Don't Take Muscle Loss for Granted - Live Longer, Get Stronger with Training

Beginning as early as age 30, your muscle mass begins to decline. 
As years go by, you may begin to look soft or flabby. These changes can start as early as your 30s, but most people see the more differences in their 40s and 50s. Unless you do something about it, you will lose about 1 percent of your lean muscle mass per year after age 40.
It doesn't have to happen. Only 30 percent of muscle loss is due to aging. The other 70 percent is up to you to maintain. Even if loss has begun, this percentage can be regained through strength training.
If you want to start a program, get your doctor's OK first. Consider scheduling time with a certified trainer or physical therapist who can help you design a routine, especially if you are a beginner or have health issues.
At the start, take it slow. The goal is to gradually and consistently improve over time. Always begin with five to 10 minutes of gentle exercise to warm up your muscles.
  You can do strength training at home or in the gym. Consider using:
 * Your body weight to do exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, leg squats, or side and back strengthening exercises.
 * Resistance tubing, which can be found at sporting goods stores and department stores.
 * Free weights, such as barbells or dumbbells. Start with light weights.
 * Weight machines.

Mayo Clinic studies show these to be some of the benefits:
Stronger bones. Strength training increases bone density and reduces your risk of osteoporosis.
Weight control and fat reduction. Muscle burns calories, making it easier to reduce body fat and control your weight.
Fewer injuries. You will have better balance, coordination and agility. Your joints will be more stable and will be able to give muscles a greater role in absorbing stresses on joints. 
Less back pain. Strengthening the lower back muscles is a proven way to ease back pain.
Better brain activity. Studies show that strength training and exercise improve cognitive function. 

Starting a Running Program

Running is one of the best things you can do to quickly increase your fitness level.  It provides a great cardio workout, and burns fat faster than just about anything else you can do.  The problem for most of us is... where to start?

Starting with a walk/run program where you are walking more than you are running, then gradually ramping up the ratio to increase the running time is the best way to get started - and the least intimidating.

There is a great article on Runner's World that gives an 8 week program to do this - I highly recommend that you check it out and give it a try.  You may even find that you enjoy running!

~Noah

New Year, Healthier You!

The boxes and packaging are cleaned up... the tree is on it's way out... you know what that means!  It's almost New Years, the time of year we all make New Years Resolutions.  I know how difficult they can be to keep, but choosing a few that are related to your health makes it a bit easier to stay on track.  After all, if we don't take care of ourselves no one will!

I found a great article on Health.com that gives some great examples of good (and realistic) health resolutions for 2012.  Take a peek and let me know what you think!

~Noah

Music can help keep you moving!

I know that when it comes to working out, I can't keep moving without great music. It's tough sometimes to find a good mix of music that keeps you going at a good pace, but I found an article on Women's Health Magazine's website that gives 8 different playlists with a wide variety of music. Even if you don't like any of the lists in it's entirety, you may be able to mix and match some of them together (along with some of your own music) to create a great workout playlist.

 

One of the most important things to consider is a song’s tempo, which should be between 120 and 140 beats-per-minute, or B.P.M. That pace coincides with the range of most commercial dance music, and many rock songs are near that range, which leads people to work out at that sustained pace. It also roughly corresponds to the average person’s heart rate during a routine workout.

Create your own playlist - and share it! Most people are always looking for a great mix for the gym.

~Noah

7 Workout Mistakes

While we all try to get into the gym regularly, if you're not changing things up, getting your nutrition on track, and not taking care in other areas of your life, it's just not going to give you the results you're looking for.

Simple things like not skipping meals, not skipping the basics, getting enough rest... these can make all the difference! 

I'm often asked about cardio - how much is enough?  The reality is that 20 minutes 3 times a week is sufficient for most people.  Unless you are training for longer distance running or some other very specific event that is all that is needed.  If you balance strength training with those 20 minutes, however, you are going to get an overall fitness level much higher than if you did one or the other alone.

Yahoo! Health has a great article about the 7 Workout Mistakes to Avoid - they have some information about cardio and the other things I talk about above.  Read it and see whether you're sabotaging your own workout goals.

~Noah