FITNESS AND HEALTH

How to Lose Fat Around the Abdominal Area

Friday, November 20th, 2009
 personal trainers new york

personal trainers new york

Getting flat, sleek abs isn’t always easy.  However, the results you can achieve through hard work and determination are often well worth it!

For starters, no one is ever going to see your abdominal muscles if they are buried under a layer of fat. Therefore, if you have extra weight that you need to lose, you will need to shed those pounds before your ab muscles can truly be seen.  The best way to lose weight is to focus on eating foods that are low on the glycemic index such as salads, vegetables  and lean proteins .  Also making sure that you eat at least 5 small meals throughout the day is a good way to keep your metabolism reving. 

You should also try to rev up your cardiovascular exercise routine.  A good way to do this to help maximize weight loss is to mix up the intensity of your cardiovascular workouts.  For example, if you have been doing your cardio at the same intensity everyday, let’s say at 40%-50% ,  try including some interval training on some of those days, alternate between high and low intensity 40%-80%, this will work wonders to help rev up your metabolism plus help you burn more calories in a shorter period of time.

Also, if you haven’t started a strength training regimen yet, now is the time to start.  This is because doing any type of resistance training is also a great way to get those metabolic fires burning.  Since you’re specifically trying to get your abs looking better, you will want to be sure to incorporate abdominal exercises into your workout routine.  Even if you still have some weight to lose, you’ll want to start doing your abdominal exercises right away.  That way, your abs will just be waiting to be revealed shortly after the extra weight comes off!

Perhaps you are a novice and not that knowledgeable on how to create an effective workout regimen.  If this is the case then one of our personal trainers here in New York City could be of great assistance to you.  They can work with you to create a workout routine that works well for your busy lifestyle while also taking your current fitness levels into account.

Keep doing those workouts and be careful about your eating habits, and I’m sure you’ll be seeing great looking abs in no time at all!

Why Calories Count in an Exercise Weight Loss Program

Monday, August 10th, 2009
Personal Training in New York City

Personal Training in New York City

Are you counting your calories? We often hear about calories regarding diets and various foods on the market. However, the counting of calories should just be the beginning. When you start a program of dieting and exercising, it’s important to track the calories properly.

Calorie Basics

Firstly, you know that dieters want to reduce their calorie intake, but what exactly is a calorie? Calories are units that you use to gauge how much energy value a food has. You can obtain calories from four sources: alcohol, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. However, you should be aware that alcohol and fats have a much higher density of calories, than carbohydrates and proteins do.

So, the Question of the Day is: how many calories do you need daily? In most cases, you need about 2,000 calories per day, though this figure can vary. However, to determine more accurately the quantity of calories you need daily, consider three factors: your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), the amount of energy that you use during physical activity and exercising, and the thermic effect of food. However, you can use some basic exercise weight loss formulas to make the calculations easier:

* If you are sedentary: (weight * 14) = estimated calories per day

* If you are moderately active: (weight * 17) = estimated calories per day

* If you are very active: (weight * 20) = estimated calories per day

While “sedentary” speaks for itself, “moderately active” includes 3-4 weekly aerobic sessions, and “very active” involves 5-7 aerobic sessions weekly.

Quality and Not Just Quantity

However, when following a fitness program, it’s just as important to focus on the quality of calories that you intake, rather than just the quantity of calories. While soft drinks and junk food are high in calories they’re mostly “empty calories,” meaning that the calories contain no nutritional value. Such calories will make you feel full, but you’ll be running on empty soon.

So how should you meet your daily calorie intake? If you’re following a fitness program, it’s important that your nutritional plan includes a diet that is moderate in protein; and includes many vegetables, a low-to-moderate amount of fat, and a low amount of starchy carbohydrates. This distribution of calories will help you to burn fat while developing muscles. With the help of a personal trainer in nyc you’ll also look and feel fantastic!

Burning Fat AND Pounds

Speaking of fat, a direct correlation exists between calories and fat. When getting into shape, it’s important to focus on burning and fat and building muscle, rather than simply losing weight. A gain or loss of 3,500 calories will respectively result in a gain or loss of roughly one pound of fat. To get into shape, you’ll need to minimize your fat intake while maximizing your fat burning. For instance, devouring a bacon double-cheeseburger after performing cardiovascular exercise would be quite counterproductive.

So there you have it. When following a fitness program, calories (and other stuff) count!

Body Awareness Tips to Prevent Back Strain

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

At some time or another, many of us strain our backs. Fortunately, being more aware of body mechanics can help protect our back from an accidental back injury.

Because lifting things improperly can easily strain the back, follow these lifting tips:

1. Begin close to the object.

2. Stand with your feet apart, one foot slightly in front of the other and toes pointed slightly outward.

3. Bend your knees and squat.

4. Lift straight up (do not twist your torso!) and bring the object close to your body.

Aside from lifting incorrectly, many back strains result from poor posture. You could walk while balancing a book on your head, or practice these good posture tips:

1. Without locking them, keep your knees shoulder-width apart.

2. Slightly tuck your chin in.

3. Keep your shoulders back.
In our busy and hectic lives, we can easily succumb to poor posture or forget how to lift correctly. Hopefully, these body mechanics tips will help you move intentionally – and spare your back from being strained.