The health benefits of honey are becoming increasingly documented among nutrition journals and health websites. But did you also know that claims are now being made supporting honey as an ergogenic aid for exercise performance? According to WHFoods, a leading nutrition website, honey helps support optimal blood sugar levels during exercise, as well as replenishes muscle-building glycogen following exercise.
Why it May Work
Honey is composed entirely of sugar, a…
Stress can be defined and measured in a number of ways, but there is no denying that chronic stress takes both a mental and physical toll on the human body. A wide body of research has documented stress’s physical consequences, such as reduced immune system function and increased illness, both weight gain and weight loss, reduced sleep, fatigue, and more.
Hypertension, a very specific cardiovascular condition linked to stress, is…
Looking for a kick-ass workout in a short period of time? Find a track (or a non-busy road)!
Luckily, I live a half mile from a university and they have a nice outdoor track. Since the temperatures have finally started to climb and it’s (sort of) beginning to feel like spring in New England, I plan to do a workout outside of the gym this weekend!
The Workout
I’ll jog…
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Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and many people are concerned as to what they should get their loved ones.
I want to help out those who celebrate the holiday by offering suggestions on fitness-related gift ideas.
Gifts for Her:
Females love to get new workout clothes! I know it helps me with my motivation in the gym. My favorite brands are Nike, Under Armour, and Lululemon Athletica. (Price range: depending…
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Hello tweakfit.com followers. After the hustle and bustle of the holidays and a recent move to the beautiful island of Oahu, I am back with more tips to keep you all fit and fierce. As I am writing this post, I am in a hotel room in Honolulu, since the lease for my apartment does not begin until February. One of my biggest challenges over the past week has been…
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Do you like to switch up your workout routine so you don’t get bored and you don’t hit a plateau with your gains (or losses, depending on what your goals are)?
If you’re like me, you get bored easily with your routine if you’re following the same plan over and over. I have a great workout you can try that will change all that!
High Rep Sets
For two weeks,…
An oft-forgotten benefit of exercise is its effects on bone health. As adults get older, bones become more brittle and develop pores. While women are more likely to develop osteoporosis, this condition is also common in men, as is osteoarthritis.
Interestingly, the worst thing you can do when you develop osteoarthritis or osteoporosis is to become less active. An abundance of research has demonstrated that resistance training is effective for…
Why does it take New Year’s resolutions for people to start thinking about their health and making changes? Your bodies health, which affects your minds health, is your temple, and should always be respected and taken care of all year long. I’m grateful for new clients who come to me during January with a list of fitness goals they have set for their New Year; however, most of these goals…
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Have you thought about travelling lately, or bravely conjured up the idea of moving to another country? I did, five months ago. I moved to the south of France Aix-en-Provence this August 2011 and now reside in Paris. I have been studying one of the most beautiful languages in the world through a study abroad program. Imagine this, tranquil fountains, sunny skies as far as the eye can see, baguettes,…
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If you’re seeking to get stronger, build muscle, reduce your risk of injury, improve your posture, or just generally feel better, weightlifting is an effective means to accomplish these goals. Sometimes walking into a gym for the first time can be overwhelming with so many machines and stations available. Here are some helpful tips to get you started, as well as a sample program you can follow in your first…
Working at a health club for the past two years has provided me with a little extra insight on people’s work out routines. With 2,000+ members at our club, I see just about the same few hundred people every day. The others? I’m sure some are here in the evenings after I leave work or perhaps just come on the weekends. However, there are also quite a few who simply…
With the holidays upon us, I though I might reach out to Tweakfit readers, Santa Claus, and anyone else who might be listening and provide the top fitness-related products I’d love to have this year. Here’s my list, and why I know they will help me get in better shape this year.
1. Garmin Forerunner 910XT
Why: It’s really, really cool. With all the features of its predecessors, the 910…
Ever wonder why you seem to prefer those early morning runs, or tend to work out harder late at night? A recent review, published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, highlights yet another factor that can possibly be contributing to your ability to perform your best in the gym. A group of researchers from New Zealand believe that by understanding your body’s natural rhythms and response to light,…
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There is much confusion in fitness centres regarding what the best methods are for reducing body fat. So many people are using terrible training and nutritional protocols that I cringe every time I step foot in a gym! This article aims to help abolish some of the common misconceptions people have regarding fat loss, as well as offer some appropriate guidelines to achieving a more toned physique.…
Recent research (e.g., Willardson, 2007) highlights the numerous benefits of core stability training for a variety of outcomes. A strong core region takes pressure off the lumbar spine and can prevent injury to the lower back. Core stability training is becoming increasingly popular in sports conditioning programs as well, as it can improve the transfer of force between the upper and lower body. Core stability can also promote better balance,…
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Gyms are great. I love putting on gym clothes, walking to my car, driving 20 minutes, finding a parking sport, doing 30 minutes of cardio, performing a weightlifting circuit, and then heading back out in the cold to drive home again (it’s really cold where I live right now). Since I have so much time to kill in my life, I try to take a one hour workout and turn…
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A quick internet search of weight loss programs will provide more information on the subject than any normal human being could possibly digest. From low-carb diets, protein-based diets, rotating carbohydrate intake, and popular weight-loss programs such as Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and Nutrisystem, you won’t have any trouble finding sites that claim they’ve discovered the secret to losing weight.
I’ve written about some of these diets in other posts, but…
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It’s hard to find a work-out ensemble that fits into a diverse workout routine. Sometimes the long pants you wear for yoga isn’t suitable for a long distance run and the booty shorts you wear while you run is not always comfortable to wear in a yoga class. Sometimes you might just want to wear your workout clothes to work or school and be able to hit the gym immediately…
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While women and men tend to differ in body size and composition, as well as hormonal characteristics, they do not differ in measures of relative strength, nor do they differ in their responses to exercise. The same weight loss principles, therefore, apply to both sexes.
Is There a “Best Weight Loss Program?”
Much debate exists regarding the best weight loss programs. Advocates of Atkins, Paleo, Ideal Protein, and other low-carb…
Running requires endurance and flexibility, but strength also plays a significant role in running performance — especially for women. Because women carry the majority of their weight in their hips and lower body, strength in these areas can enhance their running stride and efficiency, while minimizing fatigue and injury.
You can improve both muscular strength and endurance in the gym through resistance training. To improve endurance, however, you first need…
