Zenergy News
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Zenergy News: Beat the Heat
Zenergy News: Beat the Heat: Beat the Heat Even in a summer paradise such as Sun Valley, recognizing fatigue is important. In the high-desert cli...
Beat the Heat
Beat the Heat
Even in a summer paradise such as
Sun Valley, recognizing fatigue is important. In the high-desert climes of south-central
Idaho, fatigue can be a result of hard-hitting playtime, heat exhaustion and
dehydration—especially. Mental and physical fatigue can be connected. When
mentally fatigued, decision-making, perception, critical thinking, judgment and
problem solving can be compromised.
When physically fatigued, your
immunity can be at risk subjecting you to nasty summer colds and flu and
straining and pulling muscles. Paying attention to reoccurring headaches,
muscle weakness, low motivation and, even, irritability can be a symptom of
fatigue.
Exercising and spending more time
outdoors in the summer can leave you sweaty, hot and thirsty. And while
it’s best not to wait till you actually feel that thirst to grab a drink,
going back to the same water bottle can be a bit uninspiring according
to Dr. Joseph
Cilona, a licensed clinical psychologist, personal coach, author and
nationally recognized psychology expert based in Manhattan.
“As a healthy eating dietitian, I
probably shouldn’t say this, but water can get boring,” said Desiree Nielsen, a
registered dietitian in Vancouver, B.C. “You need to figure out ways to jazz it
up.”
She added there are easy ways
to make plain old water more appealing.
“It can be as simple as infusing
water in the fridge with your favorite fruit, or even veggies,” Nielsen
explained. “I find cucumber water incredibly refreshing and just that little
bit of taste … really changes the way it hits your palate and [it] becomes far
more enjoyable to drink a lot of it.”
Here are 4 tips to keep you
hydrated in the heat:
1. Balance out the
dehydrating beverages with extra water.
2. Choose fruits
and vegetables with high water content.
3. Drink some
coconut water.
4. Make yourself a
custom blend of iced herbal tea with lots of ice.
If you get too thirsty, your body
may misinterpret signs of thirst for being hungry, which will prompt you
to eat, but if you’re not eating the right things, you won’t quench
that thirst and you can also become quite fatigued.
“People forget that fruits and
vegetables are a wonderful source of hydration,” Nielsen said. “Particularly
melons, something like watermelon is 90 percent water. So by gravitating
towards all those local sources of fruits and vegetables we have all summer
long, you’re making food choices that will also contribute to your hydration.”
Nielsen said you can do simple
things like blend watermelon and serve it as a drink. Or if you’re trying
to keep kids hydrated, serve them a homemade dessert.
“They love eating ice pops to cool
down,” she said. “You can take pureed fruit and blend them into ice pops. It’s
another great way to hydrate but it feels like a treat for your kids.”
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Cardio or Strength: Which Do You Need?
Do you want to lose weight, sculpt and tone your body,
relieve stress, build stamina, or all of the above? Your goals will determine
the best course of action. Put simply, both strength training and
cardiovascular exercise offer benefits. Here’s the breakdown:
Strength Training
·
Weight
lifting torches calories. While popular belief once held that cardio
exercise was the way to burn calories, new research indicates that strength
training burns more calories than once believed. Furthermore, strength training
creates a metabolic spike, so your body continues to burn calories even after
you’re done—in fact, a University of Wisconsin study found that metabolism was
elevated for 39 hours after lifting weights. What’s more, a greater percentage
of calories are burned from fat during this time.
·
Stay
lean. For every three pounds of muscle you build, you’ll burn an extra 120
calories a day—just doing nothing. It’s a fact. Muscle takes more energy to
sustain, so by building muscle, you’re eliminating fat and trimming your
physique. Put simply—if you want to look better naked, lift weights.
·
Promote
functional strength and health. Functional strength training incorporates
balance, strength, and agility. This regimen promotes balance and health and
can prevent injuries. In contrast, the repetitive nature of some cardiovascular
exercise can cause strain and injury if it’s not supplemented with strength
training.
Cardiovascular
Exercise
·
Relieve
stress. Cardiovascular exercise releases endorphins and elevates serotonin
levels in the brain, which helps alleviate depression and relieve stress. In
fact, just 15 minutes of cardio several times a week can significantly reduce
anxiety.
·
Build
stamina. Cardiovascular exercise helps build stamina and reduce fatigue.
·
Improve
immune system. Cardiovascular exercise has been shown to activate the
immune system and fight off infection. People who do regular cardio exercise
are less susceptible to colds and flu.
·
Prolong
life. Regular cardio exercise has been shown to prolong life. Aerobic
exercise promotes oxygen delivery to the muscles and improves heart health. A
stronger heart pumps more blood with each beat. Cardio exercise has been shown
to prevent inflammation, raise good cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of obesity, heart
disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke, and even certain
types of cancer.
·
Burn
calories. Though cardio exercise doesn’t burn calories on the level of
strength training, it still offers plenty of benefit.
The bottom line—both cardio and strength training offer
numerous benefits and both will leave you feeling great. The best exercise
regimens probably incorporate both types of exercise for overall fitness and
health. That said, if you have only 30 minutes to spare and you’re trying to
decide how to spend them, consider what you need at the moment. Are you feeling
stressed and anxious? Then go for the cardio. But, if you just need a good
workout, a lot of new research indicates that the strength training will offer
more benefit in terms of burning calories and reducing fat.
Whatever you choose, remember to have fun!
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Stand Up for a Strong Core
Why Vertical Works
The core muscles are critical for standing upright,
maintaining proper posture, and moving the body in different planes of motion.
We use our abdominal muscles when we move, whether we’re striding up a steep
hill or bending over to pick up a heavy object.
Because we recruit and engage our core muscles when we’re
standing and moving, it makes sense to work them under the same circumstances.
Vertical core exercises move the body in multiple planes, thereby training the
core in the way that we most often use it—while standing.
Vertical core exercises are “functional” movements that
simulate real-life situations. In our everyday movements, we rarely use a
muscle in isolation, so it doesn’t make sense to train our muscles with
isolated movements such as crunches.
Get Vertical
Vertical core exercises don’t have to be complicated to be
effective. Learn to use gravity, resistance, and mobility to train your core to
be strong and functional. Start with a few basic moves and you’ll be on your
way to a strong core. Here are a few exercises to get you started:
- Wood Chops: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a medicine ball between your hands. Slowly raise the ball over one shoulder and then bend your knees and lower the ball toward your opposite foot (to simulate the motion of swinging an axe).
- Toe Taps: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms extended out to the side. Keeping your legs and arms straight, bring your right hand to your left foot and then return to center. Then bring your left hand to your right foot and return to center. Continue alternating sides as you draw your abdominals in toward your navel.
- Reverse Lunge and Press: Hold lightweight dumbbells in each hand and stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Step backward with your right foot as you press your right arm overhead. As you step forward to the starting position, switch arms and complete an overhead press with the left arm. Alternate lunging and pressing overhead. Variation: Instead of pressing the arm overhead, reach it across your body diagonally to engage the oblique muscles.
This is only a small sample of vertical core exercises you
can try. There is a huge variety of standing exercises that will engage your
core—including plyometric jumping, hanging knee raises, leaping, bounding,
throwing, twisting, and even incorporating balance tools such as the BOSU ball.
Get creative. Ask a trainer for help if you need it.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Dance Your Way to Fitness
If you want to work up a serious sweat, shed some pounds,
and have fun while doing it—ditch the treadmill and shake that moneymaker.
That’s right—dance your way to fitness.
If that sounds too good to be true, you clearly haven’t
tried a Zumba® class yet. Zumba is the exercise class turned dance party that’s
as addictive (and effective) as it is fun. The Latin-inspired cardio-dance class
blends upbeat world rhythms with easy-to-follow choreography for a total-body
workout that feels more like a party. Although Zumba’s roots are in Latin
American music and moves, you can expect to see everything from jazz to African
beats, country, hip hop, and pop.
But I can’t dance, you say. Nonsense! You don’t have to be a
good dancer to enjoy Zumba—you just have to be ready for a fun workout. Zumba
is for everyone. People of all ages, shapes, sizes, and skill levels attend
class. If you like fun music and you enjoy shaking your booty (and who
doesn’t?), then Zumba is for you. Men, that means you, too!
What to Expect from a
Zumba Class
Most Zumba classes are an hour long. They begin with a
dynamic warm-up and end with a cool down and some static stretching. The
workout portion is broken down by song, each with a different dance routine. Common
moves in class are mambas, V-steps with exaggerated hips, cha-cha-chas and side
touches.
Expect to learn as you go—and even flub a few steps in the
beginning. You’ll learn through repetition and example and it doesn’t matter if
you “get it” the first time. The whole idea is to have fun and keep moving. If
you’re like the nearly six million Zumba followers on Facebook, you’ll be
hooked.
Fun Fitness
Zumba is one of the highest energy workouts out there—and
perhaps the most fun. In fact, during Zumba class, it doesn’t even feel like
you’re working out at all because you’re so caught up in the music and the
moves. Before you know it, a whole hour has passed and you’re dripping with
sweat and have a huge smile on your face.
Zoom Your Way to
Zumba
Ready to try it? All you need is a positive attitude and a
sense of fun. Come dressed in comfortable clothing that is breathable and easy
to move in. Wear shoes that support dance movement—think side-to-side movements
and pivots. Examples of appropriate shoes include cross trainers, dance sneakers,
or even running shoes with a worn out tread. Bring a water bottle and a towel
and come ready to sweat!
Ready to try Zumba?
Join us on Mondays 8:10 a.m. and Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m.
All it takes is one class and you’ll be hooked!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Swim Your Way to Fitness
If you’re looking for a refreshing, fun way to get and stay
fit, hop into one of the Zenergy pools. With our indoor and outdoor year-round heated saltwater pools, it’s always a good time for a swim.
Swimming Is Great
Exercise
Swimming is an excellent form of aerobic exercise that’s
easy on the joints and full of splashy fun. Swimming is considered a whole-body
form of exercise because it recruits all of the major muscle groups, including
the shoulders, back, abdominal muscles, legs, hips, and gluteal muscles. It is
an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise, but many consider it a form of
strength exercise too because the water provides 12 times more resistance than
air. In other words, each time you pull your arm through the water, you’re
working 12 times harder than you would be out of the pool.
Swimming Is Easy on
the Body
Swimming is easy on the joints because the water provides
buoyancy—in fact, when you’re completely immersed in the water up to your neck,
your body only bears 10 percent of its weight. This makes it a wonderful form
of low-impact exercise for people with:
·
Injuries
·
Arthritis
·
Extra weight
·
Or, women who are pregnant
Swimming can help increase range of motion and relieve joint
pain and swelling. Furthermore, swimming is an ideal form of exercise for
people with exercise-induced asthma because it results in less irritation to
the airways.
Building Fitness with
Swimming
Swimming at a moderate pace for 30 minutes will burn about 250-350
calories, the equivalent of a one-hour brisk walk. Swimming is also great for
toning because the water provides multi-directional resistance.
If you want to add swimming to your fitness regimen, it’s
easy to get started. All you need is a comfortable swimsuit, a pair of goggles,
and a swim cap—and some motivation.
Here are some pointers:
·
Ease into
it: Swimming is surprisingly aerobic. Start with small goals and build from
there.
·
Pay
attention to technique: Technique matters in swimming. Making improvements
in your form will make you a more efficient swimmer, which will enable you to
swim farther and faster. If you’re looking for coaching, Zenergy offers private
lessons, as well as ten masters swim classes per week.
·
Add
variety: Perhaps the biggest complaint about swimming is the inevitable
sense of boredom that comes with swimming lap after lap. Add variety to your
routine by changing strokes; using kickboards, pull-buoys, fins, or hand
paddles; or varying your workout plan.
·
Swim with
a friend or group: Face it—any exercise is more fun with the motivation
factor of a partner or group. If you need a group, Zenergy has you covered! Zen
Masters is a complete Masters program for adult members. There are 10 workout
sessions per week to choose from. Each workout is coached on deck and geared
towards every level of swimming from beginner master to the most experienced
racer. Whether your goal is stroke improvement or competition, there is a place
for you in this program—and best of all, it’s included in your membership. Want
to learn more? Contact Karen Morrison at (208) 720-6362.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Calorie Busters
Exercise is important for a variety of reasons—it can
minimize stress, promote cardiovascular health, strengthen the immune system,
build strong bones, and help you feel energized. Of course, there is another
benefit to fitness—maintaining a healthy weight.
But a little exercise doesn’t guarantee weight loss. It’s
all about creating a calorie deficit. In order to lose weight, you need to burn
more calories than you consume. Believe it or not, more exercise does not
always equal more weight loss. If weight loss is your goal, it’s important to
find the right type of exercise—the kind that blasts calories.
High-Intensity
Workouts
High-intensity workouts are challenging. They elevate your
heart rate and make you sweat. They also burn a lot more calories than a lower
intensity workout.
High-intensity training is not an everyday activity because
the body needs time to recover; however, most of us don’t use high-intensity
training enough. It’s easy to fall into a low-intensity fitness rut and
suddenly realize that we’re going for the same, slow jog day after day. That jog
will lift your spirits and keep your heart healthy, but it won’t do a lot to
create a calorie deficit.
If you want to shed unwanted pounds, consider adding one or
two high-intensity workouts to your weekly exercise regimen. Here are a few
ways to blast those calories:
High Intensity
Interval Training (HIIT): If you really want to ramp up the intensity and
blast the calories, then give HIIT a try. Yvette offers a HIIT clinic every
month. Expect strength conditioning, cardio intervals, plyometric exercises,
compound exercises and much more. You’ll have fun, blast calories, and get
lean!
Boot Camp: Yes,
boot camp is as challenging as it sounds—which is great news for creating a
calorie deficit. Join Eric for boot camp and you’ll experience a high-intensity
workout packed with push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, agility drills, running,
jumping, kettlebells, and more.
Zumba: Who said
fitness needs to be boring? Join Casey on Monday and Wednesday mornings for an
hour of action-packed Latin dance moves that will have you sweating and
grooving to the rhythm. Zumba incorporates interval training, resistance moves,
and dance for a fun and challenging workout. Expect to burn about 500 calories
as you let the rhythm move you.
Jump rope: No
time for a class or a clinic? Channel your playground days. Remember how much
fun you had jumping rope during recess? Little did you know back then that it
was a calorie blaster. Have you picked up a jump rope lately? You may be
surprised at how challenging it is. Jumping rope burns about 780 calories an
hour—that’s 130 calories in just ten minutes. So grab a rope and start jumping—maybe
between sets in the weight room. You’ll burn a massive amount of calories.
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