Getting Summer Ready

Depending on when this is being read, there are 53 days left until the official first day of summer (Check HERE for a current count). That means the kids are just about out of school and we’re running out of time get those incredible toned arms and six-pack abs before the bathing suits come out J.  Don’t worry though, we’ve got it covered.

First things first, what to do with the kids?  That’s easy… there’s always something for the kids at the Rec Center.   Swimming, skateboarding, and basketball are just a few things the kids can do at the Rec. If you’re looking for some educational and artistic activities then check out the Claremore Community Center. If the 2014 summer camp schedule is anything like last year’s then get the kids ready for some art, music, sculpture, science, and acting classes.

Now, about those arms and abs…toned arms and ripped abs are great, but feeling good and being in good overall health is far more important. So, before going all out, be sure to talk with a doctor. Diet is a key factor in getting and staying in shape. Remember: “In garbage, out garbage”, meaning that if we only put junk food in, all we’re going to get out is junk.   Get those veggies and fruits and stay away from the sweets. When it comes to the workout don’t be afraid to start small. Simple body weight push-ups can help tone those triceps while a few chin-ups can beef up those biceps. Think about it, if we do 40 push-ups per day from now through the first day of summer, we could hit 2120 of them by June 21. If we did 20 chin-ups every day until June 21 then we could do 1060 in time for summer. Don’t forget that cardio. If we jog a mile a day that’s 53 miles by the beginning of summer. It seems like a lot, but breaking it up into daily workable sections makes it much less daunting. There’s certainly more than just pushups, chin-ups, and cardio to think about. Talk to one of the trainers at the Rec to get on the right track.

Get those kids activities planned now and spend the rest of that time figuring out how you’re going to reach those physical health goals.

So, what are we waiting on? Let’s do this!

If there’s any topics or questions you think we should talk more about, let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

Technologically Fit

     There are apps and accessories for just about everything imaginable. It only makes sense that we’d find a few…by a few we mean a ton… things to pump up our fitness experience (pun intended).  For today’s blog we’re going to take a peek at a few bits of technology and an app or two that can enhance how we work our bodies.

     

     The first personal fitness device we’ll look at is the wearable tracker. There’s a variety of these gadgets out there, from wristbands to clip-on units. So how do we pick one that’s right for us? It all depends on what we want to keep track of. For some people, a simple pedometer will work just fine. Pedometers range in price from a couple dollars to $50 depending on what kind of functionality we want. They all count the number of steps taken over a period of time and some will even calculate the number of calories burned.  If we want to get a little more advanced, we could always go for the activity tracker.

     

     An activity tracker will also cover steps and calories, but some can also track sleep patterns, heart rate, and other vital signs to be uploaded to an application for a broader look at how we work our bodies. Two of the more popular activity tracker brands are Fitbit and Nike. They range in price from $50 to around $180.

    

     Now, let’s talk about those apps. There’s one for virtually every kind of workout. If we feel like Zumba, there’s a Zumba app. If we want to go full-on Rich Froning (Reebok’s “Fittest Man on Earth”), there’s plenty of Crossfit apps. The best bet for finding an app that works for us is to read the reviews and try a few out. Some of the better reviewed apps, such as XLog, provide a list of exercises with examples, built in timers, and the ability to log our results. These simple pieces of software can help us stay on track in the gym and with our health.

     

     If you’re a regular at the Rec Center then you probably noticed ALL OF THE NEW EQUIPMENT that went in several months back. You probably also noticed those funky looking QR codes on each new machine. Guess what…there’s an app that can make all of those codes a functional part of our workouts. LF Connect is an app for both iOS and Android devices that can scan the codes and display information about how to use each machine. It can also be used to connect to certain Life Fitness brand treadmills, bikes, and elliptical machines to track our overall progress towards our fitness goals.

     

     No matter what device s or application we use, the common theme in all of them is the ability to track what we do. Tracking every step or calorie may seem a bit tedious, but when we look back at what we've done it should make it a lot easier to see which way we need to go to reach our goals. Hopefully, that means we are that much closer to living a healthy lifestyle.

     As always, we encourage everyone to meet with their physician before trying any new or intense exercise and to meet with a personal trainer at the Rec Center to find a program that works for them.

So, what are we waiting on? Let’s do this!

    

     If there’s any topics or questions you think we should talk more about, let us know on Facebook or Twitter. 

Don’t let it Rain on Our Parade

The first good rain of 2014

No doubt, nothing beats a light jog in the fresh air and sunshine or getting a few extra steps in on the Claremore Lake trail. Oh wait…it’s raining! Sure, we can brave the wetness and soak ourselves from the shoes up, but why not take our game inside and save all the trouble? Even better, let’s look at our rainy day dilemma as an opportunity to try out some new things.  

                We could always start by trading wet shoes outside for a swim suit inside. Aside from being fun, swimming is very low-impact and easy on the joints…a great way to breakup those high intensity/high impact workouts. Since swimming involves moving the whole body against considerable water resistance, it’s also a good way to increase muscle strength and tone. A half-hour of swimming laps at the Rec Center can burn between 200 and 300 calories.

How about cycling? At the right level of intensity the average person can burn between 400 and 600 calories in a single 40-minute class. It’s also a great way to strengthen legs and abs….not to mention we might meet a few new friends.

While we’re talking about making friends, let’s hit the court. Aside from improving our game, basketball’s also been shown to improve physical endurance, coordination, and social skills. Not to mention, a little 5-on-5 for 30-minutes can burn around 300 calories or more.  

Just because it’s raining outside doesn’t mean we can’t get a workout in. Why not take a chance on some things we either haven’t ever done or haven’t done in a while? It’s great to have a basic workout to follow, but taking the opportunity to make the most of a rainy day might just help us better our overall fitness level.  Trying new exercises and activities could help us locate areas that we need to improve on and help us develop new skills.

As always, we encourage everyone to meet with their physician before trying any new or intense exercise and to meet with a personal trainer at the Rec Center to find a program that works for them.

So, what are we waiting on? Let’s do this!

If there’s any topics or questions you think we should talk more about, let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

Life and Fitness: What a Balancing Act!

Spring is finally here…and with it comes more sun, family fun, home projects to complete, and all sorts of other crazy things that we just don’t see coming. The big question here is, “How do we schedule all that stuff and still find time to stay in shape?” The answer may be as easy as making some simple, but important, changes.

First, what are the most important things in our lives? Hint, one of them should be ourselves. Plenty of experts, including good ol’ Dr. Phil, agree that finding balance in life relies on making our own physical and mental health a priority. Basically, to function at our best, we need to be at our best. Think about it, how can we take care of others later on if we can’t keep ourselves healthy now?

Second, we have to find time for ourselves. It may seem impossible, but somewhere in that hectic lifestyle is at least a few hours a week for a little exercise. Time management expert Laura Vanderkam says that often times we lie to ourselves about how much time we use effectively in our lives. Admit it, we’ve all tried to one-up someone about how little sleep we’re really getting or how many hours we spent driving the family to and from soccer practice. Vanderkam suggests logging our time for a week and finding out where the gaps are. Those gaps can add up to some valuable “me” time at the Rec Center.

Third, what’s our long term goals? Are we trying to keep those six-pack abs or just trying to find a way to maintain overall health? Setting long-term goals with reachable short-term objectives is one of the keys to succeeding here. If not sure, we can always start by asking a health professional for a checkup and go from there.

Finally, what kind of workout do we want? Some of us like working out alone on a treadmill, some need someone to do strength training with, and others like group fitness classes. More often than not, when we’re unsure it’s best to ask the pros. Meeting with one of the personal trainers at the Claremore Rec is a good place to start.

So, what are we waiting on? Let’s do this!

If there’s any topics or questions you think we should talk more about, let us know on Facebook or Twitter.