BAN THE NEW YEAR SLUGGISHNESS WITH ENERGY-BOOSTING EXERCISES

The New Year is upon us and the holiday season will be over! Even if you are one of those people who can’t get enough of the festivities and celebrations, you are probably feeling tired by now. Let’s face it: all this holidaying can be pretty exhausting. What do you do if you feel worn out and dragged out? Do you reach for that extra cup of coffee, an energy drink, or - even worse- a candy bar?
       
All you probably want to do is curl up and sleep. But here is what scientific studies and anecdotal evidence tell us: Exercise, not hibernation, is the best fatigue-busting and energy-boosting technique. Research has found that people who participate in physical activity decrease their tiredness level by as much as 60 percent and increase their energy by 20 percent. Exercise energizes and recharges not only your body, but also your mind. There is no better way to invigorate you from head to toe.
       
What are the best pick-me-up exercises? Virtually anything that keeps you moving at a brisk pace and increases your heart rate will be effective. Walking, biking, jogging, swimming, doing jumping jacks, even dancing and rope-skipping, will rev you up. Fitness Boot Camps, Martial Arts Fitness Programs, TRX Training and Metabolic Conditioning based exercise programs are excellent energy boosters because they combine a variety of cardiovascular, strength, endurance, speed, agility, and flexibility workouts.
       
Whatever exercises you choose, you should schedule your workout first thing in the morning. Exercising any time during the day is beneficial, but if you tire easily, you may not feel motivated to exercise later in the day. But if you start early, you will create energy that lasts all day. And, as an added bonus, a morning workout will raise your metabolism that will burn calories throughout the day.
       
Another energy-bolstering tip is eating a healthy breakfast. You probably heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day – and it’s true. It is extremely beneficial if your breakfast includes a serving of whole grains, low-fat protein and dairy, as well as fruit.
       
Skipping breakfast may make you binge later in the day, when hunger pangs strike. Not only will you feel tired, but also probably end up eating something that you can quickly grab on the go – like junk food. And it’s no secret that eating too much junk food, which is full of saturated fats, as well as sugar or salt, will leave you feeling sluggish and fatigued – exactly the opposite of what you want to accomplish.

You definitely want to find a program that fits your lifestyle and helps you achieve improved physical fitness and health. JMB Fitness offers a variety of programs to fit into your life and our programs focus on you!

Exercise Boosts Your Immune System

With autumn officially here, we become more prone to colds, coughs, sneezes, sniffles, runny noses, and sore throats that will make us feel miserable through the winter months.

 　

As seasons and weather change, our immune system becomes more vulnerable and less resistant to various infections

　

Fortunately, finding ways to bolster your immune system is not exactly rocket science.

　

The good news is that something as simple as regular exercise can keep all those pesky viruses, germs and bacteria at bay. Among many other benefits of physical exercise is that it is a great immunity booster.

 　

In fact, research cited by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), a leading organization in sports medicine and exercise science,shows that regular exercise can help boost the immune system by either stopping viruses in their tracks before they attack us, or by reducing the duration of cold symptoms by half as compared to those who do not exercise.

 　

These findings are borne out by various studies demonstrating that regular exercise produces macrophages, the cells that defend the body against bacteria. 　

During a moderate workout, these cells circulate through the body, killing viruses and bacteria. And although the immune system returns to its pre-exercise levels very quickly, each workout session appears to reduce the risk of infection over the long term.

　

That may explain why – as studies indicate – people who work out regularly report fewer colds than non-exercisers.

　

Certainly, exercise is not a cure-all for whatever ails you, and even the most ardent fitness aficionados will get sick once in a while. However, there is all this compelling evidence suggesting that exercise may lower your risks of common infections.

　

Now that you know just how beneficial regular workouts can be for your immune system, what kind of fitness regimen should you choose?

　

Luckily, exercises that are most effective in strengthening the immune system are also those that are great for your heart, weight control, and your health in general, so it’s a ‘win-win’ situation. Boot camps and functional training are really terrific because they focus on the entire body, as well as on core and cardiovascular fitness, balance, strength and agility.

　

And since boot camp workouts are fun and varied, there is less risk of getting bored than with a regimen that is either monotonous or depends heavily on gym equipment.　

If boosting your immune system – and health in general – is your goal, then you certainly shouldn’t choose a fitness routine that will get you into a rut and will make you want to give up. The point is to make exercising so enjoyable that you will want to continue. And our progrms do just that.　　

Dehydration can it be chronic?

Well we are in the midst of another heat wave here on the East Coast and the biggest concern for us, is staying hydrated. Be sure to drink enough water throughout the day, especially if you are exercising outside. So we emphasize greatly to our Boot campers to hydrate, stay away from caffeine, alcohol and sugary drinks and stick with fresh water, fresh fruits and veggies to help you hydrate.  Yet ironically enough you could already be dehydrated before the heat wave started?

How is that possible? And how do you know?

Many things can be a factor in causing your body to be in a state of dehydration, the obvious things would be caffeine, alcohol, soda pop.  But have you ever taken a medication that has a warning label stating it may cause dry mouth?  Or do you find it difficult to consume just plain old water, so you add a little flavoring in the form of a powder and you think that will help you get hydrated?  Are you currently consuming prepackaged, processed foods such as hot dogs or lunch meats? Or maybe you are someone who likes to add salt even before tasting your food.  Anything that has high levels of sodium could be depleting your body of water as well.

Unfortunately there are quite a few factors that can contribute to dehydration; but their are quite a few symptoms you could be experiencing that could tell you if you are dehydrated.

1. Fatigue and Energy loss
2. Constipation
3. Digestive Disorders
4. High or low blood pressure
5. Gastritis or stomach ulcers
6. Respiratory troubles (even misdiagnosed asthma)
7. Acid-Alkaline imbalance
8. Excess weight and obesity
9.  Excema
10.Cystitis, urinary infections
11. High Cholesterol
12. Rheumatism
13. Early Aging

So take the time today to notice if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.  Be aware of what are the factors causing your dehydration.  Remember if you are experiencing fatigue and hunger you might just be thirsty. If you are experiencing excessive joint pain you could be lacking on water. So don't discount the healing factors of water, just start drinking.
You should start by moderately increasing your water intake, everything in moderation.

One thing I do need to disclaim, anything in excess can be detrimental, so chugging gallons of water all in one sitting will not help you get hydrated it can be deadly.

Till next time or the next heat wave.

Try to maintain a healthy balance in your life with regular exercise, healthy eating and drinking lots of water...

Most know about YO-YO Dieting, but do you know about YO-YO Exercising?

So we all know by now that YO-YO dieting has the reputation of adding pounds to your frame but did you know so can YO-YO exercising.  Besides adding pounds it can add excess stress to your heart and lungs by stopping and starting those intense exercise programs needed to lose the pounds.  I highly advocate going the distance and going all out with your exercise, but not at the expense of finding yourself back on the couch in 6 months packing on the winter weight again. 
And yes that is why the couch potatoes of the world are having heart attacks during these unusual boughts of winter blizzards.  Think about it most people have to remove the snow from their car, driveway, or even their sidewalk.  Whether they use a snow blower or a shovel it takes some exertion, and that exertion can be 3 x greater on the person who remains adverse to any consistent exercise program.  So next time you consider taking a few days off of working out or taking a break think about the potential consequences if you never go back.  You may need to move the snow off our sidewalk again, and it would be a real tragedy if you suffered a heart attack because you just didn't feel like working out for the last year or two.... 
So when you are deciding on what you should do to get started, think about this...Proven and sustaniable exercise programs can come in short bursts of energy which include cardiovascular and resistance (weight) training.  In order to maintain or improve your metabolism it is imperative to move with a little bit of resistance.  Without realizing it you can improve your overall health by increasing resistance and time incrementally.  One thing you need to remember is consistency, try starting a minimum of 3 days a week. Going all out when you haven't done anything in months or years, is like shoveling 18 inches of snow from a 1/4 mile driveway, just not a real good idea.  Make it a priority in your life and give up something that isn't so important, like watching 1hour of T.V.  Stop the cycle of YO-YO Exercising, stay on track,schedule your exercise into your daily calendar and make yourself a priority.

Save Money by Hiring a Personal Trainer...

How many times have you spent lamenting over how you have failed at reaching your fitness goals?  Did you dust off your treadmill and remove all the clothes hanging from it and start trying again? Maybe you found your gym membership card or put the directions back in your GPS to find your way back to the gym.  Have you resolved again this year to lose the weight and get rid off that excess jiggle? 

But have you truly made the decision in your mind or were you just having another conversation with yourself or your loved ones how you are going to make that commitment.  Yes life is hard, you have no time, "you just don't understand, I have tried all the exercise and diet fads."  The fads maybe work for a little while and then you lose focus or interest or find your excuses "at least I tried", I do get that..

Did you know that 95% of the diets or fad exercise programs don't work!  Why, do you ask?  Because you are not the same as everyone else, you are unique and your reason for quitting on your health is not the same reason your neighbor, sister, or even your spouse quits.  So are you destined to fail again this year?

Your are only destined to fail if you chose to quit on yourself and your health, mental and physical.  Sure finding guidance from the experts is great way to help you achieve your goals however those experts are only guides and coaches.  The best experts out there can help you with the tools but they will not do it for you, that is ultimately up to you. 

So are you going to "try" again at reaching those crazy goals or are you going to start your action plan today.  Did you know you can start your life any day of the week it doesn't always have to be Monday?  Stop letting those old messages stop you forget about your past mistakes and start fresh today, right now get up and start doing, start making those dreams of health come to life!!

Did you know you could save money by getting the help of a coach or a Personal Trainer?  How do you ask.. Think about it, if you are focused on attaining a healthy body today, you won't have to purchase a new wardrobe next year at this time because you failed one more time.  By getting moving and healthy you can save your dollars from adding one more prescription or one more Dr. visit this year.  Commit to saving money today and enlist the help of the experts...

A personal trainer should be, at the least, educated and certified through a reputable fitness organization.  This person's job is to assess your fitness level, set up a program for you and keep you motivated. He or she will push you past your comfort level--something difficult to do on your own. A trainer also provides:


• guidance on reaching your goals

• education about strength training, cardio and basic nutrition

• a reason to show up at the gym each week

• accountability

• ways to help track your progress

So think about it invest in saving money today, get the help you need enlist the help of Personal Trainer, and start saving for a bigger retirement....