Archive for August 2011
Group Fitness Attendance Survey Results
Have you ever wondered how much foot traffic your group exercise programming brings into your facility? Global fitness company Les Mills has released survey data from the world’s top fitness facilities, centered on measuring accurate group fitness attendance:
Of the clubs that participated in the survey, the average club had 676 group fitness attendances per week. The top 20 clubs had an average of 3,880 attendances. The top 10 attracted on average 4,656 weekly attendances.
Read MoreGo Green and Save
More and more business owners are becoming conscious of how their operations affect the environment. According to the Green Business Bureau, investing in environmentally friendly practices is good for the green that grows outside and the green in the wallet. The organization has developed more than 250 initiatives geared toward helping small and medium-size businesses, including fitness facilities, reduce their carbon footprint and save money. Here are a few ways your facility can go green—plus the potential savings per employee per year that you stand to gain:
Read MoreExercise During Pregnancy Improves Baby’s Heart Health
Having mom stay active while pregnant can be good for both mom and baby. A recent study suggests that a mom’s fitness endeavors can have a positive impact on her baby’s heart health. The goal of the study was to determine whether a mom’s physical activity during pregnancy would have lasting positive effects on her child. According to the data, a newborn whose mother was physically active during pregnancy would reap rewards from that activity for up to 1 month after birth.
Read MoreBody Image Issues Affect Youth
A recent study published online ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Nursing (2011; doi: 10.1111/j.1365-27022011.03739.x) uncovered troubling evidence that children as young as age 10 engage in self-induced vomiting in order to lose weight. The survey included 15,716 Taiwanese boys and girls aged 10–18 from 120 schools. Each participant was asked to complete a survey that included questions on topics such as physical activity, diet, sleep, sedentary behavior and self-induced vomiting and dietary behaviors. School nurses then measured each student’s height and body weight.
Read MoreACE Asks Fitness Pros to Help Military Families Get Fit
Are you looking for a way to give back to your community? The American Council on Exercise (ACE) may have a solution. The organization has announced its commitment to “Joining Forces,” a government initiative dedicated to helping families of U.S. service members. ACE’s aim is to help military families improve fitness levels. “In an effort to give back to these families and in the spirit of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move!
Read MoreFidget for Improved Fitness
Encouraging sedentary and inactive individuals to exercise can be a challenge. However, according to a recent study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2011; doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31821e4ff2), even minor bouts of physical activity can improve cardiorespiratory fitness. Researchers from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, wanted to determine whether “incidental physical activity,” or acute bouts of movement, is associated with cardiorespiratory fitness.
Read MoreOverweight at 18 Increases Cancer Risk
Here’s another bit of news to help encourage overweight men to drop the extra pounds. A link has been found between excess weight in 18-year-old males and increased risk of cancer-related death later in life. The Harvard Alumni Health Study cohort involved 19,593 males who had had physical examinations when they were 18. The men then submitted follow-up questionnaires at age 45, with a final vital status follow-up at a maximum of 82 years. After analyzing the data, researchers learned that 2,395 of the men had died of some form of cancer.
Read MoreVirtual Fitness Research Roundup
As fitness video game technology continues to improve, more researchers are looking into its health benefits. Two recent studies have determined that “virtual gyms” and “virtual exercise partners” can help participants shed excess weight and improve fitness levels. In the first study, done at Michigan State University, subjects completed a side-by-side 12-week weight loss program. One group exercised in the “real” world, while the other participated in a Second Life interactive weight loss community. Both groups exercised 4 hours per week.
Read Moreroasted curried cauliflower
Satisfy your curry craving in a simple, delicious way! This is a great side dish to any late-summer or early-autumn menu. It’s as easy to make as it is fast to prepare and delicious to eat. Double your pleasure and the recipe’s usefulness by puréeing the leftovers the next day with low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth for a fantastic, satisfying soup (add a touch of milk or half-and-half for creaminess).
Read MoreCandy and Obesity: Are More Treats Good for Kids?
Is eating more candy an anti-obesity strategy? That would have Willy Wonka dancing a jig with the Oompa Loompas and the rest of the candy industry.
A controversial study from Louisiana State University published in the peer-reviewed Swedish journal Food & Nutrition Research (2011) showed that kids and adolescents who ate candy were significantly less likely to be overweight or obese.
know your risk for pesticide exposure
Consider clipping the following lists and keeping them in your purse or wallet to refer to when you grocery-shop. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has released the seventh edition of its Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, with updated information on 53 fruits and vegetables and their total pesticide loads. EWG highlights the worst offenders with its Dirty Dozen™ list and the cleanest conventional produce with its Clean 15™ list.
Read Moreall about chickpeas
The chickpea—also widely known as garbanzo bean, chana (north India), Indian pea, ceci bean and Bengal gram—is a tasty and versatile legume. Perhaps you recognize it as the main ingredient in hummus? It is also the hearty protein in many popular dishes from numerous cuisines, including those of India, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, the Philippines, Israel and various other countries in the Middle East. Chickpea Facts 7,500-year-old remains of this ancient legume have been found in the Middle East.
Read MoreMyPlate replaces MyPyramid
The much-maligned USDA food pyramid was replaced in June
by the U.S. government’s new MyPlate, timed to coincide with the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs).
This new national nutrition model makes a notable departure from the meat/beef protein- and dairy-heavy models of the past that were often criticized for
supporting the interests of big agriculture. Here are MyPlate’s main changes from models of
yesteryear:
infusing LYFE into America’s food on the go
Do you Love Your Food Everyday? It’s clear the creators behind LYFE Kitchen do, and they are hoping to spread their passion about healthy, delicious and wholesome offerings in a fast-slow food model.
Restaurant launches come and go, but somehow, the buzz surrounding this one and the people driving the project make the opening this month in Palo Alto, California, stand out.
Read MoreAsk the RD
hidden fat poses health risks
The fat you can’t see might be even more deadly than the muffin top hanging over your jeans.
Subcutaneous fat, the fat we accumulate right under the skin and can see plainly may be considered unsightly, but it is not as dangerous to overall health as visceral fat, the fat deep in the belly surrounding vital organs.
Read MoreHigh Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Lee, D., et al. 2010. Mortality trends in the general population: The importance of cardiorespiratory fitness. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 24 (11), 27–35.
Read MoreTaking Off Recession Pounds
As the economy slumps, health experts expect more Americans to develop paunchy guts and bigger butts by packing on “recession pounds.” Plunging personal earnings lead to tighter spending; and many people ditch their gym memberships and buy fewer fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and low-fat meats in favor of cheaper edibles loaded with sugar and fat. Couple that with the specter of unemployment and stress and we have the perfect recipe for weight gain.
Read MoreExercise Programming for Breast Cancer Patients
I vividly remember the day, 4½ years ago, when my best friend learned she had breast cancer. It seemed completely unbelievable—she was only 36 and still nursing her 7-month-old baby! The subsequent weeks and months were a labyrinth of doctors’ visits, tests, treatment decisions, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and ongoing drug therapies to prevent recurrence. I had heard much about breast cancer, but watching someone close to me undergo aggressive cancer treatment made me wonder if anything could be done to mitigate the challenging side effects.
Read MoreExplosive Power
Introduction and Origins of Plyometric Training
According to Russian sports literature, plyometric training had its early roots in the mid-1960s (Radcliffe & Farentinos 1999). In the 1970s other Eastern European countries (e.g., Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Romania) began employing it, calling it “jump training” (Chu 1998). It has been suggested that the dominance of these Eastern European countries in track and field, weightlifting and gymnastics during the 1970s can be partially attributed to this method of training (Chu 1998).
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