Water As a Diet Aid?

In addition to the many benefits of staying hydrated, drinking water is especially important when trying to lose weight.

• Water helps eliminate waste from your body.
• Water has no extra calories or artificial sweeteners.
• Water can help you feel full faster. Try drinking a glass of water before eating a meal to help signal your feelings of fullness and curb your eating.
• It’s easy to mistake thirst and hunger. Sometimes we know our body is signaling that it needs something, and we automatically go for food, when it may actually be hydration or sleep that the body needs. Try drinking a large glass of water before going for that extra snack.

Internet Academy Showcase Carone Fitness Courses

The Internet Academy explains the advantages of Online PE. They offer several Carone Fitness courses including Fitness Fundamentals I, Strength Training, and Intro to Group Sports.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVeu6wKaV8U

GettingSmart.com Feature

More than one in three American children are currently overweight or obese. These astounding statistics have been screaming the need for change for many years now. Online learning has provided solutions in academic arenas, but can it help our children’s health as well. Let’s enter the online world of physical education .… Read more about the benefits and logistics of online PE at GettingSmart.com http://gettingsmart.com/blog/2012/01/online-pe-not-just-a-virtual-workout/

Holiday Gift Ideas

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”—Confucius

The American Council on Exercise is helping you give the first step of a fitness journey to your loved ones. Visit http://www.acefitness.org/holiday/default.aspx for FREE fitness coupon books to give to your family, significant other, coworkers, or even yourself!

Fitness Trends for 2012

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) conducts a yearly survey in order to predict fitness trends for the New Year. A fitness trend is “a general development or change in a situation or in the way that people are behaving” (http://dictionary.cambridge.org); whereas, a fitness fad is “a fashion that is taken up with great enthusiasm for a brief period” (http://dictionary.reference.com). Some of the fitness trends for 2011 such as Pilates, stability ball, and balance training did not make the 2012 list; therefore, what was thought to be a fitness trend may have actually been a fad.

Top 20 Fitness Trends for 2012

1. Educated, certified, and experienced fitness professionals

2. Strength training

3. Fitness programs for older adults

4. Exercise and weight loss

5. Children and obesity

6. Personal training

7. Core training

8. Group personal training

9. Zumba and other dance workouts

10. Functional fitness

11. Yoga

12. Comprehensive health promotion programming at the worksite

13. Boot camp

14. Outdoor activities

15. Reaching new markets

16. Spinning (indoor cycling)

17. Sport-specific training

18. Worker incentive programs

19. Wellness coaching

20. Physician referrals

Simplify Your Workouts

The holidays are now in full swing! As the weather turns cold and the holidays keep us busy, it is easy to forgo your workout. However, instead of stopping your exercise routine, simplify it. This will help you to maintain the benefits you have been working so hard to achieve, and will make it easier to return to your full workout plan.

To simplify your cardio workouts try shortening the length of the workout, but increase your intensity. For example, rather than going for a 5 mile run try doing a three mile run with hills or a two mile run at a faster pace.

To simplify your strength workouts find simple exercises you can do at home. Choose a few of your favorite exercises that you can do without even leaving the house. Need some ideas?

Try watching this ACE-sponsored video: http://www.acefitness.org/blog/2035/what-are-some-pilates-inspired-exercises-that-will/?utm_source=Health%2BeTips&utm_medium=email&utm_term=November%2B2011%2BR&utm_campaign=Consumer%2BOutreach&CMP=EMC-HET_1111R

Improving Your Fitness Plan

Sticking to your fitness goals can be tricky during the holidays. However, results from a new study may be just want you need to help you stay on track. Researchers at the University of Pittsburg discovered that individuals who closely monitor their exercise performance and receive real-time feedback were more successful at reaching their fitness goals and adhering to their exercise programs. Feedback during your exercise program could include monitoring your heart rate, calories burned, distance travelled, or steps taken.

You can use instruments such as a heart rate monitor, physical activity monitor, pedometer, or even one of the many apps on your phone. Then feedback regarding your exercise session can either motivate you to continue to work hard or encourage you to work harder next time.

For more information about this research visit: http://www.healthymagination.com/blog/feedback-during-exercise-can-improve-results/