a slower paced, yet flowing class and will advance into more intermediate poses.
Cost: Punch Cards for 10 Small Group Trainings are $137 or $285 for 25 trainings. Clients may also deduct from their balance or purchase a separate punch card
Cardio Yoga
Thursdays at 7:00 PM
This class offers a 30 minute cardiovascular workout followed by stretching & relaxation. Combining cardio with yoga allows you to experience all the components of fitness in one hour by increasing strength, enhancing flexibility and improving body composition.
Cost: Punch Cards for 10 Small Group Trainings are $137 or $285 for 25 trainings. Clients may also deduct from their balance or purchase a separate punch card.
03-Oct-2009
Comments Off on >Pilates vs. Yoga
>Pilates vs. Yoga
Category : Healthy Eating
>Thanks to the modern speed of information, both Pilates (pronounced: puh-la-teez) and Yoga have entered mainstream fitness. Infomercials promise amazing results and many celebrities attribute their beautiful bodies to practicing Pilates or Yoga. As a result, the demand for both of these disciplines has increased dramatically in recent years with classes being most popular due to their affordability.
What is Pilates?
In the early 1900’s Joseph Pilates incorporated elements of yoga and Greek exercise routines as a therapeutic form of exercise for bedridden soldiers in Germany during World War I. In 1926 he emigrated to the United States and continued to develop his methods which he called “contrology”. He and his wife, Clara, opened a fitness studio in New York which became very popular with dancers.
There are two styles of Pilates:
1) Mat Pilates work which utilizes a mat and in some cases, simple props
2) Reformer exercise which involves spring loaded apparatus.
Mat Pilates is much more prevalent because mats are easier to afford and store than reformers, however working one on one with a certified instructor and a reformer is an excellent way to ensure proper form and technique.
Besides traditional Pilates, various teachers have modified Joseph Pilates’ original technique. One of the best known and highly reputable is Stott Pilates which was created by a professional dancer and a team of sports medicine experts. Stott Pilates has adapted the many of the original exercises to make them safer by providing proper support to the spine.
What is Yoga?
Yoga originated in India thousands of years ago. It is meant to be both spiritual and physical. There are six different styles of yoga each with a distinct emphasis. Your goals will dictate which type of yoga you choose to practice.
1) Hatha-slow paced, gentle and a good introduction to the basic yoga poses
2) Vinyasa-more vigorous that Hatha with Sun Salutations during which movement is matched to breath.
3) Ashtanga & Power Yoga-fast paced and intense. A set series of poses is performed always in the same order.
4) Iyengar-emphasizes holding poses for long periods instead of flowing from one pose to the next quickly.
5) Kundalini-emphasizes breath and rapid repetitive movements; often includes chanting
6) Bikram/Hot Yoga-Typically uses a set series of poses and is practiced in a room heated to 95-100 F degrees
What is Pilates?
In the early 1900’s Joseph Pilates incorporated elements of yoga and Greek exercise routines as a therapeutic form of exercise for bedridden soldiers in Germany during World War I. In 1926 he emigrated to the United States and continued to develop his methods which he called “contrology”. He and his wife, Clara, opened a fitness studio in New York which became very popular with dancers.
There are two styles of Pilates:
1) Mat Pilates work which utilizes a mat and in some cases, simple props
2) Reformer exercise which involves spring loaded apparatus.
Mat Pilates is much more prevalent because mats are easier to afford and store than reformers, however working one on one with a certified instructor and a reformer is an excellent way to ensure proper form and technique.
Besides traditional Pilates, various teachers have modified Joseph Pilates’ original technique. One of the best known and highly reputable is Stott Pilates which was created by a professional dancer and a team of sports medicine experts. Stott Pilates has adapted the many of the original exercises to make them safer by providing proper support to the spine.
What is Yoga?
Yoga originated in India thousands of years ago. It is meant to be both spiritual and physical. There are six different styles of yoga each with a distinct emphasis. Your goals will dictate which type of yoga you choose to practice.
1) Hatha-slow paced, gentle and a good introduction to the basic yoga poses
2) Vinyasa-more vigorous that Hatha with Sun Salutations during which movement is matched to breath.
3) Ashtanga & Power Yoga-fast paced and intense. A set series of poses is performed always in the same order.
4) Iyengar-emphasizes holding poses for long periods instead of flowing from one pose to the next quickly.
5) Kundalini-emphasizes breath and rapid repetitive movements; often includes chanting
6) Bikram/Hot Yoga-Typically uses a set series of poses and is practiced in a room heated to 95-100 F degrees
How are Mat Pilates & Yoga alike?
1) Mind/body focus. This means the movements are mindful and you are encouraged to pay close attention to your body alignment and breathing. Very unlike what most of us try to do at the gym: tune out on the elliptical or treadmill with a book or the TV.
2) Great supplement to your healthy lifestyle
3) Use of mat and simple props
4) Strength building movement through various poses & exercises.
5) Breathing technique. They each have one, however they are not the same.
How are they different?
Pilates exercises are designed to draw on the “powerhouse” (also referred to as core muscles) which includes these muscles: abdominal, low back, upper back, hip and pelvis. These work together to support the spine in proper alignment.
Yoga will increase your range of motion, sense of well-being and can reduce stress.
Getting started in Pilates or Yoga
I highly recommend you try a class with a knowledgeable instructor instead of a video. Videos may be convenient, however, there is no one there to correct your form and help you to understand proper technique. A class, or better yet, one-on-one instruction is the best way to be sure you are doing the moves correctly so that you get the most out of the exercises while reducing the chances of getting injured. If you choose to join a class, be sure to sign up for one designed for beginners. Share any limitations you might have with the instructor and they should be able to show you modifications so that you can perform the exercises safely.
Do you have a health and fitness question? Contact us info@xofitness.com
Karin Jennings is a certified personal trainer and co-owner of XO Fitness, LLC in De Pere.
30-Jul-2009
Comments Off on >Ideas for minimizing weekend weight gain
>Eat before you go grocery shopping
Many people do their week’s grocery shopping on Saturday or Sunday, do not go to the store hungry or you will most certainly put things in your cart on impulse.
Keep healthy snacks on handy in the car
Whether you are traveling or running errands, carrying a healthy snack will keep you out of the drive-thru lane.
Keep a food journal
A journal will make you more mindful of what you are putting into your mouth. A recent study found that food journaling actually doubled weight-loss efforts!
Limit eating out
Try to avoid fast food all together. If you do eat out remember to eat reasonable portions and eat all your vegetables.
Limit your alcohol consumption
There are a lot of empty calories in alcohol. It also reduces your inhibitions to eat junk food AND makes you feel hungrier.
Plan to get some exercise
Schedule in exercise either one or both days. If you are away from home and no equipment is available simply put on your walking shoes and get moving!
After the weekend, reflect back…
o Which tactics above did you try? Did they work?
o What did you do well?
o Ask yourself: What can you do better next weekend?
Many people do their week’s grocery shopping on Saturday or Sunday, do not go to the store hungry or you will most certainly put things in your cart on impulse.
Keep healthy snacks on handy in the car
Whether you are traveling or running errands, carrying a healthy snack will keep you out of the drive-thru lane.
Keep a food journal
A journal will make you more mindful of what you are putting into your mouth. A recent study found that food journaling actually doubled weight-loss efforts!
Limit eating out
Try to avoid fast food all together. If you do eat out remember to eat reasonable portions and eat all your vegetables.
Limit your alcohol consumption
There are a lot of empty calories in alcohol. It also reduces your inhibitions to eat junk food AND makes you feel hungrier.
Plan to get some exercise
Schedule in exercise either one or both days. If you are away from home and no equipment is available simply put on your walking shoes and get moving!
After the weekend, reflect back…
o Which tactics above did you try? Did they work?
o What did you do well?
o Ask yourself: What can you do better next weekend?
30-Jul-2009
Comments Off on >How weekend behavior affects weight loss
>Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis studied how weekend behaviors affect weight loss.
The study involved 48 healthy adults aged 50 to 60 years. Prior to starting these programs all participants were found to consistently gain weight on weekends, but not weekdays! In fact, the average weekend weight gain would have led to an extra nine pounds over the course of one year.
The researchers divided the participants into 3 groups:
Group 1 (diet group) took in 20% fewer calories each day but didn’t change their activity level.
Group 2 (exercise group) increased their daily exercise regimen but didn’t change their diet, to have a comparable energy deficit as Group 1.
Group 3 (control group) did not change their diet or activity level.
What happened? During the year-long program both Group 1 and Group 2 did well during the week, however on weekends the diet group stopped losing weight and the exercise group gained weight due to higher calorie intake.
According to Susan B. Racette, PhD, assistant professor of physical therapy and medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, “We thought weekends would present a problem for some people attempting to lose weight, but the consistency of our finding before and during the interventions was surprising. Subjects in the diet group lost weight during the week, but over the weekend, they stopped losing weight because they were eating more.”
The study involved 48 healthy adults aged 50 to 60 years. Prior to starting these programs all participants were found to consistently gain weight on weekends, but not weekdays! In fact, the average weekend weight gain would have led to an extra nine pounds over the course of one year.
The researchers divided the participants into 3 groups:
Group 1 (diet group) took in 20% fewer calories each day but didn’t change their activity level.
Group 2 (exercise group) increased their daily exercise regimen but didn’t change their diet, to have a comparable energy deficit as Group 1.
Group 3 (control group) did not change their diet or activity level.
What happened? During the year-long program both Group 1 and Group 2 did well during the week, however on weekends the diet group stopped losing weight and the exercise group gained weight due to higher calorie intake.
According to Susan B. Racette, PhD, assistant professor of physical therapy and medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, “We thought weekends would present a problem for some people attempting to lose weight, but the consistency of our finding before and during the interventions was surprising. Subjects in the diet group lost weight during the week, but over the weekend, they stopped losing weight because they were eating more.”
28-Jul-2009
Comments Off on >Improve your Metabolism
>Improve your Metabolism
Category : Exercise
>By: Ryan Jennings
I recently attended a fitness convention in Chicago to update my personal training skills and earn CEC’s (continuing education credits). One of the most cutting edge workshops I attended was entitled: “Metabolic Training: The New Cardio Program”. The course promised to help people identify one of their own metabolic markers and systematically use it to improve their metabolism. The training was presented by Fabio Comana, who teaches exercise science and nutrition at the University of California-San Diego and is also the exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise (ACE).
A Quick Review of Energy Sources
To understand metabolism you need to recognize that your body uses different sources of energy for different purposes. The two major sources of energy are fats and carbohydrates. Fats provide most of the energy your body needs at rest and during low intensity activity for respiration and circulation. Carbohydrates provide the majority of energy during higher intensity exercise to keep up with increasing demands of the muscles.
History of Cardio-Vascular Training.
Historically, cardio exercise has been dominated by two competing schools of thought: Low Intensity and High Intensity. Lower intensity exercise targeted ‘calorie quality’ by burning mostly calories from fat. High intensity exercise targeted ‘calorie quantity’ while ignoring the type of calories burned. Opting to burn fat meant lower total calorie burn and vice-versa. The promise of Comana’s work is that you can increase the amount of total calories burned while improving the quality of the calories burned.
Comana also expresses concern with any exercise program that uses ‘target heart rates’ based on standardized age formulas. Age is irrelevant to Comana because “Your metabolism is as unique as your fingerprint”.
Establishing a Metabolic Marker
So if we shouldn’t use standard age formulas to establish target heart rates for exercise intensity, what should we use? According to Comana, most people can benefit from establishing the ‘crossover point’ where the body transitions from burning mostly fats to mostly carbohydrates. This is the Ventilatory Threshold (VT1) and is unique to each individual and cannot be predicted by using age formulas.
Comana notes that the test for VT1 is straight forward and is commonly known as the ‘talk test’. You can establish it by slowly increasing your exercise intensity until speaking out loud just becomes uncomfortable. Ideally you will use a piece of cardio equipment and maintain any given intensity for at least 2 minutes before reciting something from memory out loud that is 20-30 seconds in length. Repeat this cycle until you find the point at which you are no longer sure it is still comfortable to speak. This is your VT1 or ‘crossover point’. Note: Be sure to consult with your physician before attempting this or any fitness test or beginning an exercise program.
Cardio Training Using VT1
Once you have established your personal ‘crossover point’, Comana recommends developing a cardio-vascular training program that gradually works just above and just below this metabolic marker. By doing this, exercisers can actually shift the crossover point and continue to burn mostly fat at higher intensities. This is exciting news for anyone who wants to improve their metabolism.
Do you want more information about improving your metabolism or VT1 testing? Contact us info@xofitness.com
Ryan Jennings is a certified personal trainer and co-owner of XO Fitness, LLC in De Pere.
I recently attended a fitness convention in Chicago to update my personal training skills and earn CEC’s (continuing education credits). One of the most cutting edge workshops I attended was entitled: “Metabolic Training: The New Cardio Program”. The course promised to help people identify one of their own metabolic markers and systematically use it to improve their metabolism. The training was presented by Fabio Comana, who teaches exercise science and nutrition at the University of California-San Diego and is also the exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise (ACE).
A Quick Review of Energy Sources
To understand metabolism you need to recognize that your body uses different sources of energy for different purposes. The two major sources of energy are fats and carbohydrates. Fats provide most of the energy your body needs at rest and during low intensity activity for respiration and circulation. Carbohydrates provide the majority of energy during higher intensity exercise to keep up with increasing demands of the muscles.
History of Cardio-Vascular Training.
Historically, cardio exercise has been dominated by two competing schools of thought: Low Intensity and High Intensity. Lower intensity exercise targeted ‘calorie quality’ by burning mostly calories from fat. High intensity exercise targeted ‘calorie quantity’ while ignoring the type of calories burned. Opting to burn fat meant lower total calorie burn and vice-versa. The promise of Comana’s work is that you can increase the amount of total calories burned while improving the quality of the calories burned.
Comana also expresses concern with any exercise program that uses ‘target heart rates’ based on standardized age formulas. Age is irrelevant to Comana because “Your metabolism is as unique as your fingerprint”.
Establishing a Metabolic Marker
So if we shouldn’t use standard age formulas to establish target heart rates for exercise intensity, what should we use? According to Comana, most people can benefit from establishing the ‘crossover point’ where the body transitions from burning mostly fats to mostly carbohydrates. This is the Ventilatory Threshold (VT1) and is unique to each individual and cannot be predicted by using age formulas.
Comana notes that the test for VT1 is straight forward and is commonly known as the ‘talk test’. You can establish it by slowly increasing your exercise intensity until speaking out loud just becomes uncomfortable. Ideally you will use a piece of cardio equipment and maintain any given intensity for at least 2 minutes before reciting something from memory out loud that is 20-30 seconds in length. Repeat this cycle until you find the point at which you are no longer sure it is still comfortable to speak. This is your VT1 or ‘crossover point’. Note: Be sure to consult with your physician before attempting this or any fitness test or beginning an exercise program.
Cardio Training Using VT1
Once you have established your personal ‘crossover point’, Comana recommends developing a cardio-vascular training program that gradually works just above and just below this metabolic marker. By doing this, exercisers can actually shift the crossover point and continue to burn mostly fat at higher intensities. This is exciting news for anyone who wants to improve their metabolism.
Do you want more information about improving your metabolism or VT1 testing? Contact us info@xofitness.com
Ryan Jennings is a certified personal trainer and co-owner of XO Fitness, LLC in De Pere.
09-Jun-2009
Comments Off on >Making the Most of your Walk
>Making the Most of your Walk
Category : Healthy Eating
>Walking is a great form of exercise, but how can you make it even better? Add strength training using park benches and playground equipment.
Bench Squats
Stand in front of a bench facing away from it. Begin to sit down, but do not actually transfer your weight to the seat. Stand up again. Repeat this move for 30 seconds. Change speed to add variety.
Bench Step-ups
Stand in front of a bench facing it. Place one foot on the seat of the bench (safety tip: knee should be lower than your hip). Use that leg to lift you up onto the bench and then slowly lower yourself back down. Repeat 8 or more times on each leg. If the seat of a bench is too high try a curb or a low step on the playground equipment.
Bench Push ups
Push ups are great for your arms, chest and core. Yes, push-ups strengthen your core because you have to hold your body in a straight plank from your head to your heels. Easiest push-up: hands on the back of the bench. Harder push-ups: hands on the seat of the bench.
Push-ups are easier if your hands are higher, so find something the right height for you!
Bench Dips
Great for your triceps (the back of your arms). Sit on edge of bench , place hands on bench close to your hips; feet firmly planted on the ground. Now lift yourself off the bench by straightening your arms and slowly bend your elbows to lower your butt beyond the edge of bench. Do not allow shoulders to go lower than elbows. Straighten elbows to lift yourself back up, but try NOT to sit on the bench. Lower yourself down again. Try to repeat 10 times…this one is tough, just do what you can!
Dips are easier with knees bent…
Dips are harder with legs straight…
Monkey Bar Pull-ups
Pull ups are very advanced…see how many you can do, but don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t do them. Instead, modify the pull-up so that you CAN do several in a row. One way to do this is to find a bar that is about shoulder height. Hang from the low bar with your feet on the ground, knees bent and try to do a pull up with a minimal amount of assistance from your legs. Another way to do these is to hang from a bar facing the sky with your arms straight, hands directly above your shoulders. Your body should be in a plank position (straight from head to heels) with your heels on the ground. Now, pull yourself toward the bar bringing your chest to it. Eventually you may build enough strength to do real pull ups!
Bench Squats
Stand in front of a bench facing away from it. Begin to sit down, but do not actually transfer your weight to the seat. Stand up again. Repeat this move for 30 seconds. Change speed to add variety.
Bench Step-ups
Stand in front of a bench facing it. Place one foot on the seat of the bench (safety tip: knee should be lower than your hip). Use that leg to lift you up onto the bench and then slowly lower yourself back down. Repeat 8 or more times on each leg. If the seat of a bench is too high try a curb or a low step on the playground equipment.
Bench Push ups
Push ups are great for your arms, chest and core. Yes, push-ups strengthen your core because you have to hold your body in a straight plank from your head to your heels. Easiest push-up: hands on the back of the bench. Harder push-ups: hands on the seat of the bench.
Push-ups are easier if your hands are higher, so find something the right height for you!
Bench Dips
Great for your triceps (the back of your arms). Sit on edge of bench , place hands on bench close to your hips; feet firmly planted on the ground. Now lift yourself off the bench by straightening your arms and slowly bend your elbows to lower your butt beyond the edge of bench. Do not allow shoulders to go lower than elbows. Straighten elbows to lift yourself back up, but try NOT to sit on the bench. Lower yourself down again. Try to repeat 10 times…this one is tough, just do what you can!
Dips are easier with knees bent…
Dips are harder with legs straight…
Monkey Bar Pull-ups
Pull ups are very advanced…see how many you can do, but don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t do them. Instead, modify the pull-up so that you CAN do several in a row. One way to do this is to find a bar that is about shoulder height. Hang from the low bar with your feet on the ground, knees bent and try to do a pull up with a minimal amount of assistance from your legs. Another way to do these is to hang from a bar facing the sky with your arms straight, hands directly above your shoulders. Your body should be in a plank position (straight from head to heels) with your heels on the ground. Now, pull yourself toward the bar bringing your chest to it. Eventually you may build enough strength to do real pull ups!
