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Clean Eating Basics to Help Fuel a Healthy Lifestyle

May 22nd, 2013

It’s time to face facts when it comes to your diet. If you want to feel better live a healthy life, and fuel your fitness goals, that all starts in one place: your diet. Clean eating is an amazing way to kick-start the body into performing the way you want it to perform.

For anyone in the fitness field or those that are currently attending personal trainer school, you either are going to learn these facts about clean eating, or you already incorporate them into your lifestyle. According to Tony Horton, the creator of P90X, the best way to eat clean is to start with the basics. That is, only eat natural, whole foods.

One Ingredient Foods
A great rule of thumb to live by is that if the food you are considering buying has more than ingredient, think twice about putting it in your shopping cart. A great example is in the frozen food section of the grocery store. Look at the ingredients listed on a bag of frozen vegetables and be sure that food is the only ingredient listed on the bag. If you’re buying broccoli, “broccoli” should be the only ingredient listed. While this sounds obvious, you would be surprised at the preservatives and artificial flavoring that can sneak into any food on the market.

Water, Water, and More Water
Drinking plenty of water is one of the best ways that you can maintain a clean diet. Drinking water and lots of it can help fuel your body, especially if you’re working out hard. Say goodbye to sodas or anything that contains high fructose corn syrup. If you are craving flavor, opt for beverages containing 100% juice, or flavor your water with natural fruit or mint leaves.

Cook Ahead of Time
Let’s be honest, a lot of people don’t like cooking. They see it as a chore and something that takes too long to do. That type of mindset is usually what pushes people to take the easy route for dinner and order out or hit up the nearest drive-thru. You can eliminate that type of eating if you prepare your meals at one time, ahead of time. Set aside an hour or two on a weekend, or whenever in the week is the most convenient for you and prepare your meals for the week. Not only will this eliminate wanting to run out to pick up dinner, but it will also make meal time a lot easier during the week. Eating healthy really can be that easy.

Be Picky When You Dine Out
Who doesn’t enjoy dining out at their favorite restaurant? Take your time when you look over your menu, ask questions, and be choosy. Simple things can make all the difference: ask for grilled chicken rather than fried; substitute steamed vegetables for pasta; or ask for your dish sans cheese. Many restaurants also offer brown rice or a veggie-friendly substitute that may not be on the menu.

There are many other ways that you can fuel your healthy lifestyle, but these are a great starting place for those introducing themselves to clean eating.

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What Can I Do With A Personal Trainer Certification?

May 20th, 2013

Are you considering getting your personal trainer certification and want to know what is ahead for your career? The best part of the fitness industry is that there are virtually limitless job options when you have your personal trainer certification. The most important criteria you will want to consider is which arena best suits your talents and your interests. Below we are going to touch on just a few of the possible careers you can enter with a personal trainer certification.

Group Exercise
One of the most popular ways to enter the fitness field is by teaching group exercise classes. This field is less competitive and offers an abundance of opportunities in several settings.

What does teaching group exercise classes entail? Typically, you’ll be teaching non-choreographed athletic-style workouts, indoor cycling, muscle conditioning, or even pre-choreographed classes. One of the advantages to becoming a group exercise instructor is that it allows you to promote yourself, as well as your skills, to a large group of fitness consumers, and in doing that, it is a viable way to make a name for yourself in the industry. It also allows you to develop leadership skills and figure out which types of exercise you find most enjoyable should you ever expand or change your fitness career path.

Personal Training
When it comes to being a fitness instructor, the personal training field is one of the most viable and diverse options. That being said, it is also competitive and requires the right credentials and experience. Where can you get hired as a personal trainer? You can choose to work for a gym, training its members. You can also work as a self-employed independent contractor. Typically you’ll work with clients to help them make and attain their custom fitness goals.

Specialized Fitness Training
You may want to choose to work in a specialized discipline of fitness. These include areas such as yoga, Pilates, aerobics, dance, and other similar disciplines. For these kinds of careers, fitness instructors typically need additional training, which are usually taught at local gyms or private facilities.

Nutrition and Dietetics
When you are going to school for your health and fitness, generally you will take many nutrition classes, as well. Nutrition and personal training educations tend to overlap, which can allow graduates the option of choosing either as a viable field to work in. As a nutritionist or dietician, you would work in a medical setting, such as a hospital or doctor’s office and would advise patients on healthy eating habits. You can also design custom meals plans for patients and also supervise food preparation for the hospital or a nursing home.

Fitness Programming and Management
Deciding to enter the fitness programming field will allow you to learn a bevy of new industry-related skills. You’ll have the opportunity to head a personal training department, or related department to mix up time spent with clients and time spent developing new programs and initiatives.

As you can see, these are only a handful of careers available once you have your personal trainer certification. There are many more avenues you can choose to take, but what it comes down to is this: do what makes the most sense for you and caters to your passions and talents.

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Personal Training Job Growth Faster Than Expected By 2020

May 17th, 2013

Personal training can be an immensely fulfilling career. Not only does becoming a personal trainer allow you to work out for a living and get in great shape, but it also allows you to help others with their fitness goals, transform their bodies, become healthier, and ultimately feel better. For these reasons and more, the personal training field is seeing a higher than expected job growth between now and 2020.

According to the Bureaus of Labor Statistics, the job growth for fitness trainers and instructors is expected to see a 24 percent rise in employment from 2010 to 2020. This rise is faster than the average employment outlook, which is typically around 14 percent. Why is the outlook higher than average? As businesses and insurance organizations continue to recognize the immense benefits of fitness programs, health programs, etc. for their employees, incentives to join gyms, health clubs, country clubs, local recreation centers, or other fitness facilities will increase as well. And, of course, as these facilities see an increase in members, they will also need more staff to train and assist them. Due to those factors, the personal training and fitness training field should see a steady growth over the next decade.

For those wondering how to become a personal trainer, there are many avenues that you can take. Various goals require different educational and training requirements for fitness trainers and instructors that are dependent upon the type of specialty, such as yoga, Pilates, strength training, etc. Most employers will only hire personal trainers that are certified and have a strong educational background in the field.

Becoming a personal trainer can leave someone with a lot of flexibility for their career path. Do they want to become a one-on-one, in-home personal trainer who travels to clients’ homes or do they want to be a personal trainer in a gym, fitness club, country club, at a hospital, a university, or even at yoga or Pilate’s studios? You see, just because you have your personal trainer certification, you aren’t pigeonholed into one type of job. Really, what it comes down to is what types of opportunities are available in the area you’d like to work geographically, and in what area you’d like to specialize.

If you are wondering how to become a personal trainer and where you should start your search, talk to professionals in the field and start asking questions about what they require from their personal trainers and fitness instructors. You can also visit us at nptifitness.com to learn about our fitness training education and certification programs.

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How To Overcome Workout Obstacles

May 8th, 2012

Working out is something we all have struggled with from time to time. If we’re too tired, or “don’t have enough time” we simply run through our heads the millions of excuses to try and make ourselves feel better. You have probably heard them all yourself. These are struggles many deal with when trying to maintain an exercise routine. Falling off the bandwagon a few times is nothing new, so in an effort to avoid the spiral downfall and abandonment of all your hard work here are some suggestions that will get you back in the gym, accomplishing your workout goals.

Make sure you are realistic. Set goals that are achievable, if you set unrealistic goals you are setting yourself up for failure. This can cause your motivation to be thrown off therefore affecting your whole workout regimen. Let’s say the scenario goal is weight loss of 50 pounds. This goal may seem very steep, especially in the beginning, so break that goal into smaller ones. This way it makes it more feasible to accomplish and a whole lot less overwhelming.

To begin, start by establishing your goals, and try to work out in the morning. “Studies show that morning exercise gives our mind and body a boost, keeping us active for hours after our work out.” Statistics show that 90% of people who work out in the morning stick to their exercising regimen. Working out in the morning will also give people that sense of accomplishment because they have achieved their goal before the start of their actual day.

Planning your workouts in advance is a great way to save time. This way you are prepared for what is about to come and know exactly what to do. Having the mindset of knowing what needs to be done and accomplished will help you become focused in your daily exercise routine. Also, when planning your workouts, you want to make sure you have a full variety of exercises. It is normal to become bored with your workouts, resulting in a lack of commitment. Repeating the same exercise allows your muscles to become “immune” to the workout. This makes it very difficult to make your trained muscles become sore and this decreases the challenge. So, mix up your workouts, not only for your sanity but to continue to challenge your muscles.

These are just a few tips to help overcome your workout obstacles. Your mind is your biggest enemy to the success of your health. Be sure to focus on that half hour or hour a day you workout and give it all you got. Motivation can come from within so constantly remind yourself how important your well-being is and start overcoming your workout obstacles today!

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Eating Healthy on the Weekends

April 10th, 2012

When it comes to a lifestyle change, such as exercising and eating healthier, we are faced with a major dilemma… the weekends. During the week it tends to be easier to stick to a healthy regime and routine, but once Friday afternoon roles around, we tend to “relax.” This is a natural urge, but there are ways you can stick to your diet and be successful without cheating on the weekends.

Preparation is key to enjoying your weekend and still eating healthy. Your kitchen may have tempting high calorie snacks readily available from eating all the healthy ones all week. Be prepared; check your pantry and refrigerator to make sure there are vegetables and fruits for you to snack on. Set yourself up for success, even some whole grain crackers and cheese for snacking on when hanging out with friends is a good alternative.

Weekends are full of getting together with friends and family for any reason such as birthday parties, showers, weddings, etc. where food is a major focal point. The temptation is there, but stick with a single portion and don’t go for seconds! It is easy to eat an entire days worth of calories at one gathering. For example, one slice of cheese pizza can be 200+ calories depending on any toppings. Then you add cake, which can vary anywhere between 200 for a simple flavored, to 400 or 600 for a decadent piece. Add in a few beers with your meal while celebrating, and you nearly consume half of your daily intake of calories in one sitting. So, stick to the healthy snacks and one serving.

More people tend to eat at restaurants on the weekends. Fight this urge and cook instead of dining out. By cooking at home you are able to have full control of the ingredients that go into your meals. If you can’t help dining out, stick with a soup, salad, and stay away from bread refills. Also, don’t feel forced to finish your entire meal, know when you are full, and take the remainder home for leftovers. This can make for a perfect lunch the next day.

If you notice yourself having some cravings, go for a walk to burn off some calories because not only will your distract yourself from snacking, but you will get some exercise as well! Once you learn to stick to eating healthy seven days a week instead of five, you will have full control over your lifestyle change. Enjoy your weekend without completely blowing all your hard work Monday through Friday. You’ve earned it!

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4 Foods To Help You Lose Weight

March 18th, 2012

The foundation for successful weight loss is eating well and exercising. Americans spend about thirty billion a year on slim-down products, many of which many don’t even work. New research points to many foods—from beans to beef that can help fight hunger, reduce your candy addiction, boost your metabolism, and also shed pounds while delivering additional health bonuses.

Eggs are full of protein and help you feel fuller longer. A multicenter study of 30 overweight or obese women found that those who ate two scrambled eggs with two slices of toast and a reduced calorie fruit spread consumed less within the next 36 hours than women who had a bagel for breakfast of equal calories. Other research has shown that protein may also prevent spikes in blood sugar, which can lead to food cravings.
Eating Beans provides a digestive hormone known as cholecystokinin that is a natural appetite suppressant reported by researchers at the University of California at Davis. Further evidence suggests that beans help keep blood sugar at consistent levels to help decrease hunger. In addition, high-fiber beans can also lower your cholesterol.
Consuming a Salad before a meal controls some calorie intake. In a study of 42 women at Penn State University, those who ate a big, low-calorie salad consumed 12 percent less pasta even though they were offered as much as they wanted. Furthermore, a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that people who ate one salad a day with dressing had higher levels of vitamins C and E, folic acid, lycopene, and carotenoids which are all disease fighters.
Green tea contains antioxidants called catechins that help speed metabolism and fat burning. A Japanese study of 35 men who drank a bottle of oolong tea mixed with green tea catechins lost weight, boosted their metabolism, and had a significant drop in their body mass index. It also lowered their LDL (bad) cholesterol.

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Reasons Why Everyone Should Do Weight Training

March 14th, 2012

There are a lot of myths across the fitness world about weight training, such as that the quality of exercise is not as good as aerobic training is.

Truth is that if done properly you should combine strength-training, aerobics and maybe even some yoga to stretch/strengthen your whole body. Weight training infused with aerobics a few times a week is a good balance that will bring your body to its most efficient state. This will allow you to have a strong cardiovascular system and toned muscles to take on anything.

Having a toned body in cardio shape is the right way to train!

Strength Training for Different Situations

The odds are that if you are overweight you may be avoiding weight training because you think it will cause you to put on even more weight. The truth is that the combination of weight training and a sensible diet along with cardio is the best and healthiest way to shed those pounds.

Following a program like this may result in losing 5 pounds whereas someone who has just been dieting and doing cardio may have lost 7 pounds! However, this isn’t showing the full results for both people. The side that isn’t shown is that you are more likely to have gained 3 pounds of muscle. Your muscles are a fat burning machine, and as you continue with weight training, you will reach those goals well beyond if you were just dieting and doing cardio.

When dieting there is a chance to revert back to your old eating habits resulting in weight gain only. Those willing to make a complete lifestyle overhaul involving a well-rounded exercise routine will continue to see progress.

The combination of cardio and dieting with weight training is a lifestyle you can continue throughout your life. By doing so, this will also contribute to living longer, and increasing your quality of life.

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Common Exercise Mistakes

February 10th, 2012

It is not uncommon for people who exercise in or outside health clubs to not know how to use exercise equipment properly, or even safely. Whether you’re a veteran or novice at exercising, it is very important that you get the most out of your workout without injuring yourself.

Some of The Most Common Exercise Mistakes Include:

The All-or-Nothing Approach

If you don’t have all the time you’d like for your workout, a little bit can add up over time, so just do what you can. Having an unbalanced strength training program is not as effective. It is important to work your whole body as well as your core to achieve balance and health.

Not Stretching Enough

It is very important to spend a few minutes stretching the muscles you will be working out before you exercise. It is also as important to stretch for about 8-10 minutes after a workout to reduce the risk of injury and tight muscles.

Poor Technique or Form

Using an incorrect form can lead to unwanted injuries. A few examples of poor technique include: letting the knee extend beyond the toes during a lunge or squat; using momentum to lift heavy weights, and not exercising through a full range of motion. You can learn proper form by working with a certified Personal Trainer.

Not Warming Up

Besides stretching, it is also necessary to gradually warm up to prepare your body for the added demands of aerobic training. Warming up allows your body to re-route blood from your extremities to send oxygen to the muscles, and heart rate elevates to meet the need for oxygen.

Not Cooling Down

Not only does your body need to warm up, but it also needs to cool down. It is important to let your body gradually let your heart rate lower to minimize the chances of blood pooling or feeling light headed.

Inconsistent Progression

Exercising too hard and too often, or increasing intensity too quickly is a common mistake that can lead to soreness and burnout. Consistency and gradual progression is most effective and important for avoiding injury as well as for making improvements.

Incorrect Machine Set-Up

Exercise equipment is adjustable and it’s important that you set it up to fit you before you use it. If you use poorly adjusted equipment it is a set-up for injury. If you don’t know how, ask a staff person

Lifting Too Much Weight

Too much weight contributes to poor form when lifting and creates injury to other areas of your body including the muscles you are targeting. The most effective workout is one that is gradual progressive resistance training.

Not Drinking Enough Water

Drinking water replenishes all your fluid needs.

Poor Gym Etiquette

This can range from simple rudeness like lingering on machines, bad body odor, or not wiping your sweat from machines. Always be considerate of other exercisers.

Poor Goal Setting

If you begin an exercise routine with unrealistic or vague goals this can lead to dropout. The key is to establish a training goal that is specific and appropriate for your fitness and skill level.

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Understanding Exercise-Induced Weight Gain

February 8th, 2012

It is common knowledge that exercise burns calories and helps you to shed extra pounds.

Armed with this knowledge, many people think that losing weight should be easy with enough exercise. You may take this as bad news, but the truth is that for those who aren’t used to exercising and are out of shape, beginning an exercise program may actually lead to weight gain.

This fact, however, shouldn’t stop you from exercising, as you’ll eventually turn the weight corner and start losing.

What is it about exercise that may cause some people to gain instead of lose weight?

Muscle Mass: One of the main reasons exercising can lead to weight gain is that it promotes the growth of muscle mass.

If you are not used to working out and haven’t used certain muscles regularly, after exercising your muscles will be sore and will increase in size. While you may burn off fat, muscle is denser than fat. Therefore, the weight you gain is in your muscles.

And take heart. Since muscles take up less space than fat, your extra weight doesn’t necessarily translate to larger size. In fact, once you start working out, you’ll probably become thinner, even if you maintain your previous weight. Instead of using a scale to determine if you are slimming down, have your body fat tested regularly or measure your body at certain areas.

If you see that you’re losing inches, then you know you’re on the right track.

Cardiovascular activities like walking, running, or swimming will encourage the growth of lean, toned muscles. Other activities such as weight lifting promote the growth of larger, stronger muscles that contribute to weight gain.

But there is good news in this. If you stick with the exercise program, your muscles will soon stabilize in size and after a time, become toned. After your muscles are strong and able to handle more strenuous workouts, you will be able to burn calories faster.

While it may be frustrating and disappointing to see the scale go up after starting an exercise routine, it shouldn’t stop you from exercising. You may just be building muscle faster than losing body fat. This can be especially true if you’re genetically prone to building muscle fast. The key is to incorporate plenty of cardio exercise in addition to strength training. That way you will burn plenty of calories during your routine and be more able to shed pounds.

Eating Habits: When you work out and burn calories, your body will feel the need to replace those burned calories.

This may make you feel hungrier than usual, which can cause you to eat more than normal – sometimes without knowing it. A good idea is to keep a food journal to track of the actual number of calories you are consuming.

You may also end up eating more calories and justifying their consumption since you’re exercising. After a good workout, you may see an ice cream sundae as a reward for the calories you burned. Just be careful. If you’re interested in losing weight, you can’t simply break even with your caloric intake and the amount of calories you burn.

At the same time, eating too few calories can be counterproductive and slow your weight loss. Without enough calories, your body may slow its metabolism. So eat plenty to keep your body well fueled, but choose healthy calories that will help your body recover after a workout and grow stronger.

Hydration: Depending on the time of day you weigh yourself, the scale may read differently. Your weight can fluctuate as much as five pounds depending on the amount of water or food you have recently consumed or the amount of water you have shed in sweat. It is therefore important to weigh yourself at the same time each day.

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2 Exercises For Toned Abs

January 9th, 2012

In the United States, having a six-pack is all the rage—and the same can be said about the world! For most people, they salivate over the tight abs they see celebrities and models have in the media. The majority of society has placed a certain sex appeal and mystique on abs that can’t be shaken—people want to see as well as have—washboard abs.

Besides just showing off your body, having toned abs is also important for professional and other serious athletes because a good set of abs is responsible for maintaining the stability in the center of their body. Having toned abs protects your organs and your spine while providing the strength to move around large amounts of weight. If you want to be able to move around considerable amounts of weight, you still need to have a strong central core even though you have arm and back strength. Therefore, if you do these 2 ab exercises on a regular basis, you will be on track to having a tightened central core!

Ab Exercise #1–The Bicycle Crunch

The bicycle crunch is one of the best exercises to do for your abs, including your obliques. Keep in mind that there is no real bicycle involved with this type of exercise. This ab workout actually uses the weight and resistance of your own body, and if the workout is too easy you can add weights to your ankles or legs.

To do the bicycle crunch you can follow this process:

While you are lying on the floor, put your hands behind your head. (Do not lock your fingers as you don’t want to be pulling your head upward during the exercise using your arms.)
Elevate your shoulder blades using your ab muscles as if you are performing a crunch.
Raise your knees so that they are bent and your calf muscles are parallel to the floor, then slowly begin pedaling your legs as if you are on a bicycle.
Finally, constrict your abs with each “row” by touching your knee with the opposite elbow (as you pull your knee up.)

During this ab workout, and/or any workout, remember to maintain your breathing–never hold your breath! Your shoulders should be elevated at all times, and you should not be using your hands to keep them elevated!

Ab Exercise #2–Vertical Leg Raise

Doing a vertical leg raise will always be ideal for targeting your lower ab muscles, and with the variations in movement, this exercise can also work your obliques as well!

This ab exercise works best from a captain’s chair, and by following this process you will be able to start working out your abs by doing a vertical leg raise:

Hold up your body by putting your elbows on the parallel pads with your back flush to the backpads.
Grasp the provided hand holds and let your feet hang.
Lift your knees near your chest.
Pause and flex your abs then lower your legs carefully just before the starting position and begin again. (Never try to let your feet rest by dangling them.)

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