Technology
Breathalyzer Signals Fat Burn?
Have you ever wished for a quick way to test whether a client is burning fat? Scientists from Researchers Laboratories in Yokosuka, Japan, believe they have found an answer—in the form of a portable breath analyzer device.
The researchers developed the device to measure acetone, “a metabolite derived from fat-burning [and] produced in the blood, that is expelled through alveoli of the lungs during exhalation.”
Self-Monitoring on the Rise
According to a recent survey from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, health- and fitness-related self-monitoring is a popular practice among U.S. adults.
The survey, which included data from 3,014 respondents nationwide, found that 69% of adults use some form of tracking for themselves or someone they love.
Here are a few other survey tidbits:
“Digital Distractions” Feature Earns Applause
Shirley Archer, JD, MA, has written another high-quality article (“Digital Distractions,” June). The piece had a thoughtful premise; it had a clear research focus; it was well-organized; and it provided stimulating discussion as well as a variety of insights and perspectives.
Three Easy Ways to Build Your Own Website
The Internet has given consumers one of their most powerful resources: the ability to research a product and poll their friends about it online before making a purchase. Not having a website means that you are potentially missing out on that online search traffic. As a personal training business owner, not only do you need to be online, but you’ve got to present yourself in the best light possible.
Using LinkedIn for Financial Success
LinkedIn calls itself the world’s largest professional network. Launched in 2003, it has over 225 million registered users in more than 200 countries and territories. LinkedIn can be a very effective marketing and networking tool for your business if you follow these basic steps.
Develop a Client-Focused Profile
Virtual Reality and Weight Loss
Can watching a virtual-reality avatar help someone lose weight? Scientists from George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, in Washington, DC, think so.
Protect Your Online Reputation
It’s great when a client or a member tweets a positive comment (that gets retweeted!), or when you get new business thanks to good reviews on Yelp. Unfortunately, however, that isn’t always the case. Angry or otherwise unhappy customers use the Internet as an instant outlet for their gripes.
Are Video Games Good Medicine For Seniors?
Your older clients are no doubt interested in complementing a fit body with a fit mind. Well, new study evidence suggests they can slow cognitive impairment by playing a few hours of “brain fit” video games designed to speed up and improve mental processing.
As the human brain ages, its executive function skills—which include perception, attention, memory, abstract thinking and problem solving—tend to diminish. Since many of us are living longer lives, scientists are motivated to identify ways to prevent this loss.
USDA App Tracks Food & Activity
If you’re looking for another empowerment tool to help clients monitor progress and enhance their accountability, the USDA’s nutrition SuperTracker might be worth evaluating.
NIH Launches Dietary Supplement Label Database
Do you research dietary supplements before you use them? Do you encourage clients to look before they leap into buying these products? A new database may save you a trip to the store by providing the essential facts you seek online.
Technology and Sleep Disturbance
Experts often recommend keeping smartphones and tablets out of the bedroom to improve sleep quality. While this practice may be optimal, it’s likely many people remain connected up until bedtime. Are they doomed to a life of inadequate sleep? Maybe not, say scientists from the Mayo Clinic.
Blogging for Financial Success
Blogging can provide a host of benefits for personal trainers and athletic coaches. It is a simple way to position yourself as an expert, and it’s an inexpensive means to boost your brand identity. You can also boost your income by using your blog to generate saleable content for booklets, minibooks, articles, manuals, eBooks and printed books. Apply these 15 simple recommendations, and build a blog that leads to business and financial success.
5 Essentials for Top-Notch iPhone Videos
You don’t need fancy camera equipment to capture quality video, explains Chris Savage, founder and CEO of Wistia, a video hosting tool for marketers. He offers five essentials for shooting professional-grade content using your iPhone:
Escape the Time-For-Money Trap With Online Products
?Jason is a busy fitness professional. He generally leads 35 one-on-one sessions and five group training hours per week, splitting his time between two fitness facilities. Jason also runs a Sunday boot camp at the local park. In his spare time he develops client and group fitness programs, answers emails, returns phone calls and tries to keep up with a weekly blog. Jason is married and has a young son, but time with his family is limited owing to his busy schedule. Despite his efforts, he struggles to pay his bills each month.
Digital Distractions
?Soothing candlelight warms the room with a mellow glow, and soft music eases everyone into deep relaxation. You’re slipping into a meditative state, holding your yin yoga pose, when a phone rings. It stops. Relief. It rings again. Aggravation. It rings a third time. Now, you’re angry. The mood is irretrievably shattered. The phone owner looks up at the class leader and shrugs her shoulders. Complaints flood the front desk. Fran Philip, owner of Menlo Pilates & Yoga studio in Menlo Park, California—the heart of Silicon Valley—shared this true incident.
Challenge Inspires Yoga Sessions Worldwide
Rachel Brathen, international educator, yoga director at Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa in Aruba and Stand-Up Paddleboard Yoga pioneer, loves getting people excited about this mind-body form of exercise. This year she is hosting a yoga challenge to inspire her social media followers—and has used the free Client Challenges tool that is accessible through IDEA FitnessConnect.
How To Be a Social Media Rock Star at Your Next Fitness Conference
Are your social media skills lacking? Do you mean to stay engaged in social media at fitness conferences but get wrapped up in the energy and forget to post? These tips will help you learn to make the best of social media at every conference.
Follow & Use the Official Event Hashtag
Apps for Group Fitness Instructors
Have you ever awakened at 3:00 am in a cold sweat, clutching your bed covers and muttering, “But I’m not on the schedule, and I have to drive across town…
Selling Yourself (Without Selling Out)
Social media marketing is extremely popular among trainers. Some fitness pros have cultlike followings on Facebook. Others offer workout routines to subscribers through YouTube. Many pros blog about health and…
5 Tips for Successful Online Communication
Amanda Vogel Interview.m4v