Machines Vs. Free Weights: Which is Best For Fat Loss?
Walk into any commercial gym, and you will see rows of exercise machines and an area full of free weights like dumbbells, barbells, and medicine balls. With so much equipment, it’s hard to know where to begin. The machines usually have pictures on them showing how to complete each exercise, you can easily adjust the weight,…
Why Diets Suck
Dieting is a term our nation is quite familiar with. As the rates of obesity rise, we are more aware of its long term effects on our life and health. With this mind, dieting has become very popular. But what exactly does the word diet mean? Well, according to Merriam-Webster, a diet is defined as…
The Importance of Sleep
Of all the aspects of health and fitness, I believe sleep is the one that’s most often underrated. You could be doing everything right to get to your goals, but not seeing any progress. If this sounds like you, poor sleep may be the culprit. Studies have shown inadequate sleep (5 hours or less) is…
The Magazine Dilemma
Every so often, I’ll see a health or fitness magazine displaying an article title on the front that intrigues me. I do not read those types of magazines regularly, but I always like to see what type of information is being presented to the public. Last week, I saw one with an article titled “Beat Back Pain”.…
The Benefits of Fish Oil
It’s Saturday afternoon. You have a bunch of errands to run and decide to make a quick stop into GNC. You heard on Dr. Oz that there’s a new fat loss supplement on the market getting people incredible results. You have seen claims saying all you have to do is take a pill. You can eat…
The Purpose of an Assessment
According to google, the definition of an assessment is “the evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something.” An assessment is typical in most industries today. If you take your car to an auto shop because your check engine light comes on, they will need to do a thorough assessment…
6 Tips to Maximize Your Gym Time
Everyone’s time is valuable, there’s no denying that. We go through each week trying to get as much work done as we possibly can, while still trying to find time to hang out with family and friends, catch a movie (or whatever your hobby is), workout, study subjects outside of work, etc. All of this…
The Secret to Longevity
When you walk into the average gym, what do you see people doing more than anything? If you guessed cardio, you are correct! Cardiovascular exercise has become the staple in the average exerciser’s life. There are people who spend hours on the treadmill or elliptical day in and day out. These are usually the people…
Is Stretching Always The Answer?
Stretching has become the go-to prescription for “tight” muscles. I see trainers suggesting this daily and the average gym user will tell you that stretching is key to more flexibility/mobility. While I don’t believe stretching is always a bad thing, I think a question needs to be asked- “Is what I’m doing working?” If not,…
Quality vs. Quantity
In our society, there’s this notion that if we are doing something good then more is better. For example, there is research showing that if you take a vitamin D supplement, it can aid in reducing high blood pressure. Many then end up thinking, well if I take more vitamin D it will lower my…