August 2010

Top 10 Fittest Cities According to ACSM Fitness Index

by Eartha

Do you live in one of the top 10 fittest cities? The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) Fitness Index is a report of the health and community fitness status of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S.

ACSM developed the program in 2007 to provide an evidence- and science-based measurement of the state of health and fitness at the community level throughout the U.S. Communities, organizations and individuals will be able to assess factors that contribute to health and fitness and measure the progress. [Source: americanfitnessindex.org]

Here are the top 10 fittest cities for 2010:

1. Washington, DC
2. Boston, MA
3. Minneapolis, MN
4. Seattle, WA
5. Portland, OR
6. Denver, CO
7. Sacramento, CA
8. San Francisco, CA
9. Hartford, CT
10. Austin, TX

You can view the entire list here.

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Can You Eat Healthy 6 Days for One Amazing Cheat Day a Week?

by Eartha

I try my best to eat healthy during the week but I'm not perfect. There are those folks who can eat healthy 7 days a week and not think twice. Then there are those of us who like our treats and sneak them in a little more often during the week than we should. Diets in general can be frustrating. This is why many people can't stick to them and also why you may hear the advice of make it a lifestyle change.

Honestly, I'm all about treats. I like my pizza, burgers, cookies, and ice cream. I'm not crazy enough to eat them on a regular basis but I don't want to give them up either. Many people allow themselves a cheat day and I have read pros and cons about having one full cheat day.

Pro - Having a Cheat Day Boosts Metabolism

I have read this more than once that taking one full cheat day per week can actually boost metabolism. The reason being that when we eat healthy the other 6 days of the week, our leptin levels lower and cause our metabolism to slow as well as increasing our appetites. However, if we plan for a cheat day, the high-carbs and high-fat will cause our leptin to spike which in turn boosts the metabolism.

The other benefit to having such a cheat day each week is so you don't drive yourself nuts from not being able to indulge in your favorite foods. The idea being that after you've eaten all of your favorite junk at the end of the week, you won't be tempted to eat it for the rest of the week when you're eating healthy.

Con - Having a Cheat Day Ruins All of Your Progress

I've also read that having a cheat day at the end of the week will NOT boost metabolism and in fact ruin all of your progress. Think about all of your hard work eating right to lose one pound (about 3,500 calories) and then you take a full day to eat anything and everything you can get your hands on which can add up to 4,000 calories or more!

The other downside is that you end up depending more and more on that one day each week to gorge yourself on junk. It becomes less about living a healthy lifestyle and more about doing what is necessary to eat junk food one day a week. You're never really learning how to enjoy healthy food.

A Better Option?

I have yet to try a full cheat day. I am more of the type to eat healthy as much as I can and have a treat here and there. Another option is to consider having a cheat meal as opposed to a cheat day. The cheat meal can also be saved for the end of the week. It still gives you the satisfaction of indulging in your favorite food without having scarfed down an insane amount of calories.

What do you think about having an entire cheat day?

On a side note, I do recommend my favorite shake that helps me control all of those pesky junk food cravings during the week (particularly for chocolate!)

Resources:
www.topfatlosstrainer.com
www.naturalphysiques.com

Eat This Not That! 2010: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution

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Are You in the Marjority and Dehydrated?

by Guest Blogger

This is a guest post by Cathi Reyes.

Did you know most of us are walking around dehydrated? Do you know the symptoms of dehydration? Why is drinking water so important before, during, and after your workout? Well, with a little online research you can find all these answers and more. Due to our lifestyle and eating habits most of us are walking around dehydrated. But with a little effort we can recognize dehydration symptoms and keep hydrated throughout each day. Drinking water, staying hydrated is so important in that each and every chemical reaction in our body requires water.

For our body to function at it's best we must stay hydrated. Have you ever felt thirsty while your exercising or just simply performing your daily tasks? Well, don't ignore this critical body signal or you may experience the following; fatigue, muscle soreness, anxiety, cravings, cramps, and/or headaches. Dehydration has stages and can progress to worse symptoms like; heartburn, joint and back pain, chest pain, Migraines, and/or constipation. In the worst cases dehydration can lead to serious illness.

So what is the recommended amount of water intake daily? A good rule is to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces every day. For example if you weigh 120 lbs., you would drink about 60 oz. of water per day. However the key to proper hydration is how much water you drink at once and how often. In the article I've found the most information in, it suggests drinking in divided doses of 2-4 oz. every 20-30 minutes. I know firsthand how difficult it can be to stay hydrated with our hectic and busy lifestyles. I personally would find myself running to the gym and forgetting my water, stuck in a meeting or traffic without my water, etc. So I developed a product that helps me stay on track.

My product is called the Aquabag and it's an insulated bottle carrying bag that functions like a purse. The Aquabag carries your water wherever you go and also includes a built in wallet and side pouches for your cell phone or any other essentials you may need. It's an excellent bag to have for the gym as it easily goes from station to station. Also great for those long hikes, trips and travel, or basically anytime you need to carry your water with you.

So I hope this helps you stay hydrated during your workouts and keep on track to help your body perform at it's best by drinking water in regular intervals throughout the day!

For more information on this subject and more details into dehydration, the following article is where I found most the information I quoted: www.naturalpathhealthcenter.com

About the Author: Cathi Reyes is the creator of the Aquabag water bottle bag/purse that makes it easier to carry a bottle and keep it insulated! Her goal is to be able to give back to Children's Hospitals and children's charities that are close to her heart and gave Cathi a second chance at life at a very young age.

If interested in purchasing an Aquabag, please visit, www.myaquabag.com.

They are $29.99 online, but for TryingFitness.com readers there is a 25% off coupon code. Just enter AQUAFIT9 during checkout! I'll even sweeten the deal and if you forward this deal onto a friend who registers and wants to purchase, email me though the contact page and I'll forward you a coupon code for an additional $5 off.

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Hey Personal Trainer – You’re Fired!

by Eartha

I have never hired a personal trainer before but I have had friends who have, I've met plenty of them, and even have a family member who is one. All of the fitness trainers I've met were very knowledgeable. I think having one can be great for motivation but is it worth it to continue paying them if you are not getting results?

I had one friend of mine who used two personal trainers. She didn't get the results she wanted from either. One trainer was great with teaching her about a healthy diet but never really got around to getting her to exercise and the other got her to exercise but didn't really teach her anything about nutrition. Wouldn't you agree that when you hire a fitness professional and discuss your overall goals, it is their job to help you reach those goals in the best way possible?

I agree that the client must do their part also. No training or nutrition program is going to work if you slack off when your trainer isn't around watching you. However, I think there are ways that a personal trainer can keep you on track, particularly with eating. One trainer I knew of would make his clients carry around a food journal and log everything they ate for each meal. He would then go over it at every workout session. Since diet determines at least 85% of your results, that is a simple and smart thing to do to help the client.

When is it Time to Fire Your Personal Trainer?

You are paying a professional fitness trainer for results. Almost anyone can become a certified personal trainer but whether or not they can deliver is another question. Below are some things to consider if you feel you're not getting results:

Your trainer isn't helping you with nutrition.
You seem to be chit-chatting more than working out.
You don't feel accountable to your trainer for workouts and diet.
Your trainer doesn't set goals with you or track your progress.
You've spent months with your trainer and you have nothing to show for it.

Some people need the guidance and motivation of a good CPT. However, you shouldn't be wasting your time and money on someone who isn't getting you the results you're paying for.

Have you ever had to fire a personal trainer? If so, why?

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Kyle Maynard’s A Fighting Chance Documentary

by Eartha

I've written about Kyle Maynard in a previous post because he symbolizes what it means to end all excuses for reaching your goals. If you're not familiar with Kyle's story, he is a congenital amputee and has managed to reach just about every goal he has put his mind to.

There is a new documentary titled, A Fighting Chance, that has been released on Kyle which follows his journey on the road to fighting in a MMA cage fight, one of his biggest dreams. In it, you learn more about how Kyle has to deal with various obstacles and how he breaks through them to make his dream come true.

Although he receives a lot of criticism for some of the things he does, he is still a very inspiring individual and proves that the only thing stopping you from reaching your own dreams is you.

photo credit: Alex Europa