Biggest Loser Success

We are one week into our biggest loser contest. On Monday 13 participants will have to weigh in to check their progress. I happen to know several people are down at least a few pounds. Check back to hear about their successes and challenges. Thank God for the biggest loser program and their ability to empower people and give them hope.

The Fruit That Fight Flu

Once November hits, the rest of the year is a giant sprint to the Dick Clark ball-dropping finish line. Here’s the game plan for keeping healthy through it.
Start by getting a flu shot. Then, buy yourself a bag of apples and munch away. The quercetin in apples may help bolster your immune system during vulnerable times.

Boon to Immunity
Yep. Apples (and red onions, broccoli, and tea) are great sources of quercetin -- a flavonoid that may stave off the influenza virus when the body is under stress. In a recent animal study, quercetin did just that: The normal dip in immunity that comes with physical fatigue was pretty much cancelled out by the flavonoid. If it works as well in humans, quercetin could help power the body through both physical and psychological stress. (Is stress already getting the best of you?

Talking ’Bout Disease Prevention . . .
Quercetin may not only quash the flu but also stave off health conditions like cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, and pancreatic cancer. So get more quercetin with these quick and easy recipes from EatingWell:

* Slip some quercetin-rich broccoli into the king of all comfort foods with Cheesy Broccoli-Potato Mash.
* Give the holidays a twist with this Chunky Apple-Rhubarb Sauce with Dried Cranberries. (You’ll get loads of quercetin from the apples, apple juice, and red onion.)
* Or try this quicker, healthier take on a favorite dessert: Old-Fashioned Apple-Nut Crisp.

Time Saving Tips

Fitting in your daily workout isn't always so easy when work, family, friends — and, yes, your beloved television shows — are vying for your precious time. With these Midtown Fitness time-saving secrets, you can carve out extra minutes for exercise in your jam-packed schedule without sacrificing the things you love most.

Here are various ways to make the most of your all-too-fleeting minutes so you can fit in those reps.

1. Stop wasting time on hold with automated phone systems. Log on to gethuman.com, a database of secret phone numbers and codes that will immediately lead you to an actual, live person on the line for customer service at nearly 1,000 major companies.
TIME SAVED: 15 minutes
2. Download your favorite TV shows to your iPod. That way you can watch them while waiting at the grocery store or subway stop, or while on the treadmill or stationary bike. You'll be less tempted to skip the gym in favor of the latest live episode.
TIME SAVED: Up to 1 hour
3. Minimize your morning reading. Instead of slowly fumbling through all of your daily newspapers, save time and go to assignmenteditor.com, where you'll find major global, national and local papers in one place.
TIME SAVED: 20 minutes
4. Avoid long lines at the mall. Go to shopittome.com, and select your favorite apparel brands and sizes. The site will scour the Websites of leading retailers and send you a daily or weekly e-mail summary when items in your size go on sale.
TIME SAVED: 15 minutes

5. Finally, sign up for online billing. You'll spend less time sorting through (and shredding) the paper that clogs your mailbox. Plus you won't spend all that time — time you could be spending on the treadmill — signing checks and looking for stamps.
TIME SAVED: 10 minutes


Think you need to put in a full hour to see results? Think again. "You can squeeze in a comprehensive, total-body workout in just 20 to 30 minutes. Here are four speedy steps.
1. Devote four to five minutes of your workout to your normal warm-up routine. Do some basic stretches followed by cardio: Try jumping jacks, jogging in place or a few minutes on your favorite cardio machine.
2. Set aside 10 minutes for weight training. "You get more out of a workout by focusing on building muscle first. "Zone in on three pieces of equipment, and do two to three sets of eight to 12 reps on each machine, with a 45-second break between reps. Ideally, you want a mix of machines so you'll work a variety of muscle groups."

3. Find your cardio equipment of choice — be it the stationary bike, treadmill, elliptical or step machine. "Then, knock out 10 to 12 high-intensity minutes of cardio on the machine, whether that means doing sprints or upping the incline or resistance,".
4. Cool down for a few minutes with a quick, comprehensive total body stretch, focusing on all major muscle groups.

The Secret to Flat Abs (Hint: Not Sit-Ups)

Curls and sit-ups can definitely help tone your abs, but a new study suggests something else might work better.

Seems counterintuitive, but working your upper body may be the quickest path to a really sculpted middle.

Above-the-Belt Action
In a study, women did isometric exercises for their stomach, back, shoulders, and arms while researchers measured muscle activity. The results? Shoulder extensions made middle-body muscles contract most -- apparently they work extra hard to stabilize your trunk when your wings are flapping. (Watch this strength-training video to learn how building 5 extra pounds of muscle could burn 26 pounds of fat in a year.)

Full-Body Fitness
Some more ways to get your midsection -- and whole body -- into mint condition:

* Roll out the ball. For strong core muscles and better balance, do tummy and back toners on an exercise ball. Follow these simple steps.
* Add resistance. Use weights or resistance bands for extra burn. Use this tool to create a 20-minute workout with or without equipment.

How To Choose A Gym

The main things to consider when choosing a gym are:

Location

Make location your #1 consideration in choosing a gym. If your gym is more than a 20 minutes from your home or office, studies show that you probably won't go. It has to be convenient.

Cost

Membership fees vary widely, from $35 - $100/month. Some gyms charge an initial sign up fee as well. (this is called an enrollment fee). Many gyms will allow you a free trial period to test-drive the facility.

Hours

Make sure the hours of operation fit your needs. Most gyms offer early morning as well as weekend and evening hours. Most staffed gyms have instructors and staff that are certified in CPR and first aid. Some gyms have 24-hour access - these gyms have no supervision, no instructional staff and no classes.

Equipment

A variety of equipment is preferred for a complete workout. Free weights, selectorized equipment, cardio (treadmills, lifecycles, arc trainers) and even a place to stretch are important. Make sure there is enough equipment so you don’t have to wait in line to use a popular piece of equipment. Some gyms have amenities like workout towels to use while you exercise, bath towels, shampoo, cold drinks and a lounge for post exercise.

Classes

A variety of classes should be available. Your gym should offer classes for different levels of exercisers. Classes should range from the beginner to advanced and have options in the morning, evenings and weekends. Most gyms now offer indoor cycling/spin as a group class too.

Trained Staff

If you're new to the gym scene, you'll want a friendly and helpful staff. When you tour the club, ask if certified trainers are available for members. Trainers should be certified by a nationally ranked group and experienced in the industry. Midtown fitness has weekly free orientation classes for new members. Even if you're a gym veteran, you might need a nationally certified trainer at some point, especially to show you the ropes of the new equipment or to supercharge your routine. Besides having a helpful attitude, the staff at a gym should be trained in both first aid and CPR and have an AED on site.

Atmosphere

You should feel comfortable at your gym--with the people and the place. If you don't feel welcome, you won't go. Before purchasing a club membership, take a tour during the time you think you'll be working out. That will allow you to see how crowded the gym will be when you're there. Most gyms will have peak and off-peak times

Some gyms cater to different groups -- bodybuilders, power lifters, women’s only, and even a gym like ours that caters to both genders and all ages just doing their best to stay healthy and in shape (that’s why I call midtown the friendly neighborhood gym)

www.midtown-fitness.com

Your First Week Is FREE

Kids Nutrition?

Ask A Trainer, from Scott Fushi, trainer at Midtown Fitness Center, Putnam CT.

Question: My children; one 10 and the other 15 really don’t exercise at all, except for their scaled down gym classes at school (which they dread). They both are starting to gain a little extra weight and I want to try to help them avoid any problems in the future.

Answer: The number one thing any parent can do for their kids to keep them healthy and minimize weight problems, is to lead by example. Set a foundation through example… our children learn healthy habits through us. Yes it’s true “kids will be kids” and that they need to learn by their own mistakes, but weight problems and inactivity are areas where the stakes are very high. Don’t leave a legacy of lethargy and poor nutrition for them!
Why should they eat properly, play a sport or exercise if you don’t!

Small, subtle changes at home are a great start to big improvements in health and weight control. It can begin with less soda in the house. The 2 liter bottles may be convenient but it is too easy for 1 glass at supper to become 3. The same can be said about large bags of chips and snacks. What you save in economy you loose in portion control. It becomes too easy for kids and adults alike to get into a “grazing mode” while sitting in front of the TV or computer. Before you know it the bag is empty and you wonder where it all went.

By placing more emphasis on fruits and vegetables as available snacks or mainstays at mealtime, your children will get used to eating them… maybe even liking them.

There is a real economic factor to be considered here as well. The food companies have made good tasting, low nutrition value food easy to store (packed with preservatives) and affordable (chemicals are cheaper than real food). There is a long term factor to consider though. All the money saved by buying these items is lost 4 – 10 times over when poor health factors are put into the equation. Problems like asthma, diabetes, orthodontic, orthopedic and even cancerous preconditioning all present or worsen through poor nutrition. The medical costs associated with these conditions can have huge impacts on families emotionally as well as economically.

The same can be said for exercise. We cannot afford not to promote healthy recreation, sports and activities to our kids. It is also a great way to do something together as a whole family or even build a one on one relationship with your child. Take them fishing, out for a walk or bike ride. It is an opportunity to communicate while building good habits.

Please submit your ask a trainer question to Scott at scott@midtown-fitness.com

Diabetes And Exercise

Ask A Trainer, from Scott Fushi, trainer at Midtown Fitness Center, Putnam CT.

Question: I have recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Will an exercise program help control and treat this?

Answer: Type 2 and Type 1 diabetes can both be positively impacted through aerobic and resistance training. Talk with your doctor about their specific recommendations when designing your workout program. Research from the University of Michigan has shown than just one session of exercise can prevent primary symptoms of by improving insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistance or the body’s inability to utilize sugar in your own blood can lead to high blood sugar and left unchecked possibly diabetes.

It is good common sense that an active and healthy lifestyle is good for the body and all its’ functions. When that common sense is not followed, obesity and poor nutrition can lead to the development of Type 2 or age onset diabetes. This “age onset” diabetes is now being found in people earlier than ever before. So much so that the term “age onset” is no longer used because Type 2 is now being diagnosed in young teens. The health and medical obstacles this presents, severely impacts the life of the individual and their family. Research has shown that combined aerobic and resistance training can more than double the improvements in your bodies critical ability to stabilize those blood sugar levels. This is called glycemic control and it is a key factor in helping “Type 2’s”minimize the health risks caused by diabetes and maximize their control of this disease. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention all diabetics can benefit from exercise programs because the results of improved heart function and circulation reduce the risk of heart disease and nerve damage.

This information “prescribes exercise” as one of the leading treatment plans for diabetes patients. The good news is that this “prescription” is inexpensive and relatively easy to fill by yourself with a little effort. Whether it is a simple walking and calisthenics program at home or visits to the local health club (be sure to consult a trainer if you want help getting started)… you can take charge of your own health care. This will not only help you with your diabetes, but other positive “side effects” to look for are improved energy, less pain in joints or muscles, improved work or play capacity and a sense of accomplishment that you did this for you and your loved ones.

The financial aspects cannot be overlooked as well. The costs of health care plans and premiums continue to escalate. You’re out of pocket costs as well as the “big picture” costs can be improved as your own health and fitness improves. I for one have better things to do with the money I save from one less copay per month or one less prescription. It all adds up to more money kept in your pocket as you invest a little time and effort into your own health.

For information visit midtown-fitness.blogspot.com

Please submit your ask a trainer question to Scott at scott@midtown-fitness.com