Fitness
Ask an expert: Barefoot running and marathon training
Ask Coach Jenny Q: Is starting barefoot running training a bad idea when combined with marathon training with existing trainers? A: It’s not that it’s a bad idea as much as it is an aggressive one. When training for a marathon, the training plan consistently builds in mileage, intensity and volume through the season. Traditional […]
Wellness
Healthy body, healthy brain
Anybody who has kept up with an exercise routine for even just a few weeks has felt the restorative effects of a good workout. How many times has a run helped you clear your head or how often have you felt relieved of stress after hitting the gym? Research is emerging that helps to fully […]
Fitness
How to Eliminate Elliptical Noise
The only noise you want to hear when working out on your elliptical is your music, or the sound of those calories burning up! Unfortunately, this isn’t a perfect world and noise can occur over time from using your elliptical. Not necessarily caused by worn parts, noises can occur with use of your machine as […]
Nutrition
Chronic fat and why it keeps coming back
For some people, it seems like fat just melts off and losing weight is a matter of deciding that they want to. For many others, unfortunately, it’s not such an easy process. Many feel like they struggle their entire lives in a constant battle to lose the fat and keep it off. In fact, chronic […]
Wellness
Exercise for better grades
The myriad physical benefits of exercise are far from breaking news. What is surprising to many people, however, are the equally numerous mental benefits. In addition to the well-documented improvements in mood and stress reduction related to a decent workout, new research is beginning to reveal just how exercise can improve overall brain function. This […]
Fitness
Turning Energy Saver™ Mode On and Off
Our Classic, Elegant and Touch consoles include an environmentally friendly feature called Energy Saver™ mode. When the feature is activated, the console will go to sleep after 15 minutes of inactivity to save power. A small green LED will light on the display alerting you that the machine is in Energy Saver™ mode. For technical […]
Fitness
Turning Energy Saver™ Mode On and Off
Our Classic, Elegant and Touch consoles include an environmentally friendly feature called Energy Saver™ mode. When the feature is activated, the console will go to sleep after 15 minutes of inactivity to save power. A small green LED will light on the display alerting you that the machine is in Energy Saver™ mode. For technical […]
Fitness
Turning Energy Saver™ Mode On and Off
Our Classic, Elegant and Touch consoles include an environmentally friendly feature called Energy Saver™ mode. When the feature is activated, the console will go to sleep after 15 minutes of inactivity to save power. A small green LED will light on the display alerting you that the machine is in Energy Saver™ mode. For technical […]
Fitness
Secrets of centenarians
In the ongoing fight against aging, researchers have focused in on so-called “Blue Zones,” where people live — and live well — deep into their 90s and 100s. These places, scattered from Costa Rica to Japan, have become a sort of Mecca for longevity for researchers who seek desperately to understand the common denominator. This examination has […]
Wellness
Staying healthy on vacation
Vacation can be a welcome break from the routines of everyday life. Unfortunately, it often also means a break from the beneficial routines of diet and exercise that you’ve worked hard to build. The desire to take it easy may make exercise seem unappealing, or it could just be difficult to fit it into your […]
Nutrition
A crash course on cholesterol
Whether you have a family history of heart disease or are simply looking to take care of yourself for a lifetime, it’s smart to get a handle on your cholesterol status. The American Heart Association recommends regular screening of cholesterol blood levels for all adults over the age of 20, so if you don’t remember […]
Fitness
10 Tips to Stay Motivated with Your Home Workouts
Working out from the comfort of your own home provides numerous benefits that a gym membership cannot offer. They require less travel and prep time, as well as provide a safe environment and a comfortable atmosphere where you can focus on your workout without worrying about other gym goers. Your home provides instant access to […]
Fitness
Active in the snow: Cross country skiing
When snow covers the ground, your activity level could decrease dramatically, and understandably so. Not only can it be difficult just to move in all that snow and slush, but it can be equally hard to find the motivation to do so. The problem is further complicated if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). […]
Fitness
Setting Up Your Home Gym
In today’s fast-paced life, incorporating enough cardiovascular, strength and flexibility exercise to keep you fit and healthy can be a challenge. Creating a workout plan and a home workout area is an economical and convenient way to achieve your desired results. Before you start setting up a home gym, establish a budget and a workout […]
Wellness
Random acts of kindness are good for your health
The dreary days of winter can start to affect not only how you feel, but how you treat those around you. Extend the spirit of the holiday season into the New Year by being generous, thankful and kind to others. Everyone knows it “feels good” to do good, but did you also know that doing […]
Fitness
Create Your Own Custom Intervals Program
Interval training has been a hot topic in fitness this year. Combining short bursts of high-intensity exercise with longer durations of active rest can improve cardiovascular health, increase your energy levels and provide fat-burning results long after your workout ends, among other benefits. Although the Touch console features the medically proven Sprint 8® workout for […]
Wellness
Are your home fitness habits keeping your heart healthy
In recognition of American Heart Month, February is a great time to take a look at your health habits and give them a nudge in the heart healthy direction. According to the Center for Disease Control, Cardiovascular Disease is the leading cause of death in the United States with one in every three deaths occurring […]
Fitness
Ask an expert: How to optimize your pre-run nutrition
Ask Coach Jenny Q: I am an afternoon runner and find it challenging to know what to eat before my runs. I often have stomach upset but I don’t want to skip lunch either. How should I eat during the day to avoid stomach problems? Thanks. ~John A: That is no fun, John, but the […]
Nutrition
Filling foods that won't pack on the pounds
It’s the dieter’s dilemma: you’re still hungry, though you just ate. Do you “cheat” and reach for more food? Or do you allow yourself to starve, which may make you more likely to overindulge later? Neither of these options are truly solutions. In fact, eating more than you should or not eating enough could end […]
Fitness
Is Functional Training Right for You?
Functional training is a very popular term in the fitness community and with the general public these days. Although fitness professionals and enthusiasts are teaching and using the concepts, many in the mainstream population are not that familiar with the potential benefits and actual improvements these training methods could bring to their daily lives. What […]
Nutrition
Eating fresh in the winter cold
Unless you live someplace like California or Florida, eating fresh can be tricky during the winter months, and even in those warm locales, changing seasons still means changing availability of favorite crops. It’s not impossible to keep up your fruit and vegetable rotation in the cold seasons, but it does require some extra knowledge and […]
Nutrition
Finding the sweet spot: The best sweetener for you
Although sugar has a long history of human domestication and consumption, with records of its use going as far back as 510 BC., the sweet stuff has come under attack in the last 30 years. Common sugar, more correctly called sucrose, is generally taken from sugar cane or sugar beets and is available in many […]
Fitness
Equipment-free strength training at home
It’s no surprise that bodyweight strength training is one of the hottest trends in fitness today. A natural complement to workouts on your home fitness equipment, this approach to strength training uses your bodyweight as resistance, making for accessible workouts you can take anywhere. The level of difficulty can easily be adapted to your level […]
Fitness
Choosing the Perfect Workout Playlist
By Bryce Faddis via eReplacementParts All of us have our own unique workout routine. For many, this means spending your lunches at the gym, working specific muscle groups or listening to your favorite songs. Music has become a necessary workout companion for most fitness nuts. And believe it or not, there are good reasons behind […]
Fitness
Ask an expert: Resolution to run this spring
Ask Coach Jenny Q: I had a wonderful holiday season but really let my fitness go to the wayside. I’m not one for setting resolutions, but do you have any tips for where to start and how to get moving again? I was running four times per week for 4-6 miles and I’d like to […]
Fitness
Ask an expert: Perceived effort a better way to train than “race pace”
Ask Coach Jenny Q: How do you find your ‘marathon pace’ or ‘race pace’ (5k, 10K pace)? I know my usual pace for training runs, and have done a couple of half-marathons, but I’m not sure what is meant by those terms for training purposes? ~Pam A: There’s nothing more confusing than to be a […]
Fitness
Some of the Best Elliptical Features: Incline and Foldable Frame
There are numerous choices when it comes to Elliptical trainers. But which choice is best for you? There are a number of things to consider when purchasing an elliptical for your home: How does the elliptical feel, what price point are you most comfortable with, which features you require, where will you put the elliptical […]
Nutrition
Diet and exercise for seasonal depression
Short, grey days and cold weather are generally enough to drive even the most optimistic of us into a bit of a funk. But if you’re an avid exerciser who can’t get in your regular workout because of bad weather, the stress and rush of the holiday season can really throw you off your game. These […]
Wellness
Creating your own home gym
Home gyms can be a major time convenience and more cost efficient in the long run than an expensive gym membership. Before you begin assembling a home gym, it is important to outline your goals. Are you looking to bulk up and build mass? Or lose weight and improve your cardiovascular health? Every exercise regimen […]
Wellness
Bring the hottest fitness trends to your home workouts
The American College of Sports Medicine recently released its projections of the biggest trends projected for the coming year. Although some fitness trends, such as small-group training and combination classes, are great add-ons to a home fitness program, many of them can be used at home every week to bring new energy and effectiveness to […]
Fitness
Could a high-fat diet save your health?
Fat gets a bad rap. We work hard to burn it off our bodies, keep it off and rid our diets of it. Regardless of this social stigma, fat is an essential nutrient that is vitally important to a healthy lifestyle. True, there is an important distinction between healthy and unhealthy fats. Still, the very […]
Fitness
Exercising During Pregnancy
Exercising during pregnancy is just as important as eating right and getting good rest. Sure, we women attempt to take good care of ourselves on a regular basis, but pregnancy seems to elevate our focus on seeking out nutritious foods to help baby develop. But sometimes fitness can fall by the wayside to first trimester […]
Fitness
10 tricks to make your New Year's resolutions stick
Happy New Year! If you’re like many Americans, you’ll resolve to lose weight, hit the gym every day, drink less alcohol or kick your cigarette habit. Unfortunately, few New Year’s resolutions last past January. But that doesn’t mean you should give up hope and enter the New Year without a resolution. Redefining Resolution A resolution […]
Fitness
Should I Exercise When I Have a Cold?
If you’re dedicated to your fitness routine or hit the gym on a consistent basis, coming down with a cold may be enough to derail your workouts indefinitely. But do you really need to abandon the exercise ship at the first sign of some sniffling or sinus congestion? Before you throw in the towel, consider […]
Nutrition
Diet reviews: The sardine diet
Fish, with its huge doses of omega-3 fatty acids, has received a recent push as a healthy protein choice. It’s no surprise, then, that many diets have been released that are specifically designed to help you up your fish intake. The Sardine Diet, as its name suggests, is just such a program. First detailed in […]
Wellness
Outdoor exercise as the seasons change
Runners and cyclists always have the option to take the easy way out when winter months make regular routes cold and wet. That’s one of the ways health clubs stay in business. But if you still appreciate the flexibility and experience of exercising outdoors, changing weather doesn’t have to be an obstacle. Just keep in […]
Fitness
Use your home fitness equipment and set New Year's resolutions that stick
Although investing in fitness equipment for your home certainly makes it easier to stick to your healthy lifestyle New Year’s resolutions, it’s not a guarantee that you’ll stay with your plan. If you’re thinking about making fitness the focus of your New Year’s resolutions this year, here are a few ways to make sure you […]
Fitness
How to Align and Tension Your Treadmill Running Belt
Having trouble with keeping your running belt straight and centered? The running belt may stretch with use, causing it to fall out of alignment, shifting too far to the left or the right. This can also create unnecessary noise and wear on the running belt. Most commonly, the running belt may come out of alignment […]
Wellness
The many benefits of the humble dandelion
Of all the weeds that can overtake our yards and ruin our gardens, the dandelion reigns supreme. However, despite its invasive nature, nutritionists and herbalists have long understood the value of the misunderstood dandelion. In fact, both American and Chinese traditional medicines have used all parts of the dandelion to treat a variety of ailments […]
Fitness
Ask an Expert: Time-crunched treadmill workouts
Ask Coach Jenny Q: I struggle this time of year to get in my workouts and I’m limited to the treadmill. Do you have any suggested workouts for the time-crunched runner? ~Jessica A: Hi, Jessica. You’re not alone. In fact, this time of year is when activity falls by the wayside in lieu of parties, […]