Fitness Tips

Alcohol Eats Away at Muscle Mass

webmaster@vertexfitness.com (Vertex Fitness) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

If increasing muscle mass is one of your goals, then think twice before you go out for a night of heavy drinking. Consuming alcohol in large quantities has a direct effect on your metabolism, causing fat to be stored instead of being utilized as an energy source. Alcohol contains seven �empty" calories per gram, meaning that these calories don't provide you with any of the essential nutrients you need to build that muscle mass you desire.

Effects of Excessive Alcohol Consumption on Your Body:

� Muscles�Reduces blood flow to the muscles, causing weakness and deterioration

� Hormones�Reduces testosterone in your blood and increases conversion of testosterone to estrogen, causing increased fat depositing and fluid retention

� Liver�Creates imbalances that can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), fatty liver and hyperlipidemia (build-up of fats in the bloodstream)

� Brain�Cuts off the supply of oxygen to the brain, resulting in a �blackout" caused by a lack of oxygen supply to the brain that can kill tens of thousands of brain cells

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Summer Skin

webmaster@vertexfitness.com (Vertex Fitness) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Every sunscreen has a sun protection factor, or SPF, which is a measure of its strength or effectiveness. Each of us needs a different SPF, depending on whether, and to what degree, our skin burns or tans. A tan is the direct result of melanin, a brown pigment found in the epidermis that is produced when skin is exposed to sunlight.

Melanin protects the skin by absorbing, reflecting and scattering ultraviolet radiation before it penetrates the dermis, or underlying skin. However, armor that it is, melanin can't prevent all the negative effects of the sun, and is often representative of damage. That's why we need to use sunscreens. To determine what SPF your skin requires, you must know how long it takes your skin to burn when unprotected and exposed to sunlight. As a rule of thumb, anyone whose skin burns, whether or not it turns into a tan, should use an SPF of 15. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking antibiotics, antidepressants or antidiuretics. Some of these medications increase your skin's sensitivity to sunlight and may decrease the time it takes your skin to burn.  

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Exercise and Asthma

webmaster@vertexfitness.com (Vertex Fitness) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Asthma is an increasingly common lung disease in the U.S. People who have asthma have inflamed and highly irritable airways. When the airways are exposed to irritants, they narrow, making breathing more difficult. Signs of asthma include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and difficulty breathing, especially at night and early in the morning. Common irritants include tobacco smoke, air pollution, viral infection and allergens like dust mites and cat dander. Vigorous exercise also can act like an irritant by triggering airway spasm and narrowing. This is referred to as exercise-induced asthma.

The ABCs of Exercise-induced Asthma

About five to 10 minutes into a strenuous soccer game you start to cough

and feel short of breath. You tell yourself that you're out of shape and recommit to your resolution to participate in vigorous cardiovascular exercise at least three days per week. But then, the next time and the time after that the same feelings of difficulty breathing set in. You finally go visit your doctor, who tells you that you have asthma. But this only happens with exercise, you say.

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Diet Myths Debunked

webmaster@vertexfitness.com (Vertex Fitness) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

In a society that is becoming increasingly health conscious, more and more information is constantly coming out on how to lose weight, how to get fit, how to eat, sleep, breathe�everything under the sun that will help you get healthy! It's a wonder that before this information was available people were able to survive�let alone live healthy lives!

The fact is, people did survive, and were�and are�still healthy without all the weird, scientifically suspect practices that people get tricked into. Nutrition is one of those fields that is inundated with quacks who will try to sell you the latest secret to weight loss. A basic myth-spotting motto: If it sounds too good to be true�it is.

Don't Be Tricked

Here are some common diet myths that people futily follow in hopes of losing a few pounds.

Eating late at night will cause you to gain weight

Eating late at night, or at any particular time of day, will not cause you to put on more weight than what is normal for what you ate and the activity you did. Weight gain occurs when you consume more calories than you expend, whether that occurs in the middle of the day, the morning or at night. However, in reality, people who eat a lot of food late at night tend to consume more calorie-dense foods and thus eat more calories�which can cause weight gain.

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Strength Training for Kids: A Guide for Parents and Teachers

webmaster@vertexfitness.com (Vertex Fitness) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Many parents and physical education teachers have traditionally shied away from strength training with their children or students. However, there is sufficient research to suggest that strength training is a suitable�and safe�option for most youth. 

There are a number of common myths about youth strength training that continue to cause concern among parents and educators. Two of the most common misconceptions are that strength training may stunt the growth of children and that children should not lift weights until they are 12 years old. There is simply no evidence to support either of these statements. In fact, all of the major fitness and medical organizations in the U.S. recommend strength training for youth, assuming that basic guidelines are adhered to and that appropriate leadership is present. And about the question of age, children can begin to train with weights as soon as they are able to accept and follow directions�usually around the age of seven or eight.

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How Women Build Muscle

webmaster@vertexfitness.com (Vertex Fitness) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

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.

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Vegetarianism and Athletes

webmaster@vertexfitness.com (Vertex Fitness) — Fri, 9 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

In response to increased levels of cholesterol and a greater risk of heart disease�or for countless other reasons�many Americans are making the switch from a diet dominated by hamburgers and hot dogs to one of veggie burgers and tofu.

But is this type of diet a wise choice for athletes who need to maintain their strength and stamina? The answer to that question is a qualified �yes." Whether you are an athlete or moderately active, you must be aware of the nutritional implications of vegetarianism and choose foods that will provide you with enough calories and nutrients to keep you healthy and strong.

There are four basic types of vegetarians. The first, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, omit meat, fish and poultry from their diets, but include animal products such as eggs, milk, yogurt and cheese.

The second and third types of vegetarians are lacto-vegetarians and ovo-vegetarians. Lacto-vegetarians, while excluding eggs, do include dairy products. Conversely, ovo-vegetarians do include eggs, but exclude dairy products from their diets. Both types exclude all forms of meat. Finally, the restrictive vegan diet excludes all foods derived from animals in any form.

Regardless of what type of vegetarianism may be your preference, it is essential to have a good understanding of basic nutritional principles to choose a balanced diet.

Without this knowledge, vegetarians may find themselves deficient in nutrients generally derived from meat, eggs and/or dairy products, such as protein, iron, calcium and vitamins B12 and D.

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Trimming Off the Fat

webmaster@vertexfitness.com (Vertex Fitness) — Thu, 8 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Are you satisfied with your general physique, or would you like to get rid of a few extra pounds? If your answer is the latter, quit looking for that magic pill and just follow several general guidelines that will help you work toward a healthier body.

Atkins�, South Beach�, The Zone Diet� and countless other types of diets have each been hyped as the perfect diet strategy to shed those unwanted pounds. While they may have shown initial results, most have failed to demonstrate long-term success in keeping the weight off. Here's an important tip to remember: Your body must burn more calories than it is taking in to lose weight. One pound of fat equals 3,500 calories, so if you want to lose 1 pound per week you need to average a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day.

Don't worry�that doesn't mean you have to get on the treadmill and run until you have burned 3,500 calories to lose a pound. Your goal is to combine increased activity with some cutbacks in your diet.

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Ten Fun Fitness Summer Activities for Kids

webmaster@vertexfitness.com (Vertex Fitness) — Wed, 7 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Summer is here and children need to stay active, healthy and busy during their break from school. Parents need to encourage their children to warm up properly and use dynamic stretches that mimic their sport activity. Parents should tell children never to play through any type of pain or make winning the reason for playing any sport. Let them choose the activity and keep the focus on having fun.

To keep kids moving, the American Council on Exercise suggests 10 fun

fitness summer activities.

1. Soccer

This highly active game involving both agility and teamwork has grown increasingly popular in the U.S. in recent years. To keep kids injury free, be sure they are geared up in appropriate protective equipment, such as shin guards. Soccer players should also wear shoes with cleats or ribbed soles to prevent slipping.

2. Martial arts

With a variety of forms to choose from, martial arts are a great way to get kids involved in a sport that incorporates strength, coordination and mental discipline. Proper training and equipment to prevent injury are a must.

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Test Your Supplement Savvy

webmaster@vertexfitness.com (Vertex Fitness) — Tue, 6 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Advertised throughout the media, displayed in grocery stores and pharmacies, and promoted widely on the Internet, dietary supplements look like just another consumer product on the shelf. But are they?  Take this quiz created by the Federal Trade Commission to find out how much you know about safely using dietary supplements.

 1. A supplement labeled �natural'" means that it also is ___________. 

A. Mild

 B. Without any risk of side effects

C. Safe to use with other medications

D. None of the above  

2. Since dietary supplements are so readily available and don't require a doctor's prescription, they are much safer than drug products and can be used to self-treat illnesses without a health professional's advice or supervision.

 A. True B. False

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Pregnancy and Strength Training

webmaster@vertexfitness.com (Vertex Fitness) — Thu, 1 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

By: Shaun Mullan, Vertex Fitness Massage Therapist

The exertion of labor has sometimes been compared to running a marathon race. Your state of fitness and the steps you take to condition in preparation for your �event", will allow you to keep your energy levels high, playing a major role in how well you do during labor. Proper training will strengthen your muscles, building the stamina you will need during labor and delivery. It is important to work the entire body, without forgetting the hip adductors and abductors which will play an active role during the pushing stages of labor.

A personal trainer can help guide you through a safe and beneficial strength-training program ensuring proper form and reduce risk of injury during your pregnancy. Due to the physiological changes within the body during pregnancy and the concern of complications, physicians and personal trainers in the past have been cautious to encourage strength training for pregnant women. After long time debate, research has proven that physically fit women who perform strength training exercise throughout pregnancy and lactation, gain less weight, deposit and retain less fat, feel better, have shorter and less complicated labors and recover more rapidly than women who do not perform strength training exercise. Many within the medical community had also been concerned with the unborn child and the dangers of umbilical cord entanglement and meconium. A study observed in 1995 by Dr. Clapp and associates showed that these complications did not increase; rather significantly decreased for those women regularly engaging in strength training exercises.

During the three trimesters of pregnancy the benefits of exercise change from early to late pregnancy. Early exercise improves the growth of the baby and decreases maternal symptoms while late pregnancy exercise maintains fitness, limits weight gain, and shortens labor. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that pregnant women even beginners engage in a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-inte

nsity physical activity on a consistent basis. Strength training done correctly with proper supervision and assistance, is not only safe but offers many physical and emotional benefits relieving many common problems associated with pregnancy.

Sources:

Dean, Landon. "Weight Training During Pregnancy - Exercises For Pregnant Women." Shapefit.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Jul 2010. .

Deutsch, Aaron. "Great pregnancy exercise: Weight training." babycenter.com. N.p., August 2006. Web. 29 Jun 2010. .

"Exercise and Pregnancy." ACE: Get Fit: Fit Facts. ACE, n.d. Web. 1 Jul 2010. .

Beat the Heat Before It Beats You

webmaster@vertexfitness.com (Vertex Fitness) — Thu, 1 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

It's summertime and you head out for a run. Before you even finish the first mile, your body feels as though it might ignite from the heat. It's not your imagination. Fifteen minutes into your run and your body temperature could be as high as 5� F above normal. If you were to continue at this pace, fatigue and heat illness would no doubt take over.

The above scenario doesn't have to happen. Drinking enough fluid, whether water or a sports drink, is imperative for exercising in hot or humid weather. Maintenance of body fluids is essential to maintaining proper body temperature. Sweat cools your body by evaporating off your skin.

Visible beads of sweat that don't evaporate only dehydrate you without the beneficial cooling effect. If you let your body become dehydrated, you'll find it much more difficult to perform even the lightest of workouts. But don't wait until you're thirsty to start replenishing those fluids. Chances are, by the time you actually feel thirsty, your body is well on its way to becoming severely dehydrated.  

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