Diets in Review Blog » gym

Gym Workouts More Beneficial than Fitness Video Games

Matt — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:00:44 +0000

Everything is changing these days and the digital world is taking over. Have you ever played video games? Well, most video games in the past have required very little or no physical activity. But now, digital workout games are becoming far more popular than actually working out itself.

The latest video craze is thanks to the Wii and complimentary games like Wii Fit and EA Sports Active. These “exergames” have made fitness enjoyable by allowing physical activity to be fun, challenging, and adventurous. These fitness video games are great for improving eye-hand coordination, balance, stability, and stamina; all of which you can do at the gym as well.

Although the sweaty gym or health club may not be the most enjoyable place to spend an hour or so of your day, the benefits are endless. I understand that driving to the gym is an inconvenience and full of germs and people you may not want to talk to, but suck it up and hit it hard!

I strongly believe there is no substitute for exercise itself. Although “exergames” do a good job, exercise cannot be imitated. Cardiovascular training can be done anywhere and everywhere, but there is no exception for weight training. Weight training has been proven to increase bone density and lean muscle mass, improve posture, and reduce the risk of future injuries, which is not something you’ll be able to accomplish with your video game.

As a fitness expert, I encourage you to proceed with your normal workout routines (cardio and weight training) and let the digital workout world be an added benefit to your physically active lifestyle. In other words, don’t rely on video games to get your physical activity, use them for fun and additional exercise.

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Gym Workouts More Beneficial than Fitness Video Games

5 New Ways to Workout at Home

Carmen — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:00:24 +0000

Sometimes, you make plans to work out. You might do all of the prep work: you pack your gym clothes the night before, make sure you have your water bottle and a healthy snack, you clear your schedule, and then, boom! Something happens and your carefully constructed plans vanish in smoke. What’s an intrepid gym rat to do? Don’t worry, there are many things you can do at home that will give you a great workout, even if you don’t have access to free weights or a treadmill! Here are some great options:

The Power of 50 – 50 squats, 50 push ups, 50 sit ups and 50 lunges. It’s guaranteed to get your blood moving!

The Birth Date Dash – One my friends invented this, and I thought it was too easy. Until I did it. Add up the numbers in your birth year. In my case, 1969 would be: 1+9+6+9 = 25. Now, run that number of flights of steps. (This is really good for you if you were born in any year that ends in a 9, and not so good if you were born in, say 2000.)

Wall Work – Create a rotation of counter push ups and tricep dips facing away from the counter, and then rotate it with jumping lunges. Aim to do each set for a minute without stopping, and do 3-5 sets.

Burpees – Possibly one of the most effective exercises ever, and the one I hate the most. Start by standing, drop to a squat, jump out to push up position, complete one push up, jump your legs back in, and explode up, clapping your hands above you as you do a jumping jack. That’s one. Shoot for 25!

Jump Rope – If in doubt, and you only have five minutes, jump rope.

There are lots of exercises you can do at home, and most don’t require any equipment, no DVDs or even YouTube demonstrations. Don’t let your inability to visit a gym get in the way of your fitness!

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5 New Ways to Workout at Home

20 Affordable Ways to Lose Weight Without a Gym Membership

Matt — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 06:00:20 +0000

Gym memberships are not for everybody and can be rather expensive these days. Driving to and from the gym requires a time commitment as well. Below are 20 ways to lose weight without hitting the gym.

Early morning walk/jog
Afternoon walk/jog
Evening walk/jog
Take the stairs whenever possible
Walk instead of grabbing a taxi or driving
Ride a bike instead of grabbing a taxi or driving
Cut the carbohydrates after 3 p.m.
Eat a low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet
Chew gum throughout the day to help fight hunger
Drink ice cold water throughout the day to spark the metabolism
Eat spicy foods to spark the metabolism
Do 50 push-ups and 100 crunches every morning
Do 50 push-ups and 100 crunches every night
Refrain from eating after 8 p.m.
Drink 64 to 100 ounces of water daily
Take a 5 to 10 minute break for a walk every hour during the work day
Eat 5 or 6 small meals/snacks instead of 2 or 3 large meals
Do 20 crunches, jumping jacks, lunges, or squats every commercial break while watching TV at home
Stand instead of sitting throughout the day
Purchase a set of dumbbells and follow the workout below (two sets of 20 repetitions):

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20 Affordable Ways to Lose Weight Without a Gym Membership

The Dos and Don’ts of Gym Etiquette

Matt — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:15:15 +0000

I’m sure you have been to the gym a million times and there always seems to be that one guy or girl who becomes the center of attention. From grunting while lifting to talking your ear off when you’re already rushed for time. I am a personal trainer (which means I am at the gym all day and get to witness each and every act of poor gym etiquette) and I have seen everything under the moon. Is it really that hard to put your headphones on and hit the cardio, weights, and then shower without causing a scene? Well, for some people it is. Below are the top gym dos and don’ts!

Top 5 Gym Don’ts

No grunting please: If the weight is really that heavy, you probably need to use less weight before you hurt yourself or someone else.
No cell phones: The majority of people go to the gym to exercise and get away from the world for a little bit. The last thing they want to hear is an annoying cell phone ring or someone on the next machine yapping on the phone.
No children please: Seriously, who wants little children running around the gym and causing a disaster? It can be a danger to them and other gym goers. That’s what the nursery is for; please take advantage of it.
No long conversations: Everyone is at the gym for one reason – to exercise. Keep your conversations to a minimum so that everyone can workout and then get on with their lives.
No “borrowing” trainers: Most trainers are at the gym working with paying customers; so their attention is focused on them. If you have a question or need a spot, find a trainer who is not busy and ask them, they should be more than willing to help.

Top 5 Gym Dos

Clean machine/equipment after usage: Please wipe off the sweat and tears from the machines/equipment after you use them. This will help prevent the spread of germs and such.
Respect the equipment: Please re-rack your weights and put back your equipment. This will help keep the weight room clean and will help out the next person tremendously.
Be courteous to others: Ask before jumping on a machine and vice-versa; don’t be a machine hog.
Dress appropriately: Please wear non-revealing workout clothes. This goes for both males and females of all shapes and sizes. If you want to show off your goods, go to the beach or the local pool.
Hygiene: Good hygiene is a must – before and after your workout. No one wants to be running next to someone on the treadmill with horrible body odor. Exercising is hard enough by itself, let alone having to breath someone else’s unclean scent.

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The Dos and Don’ts of Gym Etiquette

3 Ways to Stop the Gym Blues

Mike — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:30:50 +0000

We all use them – “I’m tired.” “I’m sore.” “I don’t have time.” – and the worst of all, “I deserve a break.” We all use excuses to not go to the gym, to not workout, and to not be healthy. But why? One reason may be that workouts can be boring, tedious, and down right dreadful. Well, from personal experience, workouts can be all of those things, but they don’t have to be.

When you start feeling the gym blues, it may be time to shake things up. Changing your workout routine has a few benefits.

First, a new routine will keep you entertained for a little while, and hopefully make your gym time a tad more exciting.
And secondly, but more importantly, when you change your routine, you keep you body guessing. You start hitting muscles from a different angle and force them to adapt and grow.
Changing your workout regimen from its normal daily grind can also help bust through the dreaded weight loss plateaus.

If changing your routine isn’t your thing, try listening to some music, or different music when you workout. My entire gym experience is based off of playlists on my MP3 player. And I seriously mean everything. Driving to the gym, warm-up runs, lifting, cool-down runs, long jogs, short runs, driving home, they all have a different set of songs. Try to find tunes that really get you going and into a workout. Studies have shown that listening to your own music preference while exercising increases productivity. So listening to something you enjoy will get you moving faster, burning more calories, and hopefully enjoying your exercise experience more.

If you hate music and change, try getting a workout buddy. Having someone to exercise with can help tremendously. Having someone to exercise with, to push you, to get you going, even when those excuses come creeping up, is a great, great, help.

So in a nutshell, when the workout woes start to set in, and you really just don’t want to exercise, try one of these three things. Change your workout, change your music, and find some friends.

If you have any other questions, tips, or areas you want covered, leave me a comment and I’ll do my best to get back to you.

Until next time, DIRnation.
- Mike Morelli

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3 Ways to Stop the Gym Blues

Curves New Weight Management Plan

heather — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:00:52 +0000

The nationwide, all-female fitness centers Curves has just launched a new weight management plan that helps you say goodbye to yo-yo dieting once and for all.

Available to all Curves members, this new plan offers monthly classes that teach you how to rev up your metabolism, eat all day long and enjoy a variety of foods without gaining weight. Curves experts know that diets that forbid certain foods never work in the long run. Therefore, their Weight Management Plan shows you how to safely and satisfyingly incorporate your favorite eats into your weight loss plan while not sabotaging your efforts to meet or maintain your weight loss goal.

The plan starts out as a 30-day plan that teaches you how to lose weight and keep it off. Once the 30 days are up, you will have just the tools and knowledge needed to maintain your goal weight. The maintenance phase allows you to eat 2,000 to 2,500 calories a day without gaining back an ounce of what you lost! Key to this generous daily calorie allotment are regular visits to a Curves gym to keep your metabolism stoked and your muscles lean.

To learn more about Curves new Weight Management Plan, contact a local Curves in your area, or sign-up for Curves now.

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Curves New Weight Management Plan

10 Week Wedding Fitness Plan: Week 3

Matt — Mon, 25 May 2009 06:00:19 +0000

It is already been two weeks of the wedding fitness plan and week three is loaded with new exercises, turning our attention to dumbbells. Remember to keep getting plenty of cardiovascular time in as well as a low-fat diet. A combination of cardio, diet, and weight training will help you get the results you want in no time. Stay motivated and dedicated, I promise your hard work will pay off.

Wedding Season Week 3:

“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” (unknown)

Tip: When exercising, you should always start with the larger muscle groups first and then work your way to the smaller ones. For example, start with chest and back then move to biceps and triceps; for lower body do a leg press then into leg curls or calf raises. The smaller muscle groups help during the performance of the larger muscle group exercises, thus it is important to not tire them out early in your workout. This helps maximize the results!!

Week 3: Focus is on dumbbells. Dumbbells are more advanced than machines or cables due to the fact that you (the lifter) control every degree of the movement and it is totally up to you to perform the correct technique. Dumbbells are perfect for the gym, the home, or the road. Remember to get your 30-60 minutes of cardio in as well. Good Luck!!

Brides looking to get in shape can also check out Buff Brides and Bridal Bootcamp.

Check-out Week 1 and Week 2 of Matt’s Wedding Fitness Plan.

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10 Week Wedding Fitness Plan: Week 3

Congressman Chides Ashtray-less Gym

Jason — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 06:00:35 +0000

Our public servants in Washington, D.C. get some pretty nice perks. But one such benefit, the congressional gym, isn’t to the liking of Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI).

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter

When going to the gym, McCotter can’t stand it if there are no ashtrays available. The congressman told Fox News that he doesn’t “go there very much because A, they don’t have ashtrays… And B, the one time I was there, my first trip, someone sort of was talc-ing themselves, and offered their hand and I just said, ‘Hey, we’re cool, dude.’”

McCotter didn’t reveal the name of the senator… or why he’s so uptight about talcum powder. But thankfully, the video tape of the interview with him revealed that he said all the above in a deadpan, tongue-in-cheek manner. We have all kinds of reasons to lose faith in our public officials, at least in this case the representative from Michigan isn’t the clueless jerk one would think when reading the video transcript out of context.

(via: Fox News)

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Congressman Chides Ashtray-less Gym

Curves Smart: A New Way to Workout

heather — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:00:11 +0000

Have you ever wondered if you were in your target heart range as you clock miles on the treadmill? Or have you ever forgotten whether you just completed six or eight bicep curls? And if you’re like me, you rarely trust the calories-burned data that you see on your StairMaster display. So how are you really supposed to know if you burned off that slice of birthday cake you devoured from an afternoon office celebration?

Well, look no further, because all of these questions and confusions are about to be answered the next time you go to the gym. The latest craze that is hitting exercise facilities all across the country is a computerized tracking device that acts as your own personal trainer. Curves, the all-female workout studios, is one of the latest gyms to offer this high-tech monitoring system to its members.

Curves Smart tracks how well you’re working out, which muscles you’re using, how many calories you’re burning and whether or not you’re working as hard as you need to be, all with a swipe of a mini key card. After completing a personal profile with a trained Curves staff member, your personal info gets loaded onto this small tag. You then take this key tag and swipe it before you hop onto any Curves equipment. It then recognizes your own data and fitness goals so that you can see just how well you’re working out. At the end of your workout, you receive a complete analysis of the muscle groups you worked and the calories you burned.

Here is an in-depth look at how CurvesSmart works.

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Curves Smart: A New Way to Workout

Top 10 Pink Products to Take to the Gym

Brandi — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:00:00 +0000

During the month of October you’ll find everything from soup cans to tennis shoes dyed pink all in the name of Breast Cancer Awareness. It’s an important cause, as breast cancer will be a diagnosis heard by one in eight women.

Eating a healthy diet and staying physically fit are two of the most important ways your body can fight to prevent breast cancer. Here are 10 products that are blushing pink that you can take to the gym, and proceeds will go to support breast cancer causes.

1. Susan G. Komen Nintendo DS – You can use this hand-held video game to run the My Weight Loss Coach “game.” It acts as a virtual fitness coach, with a built-in pedometer, measures progress with graphs and daily reminders and advice.

2. Koss “for the Cure” SportsBud Ear Phones – The right tunes jamming in your ears is often all the motivation you need to get moving in the gym. Plug-in with these hot pink ear buds.

3. MioPINK Heart Rate Monitor Watch with Calorie Burn Calculation – Be sure you’re getting the most effective workout possible, by watching your heart rate and monitoring the total calories burned while exercising.

4. Via Step Susan G. Komen Pedometer – A tool to work toward reaching a daily goal of 10,000 steps, and you can clip it on your shorts while doing a Race for the Cure in your community.

5. Reebok Women’s Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Corfu Sandal – Once you’ve finished your Race for the Cure, reward your feet by slipping into these sandals at the post-run festivities for a comfortable fit.

6. Thorlo Women’s Pink Pad Breast Cancer Sock – Boasting it has more blister protection than any other sock on the market, the wicking action will keep feet dry and comfortable while running or working out.

7. Share the Care Pink Ribbon Embroidered Cap – Keep the sun from your eyes or your ponytail strongly secured under this comfortable ball cap with an embroidered “Share the Care” message.

8. Breast Cancer Awareness Stainless Steel Water Bottle – Fill with your favorite water before hitting the gym to stay hydrated and ensure you’ve got energy to power through. Use the clip to hook to your pants and go for a hike or jog.

9. Pink Ribbon Carry-All Tote Bag – Load up all your pink ribbon loot and head to the gym carrying this cute bag, large enough to hold a change of clothes and tennis shoes.

10. Master Lock Breast Cancer Research Foundation Padlock – Keep your belongings safe and secure at the gym, and let everyone know you support research for Breast Cancer, by locking-up with this pink padlock.

Learn how you can help DietsInReview.com donate $1 to breast cancer research on your behalf during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and win some great prizes!

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Top 10 Pink Products to Take to the Gym