Life Fitness Equipment for Every Type of Workout

(Submited by: Ken Austin )

Life Fitness equipment is among the best in the world. Life Fitness is a global company specializing in superior fitness equipment that is designed to provide you with a complete body workout and give you quality construction that is unsurpassed ... Read article

Fitness For Busy Corporates

(Submited by: Kiran Sawhney )

Corporate fitness TrainingCompanies of all shapes and sizes are striving to make physical fitness part of their employees' lives. Aside from the proven health benefits of exercise, physically fit employees can also handle physical work ... Read article

A Fitness Mothers Time

(Submited by: Raymond Burton )

So you've been a mother for a while. Good for you, mothers are important. I know I have one! But you know what? I've seen my mother get so tied up from taking care of Dad, me and the house that she had very little time to take care of her fitness ... Read article

Benefits of Online Fitness Programs

(Submited by: Peter Kudlacz )

There are many benefits of choosing an online fitness program over a live personal trainer. In this article, I will focus on the most important ones. I will also mention and recommend Global Health and Fitness' online fitness program ( http://www ... Read article

Commit To Lifetime Health And Fitness Avoid Heart Disease

(Submited by: Menachem Green )

Lifetime fitness is a commitment. It is the belief that keeping our minds and bodies healthy is more than just a noble idea; it requires definite actions that need to be taken on a regular basis. It is making conscious decisions that must be ... Read article

16 Tips to Looking + Feeling Great

(Submited by: Jesse Cannone )

Do you want to improve the quality of your life? Do you want to look and feel better than you have in years maybe better than you ever have before? Do you want to protect yourself from disease and injury? And do you want to live a longer, more ... Read article

Life Fitness Ellipticals are Among the Best

(Submited by: Tim Gorman )

The Life Fitness company makes six different models. They are the Life Fitness Elliptical X3, the Life Fitness Elliptical X3i, the Life Fitness Elliptical X5, the Life Fitness Elliptical X5i, the Life Fitness Elliptical x9i, and the Life Fitness ... Read article

How to Get the Most from Personal Fitness Training

(Submited by: Marilyn Jerome )

Have you ever considered using the services of a personal trainer to help you get fit? Well, Ive been in the training business for several years and have made some important observations. Because my mission is provide you with the most valuable ... Read article

Fitness Testing Irrationality

(Submited by: Brian Johnston )

The purpose of fitness testing is to determine the function and health of an individual and an appropriate measure of exercise demands at which an individual can begin. Although this test usually is implemented prior to beginning an exercise ... Read article

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About.com Exercise
Get the latest headlines from the About.com Exercise GuideSite.

Reader Success Story: How Paul Became a Personal Trainer
11 Mar 2010 at 5:00am

This week's reader success story is a little different from previous weeks we're looking at a different kind of sucess. Specifically, how some of our readers have found success as personal trainers.

With so many exercise enthusiasts who visit my site, I know there are some of you who may be wondering: Could I become a personal trainer? Should I? If you've been asking yourself those questions, it may help to hear from people who've done just that.

This week, I'm highlighting Paul's story. He became a trainer because, as he says, "I enjoyed coaching my son's sports teams, so I thought I could be a good trainer. I wanted do my part for the growing obesity problem even if it's only getting one kid or adult to move more and get stronger and learn to live healthier."

Having a strong desire to help others is just one necessary ingredient. The others include getting certified and finding a job. Paul got his start by working at the YMCA, getting certified by ACSM and spending the next 6 years learning some very important lessons about working with other people.

Read the rest of Paul's story and share your own, if you've got one. Or leave a comment and tell us what you think. Do you have a secret dream of becoming a trainer? What's stopping you?

Reader Success Story: How Paul Became a Personal Trainer originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at 05:00:54.
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What to do When Your Spouse/Loved One Doesn't Exercise
10 Mar 2010 at 5:00am

After being married for going on 10 years, I've learned something important: You can't make other people do what you want. You may want them to exercise and eat healthy but they won't always do it. You may even want them to, say, pick up their dirty socks or stop leaving 1,000 pairs of shoes by the door, but they won't do that either (not that I'm talking about anyone in particular). For some reason, these people we get involved with tend to make their own decisions. I know...what's up with that?

I bring this up because of a few interesting comments I got in a reader's response article, Who sabotages your weight loss? and some readers mentioned loved ones as a common culprit. One woman said:

"Husband is heavy, I lost 160 pounds and was so proud of myself...I told him the compliments I was getting (big mistake). What followed was anger and fighting and jealousy. I just wanted him to be proud of me. I have now gained almost all of it back and even if I try to lose it will not come off. Sometimes I wonder if I don't want it bad enough. I do not want to go through what I went through before. "

On the other side of that is the self-described enabler who said:

"Looks like hell is other people. In my house, I'm the cook, the one who makes fatty, sugary, salty, carby meals, and who is overweight. I'm a foody, I can't stand to limit portions, exercise hasn't helped much in the past. I'm doomed!"

In previous posts, I've talked about ideas for encouraging them to exercise, but what do you do when you've changed but your loved one hasn't? How do you handle things when you have to make separate meals or find ways to avoid their unhealthy cooking? What do you do when your loved one gets upset about your exercise time?

If you're in this situation, leave a comment and tell us about your experiences. Have you found a way to encourage your loved one to exercise? If so, don't be shy - we need all the help we can get. Share your story and tell us what to do when our loved ones just won't exercise.

What to do When Your Spouse/Loved One Doesn't Exercise originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 05:00:00.
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Exercises of the Week - Tri-Stretch for Better Flexibility
9 Mar 2010 at 5:00am

Some of my Type A clients have a lot of trouble making time at the end of their workouts for a stretch and I know how they feel. It's hard to slow down and relax when you have to so much to do - Who has time to stretch, right? Unfortunately, you're doing your body a disservice when you skip stretching. Not only can you improve your flexibility and relax your body, you can also work on those chronically tight areas that only get worse as the day goes on (like the hips, back and chest).

To help my busy clients out, I put together 3 simple yoga-based moves that stretch multiple muscles at the same time. Each move flows well together, so you can do them as a series 2-3 times, which should only take a few minutes. In fact, these stretches are great at any time, so you should probably do them right now...just watch for the boss.

Warrior I

Step forward with the right foot into a lunge, keeping the back leg straight and the left toes pointed out at about 45-degrees, heel down on the floor. Keep the right knee directly above the ankle and the hips squared to the front. Sweep the arms up and overhead and look up as you slide the shoulders down and away from the ears. Stretch and hold for 10-15 seconds and move into Modified Triangle.

Modified Triangle

From Warrior I, turn to the side and take the right arm down, resting the forearm on the thigh. Take the left hand straight up over the shoulder. Focus on keeping the spine straight rather than rounding over the leg. Hold for 10-15 seconds and move into Low Lunge with a Twist.

Low Lunge with a Twist

Get into a low lunge with the left leg back, back knee resting on the floor, right knee forward and directly over the ankle. Twist to right, bringing the left elbow outside of the right thigh and pressing the palms together in a prayer position. Use the arms to deepen the twist, feeling a stretch in the hip flexor as well as the back. Hold for 10-15 seconds and then repeat the series on the other side.

Got any favorite stretches? Leave a comment and tell us about them.

Exercises of the Week - Tri-Stretch for Better Flexibility originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 05:00:25.
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Vote: When it comes to my workouts, I can't live without...
8 Mar 2010 at 5:00am

I find that it's easy to get set in your ways when it comes to your workouts, especially when you've created a routine that works for you. You get up, you have your coffee while you get dressed, your bag is packed with the usual fitness accessories and you hit the gym, ready to hop on your favorite machine. But what happens when you show up and the power is out at your gym (as it was for me the other day)? Or when the weight room is closed for repairs?

For some people, all that's required is a shrug and a moment to refocus on a different workout. For others, it means the workout is over.

In this week's poll, I'm asking about your experiences. Are there any deal-breakers when it comes to your workouts? Is there anything you must have to workout or are you okay with unexpected obstacles in your path? Vote in this week's poll and tell us if there's anything you just can't live without.

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Vote: When it comes to my workouts, I can't live without... originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 05:00:46.
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Fit Question: Are You a Fast Eater?
5 Mar 2010 at 5:00am

There are plenty of dieting 'rules' we've heard before, like drinking a glass of water before giving into a craving, using smaller plates to control our portions or brushing our teeth to avoid diving into a bag of Oreos. But, there's one rule that makes sense no matter what the situation and it's one my mother was on my case about for most of my childhood: Eat slow.

I didn't really listen to her back then (sorry, Mom), but I am now, especially after reading about a recent study showing that eating more slowly can help you control how many calories you're eating.

In the small study (there were only 17 adults included), participants were put into two groups: One told to eat a bowl of ice cream in 5 minutes and another group told to eat it in 30 minutes. The first question that comes to mind is: Who eats a bowl of ice cream in 30 minutes? The scientists didn't say what happens when the ice cream turns into a soupy mess, but let's set that aside for a moment to learn what the conclusion was: "Eating at a physiologically moderate pace leads to a more pronounced anorexigenic gut peptide response than eating very fast." In other words, the people who ate the ice cream in 30 minutes released more 'I-feel-full' hormones than the people who ate it more quickly. That means, people who eat more slowly may eat fewer calories than fast eaters.

I have to admit, I'm a fast eater and always have been, despite attempts to slow myself down, but this is just one more reason to work a little harder at it. What about you? Do you pay attention to how fast you eat and do you think it affects your weight? Leave a comment to tell us about your eating habits and how they contribute to how many calories you eat.

Fit Question: Are You a Fast Eater? originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 05:00:38.
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Reader Success Story - How Jodi Lost 19 Pounds
4 Mar 2010 at 5:00am

Jodi's weight loss success story is an interesting one and proof that, sometimes, how we see ourselves can be far from reality. In Jodi's case, she always thought she was healthy and fit. As she says, "I have always exercised - or so I thought. A daily "walk" with my neighbour which was more of a stroll and a chat. I always talked about how fit and healthy I was at work then one day one of the people I work with asked me if I was pregnant."

Note to self: Remember the golden rule - Never assume a woman is pregnant.

After this happened, Jodi took a good look at herself and decided she wasn't as healthy and fit as she thought. She started with a simple walking program, cleaned up her diet and eventually hired a personal trainer, all of which helped her lose 19 pounds.

Jodi also has some great tips for sticking with it, so check out her inspiring story and share your own if you've got one.

Reader Success Story - How Jodi Lost 19 Pounds originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 05:00:27.
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