Category: Weight Loss Exercise

If outdoor fitness has been your road not taken, summer may be perfect time to ditch those climate-controlled Pilates classes and take a hike.

“The Green Mountains of Vermont is the gym in our backyard,” said Jimmy LeSage, owner of the New Life Hiking Spa in Killington, Vermont. “You get to be in nature. It’s more tranquil.”

Although the spa offers other activities, its centerpiece is hiking, which can mean anything from a leisurely nature jaunt to an arduous trek up a mountain.

“You get stronger, you lose , you de-stress,” said LeSage, a former ski bum who has been ushering -conscious clients through the Green Mountains for more than 20 years.

Hard economic times may be driving more budget-conscious Americans to move their fun, and their fitness, out of doors. The Outdoor Foundation, a nonprofit association of the outdoor recreation industry, reported that participation in hiking grew by nine percent in 2008.

Traversing hills, especially while carrying a backpack, burns calories, strengthens muscles and can prove addictive enough to uproot even the most stubborn couch potato, according to Dr. Patty Freedson of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Hiking is Not Just One Hill

“Hiking doesn’t take a lot of skills and can be done with group support,” she said. “Most important, it’s enjoyable. If you can get a sedentary person to do one or two miles and sustain it, that would be great.”

The Fatpacking company, based in Hull, Massachusetts, likes their hiking-for–loss treks spiked with camping and wilderness training.

“I also call it ‘fitpacking’ because people don’t want to tell other people they’re going to Fatpacking,” said company founder Steve Silberberg.

Silberberg, who left a career in computer programming to indulge his inner boy scout, said his expeditions, while geared to loss, are not for the morbidly obese or the faint of heart.

“It’s not for couch potatoes or ‘Big Loser’ types,” he said, referring to the popular television show that helps people lose . “Over steep terrain with a huge pack on your back, you get a cumulative fatigue. Thighs and butts tend to get a bit bigger because of increased muscle mass. Body composition changes a little bit.”

Bree Gotsdiner, an occasional co-guide, said people often use Fatpacking treks to jumpstart a diet.

“People always lose fat, always gain muscle,” she explained. “(Food) portions are limited to what we carry,” the former firefighter, said, adding all guides are EMT and wilderness certified.

“You need different skills when you’re in the forest than when you’re in the city.”

Hiking is a Tough Workout

Silberberg said the most important thing to pack on a hike is a good attitude, but he admits the expeditions may not be for everyone.

“We hike whether it’s rain or shine or snow,” he said. “If you think you’re going to be unhappy without electricity or plumbing, maybe it’s not for you.”

This winter Fatpacking plans to tackle the Haute Route in the Alps. But that journey may see clients forgoing sleeping bags for warm beds.

“We work with what’s available,” Silberberg explained. “People are not as willing to camp out if they know that there’s an inn a mile away.”

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One of the greatest ways to exercise is to use a very quick and heavy workout with weights. This method is called High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT and is one of the greatest ways to have a weight workout.

The main advantages to doing this type of workout is that you keep your concentration for a very short amount of time. You get to have a very punishing workout in 20 minutes. And finally, you get to burn a lot of calories and raise your metabolism.

If you have tried interval training before it is really great and exhausting. If you would like to be like a top athlete and do this style of interval training here are a few tips.

How to do High Intensity Interval Training

High Intensity Interval Training

1. Use machines instead of free weights. You do not want to waste any time puttingweights on bars as your break between exercises should only be 20 -30 seconds.

2. Use slightly lighter weights as your muscles will tire very quickly. And you are going to be gulping for breath really really soon.

3. Don’t rush through the exercises, rush between the exercises. Remember you are trying to push yourself during your sets and not rest between so the best method is to really push the weights hard on each set and then move to the next muscle group for the next set.

4. Try to not hit the same muscle group in consecutive sets. For example if you do bench press it will tax your pecs as well as triceps and shoulders so your next set should work your biceps or some part of your legs.

Compound exercises (the ones that hit more than one muscle group) are going to be tough to do in a High Intensity Interval Training session but if you can strategically work it our ahead of time your workout will be much tougher and better for you.

There are many people including me that believe that higher intensity workouts are much better for you than long low intensity workouts.

Give this method a try occasionally or even more often than that and the change up will really help to push your gains (or losses) much quicker than just regular workouts will.

The other side effect of this high intensity interval training method is that it will give you a much shorter workout.

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Even though a lot of people don’t actually realize it, a lot of antioxidant foods that we consume are from vegetables. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, and peppers are all excellent choices with some great benefits for your body.

When consuming vegetables, you should always go for those that are rich in color, as they are high in what is known as phytonutrients.

Where to Find Phytonutrients

Phytonutrients are nutrients found in the skins of several fruits and vegetables, which give the food color as well as flavor and scent. Phytonutrients are quite simply the best types of antioxidant foods that you can find anywhere. If you are looking for a supplement value, the coq10 offers you a high level of antioxidant value.

Although fruits and vegetables are the best sources for antioxidants, the problem with them is that they are produced by the use of chemical herbicides, pesticides, and different types of fertilizers.

Over the years, studies have shown that fruits and vegetables which are organically grown are high in antioxidants, and boast a much higher concentration than those that have been produced commercially.

In the busy world of today, it can be very tough to eat like we should, nor can we eat organic fruits and vegetables all the time. If you can’t or don’t have access to organic fruits or other sources of antioxidant foods, you should look into nutritional supplements that offer you the phytonutrients you need in your diet.

Supplements that contain phytonutrients do have advantages when compared to certain fruits, such as carrots – which can elevate your blood sugar level to a very high level. Phytonutrients found in supplements are the extract of pigments where nutrients are concentrated, meaning that they draw the best from antioxidant foods, leaving the calories and sugar behind.

Fruits and Vegetables – Antioxidant Powerhouses

Don’t get the wrong idea here, fruits and vegetables are indeed good for you.

They are high in antioxidants, although those that are produced commercially generally come with chemicals and such that aren’t so good for you. Canned fruits and vegetables come with high levels of sugars and calories, which antioxidant supplements don’t have.

The supplements offer you the levels you need, without any chemicals, sugars, or calories. This way, you don’t have to worry about consuming anything that isn’t good for you.

No matter how you look at it, healthy eating for your body starts and end with foods that contain antioxidants. There are several types of foods that contain antioxidants, although fruits and vegetables contain the most amounts.

Steak and meat are also great sources of antioxidants, along with other great benefits, such as protein. Anytime you can’t get foods that contain antioxidants – you can count on supplements to deliver the amount you need to stay healthy.

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