Archive for the ‘fitness’ Category

just starting an exercise program

Saturday, June 2nd, 2012

There are several things to consider before starting an exercise program.  First and foremost is to check in with your doctor to understand if there are any limits or suggestions in starting an exercise program.  Once you are cleared by your doctor to participate in an exercise program, you should plan a program that is varied and includes: cardiovascular training (aerobic activity), resistance training (lifting), and flexibility work.  What you do will depend on your fitness level.  Some general rules of thumb are:

to vary your aerobic or cardio training with some workouts to include varied paces while other workouts should consist of even moderate paces.

resistance training or weight lifting should include different exercises to work different muscle groups; typically, muscle groups should not be worked on consecutive days.

stretching should be done after the body is warm; pre and post workouts are the most common times to stretch.

A great list of resources for beginners can be found at: exrx and  Mayo Clinic 5 steps to fitness.  Don’t want to do the work to set up a program, send me an email.  I would be glad to work with you to set-up a program.

Mike

Michael Ward Fitness Consulting

Friday, May 25th, 2012

Friends,

Since learning that my blood sugar was high (close to being diabetic) in 1997, I have worked at balancing diet and fitness to keep my blood sugar lower.  I started by taking some rudimentary steps towards better nutrition- eliminate the vanila coke and Hostess King Dongs as breakfast for something more nutritious.  I’ve significantly advanced my diet and exercise program since that time.  

About a year ago I became a certified personal trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine. I’ve been teaching spin classes for a little over three years.  I’m working to round out my fitness work with a few small group personal training classes and working with a small number of clients.  My hope is to help a few motivated clients build scientifically based fitness plans to improve their daily lives.   This blog is for individuals who are interested in fitness topics.   I plan to bring different topics to our discussion each week.  I welcome comments and thoughts via post.

Mike

BEFORE STARTING ANY NEW EXERCISE PLAN, YOU SHOULD CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR.

Question… about fitness matters… fuel for long runs?

Monday, May 21st, 2012

Roland Thorpe asks: “When running a half marathon and during my long training runs when should I refuel? ”  Thanks for your question and I hope the runner’s workout we did is helpful in preventing injuries.  Ok, so to determine when you need to refuel you will need to monitor your long runs closely.  If you know about an hour fifteen minutes into your run you start feeling depleted, you should refuel at least 10 minutes or so prior to when you typically deplete.  This will prevent you from depleting your energy source and needing time to digest the fuel.  Use a few long training runs to figure out the best time for you.  What fuel is best?  That’s a personal preference … some people like Gu ; I’m not fond of the taste. I’ll use either a gummy bears or Sport Beans by Jelly Belly.   In general, an easily digestible carbohydrate, is the best fuel for a long run.