The Fitness Lab

It is January 2012, and like so many people in this country, you have made a resolution to get yourself into better shape, lose some weight, join a gym, and get yourself a better diet. These are all laudable goals, and we would be better off as a country if the majority of Americans would follow through and accomplish these goals. We would be healthier, spend less on medical expenses, maybe spend more on new wardrobes for our newer, sleeker selves and just generally feel better about ourselves in ways that could change the way we treat others, bringing about a harmony that has been greatly lacking in the past few years.

But it isn’t going to happen this year, just like it didn’t happen last year or the year before that. Like so many before you, and probably including you, you will trudge off to a gym, sign up for a membership, maybe even go a couple of times but not really know what you want to do or how to do it. You’ll probably have to fight the January crowds of fellow well intentioned exercisers, competing to get onto machines that may or may not be appropriate for your needs and wants. And after a few frustrating attempts to get a new fitness regimen going, you will throw in the towel, stop going to the gym and settling back into the same life patterns that got you the shape you are currently in, with the prospect that it will just continue to get worse. And it probably will and you will find yourself doing the same thing a year from now.

And there will be a lot of voices telling you that it is not your fault. I just had several people point out an article in the New York Times Magazine entitled "The Fat Trap", which talks about a study done in Australia on weight loss through dieting, and states “For years, the advice to the overweight and obese has been that we simply need to eat less and exercise more. While there is truth to this guidance, it fails to take into account that the human body continues to fight against weight loss long after dieting has stopped. This translates into a sobering reality: once we become fat, most of us, despite our best efforts, will probably stay fat.”

Well, after reading the article, I would have to agree. If you take the approach that they did for weight loss, you will, in all probability, fail to lose weight and keep it off.  And you will not be increasing the quality of your health or your life.

By Dillon Kreider

2012 is here and as a New Year beckons us, so do resolutions. Those pesky resolutions that we had dutifully left behind a few weeks into 2011 are resurfacing.  Maybe you did better than most people and completed everything you set out to do. But for those who try and fail again and again, there may be a better way.

Sometimes we put too much on our plate or we might go the wrong way about creating success and instead get nowhere. If you haven’t been as successful as you would have wanted to be then maybe restructuring your plan will help.

So what is your goal? Write it down and then write down how you will accomplish your goal. If your goal is to lose 20 pounds did you write down go to the gym 5 times per week, eat six small meals, cut calories, reduce carbs, and stop eating junk food? Or something along those lines?

Those are all great goals but maybe that is trying to do too much at once and it can be overwhelming. It’s better to make one change at a time because studies have shown you have an 85% chance of success. However if you try to change two things at once, your chances of success drop to around 35%. Three things at once? Almost zero.

Now you are saying - but if I only do one thing I won’t be as successful. Actually, you will be successful because you are going to create a “snowball” effect. You will work on one goal at a time. Focusing your time and energy on that one thing so you will be successful. First, you need a plan so get out your pen and paper and start writing.

By Dillon Kreider

Honestly, it's a rare person who doesn't want to change or improve something about their body or their health. Many of of us probably would like to change our size, shape, proportions, or health and fitness level. We each have something that we think could be a little better or even a lot better.

These tips are simple and some are small, but they are all ideas that everyone can include in their day to day activities. These ideas will improve your fitness and your health.  And when you improve those things, you will feel better about your body and yourself.

You know it's important to take care of your body. Now do it!

1. Stay hydrated. Drink water with every meal and every snack.   
2. Eat breakfast every day!
3. Exercise regularly.  
4. Sleep at least 8 hours per night.
5. Drink zero calorie beverages.  
6. Don't eat fried food.  
7. Bike or walk instead of driving.
8. Use sunscreen.
9. Cook at home.
10. Eat with your family.

By Sara Dean

Many people, women especially, shy away from strength training as a tool for weight loss.  To some extent, this is understandable, as there is so much misinformation out there on weight loss.  As someone who used to do 2 or more hours of cardio a day, I can relate to anyone who does not strength train or who feels unsure of the value in strength training.  I mean, if you can burn 600-800 calories in an hour of cardio, why would you lift weights when that may only burn 400 calories in an hour?

There are many reasons.

Additionally, strength training can be confusing.  What exercises are best?  How often should you do it?  How much weight should you use?  Are machines or free weights better?  It is a lot to figure out.

But it is totally worth figuring it out.

Here are a few ways strength training can change your life and your body:

• You can work out for 30-40 minutes 4-6 days a week, instead of 2+ hours a day, 6 days a week.
• You can be leaner than ever been and never do long, boring cardio.
• You can burn more calories at rest than ever before.
• You can eat more and not gain weight.
• You can see muscles everywhere, which will make you feel like a badass.
• You can perform exercises that used to scare you.  You’ll feel stronger than ever.  This will impact every area of your life.