PE 9A Information

Section 7: Fitness Rsources

Tracey Kobayashi

50 Phelan Ave, NGYM
San Francisco, CA 94112
(415)452-7311
tkobayas@ccsf.edu

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Intro | Facts
Cardio | Strength
Nutrition | Diet Industry
Resources
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This section is dedicated to maintaining fitness through long-term commitment to an active lifestyle and sound dietary habits. You should learn to to enhance supports while minimizing hazards within your own environment.

Some people are good planners, maintaining an active lifestyle inexpensively and conveniently. However, sometimes the whole body isn't worked, or sometimes one just needs external motivation, or new machines to use. Here is a list of fitness resources, their pros, cons, and what to look for when considering their use.

Home Equipment

If you're self-motivated and need to a quick and convenient workout, you may want to consider home equipment. This option is not for the uninitiated, as that shiny, new machine will shortly gather dust. Try all equipment before buying. Don't mail order anything you haven't seen and tried yourself.

• Comparison
  
  • Pro: save time, expense, privacy; allows you to try before you buy
  • Con: interest factor - long-term compliance usually low
• Features/Construction
  
  • Materials: steel (strength) vs aluminum (light) Ð go with steel when possible.
  • Construction: sturdiness, frame rigidity, proper padding, welded joints, smoothly moving parts, easy assembly, portability (if desired), adjustability for users.
  • Planning: overall size to fit in intended location, wall & floor attachments or stand; matches room's size and structural integrity; controls/gauges easy to read/change.
  • smooth & quiet, easy to get in & out
  • works major groups
• Service
  
  • part/service availability Ð- on site or mail order?
  • warranty, length of coverage
  • price & shipping costs

Books/Videos

Sometimes all you need is a little direction. In that case, a book or video may be good for you. If possible, rent the video before buying to make sure you like it. Flip through several books, and buy one that you like and is easy to follow. Look for the following things before buying a book or video.


• Authors have appropriate credentials - degree, research, practical background, exercise leader certification.
• Research cited is from a reputable source, meaning a peer-reviewed, juried journal. It should be of good design, and preferably, there should be related studies that also support the idea.
• Fitness is developed reasonably, following generally-accepted workout guidelines appropriate to age, health status and fitness level.
• Warm-ups and cool-downs are sound.
• Author encourages safe exercises and cessation of anything that hurts
• Avoid claims of spot reduction, quick weight loss or fitness, cellulite reduction, no-sweat workouts, promotion of special products, services or supplements

Fitness Centers

Some people need external motivation, along with a variety of choices, to get themselves going. In this case, a gym membership could be considered. Keep in mind, you'll still need the motivation to get to the gym, so you may want to plan on meeting a fellow member on a regular basis to keep you going.


• Comparison
  
  • Pro: offers variety of exercise modalities in one space.
  • Con: cost-prohibitive -- gyms are expensive.
• Policies
  
  • Contract or signage should provide written policies, procedures, safety guidelines
  • Safety rules and procedures should be posted.
• Services
  
  • child care -- appropriate classes -- convenient and adequate parking
  • new member screening includes: health history, fitness assessment, equipment orientation
  • proximity to home/work -- trial/introductory period/free workout
• Facilities
  
  • Building: well-lit, clean, secure, well-ventilated
  • Equipment: variety, machines you use available during the hours you're there (visit during those hours)
  • Locker rooms: clean, stocked, lockers available
  • Exercise areas: H20 access -- staff monitors & maintains
• Staff
  
  • Friendly, comfortable with clientele, interact with members to provide assistance and guidance
  • All staff have cpr/first aid certification.
  • Fitness staff provides initial and follow-up fitness testing.
  • Encourages recording workouts, monitoring heart rate or RPE, w/u, c/d

Personal Trainers

Okay, sometimes you need a lot of external motivation. Sometimes you have to pay someone to get you going.

• Comparison
  
  • Pro: individualized work-out, and personal attention.
  • Con: cost-prohibitive, although some have sliding scale.
• Qualifications and Certifications
  Don't hire someone without something that says they studied relevant material. Certification means the individual studied basic exercise science, focusing on applying knowledge to create training programs. A college degree means the individual has deeper scientific knowledge, but not necessarily the ability to apply this knowledge.
  
  • Certifications: most widely recognized are ACE, ACSM, AFAA, CSCS (Strength coaches for sport teams tend to get the CSCS, you wont see a lot of personal trainers with this), IDEA, NSCA.
  • College Degree: physical education; movement science; kinesiology; health/fitness.
  • Continuing Ed - what have they done recently.
  • Beware of trainers offering quick fixes and rapid weight loss
  • Breadth of Knowledge: anatomy; physiology; motor learning; exercise physiology - bioenergetics and neuromuscular function; nutrition; biomechanics; injury prevention & care; counseling theory; management/organizational skills.
• Personality
  
  • Work ethic & personality match yours.
  • Should recommend good nutrition as complement to exercise program.
  • If possible, watch potential trainers with other clients to see how they interact with them.

Counseling

• Comparison
  
  • Pro: individually tailored program or group sessions are available.
  • Con: cost-prohibitive, although some have sliding scale.
• Qualifications/Certifications
  
  • College Degree
  • RD: registered dietititian for nutritional counseling
  • licensed counselor: group facilitator, general counseling
• Other
  
  • Check group focus: overeating; nutritional counseling; general support; etc.
  • Group/counselor should recommend exercise as a complement to good nutrition.
  • Beware of counselors offering quick fixes and rapid weight loss.
  • Buying meals is helpful for a tight schedule, but meal PLANS are better for reinforcing long-term behavioral patterns.

Common Programs

• Jenny Craig: no information on this program.
• Weight Watchers: Group meeting once/week includes a food plan. Good for those needing structure. Weight Watchers also sells individual meals.
• Overeaters Anonymous: Group meeting once/week for those with emotional problems resulting in overeating. Based on the 12-step program.

Internet

• Comparison
  
  • Pro: The internet is good for current information Ð it allows frequent updating; information can be found on any topic relatively quickly.
  • Con: The internet as a whole is neither juried nor edited for accuracy. Be wary of any claims made that aren't backed by a reputable source.
• Guidelines for Use
  Follow links from reputable sources. Double-check new or unusual claims in a reputable journal.

Recommended Sites

Check my website for links: http://fog.ccsf.org/~tkobayas/

Surviving Travelling and Holidays

Travelling and holidays are often obstacles for people attempting lifestyle changes: travelling can break up the exercise routine; holidays require often high-stress family and social functions; and of course, with all of these functions, there's little time to exercise and a lot of temptation to gorge on gooey, fatty foods. Let's look at some common strategies for dealing with these situations.

When travelling by car or bus, bring snacks such as raw veggies, fruit, air-popped popcorn and dry cereal. Carry a cooler for lunches and water. Take advantage of stopovers by taking a short, brisk walk. If travelling by plane, you can order special needs meals up to 24 hours in advance, or bring your own food. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and avoid too much alcohol or coffee to prevent dehydration in flight.

Upon reaching your destination, choose a hotel with an exercise room, preferably within walking distance of most of your appointments and activities. Stick to your exercise schedule as closely as possible Ð not only will you stay active, but it will also help you to work off some of that stress.

Speaking of stress, try to see holiday functions not as obligations, but as opportunities to catch up with family you see infrequently, or to get to know your co-workers outside of the work atmosphere. Take the time to share current happenings and interests in your life and to find out what's happening in other's lives, but don't feel obligated to reveal (or ask for) every last detail. If a conversation becomes too intense for your comfort level, excuse yourself and move on to the next person.

Food is often a stress-causing phenomenon during the holidays. Suddenly, people start bringing cookies and cakes and all sorts of gooey confections to the office, and you don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, so you feel compelled to take some of everything, which you eat right then and there and tell them what great cooks they are. There are a few things you can do to deal with the office bringers-of-good-tidings. If you feel obligated to take something, take the smallest portion possible, such as a single cookie or piece of candy, or cutting a piece of cake into a smaller piece. You can always take it home and tell them later how absolutely divine their confections tasted Ð this also extends the time frame for them to receive warm fuzzies, thereby extending that holiday spirit. Also, you don't have to accept absolutely everything offered to you. It's okay to Òjust say no,Ó thank you very much. And of course, if all else fails, you can go the little-white-lie route and feign some kind of food allergy or intolerance. With this last option, you'll need to remember what you said for the rest of your life so you don't accidentally let the cat out of the bag Ð not recommended for high stress people.

Of course, there's nothing like a holiday meal to make you feel more stuffed than that bird sitting in the center of the table. Before you begin, remember that a single meal never made anyone fat, and even though you completely gorged yourself, you have not failed in your quest for a healthy diet. You don't have to eat a perfectly balanced diet every day Ð it's okay to have the occasional decadent meal, as long as they remain occasional. That said, don't forget the usual meal tips to follow, such as drinking water or clear broth before eating, and eating slowly. For starters, take small portions of favorite foods you typically don't eat during the rest of the year (you don't have to eat every single thing that's served), taking care not to over-fill the plate. It helps to arrange the food neatly Ð it doesn't have to look like a Martha Stewart creation, but food should be visually appealing to complement the aroma and taste. Sit down and enjoy your meal, and don't forget to socialize in between courses to let your food digest. If you still have room, go ahead and eat a little more. Again, remember not to fill your plate, because you may feel obligated to continue eating even after you're full, which brings me to the important detail of not eating to the point discomfort. In fact, you may even want to eat conservatively during the main meal to save room for dessert!

Adopting a Healthy Lifestyle

The best way to reach and maintain your goals is to adopt a lifestyle based on sound nutrition and regular acitvity. DON'T starve yourself, jog to exhaustion and pump iron until your limbs fall off Ð you wont last long. A sound program considers individual needs and wants. Make reasonable changes you can live with indefinitely. Look at your attitudes and habits. How do you feel about yourself? With a low body-image, chances are you'll fail. Do you eat junk food for convenience or for comfort? Do you prioritize yourself after everyone else?

Start with food intake. Do you consume a lot of high fat and sugary foods? Don't forget hidden fats such as butter or margarine on toast, vegetables fried in oil or milk in coffee. Is your diet high in cholesterol or saturated fat? Is your diet well-balanced? Beware of non-fat snack foods; they not only don't contain fat, they also lack many nutrients -- plus, people tend to eat more of these foods, consuming more calories than they would have if they ate the full-fat versions. Use this list as a guideline for healthy eating habits:

Eat a variety of whole grains (processing removes a lot of nutrients from the grain) and potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams which are high in fiber.

Consume a variety of fruits and vegetables. Yellow and green vegetables are high in nutrients and fiber and low in calories. Two servings of fruit should be eaten fresh each day. Minimize dried fruits -- they're less filling because the water is removed, and it's easy to get carried away eating them.

Squashes (acorn; butternut; summer squash, pumpkin) are high in fiber and rich in many micronutrients.

Legumes (beans, peas, lentils) are protein as well as carbohydrate sources.

Control intake of animal foods, which can be high in fat (especially saturated fat) and cholesterol, and contain almost no carbohydrate or fiber.

Don't forget to include your favorite foods in your diet. If your favorite food happens to be peanut butter cups, then allow yourself the occasional treat. Remember, a healthy lifestyle isn't about denial, but really enjoying good things in moderation.

If you are trying to lose weight, eat more vegetables. Vegetables contain less calories than starches but have plenty of bulk-producing fiber. If you are trying to gain weight, increase carbohydrate and some protein intake. Increasing lean body mass requires energy and the body's main fuel source is carbohydrate, and some extra protein is needed for protein synthesis.

Are you sedentary? You should generally accumulate about 30 minutes of moderate to high-intensity physical activity every day. Increase your activity level by being active in every day life and doing activities you enjoy.

Incorporate more physical activity into your daily habits by parking your car or getting off the bus farther from your destination and using stairs rather than elevators and escalators.

Do activities you enjoy at least 3 to 4 times a week, and vary the activities you do. If you walk, follow different routes Ð explore the area or see new sights, or vary your walking pace and distance from day to day.

Work with an exercise partner to help motivate you.

Join a gym or a walking/hiking club.

Activity is not just exercise and can include vigorously mopping your floors, double-digging before you plant your garden, walking farther from/to the bus stop.

Don't over-train. If you feel pain other than just temporary muscle soreness, back off a bit.

If you're caught in a rut, or just need temporary motivation, it's okay to hire a personal trainer on a short-term basis. You don't need to feel obligated to stick with a fitness professional for the long haul.

Any increase in movement increases caloric expenditure during the task and metabolic rate remains elevated after exercise ceases. Perform medium intensity work over an extended time (aerobics, walking, hiking, jogging, rowing, biking, etc.) as well as relatively short, intense bursts of work. With aerobic training, the body becomes more efficient at using fat. Adding short, intense bursts to the routine may help increase fat loss. Many sports consist of short, intense bursts followed by a brief recovery: racket sports; basketball; volleyball. Include strength activities in your routine (strength/weight training, climbing, etc). Overloading muscles results in hypertrophy -- the body increases the proteins in the muscles to compensate for the increased need, which increases metabolic rate, so you burn more calories in the long-term.

A common barrier to change is lack of social support. How you enlist the support of family and friends depends on your situation, but you may try some of these tactics:

Encourage your children to participate in daily activity, either through teams, lessons, or even better, by playing with them. Lead by example.

Eat at least one family meal each day and make sure it's healthy. This guarantees everyone eats well at least once, and allows the family to keep current with each-other.

Let your family and friends know of your plans and how they can help you with your goals.

You don't have to let your family know a meal is "healthy." What they don't know wont hurt them, and may make them less resistant to "healthy" meals.

If communicating your concerns is a problem for you, don't be afraid of seeking professional help from a qualified counselor.

Invest in a good cookbook. Interest in healthful eating has created a large market for good-tasting recipes.

Intro | Facts
Cardio | Strength
Nutrition | Diet Industry
Resources
References