Don't Know Where to Start? The 6 Best Types of Exercise for Newbies

Don't Know Where to Start? The 6 Best Types of Exercise for Newbies
Everyone has to start somewhere, right? If it's your first time taking your exercise program seriously, it can be tough to know where to begin.
Most of the fitness programs you find will be targeted towards people that already have a good deal of experience under their belt, or those that are in great shape. Programs like CrossFit are incredibly difficult for newbies, and may even lead to serious injuries. Even simple bodybuilding can be dangerous if done incorrectly.  read more

TOPFIT says: I really have no idea what they mean by "Olympic Bodybuilding".  Bodybuilding isn't an Olympic sport.

Need help making sense of the inaccuracies and inconsistencies in so many of the articles out there?  Contact me now, I can help!
www.topfitonline.com

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park Hike and Run
I got away from the crowds this afternoon and had a relaxing run and hike on the J-Ville Forest Park trails.  I was lucky again and had them all to myself.

~Feelin' Alive!~

6 Awesome Ways to Burn 400 Calories in One Hour

6 Awesome Ways to Burn 400 Calories in One Hour
Burning 400 calories in a single hour is an attainable goal for most able-bodied individuals. Of course we burn calories by breathing and performing normal daily activities, but there are a wide variety of exercises to suit any person's lifestyle and have fun at the same time. It does not require a significant investment in time or equipment. The following list are easy activities that you can perform on a daily basis to burn off at least 400 calories in one hour.  read more

TOPFIT says: They suggest incorporating barbells into your walk, but I'm not sure what they have in mind with that.
Also, remember that even though you might burn 400 calories in an hour doing these activities, you would have burned 50-100 calories even at rest, so your net  gain is less than 400.

Need help making sense of the inaccuracies and inconsistencies in so many of the articles out there?  Contact me now, I can help!  www.topfitonline.com

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Hike and Heavy Bag
After a day off from pretty much all activity yesterday, today I made time for a relaxed Lower Table Rock hike followed by a 30 min heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Exercise helps ease arthritis pain, stiffness

Exercise helps ease arthritis pain, stiffness
Exercise is crucial for people with arthritis — it increases strength and flexibility, reduces joint pain and helps combat fatigue.
Of course, when stiff and painful joints are already bogging you down, the thought of walking around the block or swimming a few laps might seem overwhelming.
As you consider starting an arthritis exercise program, understand what’s within your limits and what level of exercise is likely to give you results.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run
Although I had intended on also doing a high intensity calisthenic circuit workout, when all was said and done, the only thing I made time for was an Upper Table Rock run.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Age shouldn't keep you from exercise but inspire it

Age shouldn't keep you from exercise but inspire it
Do you think it's too late to start exercising? Are you thinking, "I'm too old to start something like jogging now?" Or, "Jogging or vigorous activity could cause me harm like bad knees or injury?"
These are many myths surrounding aging and exercise.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag
It turned out to be kind of a lazy day.  After finishing with client sessions, the only real activity I made time for was a 30 min heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

This past week has been moderately active with lots of yard work, washing the car and spending time with the grandkids, but I also made time for:

3 Table Rock runs
1 Table Rock hike
3 moderately heavy resistance training workouts
2 heavy bag workouts

Did you meet your health and fitness goals this past week?

~No Challenge, No Change~

Don’t Believe the Hype – 10 Persistent Cancer Myths Debunked

Don’t Believe the Hype – 10 Persistent Cancer Myths Debunked
Google ‘cancer’ and you’ll be faced with millions of web pages. And the number of YouTube videos you find if you look up ‘cancer cure’ is similarly vast.
The problem is that much of the information out there is at best inaccurate, or at worst dangerously misleading. There are plenty of evidence-based, easy to understand pages about cancer, but there are just as many, if not more, pages spreading myths.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Chinups and Pullups
I kind of took it easy today, but I still made time for a workout of weighted chinups, susp. pullups, susp. rear delt flyes, bodyweight pullups, and hanging scapular depression/retraction.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Here's Proof That Exercise Changes Everything

Here's Proof That Exercise Changes Everything
While most of us are probably aware of the powerful benefits of regular exercise, we're clearly not all convinced: Just about 20 percent of American adults over the age of 18 meet the government's recommended guidelines when it comes to physical activity, according to a CDC report.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Bench Press
After working in the morning and spending a few tiring hours with grandkids in the afternoon, I made time in the evening for a workout of BB bench presses, DB bench presses, DB flyes, and decline pushups.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Not Enough Sleep Ups Obesity Risk In Young Children

Not Enough Sleep Ups Obesity Risk In Young Children
Infants and young children who regularly get insufficient sleep may face a greater risk of obesity by age 7, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Hike
After finishing the day's sessions, I made time for a somewhat relaxing hike on Lower Table Rock.  There were surprisingly few people up there too, which made it all the more relaxing.

~Feelin' Alive!~

High Cholesterol May Delay Parenthood

High Cholesterol May Delay Parenthood
Couples with high cholesterol levels may have to wait longer to become parents, a new study finds.
When both the prospective mom and dad had high cholesterol levels, it took longer to conceive compared to those with lower cholesterol levels. The study also found the highest cholesterol levels among the couples who didn't achieve pregnancy during the year-long study.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run
In between a day filled with business and personal chores and errands, I made time for a fun run on Upper Table Rock.
So far, the week has been a bit light on heavy lifting, but hopefully I'll get to that in the next few days.

TOPFIT Personal Training & Fitness Education

~Feelin' Alive!~

Health Benefits of Exercise

Health Benefits of Exercise
Check out this infographic to learn about the wide range of health benefits you get from participating in regular physical activity:

(click pic for larger version)

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag and A Lot of Yard Work.....plus a clean car
I wasn't going to do a workout today since I had planned to do a bunch of yard work and wash my car, but I still had some energy left over so I spent 30 mins on the heavy bag.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Does Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance Actually Exist?

Does Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance Actually Exist?
Individuals with Celiac disease are intolerant to gluten. However, cutting out dietary gluten is also suggested to many suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is often associated with Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease. On top of that, many self diagnose themselves with gluten intolerance and claim a wide range of health benefits to a gluten-free diet. A recent study has shown that for those with non-Celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), the gluten itself might not be to blame for GI troubles. The study comes Peter Gibson of Monash University and the results were published in the journal Gastroenterology.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag and a Lower Table Rock Run
I got my day off to an early start with a 30 min heavy bag workout before my first session, and later I headed out to Lower Table Rock for a good run.

~Feelin' Alive!~

A Slacker’s Guide to Losing Weight Without Trying

A Slacker’s Guide to Losing Weight Without Trying
If the idea of counting calories or following a strict diet just makes you want to reach for a candy bar, then you'll love these expert-approved ways to drop pounds.
Meticulous meal planning. Counting every calorie you consume. Spending an entire weekend cooking healthy meals for the following week. Finding even more time to exercise. Sure, these weight-loss strategies work, but they can be awfully time consuming. Enter our slacker’s guide to weight loss. The following 16 no-effort tweaks can be applied to your current routine instantly.  read more

TOPFIT says: Instead of playing video games to distract yourself from thinking about food, do something active like going for a walk, or some other form of exercise.  Sedentary "activities" seem rather counter-productive to me.

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run and Deadlifts
I picked up the volume and intensity a bit today and spent some time running on Upper Table Rock, followed by about 30 mins of standard and sumo deadlifts.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

Sometimes you just need to really listen to your body and have a lighter week of activity....an active recovery week.  So, even though I still did something every day, I kept the volume and intensity down.  In addition to the usual ADLs, I made time for:

3 Table Rock hikes
1 Jacksonville Forest Park hike
1 BB & DB chest workout
1 bodyweight back workout
1 heavy bag workout

What did you do for your health and fitness this past week?

~No Challenge, No Change~

6 Not-so-healthy Health Foods

6 Not-so-healthy Health Foods
If you've been fooled into thinking that a food was healthy only to later learn that it isn't quite as good as you thought, then you’re not alone. We hear this same complaint from our clients all the time. Here, we share a few foods to look out for so that the wool doesn't get pulled over your eyes!  read more

TOPFIT says:  There is, however, a serious controversy surrounding quinoa.  If you're the type that likes to "think globally", do a Google search to learn more.

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Back Workout
I concluded my low volume and intensity week of training with a few hours of play time with the grandkids and a workout of chinups, susp. pullups, susp. rear delt flyes, and hanging scapular depression/retraction.
I'll hopefully spend next week working back up to the usual higher intensity and volume workouts.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Fitness linked to lower death risk in older men

Fitness linked to lower death risk in older men
No matter what age a man is, cardiovascular fitness may buy him more years of life, according to a new U.S. study of men over 70 with high blood pressure.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag
Still keeping things on the light side.  Other than general ADLs I only made time for a 30 minute heavy bag workout.  One more day of light activity and I should be ready to start hitting it hard again.

~Feelin' Alive!~

How Food Companies Court Nutrition Educators With Junk Food

How Food Companies Court Nutrition Educators With Junk Food
When hundreds of California nutritionists and dietitians gathered for their annual conference in April, their Friday lunch was a bacon ranch salad, chocolate chip cookies and a pink yogurt parfait, all courtesy of McDonald's.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Hike
In keeping with my lower volume and intensity week, I again avoided anything too strenuous.  But, I still needed some activity, so I spent some time hiking Lower Table Rock.  I even had a snake encounter.....just not a rattler :(

~Feelin' Alive!~

Frugal health and fitness tips for travelers

Frugal health and fitness tips for travelers
I'm all for enjoying travel to its fullest, but all the down time in cars and on planes and buses can throw even the most disciplined workout schedule into disarray. That's when attention to calories and consciously including more physical activity in your itinerary can really pay off in spades. Can't afford a higher-end hotel with a large fitness facility? No worries. You still have a variety of options at your disposal.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Chest Workout
I'm continuing a short period of lower volume and intensity in an effort to let my body recover from a few weeks of higher levels of activity.  In addition to some basic gardening chores, I made time for a moderate intensity workout of BB bench presses, DB flye/press supersets, and ring pushups.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Failing grades for physical activity

Failing grades for physical activity
It's probably no surprise that the majority of Americans are not active enough. Only about half of adults meet even the minimum recommendation for physical activity of 30 minutes per day, five days per week. Compounding this problem is the fact that many people spend much of their time at work and home being sedentary – some spend more than 12 hours per day sitting!
What may be surprising is that this is a problem for children, too. Less than half of children ages 6 to 11 are active for 60 minutes per day. Among teenagers, it is less than 10 percent! The health effects of too little activity in kids is similar to that of adults.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park Hike
From the Halls of Manzanita to the Shores of Jackson Creek........
Even though I didn't feel like a run today, I still felt the need to get out on the trail.  So, I spent a couple of hours hiking on the Jacksonville Forest Park trails.......Rail Trail > Ponderosa Snag > Rail > Ridge View > Cantrall Canyon > Granite > through the Halls of Manzanita > Naversen > Ridge View > Rail.  Quite a maze of trails going through everything from humid, heavy undergrowth down by the streams, to hot, dry and dusty up at the top of the Granite trail and through the Halls of Manzanita..

~Feelin' Alive!~

The Real Reason We're All Overweight

The Real Reason We're All Overweight 
Just think about America’s breakfast of choice for school-age children: Sugary cereal and a glass of orange juice. When they arrive at school, 50 percent of them will be served fast food for lunch. Sometimes it seems like we’d rather send our kids to the doctor, or even surgery, like one 400-pound boy in the film who ultimately signs up for gastric bypass surgery, than to provide proper meals for them at home and at school.  read more

TOPFIT says: Although the food companies do share in the blame, each and every person is still responsible for their food choices.  But we are, by and large, a society that needs to place the blame on others and not take responsibility for out actions.

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Hike
It was another low energy day, but I still needed to do something.  So, after taking care of morning sessions, I went to Upper Table Rock for a relaxed hike.

~Feelin' Alive!~

9 Habits Of People With A Healthy Relationship To Exercise

9 Habits Of People With A Healthy Relationship To Exercise
Much like the precarious line between thinking carefully about food and obsessing over it, exercise is also a highly beneficial component of a healthy lifestyle that can easily become problematic.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Hike
I wasn't feeling too energetic today, but really needed to be outside.  So I headed to Lower Table Rock for a moderately paced hike, and was joined by a large gopher snake....for my first snake sighting of the season (finally!).

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

Although the week was a little light in resistance training again, in additon to plenty of yard work and ADLs, I made time for:

3 Table Rock runs
1 Bandersnatch run/hike
1 chest workout
1 back workout
3 heavy bag workouts

What did you do this past week to give your body the activity it so badly craves?

~No Challenge, No Change~

Adults who follow exercise guidelines still gain weight

Adults who follow exercise guidelines still gain weight
For people who want to avoid packing on extra pounds, a new study suggests going above and beyond commonly cited exercise guidelines.
“Current recommendations of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 60 minutes of vigorous exercise per week might not be sufficient to prevent long-term weight gain,” lead researcher Trine Moholdt told Reuters Health in an email. “More is needed.”  read more

TOPFIT says: I always thought the official recommendations seemed too low.  Just more of the dumbing down of health and fitness to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Child's Play and Workin' Around the House and Yard
I took a break from any specific exercise activities, but I was far from sedentary today.  Three hours of active play with Mason, yard/garden work, and housekeeping chores kept me moving for most of the day.

~Feelin' Alive!~

AGING AMERICA: Exercise as the Fountain of Youth

AGING AMERICA: Exercise as the Fountain of Youth
Exercise may be the closest thing we have to a fountain of youth, one of the best ways to age happy and well.
"The mantra now is, exercise is a drug" — able, like some medications are, to prevent and treat a host of age-related ailments, said Dr. Andrea Cheville, a Mayo Clinic expert on exercise in the elderly.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Bandersnatch Run/Hike and Lots of Yard/Garden Work
After a morning session with a client, a friend and I ran and hiked on the Bandersnatch trail above Ashland.  Afterward, I spent some time helping with lots of heavy yard and garden work.

~Feelin' Alive!~

5 Exercises Every Runner Should Be Doing

5 Exercises Every Runner Should Be Doing
Spring has sprung and people are once again flocking outside to enjoy regular runs.
Just the other day a man came into my office looking for upper-body strength exercises. “My legs already get enough of a workout with my running,” he said. I was able to shed some light on the importance of overall strength training to improve his running alignment and efficiency, and to stabilize those joints that take a beating.
If pounding the pavement is part of your workout routine, don’t forget the importance of other exercises, not only to help you become a better runner, but to keep you injury free this season!  read more

  

 

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag
I took it a bit easier today and kept my activities fairly simple.  Other than the usual ADLs, I only made time for a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~