Archive for the 'Healthy Steps for Fitness' Category

Motivation Tips for Spring Fitness

Published on March 28, 2013 in Healthy Steps for Fitness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Health and Senior Services at Future FitnessThe days are getting longer, sunnier and warmer, meaning it’s time to get yourself out from the comfort of your winter pajamas and increase you energy levels with some exercise.

If you want to feel confident about your body this summer, now is the best time to start a fitness plan.
But finding motivation to step into your exercise gear and get moving can be a challenge.

According to fitness coaches, motivation is a lot more complex than people understand. It is what causes us to take action. It is defined as the process that starts, drives and maintains behaviors. It is therefore not a simple act of flicking on an energy switch. It involves so many levels – the biological, emotional and social energies that activate behavior. Confused? Well this is why it is difficult to get motivated as you actually have to tackle motivation from lots of directions to then find the formula to get going.

However, with a little help from these motivation tips, you’ll feel more informed and ready to get moving in preparing your exercise plan and most importantly, enjoying yourself while getting fit.

Have a Workout Buddy
Let’s face it, having a friend give you a kick in the pants can be really helpful. You can actually motivate each other. Some people say the competition with friends is what drives them.

Give Yourself a Reward
Giving yourself a reward is a nice reminder to yourself of how amazing you are and what you have achieved. Put together a chart and when you have completed, say 10 sessions, treat yourself. Buy an item like a purse (ladies only please), electronics, shoes or give yourself a bigger reward for longer milestones, like a tablet pc. You get the idea – rewarding yourself helps you reach goals and stay motivated.

Get a Personal Trainer
Anyone can create a fitness plan. The real gifted personal trainers have something very special about them. Having that teacher at your side will help unlock potential within you that everyone has. Look for someone who is interested in your personal and long term development.

Future Fitness has the most top rated personal trainers on staff than any other fitness center in South Jersey. Click here to learn more about personal training.

Give Yourself a Variety of Activities and Equipment
Due to your natural daily high and lows and moods you need to have 4 or 5 different activities to choose from. Have your “go to” activities and options for when you’re energy levels are lower.

Having access to a variety of equipment can keep you motivated and different equipment helps confuse muscles which can increase results of your workout. Read more about variety of equipment.

Does Your Posture And Movement Show Your Age?

Published on March 6, 2013 in Future Fitness Programs & Classes and Healthy Steps for Fitness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Future Fitness Reviews Pilates ReformerWhat once was a professional dancer’s secret is now one of the world’s most popular and effective fitness programs.

Pilates Reformer helps you to have a strong and slender physique with good posture. It can also help counteract the changes associated with aging by strengthening your body’s core muscle groups. Have you ever noticed people’s postures and movements often give you an idea of their age? A slender frame, strong core and good posture can provide you a more youthful form.

Whether you want a slender look, flatter abs, a stronger core, better mind-body awareness, or simply to release tension and stress, Future Fitness Centers’ Pilates Reformer Programs can help you achieve your fitness goals. Led by some of the most respected instructors in the fitness industry, all workouts can be personalized to meet the needs of all age groups and physical activity levels.

Discover how Pilates can help you to:
• Create balance
• Build strength
• Increase flexibility
• Enhance slenderness
• Develop a taller, more balanced posture

Click Here to Watch a Video about Pilates Reformer at Future Fitness Centers

If you are ready to try Pilates Reformer, contact Doria at our Mount Laurel location or sign up for a FREE Pilates Demo Session.

Fitness Trends for 2013

Published on November 12, 2012 in Fit News, Future Fitness Programs & Classes and Healthy Steps for Fitness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Experts in every industry and field are predicting the hot trends they see taking shape for 2013. Speaking of “taking shape,” the physical fitness industry is no exception. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has released its list of the top 10 fitness trends for 2013. They are as follows:

1. Educated, certified and experienced fitness professionals. For the sixth consecutive year, the trend in professionally qualified fitness instructors and trainers tops the list. The number of fitness professionals who attain accredited education and certification programs continues to increase, providing better results for those they instruct and train.

2. Strength training. This holds the number two spot for the second year in a row. Research now indicates that strength training also benefits the brain (refer to previous blog post) as well as the body.

3. Body weight training. Even when you can hit the gym, doing push-ups, crunches and other exercises that don’t require equipment is a great way to keep fit and toned. And when you can’t, body weight training keeps you from falling into a slump.

4. Children and obesity-related exercise. Programs designed to promote physical fitness and good nutrition among children will continue to increase. Sedentary activities and a steady diet of fast food are the main culprits contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic.

5. Exercise and weight loss. More and more people are beginning to understand that being thin isn’t necessarily synonymous with being healthy. Fitness programs that emphasize a balance of exercise and good diet choices to reach and maintain a healthy weight will continue to increase in popularity.

6. Fitness programs for older adults. With longer lifespans comes the risk of physical decline. Continuing their generation’s passion for personal independence, baby boomers will increasingly take to the gym to remain healthy and mobile as they age.

7. Personal training. An increasing number of companies and communities are promoting wellness programs that include personal trainers. Future Fitness provides one-on-one sessions with a personal trainer to members.

8. Functional fitness. Typically designed for older adults, these programs incorporate everyday activities that involve strength training to improve balance and coordination.

9. Core training. Strengthening core muscles improves the body’s overall stability, making programs emphasizing core muscle development popular among all age groups and workout disciplines.

10. Group personal training. Sort of an oxymoron, but small group classes led by a personal trainer for such regimes as boot camps will continue to trend.

Whatever trend may apply to you, fitness is never a fad! Future Fitness can help you make 2013 your best year yet!

 

Research Discovers that Exercises Builds the Brain: “Musclehead” Takes on New Meaning!

Published on November 7, 2012 in Fit News, Future Fitness Programs & Classes and Healthy Steps for Fitness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

We all know that exercise builds muscles, but newly released scientific research indicates that it may also build the brain – literally! A team at the University of Edinburgh followed more than 600 people who were 70 years old at the time the study began. The subjects provided details on their daily physical, mental and social activities.

Three years later, using imaging scans, the scientists found that the subjects who engaged in the most physical exercise had less shrinkage and damage in the brain’s white matter – the “wiring” of the brain’s communication system. The relationship remained even after factoring for such variables as age, health, social class and I.Q.

The study, reported in the journal Neurology, also indicated that exercise had a more positive effect in preventing brain shrinkage than engagement in mentally stimulating activities or having an active social life. While the authors of the study couldn’t rule out the possibility that people with less brain deterioration were just more likely to be physically active, they said that based on their findings, they would recommend that people take up physical exercise whatever their age.

If you’re already keeping your brain toned and pumped, you’re ahead of the game! If you’re looking for a fitness program that will be fun, challenging and beneficial – regardless of your age or fitness level – spend some time learning about all the great classes and programs Future Fitness offers. We now have something to improve every brain as well as every body!

 

Common Sense Exercise Tips

Published on October 26, 2012 in Fit News, Future Fitness Programs & Classes and Healthy Steps for Fitness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

If you’re considering starting a workout routine and have reached this blog for some advice, congratulations! If you’ve recently joined Future Fitness and want to be sure you have every advantage in keeping your commitment to a healthy lifestyle, here are five simple tips:

1. Consult a fitness professional – Have a professional assessment to determine what types of exercise will be most beneficial. You may learn that following a program based on aerobics or resistance training will get you where you want to go. You’ll also learn the areas in which you need the most attention, and how to avoid injury.

Future Fitness provides free sessions with a personal trainer, plus the industry’s leading instructors for all classes and programs. You can begin your program with complete confidence that you’ll enjoy the maximum benefits – as long as you follow the subsequent tips!

2. Follow an effective exercise routine – The American Council on Exercise (ACE) surveyed 1,000 ACE-certified personal trainers about the best techniques to get fit. They recommended a combination of strength training to help tone the entire body, interval training and cardio/aerobic exercise.

3. Choose a fitness regime you enjoy – Don’t take up a program that you’ll approach like a chore, or a fad workout that’s getting all the media buzz (unless you find that it really is a good program for you, and not just the celebrity who made it famous). For example, spinning may appeal more to you than walking on a treadmill (or vice versa).

Future Fitness members have an advantage in being able to take free demos of classes and programs, and in discussing the range of activities they like with instructors who can recommend the appropriate exercises.

4. Set realistic goals and be patient – If you’ve been a long-term couch potato, don’t expect to see a new slimmer, toned and ripped “you” in a few weeks. Trying to do too much too soon sets you up for injury and/or a lot of frustration. Either way, you’re more likely to give up.

Also, don’t strive for perfection or a goal that’s improbable based upon your physical limitations (which we all have). Talk with your instructor or trainer about your fitness goals, and the process involved in reaching them.

5. Be consistent – Achieving physical fitness is a process, and progress is made in increments. Schedule a regular time (at least three times weekly) for your workout. No matter how good your program, you won’t get results unless you do it consistently.