Feeling Under the Weather?

Feeling sickish? You're not alone.

Around this time of year, people commonly come down with respiratory viruses and diseases such as colds and sometimes more serious infections like influenza. For those who exercise regularly, this can create problems and be frustrating. Here are some tips on what to with your workout schedule/routine if you are sick.




Know how sick is too sick
If you have a fever, a sore throat and feel a serious decrease in energy, just take a break and lie down. Exercising with a respiratory infection or other disease can be disastrous and prolong your sickness. When you are ill, your body has a harder time distributing oxygen to muscles, which can prevent your body from a successful post-workout recovery. This will also add to the discomfort of being sick. Get plenty of rest if you are down with a fever and really feeling sick.

Be mindful of others
If you are contagiously ill and workout at a gym where there are other people, you risk spreading your infection to them. This is more of a common courtesy than anything. If you are sick with a contagious virus like the flu, stay away from the gym until you feel better.

Keep it light
If you decide to go out for a run or hit the gym, do not push yourself hard or do an intense workout. If you run, keep it at a jog or a light run pace. Keeping your blood moving while you are sick might actually make you feel better, which is a definite plus. What is light for you is up to your own judgment. You can go back to your normal routine once you feel better

Whatever you decide to do, if you are seriously ill, you should always seek medical treatment.


A healthy winter season to you from all of us at Element Fitness!



Want to know more? Read more!
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1775170/should_you_work_out_while_sick_pg2.html?cat=5
http://www.criticalbench.com/working-out-when-sick.htm
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/exercising-when-sick

Workout Precautions

Working out can be a dangerous feat if not done correctly. You can hurt yourself in a number of ways, such as misusing a machine, pushing your body past its limits or not being properly equipped. Knowing what you’re doing and being prepared for your exercise can help you stay safe and avoid injuries.

To reduce risk of injury during your workout, there are some general precautions to take. Staying hydrated is essential for your body’s performance. Be sure to drink water before and during exercise to avoid dehydration and fatigue. It’s not just important to drink before exercise, but to eat as well. While it may not be good to eat right before exercising, it’s important to have something in your stomach to give you energy. Working out when hungry could reduce your stamina, making you feel weak and exhausted much more quickly. Eating around two hours before exercising is ideal.

Also be sure to have the proper equipment for your workout and to dress appropriately for your environment. Dress warm in cold temperatures to avoid getting sick and don’t overdress in warmer temperatures to avoid heat stress. Wearing proper shoes for exercising is important to absorb shock and reduce the chance of accidents. If your sneakers are getting old, get new ones. When you encounter a machine or workout equipment that you've never used before, read the instructions or ask someone how to use it, as mis-using them is potentially harmful.

It’s important to exercise properly as to not over-stress your body. Spending a couple of minutes warming up and cooling down can go a long way in injury prevention. Warming up before exercising serves to raise your body temperature and blood flow, increasing the flexibility of muscles and tendons and therefore helping avoid muscle tears and pulls. Cooling down is needed to bring your heart rate down steadily and pump blood to the heart. Failure to cool down will cause your blood to stay in your legs rather than return to the heart, causing dizziness, nausea and fatigue. Don’t push yourself. It’s wise to know your capabilities and work up gradually in the time and intensity of your workout. Stretching after a workout and keeping hydrated reduces the chance of cramping up.

Listen to your body. If you feel pain, weakness, light-headedness or any other signals of discomfort, don’t ignore it. Take a break and let yourself recover. Exercise is great for you, but pushing your body to do something it’s objecting against could lead to injuries that’ll harm more than help. Take precautions and be wary to stay safe and healthy during your exercise routine.

Best Wishes on your weight loss or healthy living journey from all of us at Element Fitness!

Want to know more? Read more!

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Exercise_injury_prevention

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/injuryprevention/a/safe-workouts.htm

http://k2.kirtland.cc.mi.us/~balbachl/wupcdwn.htm

The Facts about Pre-Workout Stretching

It’s been a long-time tradition to stretch before exercising. Though a number of people and institutions keep static stretching alive, it turns out that this practice yields results opposite of its intended purpose.

Stretching your muscles while your body is at rest makes your muscles feel overstretched, causing them to react by tightening up rather than loosening up. Static stretching is done to prevent injury and enhance performance during exercise, but it’s studies have shown that stretching before exercise does not decrease chances of injury but decreases muscle strength. Your muscles need to be warmed up in

order to stretch more easily, so attempting to stretch them while they’re at rest puts more strain and can risk pulling or tearing them. This isn’t to say that stretching should be abandoned altogether. It just isn’t the first thing you should do before beginning exercise.

Increasing the body’s temperature helps prepare your muscles for a workout. Warming up actually loosens your muscles and increases your respiratory rate and blood flow, readying your body for more intense physical activity. Spending 5-10 minutes doing a light aerobic exercise like walking, jogging, bicycling, rope jumping or easy swimming is a good way to accomplish this. With the increased blood flow transporting oxygen and nutrients to your warmed up muscles, stretching is now appropriate.

It’s best to stretch your body out after a workout while your muscles are warmer and easier/safer to stretch. Stretching your muscles out after a workout helps relieve soreness and reduces muscle tension.

Though it's counter-productive before warming up, stretching is still an important part of your exercise routine. It’s necessary for increasing flexibility and helps your blood circulate. Plus, it feels

great to stretch out your muscles after a good workout.

Wishing you a healthy and happy workout from all of us at Element Fitness!

Questions? Email us at: info@elementfitness.net

Wanna know more? Read more!:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36553174/ns/health-fitness/

- Why static stretching is counter productive.

http://stronglifts.com/5-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-do-static-stretches/

- More reasons why static stretching is counter-productive.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/stretching_benefits.asp

- Benefits of stretching.

http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/warm-up.php

- How to warm up.

http://www.stress-relief-exercises.com/warm-up-exercises.html

- Warming up and stretching after.

New Year's Resolutions and Weight Loss Success!

The new year has come around again, marking the end of 2010 and start of 2011. Most Americans make a New Year’s resolution related to fitness, health and weight loss.



While the will usually starts strong, people tend to trail off from their goals, failing to stick to their exercise and fitness plans. Of course, you don’t want to be that person, so here’s some tips on how to successfully stay committed to your New Year’s fitness resolution.

Make a plan. A thought out, realistic, formulated plan is necessary to begin any exercise routine. Think about your schedule and find an optimal time for your workout. Designate that amount of time for exercise and be sure to keep it routine. If something comes up that changes your daily routine, find a new time to fit exercise into your schedule.

Remember that exercise comes in a variety of forms. You could get a gym membership, take up a new sport, look into martial arts, go jogging or simply work out at home. Think about which exercise you’d most enjoy and explore your options.

Find someone to be your workout buddy. It shouldn’t be too hard, considering that so many people have a similar New Year’s resolution. Having someone there to endure the exercise and, if you’re taking up classes, learn with you can really help you stick with your plans. They don’t only make working out a much more fun task; your workout buddy gives you a reason to go. Commit to this resolution together and be there to encourage and support each other’s efforts.

Set short-terms goals within your larger plan. When you achieve them, reward yourself. You’re working on your fitness and health for yourself. Occasionally rewarding yourself for your hard work helps you encourage yourself to stay dedicated by making steps to your final goal.

Happy New Year from all of us at Element Fitness!







Want to know more? Read more!
http://www.workoutsforyou.com/NY_article.htm
http://www.edietstar.com/articlestips/fitness.html
http://topnews.us/content/29501-sticking-new-years-fitness-resolution-important
http://www.tryingfitness.com/new-years-fitness-resolutions/

Happy New Years!

Best wishes from all of us at Element Fitness for a happy, fit and healthy New Year in 2011!!

Winter Workouts and a Happy Healthy Holiday Season!

The cold weather and icy roads discourage people from exercising during the winter. The holidays and lack of desire to move or go out as often lead to winter weight gain in many people.




However, maintaining a good metabolic rate and keeping your body healthy is important all year round. A good way to stay in shape during the holidays is to exercise at home, where the harsh temperatures of the winter or the prices of gym memberships can’t serve as an excuse for winter inactivity.

If the cold keeps you snuggled up under your covers and reluctant to get out of bed, here are some tips to help you transition from laziness to exercise mode. For one, you can start the day with a hot shower to help warm your body up and become alert. Also, putting your workout clothes in the dryer for a couple of minutes before wearing them can also help keep your body warm and cozy and ready for activity.

Convenient, inexpensive at-home exercises are easy to do in every season. Simple push-ups work your shoulders, triceps, chest and abdominal muscles. Squats work your quadriceps and hamstrings and can be more effective with a set of dumbbells, which are cheap and useful, to make the most of your workout. Sit ups and crunches work your midsection, including your abs, obliques (if you twist) and back muscles. Small choices in everyday life can also help you make the best of exercise, like taking the stairs, taking the long way when walking to destinations and simply moving more whenever you have the chance. The little things add up and make a difference in the end.

The cold weather is no excuse to neglect your body’s health. Be sure to stay active all year round to keep yourself in optimal shape. Enjoy the holidays and be proactive about winter weight gain by sticking with your exercise regime.

A happy and healthy holiday season from all of us at Element Fitness!



Want to know more? Read more!:
http://exercise.about.com/od/healthinjuries/ss/winterexercise_2.htm
http://www.bukisa.com/articles/218613_top-ten-indoor-exercises-for-the-winter
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/4041/health/7_winter_exercise_tips_for_busy_people.html
http://www.emaxhealth.com/43/1194.html

9 Surprising Diabetes Risk

"Find out if your lifestyle habits are risk factors for developing diabetes, and what to do about it.

By Sari Harrar via FitnessMagazine.com

Click to read the rest..

Trouble Sticking with it?

Find a Buddy!

Let’s face it, especially for newcomers, finding the motivation to stick with your exercise regimen, push it a little harder or even start exercising at all can be a challenge for some. Working out alone can be good for you, but it can also lead to a loss of motivation. Say you had a hard day at work, and think “I’ve been working out hard, I can take a few days off”, and you end up spending the rest of the night relaxing, on the computer or watching T.V. Well, why not take one more day off? That single day turns into a week, and before you know it, you have lost your
motivation! Once you finally get back to the gym, the bar you were up to before has been slowly sinking while you were away and you end up having to work back up to
where you were. If only you had someone to keep you going….

Bottom line is, unless you have a personal trainer or a group, going to the gym freelance without a buddy can be mentally challenging, and having a buddy to work out with can help your motivation immensely. If you are the only one working out, it’s easy to pass it up. If you have a buddy who is expecting to see you at the gym at a certain time, your not going to be calling in sick just because you feel tired out from work.

With a buddy, or even a group, fitness becomes more of a commitment. You’re not going to want to leave your buddy who is expecting you alone at the gym! Be it a friend, a family member or even a coworker, setting fitness goals and tackling them with someone by your side becomes much more of a motivation to get off the couch and in gear! Best of luck finding a buddy!

For more information on buddy fitness, check out these links!

http://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthy-living/fitness/workouts/personal-
trainer/buddy-system

http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?
tabnum=1&art_id=13511

How do YOU hydrate?

Especially important in the hot summer months, but still important all year round is hydration. Staying hydrated is absolutely necessary to human survival and functionality, especially if you are working out. We all take water for granted, but it is an absolute necessity for everybody. However, water is by no means the only method of hydration. Sports drinks, juices, hot beverages and the like we all consume every day. But what really is the best way to stay hydrated?

Water

Water is unarguably the most available and common method of hydration in the world. It is also hydrates better than sugary juices and sports drinks, mainly due to the fact that it is pure H20 and nothing else. While it might not have the energy-boosting electrolytes, carbs and the sweet flavors of sports drinks, it is the best when it comes to basic hydration. Especially if all you desire is basic daily hydration without consuming excess calories, water is your best choice.

Sports Drinks

Sports drinks do not hydrate as well as water does, but they do have carbs, sugars and electrolytes to replenish nutrients usually lost through perspiration when working out. However, the upside is that they are not bland like water, they taste good and they “replenish” by helping you get your energy back up after or even during a workout. The downside to sports drinks is that, especially if you are working out or training to lose weight, they tend to replenish the calories and carbs as you burn them off. This can lead to a neutralizing effect on your workout if you drink a lot of sports drinks.

What does it come down to?

Personal preference. Drinking water everyday is the best way to hydrate, but it is good to mix things up once in a while.


**Have an idea for a blog or need advice? Email: info@elementfitnessny.net!


Wanna know more? Read more! For more information on hydration and on the effectiveness of more methods of hydration, check out about.com’s article! http://chemistry.about.com/cs/foodchemistry/a/aa070803a.htm

The PERFECT Pushup!

We have all done or at least attempted some form or variation of this classic upper-body exercise.
The pushup has stood the test of time and is still used by trainers, the military and even high school P.E teachers. The pushup is a great addition to any workout, and helps to build and maintain upper and core body strength.

They are also a great supplement or alternative to bench-pressing.

Benefits

Including pushups into your workout is a great way to help gain and maintain strength in the chest muscles, triceps, shoulders, as well as abdominal and core muscles. Pushups have not only muscular, but cardiovascular benefits as well, helping to improve circulation and breathing. Whether you are training to lose weight, build muscle, or prepare for a physically demanding job, pushups have near limitless benefits.

Warming up/Stretching

To avoid injury or late onset soreness, start by stretching and warming up by stretching the chest, shoulder and triceps. Get your muscles “warm” before you attempt to do a high number of reps.

Proper Form

Your hands should be placed about shoulder width apart on the floor or mat. Keep your back straight (this is where your abdominals come in). Your feet should be together. Before the first rep, your body should form a straight line from your head to your feet. Keep your head forward and eyes focused on the floor just in front of you. Your arms should be extended. Lower yourself until at least your upper arms are parallel to the floor, lower if you so desire, and then exhale as you push back up to the arms extended start position. Do either as many reps as you can, or do them in sets of 10, 15, 20, or however many you desire. Keep form throughout each set and only rest your knee on the ground if you can no longer do anymore, or are done with a set.

Variations

There are several different variations on the old classic push up to emphasize certain muscles, or simply increase resistance if you desire a tougher pushup. To learn about some of these pushup variations, check out Men’s Fitness magazine online!

Wanna know more? Read more!

http://www.military.com/military-fitness/fitness-test-prep/practice-for-perfect-push-ups

http://www.ehow.com/about_5064113_muscles-used-pushups.html

http://www.mensfitness.com/eternal_pushup/fitness/beginner_weight_training/200

July Updates from Element Fitness!

Element Fitness is now on Yelp and Insider Pages!

Have a great training experience? Do something special in your last training session? Hit a new milestone with an Element Fitness trainer? Just love Element Fitness? Please take the time to give us a review on Yelp and Insider pages and share you experience!