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What You Should Know Before Hiring a Personal Trainer

By Linda Melone, CSCS on January 25, 2012

Anyone can call themselves a personal trainer. No current licensing exists to separate qualified trainers from those who simply decide to tout themselves as fitness professionals. Recent hoopla over celebrity trainers raises interest in the qualifications of trainers who appear in reality shows like The Biggest Loser.

How do you know a trainer is truly qualified or simply has a good PR rep? Good question.

Know Your Certification ABC’s

Fitness certifications run the gamut. Many online companies offer fitness certifications but are not much  more than “diploma mills” handing out certifications to anyone willing to fork over cash. They’re easy tests to pass and do not garner respect among legitimate fitness centers and organizations.

Solid national certifications include, for example, those from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the National Sports and Conditioning Association (NSCA), which provides a Certified Strength and Conditioning Association (CSCS) sports-oriented certification. The latter requires the trainer to possess at least a four-year college degree and is one of the toughest in the industry (it’s why I went for it!).

Ideally, a trainer should possess a combination:

–a national fitness certification

–a related degree

–experience

Trainer’s Experience Should Match Your Goals

If you want to lose weight, for instance, look for a trainer with not only have a degree and certification but also experience in helping clients lose weight.

Does the trainer’s approach make sense to you? A legitimate trainer will take a moderate approach to weight loss strategies. Anyone touting their own line of supplements or extreme methods of weight loss may not have your best interests in mind.

 As with any profession, both good and bad trainers exist even within a certification. Even if a trainer has the credentials, he or she may not have the coaching experience to teach you about technique and movement. They must be able to apply their knowledge.

Avoid the 45 Percent

In addition, a recent survey found that 45 percent of fitness professionals who claim to be certified are actually not certified. IDEA Health & Fitness Association recently launched IDEA Fitness Connect (http://www.ideafit.com/fitnessconnect), the first and only free database of certified fitness professionals.

The listings will show the trainer’s specialties and info along with certifications and show those who are “verified” as well as those with expired credentials.

If you’re not getting the results you want, talk to your trainer and reassess your goals. If you’re still not happy (and your goals are realistic) cut your losses and look for another trainer. Life is too short to settle for less than the best.

 

 

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5 Most Effective New Year’s Resolutions

By Linda Melone, CSCS on December 27, 2011

If the Mayan prediction comes true, this may be the last year you can resolve to improve. So why not make it happen for good this time? Instead of setting goals with the end result in mind, focus on small steps you can do today that yield big benefits down the line. Try these simple changes for your best year ever.

1. Fix your posture.

Slumping forward at your desk creates problems beyond aesthetics. This very common forward head posture throws off your entire kinetic chain (a term that refers to the interconnectedness of all body parts) and can result in everything from shoulder pain, back pain and even breathing and digestive problems.

This easy-to-do, feel good stretch can help:

Standing elbow curls: Stand against a wall with toes pointed forward. Keep
heels, hips, upper back and head against the wall. Place your knuckles against
your temples with thumbs pointed down towards shoulders. Open your elbows until
they are against the wall, then close elbows together in front of your face.
Repeat 25 times.

2. Exercise first thing in the morning.

Discipline yourself to get up 30 minutes earlier a few times a week to get in a workout before you have time to make excuses. You’ll feel virtuous and energized all day. Whether you walk, go to the gym or exercise at home, exercising first thing in the morning enables you to clear your head for the day’s activities. Make a commitment with a friend to keep you accountable.

3. Choose fresh.

No need to go vegan or switch to an all-organic diet to eat healthier. Simply start swapping fast food and processed foods for fresh foods. You’ll take in less fat, fewer preservatives and up your antioxidants all in one, fell swoop. Think of apples and peanut butter, yogurt and fresh berries, tuna in your mid-day salad, etc. You may even lose weight in the process.

4. Get off your butt.

Along with slouching, sitting for hours at a time is a proven way to slow fat-burning and increase inflammation, which can lead to heart disease and all kinds of problems. Your body was made to move, so get up at least once an hour. Take phone calls standing up. Buy an inexpensive stand-up desk to use throughout the day when you can.

5. Plan to fail.

Getting healthier and fitter does not happen in a straight upward trajectory. It takes time to find something you enjoy enough to stick with it. Even then, make sure you have other options available. If you find yourself bored to tears on the treadmill, try a yoga class, aerobics class–or hire a personal trainer to get you on a different program.

Trust me, you’ll feel better, look better and live longer.

Happy 2012!

All my best,

Linda

 

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How to Avoid Weight Gain and Enjoy the Holidays

By Linda Melone, CSCS on November 7, 2011

Forget the turkey and trimmings and stuffing, it’s the eggnog I wait for all year long. Not the low-fat, low-cal stuff but the melted-ice cream version, so thick you practically need a spoon to scoop it out. Okay, so that’s my confession. What’s yours?

The key to avoiding elastic waistbands come January 1? Moderation. Yup, that boring word again. Only it works. So what if you have a scoop or two of your mother’s homemade cranberry stuffing? It’s not the one serving that turns your thighs into saddlebags–it’s the leftovers you eat for days afterward…on top of eggnog and holiday cookies.

  • Limit yourself to a cookie or two. Tell yourself you can have another one tomorrow if you want. Just don’t overdo in every area.
  • Pick your favorite one or two dishes or treats and enjoy a serving.
  • Skip other snacks you may normally eat and you may break even on calories.

Don’t neglect your workouts, though. Temporarily adding a few extra calories and not hitting the gym or skipping your cardio will do more damage than one alone.

  • No matter what, stay active. Get up earlier, grab a family member if they’re in town and go for a vigorous walk after dinner. Aunt Helen always said she wanted to start exercising, right? So give her incentive while she’s in town.
  • Hit the malls early, before the crowds, and power walk between stores.
  • Be creative. Build snowmen with the kids. Better yet, have a snowball fight. Loser does the dishes.

Instead of focusing on food, engage with relatives you rarely see.

  • Volunteer at a homeless shelter. Donate to an animal shelter–or adopt a pet as a holiday gift for yourself.

Do things that make you count your blessings.

Most of all, enjoy the season!

Happiness to All!

Linda

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The Biggest Fitness Myth

By Linda Melone, CSCS on September 17, 2011

Next to a desire for flat abs, the biggest request I used to get from my women clients was muscle “tone,” usually arms. Only these same women feared getting “too muscular.” Here’s the thing: tone refers to muscle. You can’t tone fat (and, frankly, why would you want to?). Toning muscle requires challenging it beyond the norm.

In other words, imagine using a pencil to perform biceps curls. Sounds, ridiculous, right? How could you expect to get any results from “curling” a one-ounce pencil? Yet, using 3-lb weights isn’t much different (unless you’re rehabilitating a shoulder, but for the sake of this article I assume you’re healthy and injury-free).

In order to trigger muscle tone, you must lift enough weight to challenge that muscle to step up its game. It needs a reason to adapt to this added stress. So on your day off (assuming you’re challenged it adequately) between workouts, the muscle repairs itself.  During this process the microscopic tears you created during your workout heal. As a result, the muscle comes back stronger and better, ready for the next challenge. Over time you’ll notice this change in the form of muscles definition and “tone.” Ya! Mission accomplished.

Here’s how you get muscle tone: use a weight you can lift 6 to 12 reps and do this for 3 to 6 sets. The key: those last couple of reps must be a challenge. If you’re breezing through them while texting your friend at the same time or reading a book you’re not using enough weight. When that weight becomes easy a few weeks down the road, up the weight by 10% until it’s a challenge once again.

Done and done.

I’ve been lifting weights for over 30 years and can tell you first hand it’s the best anti-aging solution out there. Bar none.

 

 

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3 Cardio Workouts You Can Do Without Equipment

By Linda Melone, CSCS on August 19, 2011

Let’s face it, you can’t always get to the gym when you plan
to. Work, home obligations or simply a desire to avoid hot, sweaty, crowded
places may be enough to make you want to skip your workout altogether. But
don’t despair. You can still get a good (make that great!) cardio workout
without the gym.

Here are a few ideas to get you started, no equipment needed.

Interval Walking

If you enjoy walking on the gym treadmill, why not take it
outdoors? To make things interesting—and to burn more calories—try walking
intervals.

Start with a warm-up and then pick up the pace for designated
lengths of time.

Begin with 30 second faster-paced intervals and increase to
two minutes or longer as you become more fit.

Return to a slower pace and then pick it up again as follows (note that walking “fast” and
“moderate” are relative terms and can be adjusted to your individual
fitness level):

Interval walking sample workout:

Warm-up pace: 1 to 3 minutes

Fast walk: 30 seconds

Moderate walk: 1 minute

Fast walk: 30 seconds

Moderate walk: 1 minute

Repeat fast-walk and moderate-walk cycles for the total
length of your workout, striving for 25 to 30 minutes total.

Allow a few minutes at the end to cool down. Gradually increase your time spent fast
walking and reduce slower-paced intervals.

Power Walking

Easier on the joints than running, power walking burns nearly the same number of calories. Get your arms in the swing and keep these guidelines in mind:

–Warm up: walk at a slow to moderate pace 1 to 3 minutes

–Increase pace using short, quick steps (easier on the joints
than long strides)

–Practice a heel-to-toe roll: push off from the heel and
roll through the foot, pushing through the big toe

–Keep glutes tight, which incorporates low-back muscles as
well

–Pull in abdominal muscles: stand tall and tighten core
muscles

–Pump arms: keeping arms bent with fists loosely closed,
bring arms back and forth as if skiing

–Practice perfect posture: keep chest high and neck up,
eyes focused straight ahead

Stair Running

You can do this routine indoors on rainy or snowy days on your home stairs. For a greater challenge, go to your local high school and try this on the bleachers (for advanced exercisers only!).

Beginners start with 10 to 15 second intervals, walking up one step at a time with your arms at your
sides. Gradually increase intervals, but not more than 120 seconds. If you’re an avid exerciser, try running up and increase the challenge by taking two stairs at a time. Begin with a 5-minute warm up and end with a 5-minute cool down.

A sample workout may be:

–Warm up by walking up and down stairs 3 to 5 minutes

–Run up stairs: 30 seconds

–Walk down stairs: 30 seconds

–Repeat for desired amount of time, taking rest breaks as
needed. Cool down.

Get moving!

 

 

 

 

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3 Ways to Boost Calorie Burning

By Linda Melone, CSCS on July 25, 2011

 

If you’re like most people, when you make time to exercise you want the most bang for your buck. After all, who has time to waste? Watching the “calories burned” reading slowly tick away on the treadmill or elliptical monitor can be a lesson in frustration. Knowing a few simple tricks can help speed things up. Read on.

1. Interval train.

Interval training involves alternate bouts of intense exercise with recovery periods. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, these short, intense bouts burn more calories than working at the same intensity for the same amount of time. The recovery periods allow for greater intensity during the work periods and, subsequently, more calories are burned.

Many treadmills have interval training routines programmed into them, but it’s easy enough to design a program on your own. You can translate this same technique to other cardio equipment or even walking outdoor. Simply vary the speed, time, rest and number of intervals. Try this sample routine:

Interval Treadmill Training program

(All the variables should be adjusted to your fitness
level.)

Warm up 5 minutes at a 3.0 % incline

MPH
Incline                Time

3.0                   5%                   3 min

3.5                   5%                   2 min

3.5                   10%                 5 min

4.0                   0%                   3 min

4.0                   5%                   2 min

4.5                   0%                   3 min

4.5                   8%                   2 min

5.0                   0%                   3 min

5.0                   5%                   2min

Cool down                              5
minutes

______________________

Total                                        30 min (including warm-up)

2. Just add weight.

Cardiovascular training and weight training both burn fat and calories. But combine the two and you’ll burn the highest number of stubborn fat cells even after you’re finished exercising. Circuit training does just that by combining strength-training exercises with endurance exercises done in sequence. Simple workout “stations” can be alternated and
added to as you progress using minimal equipment and done at home. Grab a friend for a friendly competition for added motivation.

A maximum rest period of 30 seconds between exercises must be followed or you risk losing the aerobic benefits. Rest only after each complete circuit.

A simple circuit may be:

1. Do as many body-weight squats you can do in 30 seconds

2. Perform as many push-ups you can do in 30 seconds
(regular or modified)

3. 1 minute of jogging in place or stationary cycling

–Rest 45 seconds and repeat. Add and substitute exercises as you see fit (i.e. lunges for squats), being sure to include a balance of upper and lower body moves.

3. Upgrade your cardio.

Changing your cardio routine uses different muscles and can jump start calorie burning. For example:

–If you regularly train indoors, go outside; try biking, running, swimming, tennis, etc.

–Join an outdoor activity club for extra motivation and friendly competition

–Exercise with a heart rate monitor to ensure that you’re working out hard enough

–Train for an event. Check out www.teamintraining.com for events near you and help raise money for a worthy cause as you get in shape

Now get moving!

 

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Healthy Foods You’ve Probably Never Tried…but Should

By Linda Melone, CSCS on July 19, 2011

If you’re like most people, your weekly grocery list doesn’t waver much. You have a regular round of recipes and dishes you like and you don’t wander too far from it. While it makes grocery shopping easier, trying new foods adds variety both in flavor and nutrition. This week break out of your boring routine and add one or two of these foods to your meals. You may even discover a couple of new favorites.

Tempeh
You’ve probably walked by this meat alternative in the produce section 100 times. It’s helpful to have a vegetarian protein source to fall back on, so break out of that saturated-fat shell. Made from cooked soybeans and formed into a patty, tempeh appears similar to a firm veggie burger. Some brands add grains and spices for extra flavor. It’s nutty flavor makes it more appealing than tofu to many people, yet it’s also high in protein, calcium and isoflavones, which may help reduce cancer risk. Be brave: try it diced into cubes in stir-fries or in soups or chili as a meat substitute.

Kiwi fruit
You’ve probably seen this fruit in fruit salads and sliced on fruit tarts. Surprise! You can cut them in half and eat them out of hand by scooping them out with a spoon, too. Named after a New Zealand bird of the same name, kiwis contain good amounts of vitamin C and E, both of which help boost immunity and fight free radicals. Cut them in half and scooped out for a snack, or whirl into protein smoothies.

Flax seeds
Sometimes good things really do come in small packages. Take flax seeds, for example. A mere tablespoon of the   contains fiber as well as lignans, which have been shown to reduce the rate of certain hormone-related cancers, particularly breast cancer. Chock-full of omega-3 fatty acids, flax seeds also help keep inflammation at bay. Sprinkle them on salads and cereal or yogurt.

Passion fruit
You’ll find this in the “exotic fruit” produce section along with a bunch of other alien-looking fruits. This dark purple, egg-shaped fruit contains a juicy, sweet and tart pulp and edible seeds. The pulp provides fiber, immune-boosting antioxidants and plant sterols, which help reduce cholesterol. Scoop out the flesh from the rink and add it to you morning smoothie or toss into a fruit salad.

Swiss chard
You’ve probably noticed this colorful, leafy green next to the fresh spinach in the produce
section. Its shiny, bright green leaves and colorful white, red and yellow stems make them hard to miss. More than a just a pretty face, Swiss chard (or simply “chard”) contains cancer-fighting phyotonutrients and a powerful antioxidant called lutein. Lutein plays a a role in preventing age-related macular degeneration. Young leaves can be tossed into salads; older leaves work best sauteed.
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Get In Shape at Home

By Linda Melone, CSCS on July 11, 2011

I confess, I’m a gym rat. I find motivation in an environment filled with other people lifting weights. But when time is of the essence, the short commute to and from the gym can be inconvenient. You can probably relate, right?

Here’s the good news: not only can you get in shape at home, but you can
do so with little or no equipment. Keep in mind, however, that a few
inexpensive pieces of exercise tubing, an inflatable (preferably burst-proof)
exercise ball and a couple of dumbbells give you more options and a way to add
resistance as you become stronger.

Try this total-body workout 3 times a week, 12 to 15 reps,
for 2 to 3 sets. Warm-up by walking in place 5-minutes or run up/walk-down stairs.

Body-Weight Squats (works legs and butt)

Stand with feet shoulder width apart, eyes focused straight
ahead, hands on hips or out in front of you. Initiate the movement by bending
at the knees and hips, keeping knees aligned with toes. Push your hips back as
you continue lowering until thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause and push up
through heels to starting position—avoid locking out at the top.

To tone arms: Hold onto dumbbells in each hand, palms
neutral, facing in. As you rise with each squat, bring one arm up and rotate palm
up towards your shoulder and lowering them as lower hips, alternating arms with
each repetition.

Alternating lunges (firms glutes and legs)

Stand with good posture, hands on hips, and step forward
with one leg, landing on the heel with and then forefoot. Lower body by bending
knee and hip of front leg until knee of back leg almost touches the floor.
Return to starting position by forcibly straightening  forward leg. Alternate with other leg and
repeat 15 times per leg.

To add shoulders: Hold onto dumbbells, bringing arms up
and out at right angles like goal posts; as you step back from each forward
lunge, straighten arms overhead, bringing dumbbells up and towards each other;
bring back to starting position before the next lunge.

Hip raises (works hamstrings)

Lie on your back with your feet up on a sturdy chair, knees
bent at right angles and toes pointed up. Dig in heels as you slowly raise your
hips off the ground; pause and slowly return hips to the floor.

Increase the challenge: Cross one ankle over opposite
knee and lift hips using one leg.

Push-ups (tones chest, triceps and core)

Place hands on the floor shoulder-width apart with arms
straight (not locked), legs straight behind you on the balls of your feet; keep
your body in a straight line. Slowly lower yourself until upper arms are
parallel to the floor. Pause, then
slowly push yourself back up.

Add a back toner: Grasp dumbbells on the floor (works
best with square dumbbells) instead of placing hands flat on the floor; perform
a “row” as you rise with each push-up by alternately bringing one
elbow up towards the ceiling and back down.

 

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6 Simple Brain Boosters

By Linda Melone, CSCS on February 28, 2011

Exercise does more than help you fit into your skinny jeans. All that oxygen-rich blood pumping through your veins helps memory and may even make you smarter. So think of that the next time someone calls you a musclehead.

Researchers found that, not only does exercise increase oxygen to the brain, but it also targets a region of the brain within the hippocampus, the dentate gyrus, which underlies normal age-related memory decline that typically starts around the age of 30. (That’s right, memory loss happens earlier than you may think.)

 Specifically how much exercise and how often remains to be seen, although it only took three weeks of regular aerobic exercise for subjects to grow new nerve cells in the brain, a process long thought to be impossible.

Aside from memory boosting, each time you curl a dumbbell (or perform any other muscle contraction) a  protein called IGF-1 releases. It travels through the bloodstream and into the brain itself, prompting production of several chemicals.

One such chemical, called BDNF, is referred to as “Miracle-Gro for the brain” by Harvard psychiatrist John Ratey, the author of the upcoming book, “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.”

BDNF fuels almost all activities that lead to higher thought. Regular exercise builds up the levels of BDNF in the body, brain nerve cells branch out, join together and communicate with each other in new ways. Since this process occurs each time the brain picks up a new fact or skill, a higher level of BDNF equals a greater capacity for knowledge. Exercise equals smarts, plain and simple.

Ways to Improve Memory

 In addition to regular exercise, experts recommend the following tips for improving your memory:

 1. Pay attention: It takes about eight seconds of intent focus to process a piece of information and store it in memory. When you need to concentrate, remove all distractions and interruptions

 2. Involve your senses: Read out loud what you want to remember, even if you’re a visual learner. Try to relate information to colors, textures, smells and tastes. Write it out.

 3. Be able to interpret complex material: For complex information, focus on understanding basic ideas rather than memorizing isolated facts and figures. Be able to explain it to someone else in your own words.

 4. Rehearse information frequently: Review what you’ve learned the same day you learn it, and review it at intervals afterwards. Researchers call this “spaced rehearsal” and is more effective than cramming.

5. Organize information: Write things down in address books and calendars, take notes on complex material and organize the notes into categories later. Use both words and pictures when learning new information.

 6. Be motivated: Telling yourself you have a bad memory only becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, tell yourself that you want to learn what you need to remember, which sets up expectations for success.

 Bonus Tips:

 – Learn to manage stress. Stress makes it difficult to concentrate and unrequited levels of cortisol may even damage the hippocampus.

 – Practice good sleep habits, as sleep enables memory consolidation, and don’t smoke. Smoking constricts the arteries that deliver oxygen to the brain.

 – A healthy diet also plays a role in brain function and memory, aside from offering many other health benefits. Eat plenty of antioxidant-containing fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and reap the rewards in a healthy body and mind.

See you at MENSA.

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5 Weight-Loss Approaches that Really Work

By Linda Melone, CSCS on December 29, 2010

How will you make 2011 better than 2010? Even if you don’t make “official” resolutions, it’s tough to ignore the clean slate of January 1. New year, new potential. Instead of repeating last year’s reruns, try a different approach this time. One that actually works.

 Here are a few ideas that may work for you (and what experts predict will be the new weight-loss trends for 2011):

 1. Think small

Small changes, that is. Leaping from the couch to preparing for a marathon isn’t a change you’re likely to embrace for long. Same goes for diet.

 If you love triple burgers with cheese, for example, start by reducing the size of the portions instead of going straight to salads with water-packed tuna.

 Add one piece of fruit to your day each day this week. Next week throw in a vegetable for dinner. Go crazy the following week and have an apple for a snack instead of a bag of chips.

Build up slowly until it becomes second nature to reach for healthier options. After about 21 days you’ll no longer miss fast-food and junk. Do the same to wean yourself from soda to water.

 2. Focus on preventing weight gain

It’s harder to lose weight than preventing weight gain in the first place. Same goes for forgoing second helpings of cheesecake versus running on a treadmill for hours to burn it all off.

 Instead of drastically cutting calories (which rarely works), cut 100 calories a day (that’s a slice of bread or 1/2 cup of rice or pasta) and add 2,000 steps of activity per day. Buy a pedometer to track your steps.

 3. Go towards the light

Cut back on calories by finding lower-fat versions of your favorites. Sure, low-fat milk doesn’t taste as rich as full-fat milk, but you’ll save your arteries as you save calories—and your taste buds will adjust. Trust me. Saving 50 calories here and there adds up to pounds lost on the scale without feeling deprived. (Remember: 21 days!)

4. Sign up for wellness

Does your company sponsor a wellness program? Many do (61 percent, according to a MetLife survey). If yours does (and many offer attractive incentives), sign up and get your coworkers to do the same. You’ll be in good company and have the support of those around you.

 5. Read the nutrient menu at restaurants

A new federal law takes effect in 2011 that requires restaurant chains with 20 or more outlets to disclose calorie counts on their food items. It may be a rude awakening when you realize that the “healthful” salad you thought you were ordering actually tops the bacon burger in both fat grams and calories.

But remember: knowledge is power. Choose to eat half and take the rest home. Or look for a better alternative. Either way, you’ll be on your way to a leaner, fitter year!

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