Fitness
Train with the Intervals Program on Your Exercise Bike for a Change of Pace
The Intervals program on a Vision Fitness® upright or recumbent bike can be a valuable tool in your fitness regimen. Bikes are a great way to get your cardio training in, while giving your skeletal system a break from the stress of a weight-bearing exercise like treadmill running. One of the keys to exercising on […]
Fitness
5 Ways to fit in fitness during the holidays
The holiday season means plenty of shopping, cooking, eating, drinking and … exercise. Exercise? If you’re like most people, maybe not so much. Hectic schedules — coupled with colder temperatures and fewer daylight hours — prompt many people to throw their fitness routine to the curb until after the New Year. But you don’t have to […]
Nutrition
The skinny on holiday dieting
Staying on your diet during the holidays can be a real challenge, so much so that many people simply opt to call all of December a giant “cheat day.” This can lead to discouragement and destructive crash dieting come January. Instead, try any (or all) of these 20 basic tips to keep yourself on the […]
Fitness
Passport™ Media Player with Virtual Active™
Passport™ Media Player with Virtual Active™ transforms a normal indoor workout into a dynamic outdoor adventure. Featuring stunning HD videos from some of the most beautiful destinations around the world, users choose when and where they want to exercise. Explore the scenic diversity of Northern Italy or follow the River Aar out of the mountains […]
Fitness
Passport™ Media Player with Virtual Active™
Passport™ Media Player with Virtual Active™ transforms a normal indoor workout into a dynamic outdoor adventure. Featuring stunning HD videos from some of the most beautiful destinations around the world, users choose when and where they want to exercise. Explore the scenic diversity of Northern Italy or follow the River Aar out of the mountains […]
Fitness
Passport™ Media Player with Virtual Active™
Passport™ Media Player with Virtual Active™ transforms a normal indoor workout into a dynamic outdoor adventure. Featuring stunning HD videos from some of the most beautiful destinations around the world, users choose when and where they want to exercise. Explore the scenic diversity of Northern Italy or follow the River Aar out of the mountains […]
Fitness
Holiday HIIT. Fast home workouts to stay fit this season
We all know that finding time to work out is tough this time of year, but if burning off those holiday calories has you envisioning long sessions on your treadmill or elliptical, think again. Research is showing that efficient, challenging and short interval workouts are highly effective at burning fat, building muscle and bringing home […]
Nutrition
Beware of high-calorie holiday drinks
Nothing says “it’s the holidays” quite like a creamy cup of eggnog or a mug of spiced apple cider. But drinking too many of these festive beverages can leave you looking like Santa. Calories in Holiday Beverages Before you reach for that glass of cheer, take note: fancy beverages are often loaded with calories, fat […]
Fitness
6 Holiday stress-busters
As much fun as the holiday season can be, it’s also notorious for stress. You have parties to plan, family politics to navigate, children to please and an increasingly challenging schedule to somehow work your way through. A fortunate few thrive in this environment, letting the extra pressure energize them. For the rest of us, […]
Fitness
Tips for Purchasing a New Exercise Bike
During my days as a sales representative, it always amazed me when people in need of an exercise bike would typically ask a lot of questions about bikes, but would rarely get on and try them. There are many exercise bikes on the market and, like any other product, there are designs that will fit […]
Nutrition
The Glycemic Index: What you should know
Your body is full of delicate balancing acts. Different chemicals are constantly competing to counteract each other and keep things running smoothly, in a process clinically known as homeostasis. This ability to self-regulate allows our bodies to maintain a healthy temperature, blood pressure and water levels. Another important example of homeostasis that has been receiving […]
Fitness
Ask an expert: How to train for your first marathon
Ask Coach Jenny Q: How do I start training for a marathon if I’ve never done running before? – Jordana A: Hi Jordana (pretty name btw). There are a lot of ways to train up for a marathon, but most only focus on the physical aspects. When going from the couch to the marathon, your […]
Wellness
What you should know about Creatine
Creatine is one of the most widely used and well-researched supplements on the market. In fact, the creatine market in the United States alone is estimated at $14 million per year and over 50 percent of professional football players report using the supplement. Readily available in pills, powders and sports drinks, many athletes and fitness […]
Wellness
Postpartum fitness: How to get back in shape after having a baby
After giving birth last fall, one of the first questions I had for my midwife was, “When can I exercise again?” I ran until I was 7 months pregnant, when I had to hang up my running shoes due to health concerns. So I couldn’t wait to get moving again. (Information on keeping a safe […]
Fitness
5 Tips to Maintain Your Fitness During the Holiday Season
The holiday season is notorious for decadent treats, calorie-laden drinks and a jam-packed schedule. So it’s no wonder that the Thanksgiving feast, watching football and festive beverages are in your top 10 list of things to be thankful for kicking off this holiday season. However, breaking out the elastic waistbands and stocking up on cookies […]
Wellness
6 Home Fitness and Diet Strategies for a Healthy Thanksgiving
Feel great, eat well and get moving this Thanksgiving. Follow these 6 eating and fitness tips for the whole family and have your best holiday season yet.
Wellness
The many benefits of a morning workout
Not many of us wake up, hop out of bed with full energy and can zealously tackle our workout first thing in the morning. The natural inclination is often to put if off, generally until the end of the day, when all the other important things like work and school have been accomplished. But is […]
Fitness
Ask an expert: What is the best way to recover after a race?
Ask Coach Jenny Q: How do I recover after short and long races – 5K to marathon? ~Jeff A: Great question, Jeff! The short, sweet, tweet-sized answer is – invest one day for every mile in the race. Although this is very general, it can work in keeping things simple. So, the shorter the race, […]
Fitness
7 Tips to Consider When Purchasing a Treadmill
Are you looking to buy a treadmill in the near future? Walking into a fitness store can be an overwhelming event. There’s typically a wide variety of equipment to view and consider buying for your home. But it doesn’t have to be a fearful experience. Armed with some sound advice, you can find the perfect […]
Nutrition
Antioxidants, free-radicals and you
“Antioxidant” has become one of the most persistent, and successful, buzzwords in the fitness industry. The substances are portrayed almost as microscopic superheros, patrolling our bodies to fight against the evil free radicals. Prevailing theories tell us that antioxidants fight cancer, aging and just about every other disease and condition out there. But emerging science […]
Fitness
5 Healthy alternative Thanksgiving meals
There’s a reason Thanksgiving dinner leaves you wanting to fall asleep in the middle of the ballgame, and it’s not just the fact that you ate until you had to unbutton your pants. The quantity was certainly a factor, but the quality of your meal — all those simple carbohydrates, the heavy gravies and the […]
Fitness
Switching From Miles to Kilometers on the New Vision Fitness® Consoles
Product personalization is a key consideration when choosing a product, including fitness equipment. One great feature all new Vision Fitness® consoles have is the ability to switch your speed readout from miles to kilometers. The Elegant and Touch consoles also allow you to see distance in either miles or kilometers at any time in your […]
Fitness
Can your workout be destroying your muscles?
If you’ve ever used any piece of cardio training equipment you’ve seen it: the “heart rate zone chart.” This handy reference tool provides you with some research-based general guidelines for where to keep your heart rate to achieve specific fitness goals. The target zone for most people, and the focus of most exercise programs, is […]
Fitness
Ask and expert: Running through your performance highs and lows
Ask Coach Jenny Q: How come some days I feel like I can run forever and then other days I feel like I can barely make a few miles? ~Andrea A: That’s a great question, Andrea. There are many reasons that contribute to the highs and lows, and one of the most significant is how you […]
Fitness
Move to the rhythm: music and your run
Music has long been used to direct human movement. Ancient Romans would play drums on their ships to synchronize the strokes of their rowers. Our bodies just naturally want to move along with music and this can be a powerful tool when incorporated into your training. Speaking to the American Council on Fitness, Costas Karageorghis, Ph.D., […]
Wellness
Understanding sweat
Sweat is one of those aspects of exercise, along with exhaustion and muscle soreness, that we just learn to live with, as much as we may dislike it. Some people, though, learn to embrace sweat. For these exercisers, sweat is a sign that they’re doing something right, that they’re releasing toxins and burning off all […]
Fitness
Using the Training Calendar on the Touch Console
One of the cool training tools you’ll discover on the new Vision Fitness® Touch console is the training calendar. For many, starting a fitness routine is not the difficult part; most often it is maintaining your program that is the challenge. Why? Typically, it has to do with personal motivation (or lack thereof) and not […]
Fitness
Show your treadmill you mean business: The best stretches for runners
Although we all know it’s a good idea to mix flexibility training in with our cardio workouts, many runners are in the dark about how to get the most from their stretching sessions. Physical benefits of a consistent stretching routine include improved performance, reduced injury and muscle soreness and a better transition to post-workout activities. […]
Fitness
8 Ideas to get fit on the cheap
A few years ago, I realized I was spending a good chunk of my income on fitness. Between my gym membership, regular classes at the hippest yoga studio in town, running a few races per month, and the stylish clothes I “needed” to participate in these activities, it was getting out of hand. So I […]
Fitness
Ask an expert: Half marathon training questions answered
Ask Coach Jenny Three Great Half Marathon Questions from Heidi: Cross-training, Long Runs and Nutrition Q: I am training for a half marathon and in my training there is one day of cross-training and one day of rest every week. Is it okay to run two days in a row or should I look at […]
Fitness
7 Helpful Tips to Consider When Purchasing Cardio Fitness Equipment
Choosing the right piece of fitness equipment can seem very daunting these days for the average consumer. The Internet is flooded with information, and there are so many choices. The truth is, there are many good options out there. However, there is a lot of misinformation as well. Here are a few tips to help […]
Wellness
Shin splints: Causes, prevention and treatment
Shin splints are one of the most frustrating things a runner will ever encounter. And chances are, most runners will deal with them at one point or another. In fact, shin splints make up more than 13 percent of all injuries suffered by runners. Since this condition is so common, it makes sense to prepare […]
Wellness
Pain-free running
We often push ourselves through our workouts, encouraged by the mantra “No pain, no gain.” But the truth is that this is a gross oversimplification. Some pains shouldn’t be ignored or worked through because they could be a warning of debilitating injuries. Running, in particular, can come with all sorts of little aches and pains, […]
Fitness
Organic food: Health or hype?
Like many consumers, I have a goal when I enter the grocery store: buy healthy foods without breaking the bank. For the most part, choosing nutritious foods is easy. I stock up on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and nonfat dairy products. But there is one gray area: organic. Organic foods often cost a […]
Fitness
Put Your iPhone or iPod to Good Use With New Vision Fitness Consoles
Using an iPod or iPhone with your new Vision Fitness® console can open a whole variety of features you wouldn’t expect from a piece of fitness equipment! The new Vision Touch console is able to transfer the audio and video from an iPod or iPhone through the iPod/iPhone cord to the console. This also allows […]
Fitness
What Is an appropriate fitness goal?
It can be extremely difficult to stay motivated over the long haul and stick with an exercise program. In fact, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) says that over 50 percent of exercisers quit within the first six months of starting a program. Exercising, just like many other long-term endeavors in life, becomes much more […]
Fitness
Ask and expert: Choosing the right running shoes
Ask Coach Jenny Q: How big of a difference do the correct running shoes make as far as brand, fit and arch? ~Jeff A: Hi, Jeff. I love this question because everyone has different needs for running shoes and yes, the fit really does matter. What works for you may not work for me and […]
Wellness
Self-myofascial release: A home fitness technique with serious impact
What if you could reset your body to undo the cumulative effects of minor (and major) injuries, poor posture and repetitive movements over the years? Imagine the effect this could have on your performance and your enjoyment of physical activity. Self-Myofascial Release (SMR) is a simple technique you can perform at home that does just […]
Fitness
Kettlebells: New life to an old workout
It seems like every week someone in the fitness industry is touting a new magic bullet; some new diet or workout or gizmo that is guaranteed to give you amazing results in no time at all. It’s understandable, then, that people have become skeptical of this sort of claim. But now comes the ancient kettlebell […]
Fitness
Get the Party Started! Tips on Becoming a Runner this Fall.
Lose weight, improve your health, prevent illness, boost confidence, relieve stress and decrease depression. The benefits of running can’t be beat, but making the leap from walking to running can be intimidating. Where do you begin? How do you know if you’re “doing it right”? How do you handle obstacles in your training? There are […]