Physical activity is on the decline. With jobs being of a sedentary nature and technology dominating much of our work processes, people are moving around much less. While this isn’t good for individuals of any demographic, its especially troublesome for children. Kids are at an important juncture in their developmental stage. Developing healthy habits while they are still young is critical for their future health. If you’re a parent, how do you help your kid get moving?One of the simplest ways to get your kids involved in physical activity is by getting the entire family involved. Rather than…

In a poor economic climate one of the thing that often suffers is fitness. Sure the fitness industry takes a certain hit, but its the fitness of individuals that really takes a turn for the worst. People are resorting to working longer hours to meet their living expenses and totally neglect their physical activity. Add stress to this mix and the potential for over eating and poor nutrition becomes a harsh reality. Even though the economy may be in rough shape, that’s no reason to get out of shape. There are still some things that can be done to preserve your fitness, and by extension, your …

Developing good eating habits is an issue for most individuals beginning any type of exercise program. This happens because these new habits typically challenge all of the preconceptions that people have about healthy eating. One of the basic rules of solid nutrition is eating six small meals a day on a timely schedule. Many female clients that adopt this new form of eating ask if they are eating too much. In other words, they perceive six small meals as being too much food. It’s understandable if they’re used to eating two or three meals per day spaced out over long periods of time. They …

It goes without saying that breathing is an important part of exercise. Most novice lifters however, aren’t fully in tune with their breathing. This is not only a hindrance to the workout, it is also potentially dangerous depending on the individual. While breathing is considered one of the most basic pillars of exercise, it is important to revisit this rudimentary technique. The basic rule of thumb when it comes to breathing is “ breath in with rest and exhale during the work.” In other words: when the exercise reaches its most difficult point you should exhale. While this rule is simple it …

Interval training has been touted as a superior method of getting your cardio workout in at the gym. Sadly, this message is sometimes ignored by the gym going masses. Long lines of ellipticals, treadmills, and stationary bikes are filled with devoted fitness enthusiasts practicing the old school methods of cardio. Individuals climb onto these pieces of equipment and run for a steady pace for a predetermined set of time. Is it still a workout? Yes. Is it the most effective? No. Why aren’t more individuals practicing the methods that science validates?The answer could be psychological. Most …

Many individuals fall into two schools of thought regarding diets: avoid carbs or avoid fats. The problem with this is that it doesn’t offer a completely balanced solution. Avoiding one nutrient while loading up on another simply isn’t a sustainable diet. One question that remains however, is why individuals shy away from fat. The concept that eating fat makes you fat is only partially correct. Fats are an essential part of the diet. When selected carefully they offer health benefits that cannot be obtained from either carbs or proteins. Fat provides energy like any other macronutrient that …

Weight management is definitely a hot topic. Browse through any magazine rack and you’ll find plenty of magazines devoted to healthy eating and fitness. Unfortunately, not everyone has the time to prepare meals while balancing out their hectic work and family schedules. Proper nutrition is replaced with drive through meals, take out, and a whole host of other potentially gut busting food options. There is however a secret tool nutritional tool in keeping a healthy weight on the go: enter the smoothie. Smoothies are a fantastic way to manage weight. They present a convenience factor that is …

Obesity has been talked about in all forms of media. The news, talk shows, even the radio has brought attention to this wide spread epidemic. Why is this disease so problematic? What are health insurance companies doing to help combat obesity and how can you benefit from it? Why should you worry about weight gain in general? Simply put: weight gain negatively impacts your health and the health insurance companies wallet.First off obesity is problematic because it creates the potential for other diseases to present themselves. Key among these potential diseases is diabetes. It has been shown …

The average weight lifter eventually takes the time to investigate the possibility of using supplements. For the most part, supplements can help enhance your performance at the gym. While this is fantastic for individuals looking to gain or lose weight, increase their lean body mass, or increase their athletic ability, picking supplements should be done wisely. Protein supplements are widely used by athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike. While most would consider any protein powder to be equal to any other that is available on the market this simply isnt true. Whey protein, has become the …

Alcohol is one of those topics that gets a lot of attention. For most of us, alcohol is part of daily life. A drink here, a celebratory toast there, a nice cold refreshment on a hot summer day, all of these things come up in daily living. One question that comes up frequently is whether or not alcohol can be consumed as part of a healthful diet. This question is especially important for those individuals looking to shed some unwanted pounds. The simplest answer is that moderation is key. Alcohol does provide energy when ingested by the human body. For every gram of alcohol introduced into our…

If you’ve embarked on any kind of weight loss plan, you’ve probably been instructed to eat plenty of protein. Health books, dietetic books, and all fitness gurus preach the benefits of eating protein for weight loss. Protein, is in fact, the king of macronutrients. A macronutrient by definition is a nutrient that the body uses in large amounts. How does eating protein contribute to weight loss and fitness performance? There are a few key points to emphasize when answering this question. One: the body has a specific way of digesting protein. Digesting protein requires the body to expend more …

To stretch or not to stretch? That is the question. Stretching has clearly been given lots of attention in the fitness world and rightfully so. While stretching can be beneficial in many cases. people often wonder if they should stretch before or after a workout. The simplest answer is that it varies from one person to another. Why? Because not everyone has the same mechanical issues going into a workout.Assuming that someone has been exercising correctly for the entirety of their gym life, chances are they won’t need to do too much stretching. The reason for this is that when an exercise …

All too often individuals become discouraged in the gym because they aren’t lifting what they thought they could. This isn’t reason to be discouraged. After all, everyone starts somewhere. One important thing that people should always keep in mind is the concept of intensity. In other words just how hard is a specific workout? There is a scientific definition of intensity and various ways that you can gauge it other than how much weight you lift. By its strictest definition, intensity is determined by how much weight you can lift one time, and only one time. This designated weight is referred…

Warm weather is here and with it comes the opportunity for some outdoor cardio. Doing carido in a gym can become boring, stale, mundane. This summer you can bust out of your indoor cardio routine with the help of your smartphone. Yes, smartphones now come with a variety of useful apps that can help you chart your outdoor workouts no matter whether you walk, run, jog, or cycle. One of the best, fully featured apps available is CardioTrainer from WorkSmart Labs Inc, available on Android phones. If you’re thinking about taking your workout outdoors in Marlborough, this smartphone application may…

Sugar gets a bad reputation among fitness fanatics. Most people tend to avoid it like the plague. Yes its true that sugar, when consumed too much, can have a devastating effect on your midsection. There is, however, a valid reason to include sugar in your diet: it can help you build lean muscle tissue. Why is this a huge deal? Because you can now indulge in your sweet tooth and still see some fitness gains. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can consume sugar at every opportunity. What it does mean however, is that you can be more selective about the times you eat sugar. Here is how it works: …

It’s been estimated by the United Nations that approximately a third of the world’s food supply is being wasted. This is a rather astronomical estimate considering the central role that food plays in so many different places around the world. Food is of particular importance to the fitness enthusiast. Not only does nutrition affect performance, it also affects the way you look and feel during the course of your day. For those individuals looking to lose weight, a restriction in calories is almost always implemented in their nutritional strategies. How can you limit calories and avoid …

1. The National Weather Service says we are headed towards another beautiful day on Friday, with sunny skies and a high near 70 degrees. 2. From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, the anti-tobacco group OPPOSE will be at the Solomon Pond Mall educating youth and the general public on the dangers of tobacco. The group just launched an online community with the MA Dept of Public Health to help bring awareness to underhanded sneaky tobacco product marketing targeted at kids. They will have interactive exhibits and giveaways. 3. The Solomon Pond Mall will be hosting another children's event on Saturday …

Summer is almost here and with it comes the opportunity to participate in sporting events. Bicycle races, runs, walks, a favorite summer sport, all of these things are something that you might be participating in this coming summer. If you’re looking to help increase you performance its a good idea to plan ahead for your specific event. There are some key considerations to take into account when planning ahead for your summer activity. First, ask yourself how much time you realistically have to prepare. This boils down to the date of the event and what you genuinely hope to achieve there. …

Summer is a time of the year when things can get pretty food centric.  Barbecues, graduation parties, dinner with old friends, all of these can easily threaten your waist line. If foods that you are already familiar with can blow your good eating habits, what about the foods you aren't familiar with? If you have plans of taking a trip to a foreign country beware of the foods that can sabotage your diet. There are a few key things you can do to keep your solid eating habits while traveling abroad. First, look at some cook books that discuss the foods of the country you plan to visit during …

Physical Therapy is something many people eventually need. Whether it be an aching back, sports injury, or recovery from surgery, the average individual does spend some time in the PT clinic. Most individuals assume that physical therapy is pretty much the same wherever you go.  This assumption, however, is not very accurate. Google: “physical therapy in Marlborough” and you will see several results on the screen. How do you pick the right physical therapist for you? Picking your therapist is easily accomplished by taking into account these few simple tips. First, talk to your doctor about …