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Walking - The Health Benefits of Low-intensity Aerobics

Feb 17, 2012 by Alan Smith - 0 comments

With low intensity aerobic exercises, your heart and other energy systems have to work a little harder, without being overly stressed, to handle the extra fuel and oxygen delivery demands. Low intensity aerobic exercise also creates specific biochemical signals that produce a number of health and fitness benefits including:

Improved fat metabolism - Low intensity aerobic activity trains your body to more efficiently utilize free fatty acids as fuel, which benefits you 24/7. It also helps you develop a higher metabolic rate and a preference for fat over glucose...especially if you are eating a low carb diet. Low intensity exercise can also help you balance your blood sugar levels and regulate your appetite.

Improved cardiovascular function - You will strengthen your heart and improve your capillary network, which is the network of blood vessels that supply your muscles with fuel and oxygen. You will also improve your respiratory system functioning (the oxygen delivery by your lungs to the rest of your body).

Work Out and Relieve Stress

Jan 27, 2012 by Alan Smith - 0 comments

Sometimes you feel like you have too much work to step away. Sometimes you have a trillion things that you could put before working out. Sometimes you would prefer to just go straight home after such a long day of work.

But working out can be just what you need to relieve all the stress!

For one, working out boosts your production of endorphins, which are the brain's "feel-good neurotransmitters." While most people are familiar with a "runner's high," you can get the same feeling from doing any physical activity that you enjoy!

For two, you can get lost in the workout and forget about all of the stresses of the day. Working out makes you only focus on the task at hand.
It can give you the energy to take on the rest of the day and even the rest of the week!

And lastly, working out improves your mood and helps you sleep better, which makes you feel better all around! Regular exercise can help you build self-confidence and lower symptoms caused by depression and anxiety, which in turn will help you sleep better. All of this combined will ease your stress levels and make you feel in control of your body and life!

Achieving your New Years Resolutions - Accountability

Jan 10, 2012 by Alan Smith - 0 comments

One of the most important things to develop when trying to achieve any goal is accountability. Not only holding yourself accountable but also having other people to hold you to your goal.

Creating a calendar breaking down your goals day-by-day and week-by-week can also be helpful, especially if you hang it in a visible place.
For example: Try hanging your diet calendar on your refrigerator. Any time you go to the refrigerator you will be reminded of your goals and be less likely to chose a bad food. That calendar will help you hold yourself accountable.

If you find you have trouble holding yourself accountable, try making your goals more public.

Share your goals with family and friends. If other people know what you are doing, you are less likely to cheat on your diet or exercise plan. You may even have friends and family that join you, which can help make reaching your fitness goals more fun and easier to stick to!

Another way to make your goals more public is to hire a personal trainer.
A trainer will hold you accountable and will also help guide you toward your goals.

Try a new piece of cardio equipment - the Arc Trainer!

Dec 28, 2011 by Alan Smith - 0 comments

The Arc Trainer got its name from its patented stride technology, which never places the user's toe behind the knee. This Reverse Arc motion places less stress on the knee joint.

The Arc Trainer is a low-impact cardio machine, which allows for optimal postural alignment during movement because the arm and leg on the same side of the body move together.

Other benefits of the Arc Trainer include:
- Effective calorie burn - Studies have proven that the Arc Trainer burns more calories than the elliptical or motion trainer. Regardless, the Arc Trainer involves the entire body to help you burn more calories in less time.
- Low impact - Because the user's toe never moves behind the user's knee, there is less stress placed on the knee joint. There is also no pounding on the ground like there is with running on a treadmill.
-Higher muscle recruitment - The Arc Trainer allows the user to vary the resistance and incline to isolate muscle groups and engage them in different ways. The longer arm feature also allows the user to get more of an upper body workout.

Try an Arc Trainer today and get a great workout while adding variety to your current routine!

Give the best gift of all...The gift of fitness!

Dec 19, 2011 by Alan Smith - 0 comments

1. The gym membership or personal training gift certificate will help encourage your friend or family member to reach his/her New Years resolutions. Sometimes we just need that extra push to start on our goals.
Show your loved ones that you support their effort to live a healthier, fitter lifestyle by giving them a fitness gift certificate!
2. It will help them try something new. A personal training or Pilates gift certificate can help your loved one experience a new aspect of fitness that they've never tried before.
3. It is a great way to develop a workout partnership. Like working out better with a friend? Get your loved one a gym membership and enjoy the benefits of partner training!
4. It is a great way to get over a workout plateau. A personal trainer may be just what your loved one needs to get re-motivated or work past their training plateau. A trainer will help them design a workout program that will help them efficiently reach their specific goals!

Desserts are the best part of the holidays

Dec 19, 2011 by Alan Smith - 0 comments

Desserts are the best part of the holidays so don't miss out! Try these healthy dessert recipes and indulge sensibly this holiday season!

http://www.delish.com/entertaining-ideas/holidays/christmas/healthy-dess...

Give the best gift of all...The gift of fitness!

Dec 19, 2011 by Alan Smith - 0 comments

BodyScapes is now offering gift certificates for membership, personal training and more!

Here are a few great reasons to give your friends and family the gift of fitness this year:

Start Setting Goals For The New Year NOW!

Dec 12, 2011 by Alan Smith - 0 comments

Here are some tips to help you set meaningful S.M.A.R.T. goals!

Create S.M.A.R.T. goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and
timely) by following these helpful tips.

Specific - A specific goal answers six "W" questions.

Who: Who is involved?
What: What do I want to accomplish?
Where: Location
When: Time frame
Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
Why: Specific reasons, purposes or benefits of accomplishing the goal.

Measurable - Establish concrete criteria to help you measure progress toward each of your goals.

To determine if your goal is measurable, ask yourself, "How much? How many?" and "How will I know when it is accomplished?"

Attainable - A goal should stretch you slightly but be something achievable.

You should be able to set up steps to make your goals come true. You should be able to develop the attitudes, abilities, skills and financial capacity to reach them.

Realistic - To be realistic, a goal must be something that you are both willing and able to work toward.

A goal can be realistic and high. A high goal actually is frequently easier to reach than a low one because it exerts a higher motivational force.

Have You Tried Tabata Training?

Dec 06, 2011 by Alan Smith - 0 comments

Tabata training is a form of high intensity interval training in which you perform an exercise for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of rest. You perform 8 of the intervals, which totals four minutes.

During each 20 second work interval, you should attempt to perform as many repetitions as possible.

Why you should try a high intensity interval training (HIIT) program like the Tabata method?

HIIT increases your resting metabolic rate for 24 hours following your workout, which can help increase the amount of fat you burn. Tabata training has actually been prove to be more effective at reducing fat than long aerobic workouts.

Tabata training may also improve maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) more effectively than doing only traditional, long aerobic workouts.

Recently it has been shown that two weeks of HIIT can substantially improve insulin action in young healthy men. HIIT may therefore represent a viable method for prevention of type-2 diabetes. More research is needed on this subject.

Do Not Let The Thanksgiving Break Derail All The Progress

Nov 29, 2011 by Alan Smith - 0 comments

Don't let the Thanksgiving break derail all the progress you've made toward reaching your fitness goals!

Get back on track this week by trying a Zumba class! Zumba is an easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, dance fitness program that will help you burn calories while having fun.

Zumba is great for people of all ages and fitness levels and is considered so fun that it has been called "exercise in disguise." The popularity of Zumba has surged over the past year making it one of the Top 10 fitness trends of 2012.

Check out why Zumba is one of the fastest growing fitness movements! Try a class today and start dancing toward a fitter you! Check your location's group fitness class schedule for Zumba class times.